Is it possible multi pass on avi?

[pedivo]

Well ppl, thanks for the help you gave me on the last doubt, but now I got another one! I can't make 2 pass nor 3 pass with x264 for the final project as avi, only mp4 and mkv ones. Somebody could help-me?

[movax]

I haven't used the x264 VFW to make AVIs, but I'd assume the procedure is similar to DivX/XviD:

1. Setup 1st pass, goto File, Save as AVI, enter filename, and check "Run later in batch mode"
2. Setup the other passes, checking that box each time as you save.
3. Goto Job Control, and hit "Start". Should work then.

[jellysandwich]

It's really hard to help when you don't explain anything.

js

[ChronoCross]

Well ppl, thanks for the help you gave me on the last doubt, but now I got another one! I can't make 2 pass nor 3 pass with x264 for the final project as avi, only mp4 and mkv ones. Somebody could help-me?

you can do this easily with the cli version. Just specify the settings you want. Then the pass. and for the 3rd pess settings just make the filename "whatever.avi"

[stephanV]

?

The CLI version has no AVI output module...

you can use the CLI to output to raw and then use avc2avi or use VFW.

[celtic_druid]

or use mencoder.

[ChronoCross]

hmm I hadn't noticed they removed the avi module. guess that's a side effect of not using avi output.

[stephanV]

i dont think there ever has been one... at least not since r130 or something...

[pedivo]

Well, I already had tried to do just like xvid or divx, but some doubts came out:

1 - at the virtualdub, the x264 don't has the 1 pass, 2 pass, 3 pass option, as on the mp4 converter software, and the other codecs has the 1 and 2 passes.
2 - Without having the 2 and 3, I have the N pass. How to say that the N is the 2 or 3, which is gonna be the difference if I instead of 3, place 15?!
3- I tried to make with only 2 pass and the 1 pass created a 2-bytes-file in one second, and the 2 pass failed because there wasn't a 1 pass.
4 - why it's better the 3 pass then the 2 pass

[hpn]

@pedivo

Step by step 2 pass x264+VirtualDub encoding guide for newbies:

1. Download and install the latest x264 revision from Sharktooth (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=89979), bob0r (http://x264.nl) or celtic_druid (http://www.aziendeassociate.it/cd.asp?dir=/x264)
2. Start VirtualDub.
3. Go to menu: "File" ->"Open video file" and select your video or avs script or simply drag and drop it into VirtualDub. This will open the video you want to encode.
4. Go to menu: "Video" ->"Compression", then click "x264 - H264/AVC encoder", then click "Configure" button.
5. In the "Bitrate" tab from the dropdown list select "Multipass - First pass" (instead of the default "Single Pass Quantizer").
6. In the same "Bitrate" tab set "Target bitrate" to whatever you like or leave it as it is (800). Note: The higher the bitrate the better the quality, the larger the resulting file. Don't go above 1500 kpbs, unless you encode some HD (high definition) video. Your average DVD is not HD!
7. (optional) In the "MBs&Frames" tab click "8x8 Transform", then set "Max ref Frame" to 3 or 5 (the default is 1). The higher the "Max ref Frame", the slower the encoding and slightly better the quality. Don't change anything in the "Rate Control" and "More" tabs unless you know what you're doing.
8. Click "Ok" to close the "x264 configuration", then click "Ok" again to get back to the VirtualDub main window.
9. In the menu: "File" -> "Save as Avi" specify folder and file name (for example "a.avi", or only "a"), then check "Don't run this job now; add it to job control so I can run it in batch mode", then click "Save" button" (note: nothing will happen and you'll simply get back to the VirtualDub main window)
10. Go to Menu: "Video" -> "Compression" click "x264 - H264/AVC encoder", then click "Configure" button (same as step 3).
11. In the "Bitrate" tab: from the dropdown list select "Multipass - Nth Pass" (don't change anything else like the "Target Bitrate" or the other options)
12. Click "Ok" to close the "x264 configuration", then click "Ok" again to get back to the VirtualDub main window (same as step 7)
13. Go to menu: "File" -> "Save as Avi" then you'll see the same file name (for example "a.avi", or only "a"), so don't change it and just check again "Don't run this job now; add it to job control so I can run it in batch mode", then click "Save" button". Note: nothing will happen and you'll simply get back to the main VirtualDub window.
14. Go to menu: "File" -> "Job Control" and click the "Start" button. The encoding will start.
15. (optional) To monitor the encoding progress, just go back to the main VirtualDub window, then in menu "Options" select "Show Status window". Now wait until the encode is finished. That's all.

This guide is valid for x264 revision 326. In the future some VFW options may (and will) change.