Looking for a VirtualDub External encoder support tutorial

[kenmasters1976]

As the title says, I'm looking for a tutorial on using VirtualDub 1.10 external encoder support. In particular one explaining how to place x264 video and AC3 audio (probably some subtitles, too) on a MKV container.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

[yetanotherid]

As far as I know you can't save to MKV using VirtualDub and you'd have to use the vfw version of the x264 encoder which isn't an "official" version... as far as I know.

Maybe avidemux (http://fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/) would be a better option?

[kenmasters1976]

VirtualDub 1.10.0 included this new feature:

External encoder support. 1.10.0 can now use external programs for encoding and multiplexing through command-line templates and stdin/stdout data transfer, without requiring support for a VirtualDub-specific plugin API. With appropriate encoding programs, this allows encoding to formats that aren't internally supported, such as H.264. This also makes it easier to encode to custom formats, as all that is required is a CLI program that accepts raw data through stdin.

Since I'm used to VirtualDub, I was wondering if someone wrote a tutorial for this feature. I might as well take a look at avidemux anyway. Thanks.

[yetanotherid]

VirtualDub 1.10.0 included this new feature:

Sorry, I didn't know that.

Actually your question prompted me to do something I'd been planning to do forever.... install avidemux and have a play with it myself. Two minutes later and I'm already wondering why it took me so long.

[GodofaGap]

I think you mean this: http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=18840&st=0

[kenmasters1976]

Yes, I just found it in the VirtualDub forums, too. Should've looked there in the first place. Thanks.

[kenmasters1976]

I've been experimenting with this new VirtualDub feature. It seems to be rather straight forward, if you know how to use a command line tool, that is. If you're not familiar with all the command line options, it might be difficult to set up something like x264 that has plenty of those.

I've setup a "fast" x264 encoder profile using the following command line that I basically copied from the tutorial at the VirtualDub forum (the % entries are automatically set by VirtualDub to the appropriate values):

--crf 26 --preset medium --tune film --me dia --subme 1 --demuxer raw --input-csp i420 --input-res %(width)x%(height) --fps %(fpsnum)/%(fpsden) -o "%(tempvideofile)" -

I added the --me and --subme options for faster encoding. Is this OK for general use by simply changing the motion estimation options as needed?.

Now, about audio, is a bitrate of 64 kbps enough?. I mean, I've been trying oggenc at quality 0 (~64 kbps average) and I can't tell the difference between the resulting vorbis audio and the original uncompressed audio.

Thanks.

[raffriff42]

There has been a lot of progress on this topic in the last year or so, thanks to budman1, DarrellS, and yours truly. Since this thread is the first thing many people see when searching for "VirtualDub external encoder," (https://www.google.com/search?q="VirtualDub+external+encoder") it could use an update: Reference thread with tutorial and (long) discussion:
How to use the external encoder feature, a brief overview (http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=18840&st=0) (virtualdub.org)


My quick start guide - how to use existing, working setups:
Using External Encoders In Virtualdub, a summary and guide for new arrivals (http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=21733) (virtualdub.org) TL;DR (http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=21733)
1. Search the Web for .vdprof files (external encoder sets) for the file type you need.
2. Go to Options, External Encoders, Import and import the .vdprof file.
3. Open each imported encoder or muxer and fix the executable path if needed.



My improved method, with vastly improved error handling (and debugging):
External Encoders Using Batch File Helpers (http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=22055) (virtualdub.org)

[foxyshadis]

There has been a lot of progress on this topic in the last year or so, thanks to budman1, DarrellS, and yours truly. Since this thread is the first thing many people see when searching for "VirtualDub external encoder," (https://www.google.com/search?q="VirtualDub+external+encoder") it could use an update:

If you don't mind, I copied this post into a sticky thread in the Virtualdub forum as well. Hopefully that will get some Google love.