Virtualdub & x264

[foxyshadis]

It's an avi in mkv. It has a fourcc, it assumes frames are coded in display order, it employs packed bitstream hacks (well, x264 doesn't), it opens in vdubmod, it has several frames of delay when seeking; it truly is a mkv wrapper around an avi, minus a tiny bit of natively stored information. What makes it useful is the ability to include newer audio in saner ways than avi.

In native mode none of this is true. Frames are stored out of order and the mkv native codes determine its format, not an arbitrary fourcc.

[unmei]

OK, hehe, shouldn't have taken so long to write that. It more or less repeats what foxy says

Matroska "knows" two ways to store AVC data. One is like a wrapper for "VfW streams", which is the way anything that can be in an AVI can also be stored in a mkv and therefore also works for AVC. These streams have the codec identification V_MS/VFW/FOURCC and the AVI-type FOURCC is used to identify the actual codec, just like in AVI. This is often called the vfw or compatibility way.

There is a different way, where the stream is directly identified as an AVC stream (codec identification V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC) which supposedly gives the encoder a few more freedom in the way to store frames and what features to use. When the streams are not stored with a V_MS/VFW or A_MS/ACM type of ID they are called "natively" stored since they then all have their own specific ways, not the common VFW/ACM way.

Basicly, the compatibility streams inherit some of the VFW/ACM limitations, like AVI, while the natively stored streams may not have those limitations.

[Prettz]

OK, I had no idea it did that. If I take my VfW-created .mkv and pass it through mkvmerge, does the new .mkv file get stored in native AVC mode?

[GodofaGap]

Nope. Newer versions of mkvmerge will even reject the file without a special switch (engage --enable-avc-in-vfw-mode, or something like that).

[smekoslav]

Hi guys, here's a question:

I just made a dvdrip using gordian knot...x264, ac3-5.1 into mkv container (also used avi container later but the problem was the same) and the rip looked perfect quality but out of sync like from -300 to +300 ms thruout the movie. Is this various frame rate?
Since GKnot uses VDub for encoding I just want to ask: What do I have to do so that I get normal in-sync movie encoded in GKnot in x264? Some advanced settings in x264 configuration? Please advise

[Sharktooth]

Drop GK and use an appropriate GUI for x264 (MeGUI, StaxRip, RealAnime, etc...)

[smekoslav]

Which of these appropriate x264 GUIs is the most easy-to-use or similar to GKnot then?

[Sharktooth]

I dont really use other GUIs than MeGUI, it has a lot of options and possible customizations and it's very versatile, but i also heard StaxRip is not bad (and easier at first impact), while RealAnime is more Anime-centric and doest directly support DVD input.
There are also other GUIs i hadnt really tested at all, like mkvmagic... but reading the thread i can see the users are really satisfied.
So, you just have a wide choice and i suggest you to get them all and see what you like more.