Conversion from XviD to Vob

[pascalwil]

I'm looking for a tool to convert XviD to Vob while keeping video size, # of fps and low video bitrate (ie a tool that doesn't force to the standard DVD high bitrate).

Thanks for your suggestions.

Edited with some clarification

My input is a wmv file.
I've tried a few tools to convert it to XviD and I end up with audio and video out of sync.
My new approch is to demux the wmv file, convert audio and video and remux.

I've had good results with VirtualDub to extract the video only to an XviD file and foobar to extract the audio to a 48 K AC3 file.

I think of using MuxMan to remux video and AC3 audio to produce a DVD like set of files which I hopefully can convert to XviD with Auto GK.

So I need a tool to convert the XviD file (without audio) to Vob and/or m2v to feed MuxMan video part.

Since the plan is to convert back to XviD I don't need a high bitrate for the Vob/m2v but only the same as (low) original wmv bitrate.

If you know of a better way to achieve what I want you're welcome!

Thanks for your help.

Cheers

[setarip_old]

Hi!

By definition, .VOB is an extended set of MPEG-2, which is far less compressive than XviD.

What is your purpose in converting to .VOB from XviD?

It would be simpler to just rip your original DVD as (if needed) a single .VOB...

[linyx]

AviSynth + QuEnc

AviSource("myfile.avi").assumefps(whateveryour fps is)
then load that into QuEnc.

[pascalwil]

Thanks linyx for your reply!

Can you clarify the code?

Is it AviSource("myfile.avi").assume29.97 when 29.97 fps?
Feeding QuEnc with the avs script is all that's needed?

I don't know QuEnc. Is it as easy as choosing Vob as output or are there any settings that I should know of?

Thanks.

Cheers

[linyx]

Well assumefps(whatever) will work for framerate. The only settings i worry about are mainly the bitrate. Also, i use QuEnc for video only, and then separately encode audio with besweet. Finally i then author those with muxman.

BTW - A Vob file is not playable in stand-alone dvd players.

[MrC]

Why don't you use a all-in-one sowftare that converts wmv to DVD structure (.ifo, .vob, .bup)?

Some of them, like AVStoDVD, makes use of all the package previously mentioned: AviSynth, QuEnc, MuxMan. But you do not have to manually write anything. Just feed the wmv into AVStoDVD.

If you plan to go back to XviD, DO use the mpeg2 higher bitrate that you can. You will preserve quality.

Let me know

;)

Bye

[pascalwil]

Thank you all for your inputs.

Will follow your advice.

Will try AVStoDVD hoping audio and video are sync when output is DVD.
But do I need something like 9800 Kbps for mpeg2 when I want around 800 Kbps for XviD like original wmv.
Does it make a difference going to higher bitrate for intermediate files?

Cheers

[MrC]

But do I need something like 9800 Kbps for mpeg2 when I want around 800 Kbps for XviD like original wmv.
Does it make a difference going to higher bitrate for intermediate files?


Every time you make an encoding you loose quality. Always. That's why going as much high as possible is the only way not to ruin your video.

This is the pure theory.

Being more practical, if you have a 800 kbps XviD, you will not see visual differences using a 6000 kbps mpeg2 (if well encoded - QuEnc/HCenc).

;)

Bye

[setarip_old]

@pascalwil

In light of the edit you've made to your initial post (one day after my initial response), I'd ask you why are going through multiple conversion steps to and from XviD, when you can likely convert directly from WMV to DVD?

(A simple Googlesearch for "WMV to DVD" [inlcuding quotation marks] takes you to
"WMV to DVD" - which yields many possibilities)

[MrC]

@setarip_old,

from my understanding, his original aim is to do a wmv-to-xvid conversion and he is having sync problems. His hope is that going thru an intermediate DVD step, sync problems will be bypassed.

@pascalwil

what wmv-to-xvid tools have you tried?

;)

Bye

[setarip_old]

@MrC

Hi!from my understanding, his original aim is to do a wmv-to-xvid conversion and he is having sync problems. His hope is that going thru an intermediate DVD step, sync problems will be bypassed.Even if that is so, there would then be no reason to first convert the WMV to XVID and then to DVD and then back to XviD.

Rather, it would only require WMV to DVD (as I suggested) - and then DVD to XviD...

[pascalwil]

Thanks for your interest in my post.

I've tried the following programs to convert directly from wmv to XviD:
VideoMach
Xilisoft Video Converter
VirtualDub
Super 2008
AutoMen
Easy Video Converter
AviDemux
vlc

They all give me an output that's either pretty bad or out of sync.
I'm not excluding the possibility of having a somehow corrupted wmv although it plays in WMP.

When I say converting to DVD I actually mean converting to a DVD structure (ifo + vob) but with the size (352x240) of the original wmv file.

AVStoDVD can't seem to be able to set 352x240 for output. The same goes for FAVC.

What setarip_old is saying makes a lot of sense. I should envisage converting from wmv to DVD structure and then to XviD.
I like Auto GK for conversion from DVD to XviD.
I like MuxMan to create a DVD from separate audio and video files. I can use a 48 KHz AC3 file created from the original wmv with foobar.
But I don't know what to use for conversion from wmv to DVD and/or m2v to feed Muxman since I have strong requirements (352x240) for the DVD and m2v file.
I'm flexible for the bitrate (I'm kind of convinced by MrC's explanations).

Cheers

[neuron2]

I'm not excluding the possibility of having a somehow corrupted wmv although it plays in WMP. What is it and where did you get it?

[pascalwil]

It a personal (wedding) home made movie I got from another familly member. I've been told it was made with a camcorder and converted to wmv from its original format. Since then the original has been lost.
I'm afraid I have to live with this wmv file!

Cheers

[setarip_old]

But I don't know what to use for conversion from wmv to DVD and/or m2v to feed Muxman since I have strong requirements (352x240) for the DVD and m2v file.Use DVDFlick, set to "half resolution" (In "Advanced" section of "Video" settings). No need to demux, remux, use MuxMan, etc.

[MrC]

When I say converting to DVD I actually mean converting to a DVD structure (ifo + vob) but with the size (352x240) of the original wmv file.

AVStoDVD can't seem to be able to set 352x240 for output. The same goes for FAVC.



Again, to preserve quality, wmv-to-dvd conversion should be made at maximum resolution (720x480 if you use NTSC standard).
Be careful, because mpeg2 352x240 could be really horrible.

Then with AutoGK (for dvd-to-xvid) you can set any resolution you want.

My suggestion is to:
1. Use AVStoDVD or FAVC to make wmv-to-dvd conversion using maximum bitrate (i.e. 9000) and maximum resolution (720x480)
2. Use AutoGK to make dvd-to-xvid conversion using VBR and setting the res you want.

I have seen that you have not tried MediaCoder (http://mediacoder.sourceforge.net/) for direct wmv-to-xvid conversion. Do try it.

;)

Bye

[pascalwil]

Thanks for your advice setarip_old.

DVDFlick with half res. creates a 352x480. Only the width is same as original and the height is twice as much.
BUT the good news is the log file created with the FFMpeg script used for the conversion. Very interesting. I can modify the script to my liking and get what I want as far as the size. For the rest of the options I'm a bit lost.

FFMpeg seems a very good CL tool.

Cheers

[pascalwil]

Hi Mrc

I'm surprised to read that I should convert the size of the video to maximum resolution in the process. I would have thought I'd loose quality if going from 352x240 to 720x480 and back to 352x240 due to the interpolation. Isn't that the case.
For the bitrate I'm convinced.

I'll try MediaCoder. Thanks for the link.

Cheers

[Gavino]

I've tried the following programs to convert directly from wmv to XviD:
...
VirtualDub

Have you tried using Avisynth in conjunction with VirtualDub? A simple script like
DirectShowSource("yourfilename.wmv")
ought to be enough.
Open your script in VirtualDub and save the result with compression set to XviD.

If for some reason the audio sync problem persists, there are various ways of altering the script to investigate and hopefuly cure it.

I don't see any sense in converting to DVD as an intermediate format - how can this help if the problem is in the source?

[pascalwil]

Thanks Gavino for your advice. I shall try using an avs script as input to virtualDub as you suggested.

It seems that demuxing the original WMV to m2v video with FFMpeg and ac3 audio with foobar and remuxing to DVD with MuxMan does solve the sync problem. I don't really know why but it seems to do the trick.

Cheers.

[MrC]

I'm surprised to read that I should convert the size of the video to maximum resolution in the process. I would have thought I'd loose quality if going from 352x240 to 720x480 and back to 352x240 due to the interpolation. Isn't that the case.


The reason is that mpeg2 is absolutely not optimized for low resolution encoding (352x240), like mpeg1 or wmv. Make some trials and see the differences.

Btw, going Half-D1 (352x480) and using AviSynth Lanczos4Resize could be a good compromise.

Ah, AVStoDVD supports Half-D1 res too.

;)

Bye

[pascalwil]

Hi

I'm reporting good news. I've been able to convert my WMV file to XviD.
I've demuxed with FFMpeg from WMV to m2v and with foobar from WMV to AC3.
I've remuxed with StaxRip from m2v and AC3 to XviD-AC3.

The result is quite good considering the original WMV file.

As suggested by setarip_old I converted directly from WMV to DVD and then to XviD.

I recommend FFMpeg and StaxRip. Good tools.

I'm quite happy with the XviD file. Thank you all for your help.

Cheers

[setarip_old]

As suggested by setarip_old I converted directly from WMV to DVD and then to XviD.Glad to hear it worked for you ;>}