What's the "best" quality MPEG2->DivX converter?

[aLu]

Hey, I don't mean to start any wars between Flaskers and Knotters ;-/ - I'd just like to know what you think to be the best solution for your needs.

For me, the main goal ist QUALITY - and if it takes 14 hours to get it (on my super-duper-duron 700, hehe). The competitors are (as far as I know):

1. Gordian Knot/Avisynth - involves many progs, difficult config
2. FlaskMPEG - likely to crash, slow
3. DVD2AVI - bad quality, bad resizing
4. XMPEG - stupid resizing, likely to crash, always wants to test...

There's also something called MPEG2AVI, I don't know that app.

I've tried yet 2,3 and 4 and my personal favourite is Flask, besides all its instability and buggyness. But GKnot interests me. As far as I know, it uses Avisynth for Frameserving and VirtualDub or Nandub for adjusting the image/compression. Can it really beat Flask's quality - I mean, objectively - to some extend that's a matter of taste. Is it 1.) sharper 2.)more detailed 3.)bess blocky/ blurry ast high bitrates?

Let me know what you think.

[TheUnforgiven]

i personally use the manual way (dvd2avi -> avisynth -> vdub)
this gives u complete control over the process and allows u to use better filters for deinterlacing, IVTC, resizine,denoising
note that:
-more details = sharper, unless u use sharpening filter on a low detailed material.
-u can reduce the blocks if u applied denoise filters but this will result in blurriness and less details. (trade of)

[dragongodz]

actually you forgot DVDx on that list. give that a try aswell and see what you think.

ok i may be a little biased as one of the programmers but i didnt start this thread. it is only fair to mention it as another option though and shouldnt be construed as advertising (before anyone accuses me of that).

[ppera2]

All-in one programs never give so good quality as 'manual' methode.
But they are better for beginners, of course.

For PAL Mpeg2 is best DVD2AVI 1.76 - it's fastest.
For NTSC, interlaced PAL etc: DVD2AVI, AVISynth and Virtual Dub.
Plus some filters by need - Decomb, noise filters etc.