Harry Potter PAL FS encoding difficulties, need some help

[Hitokiri]

I've been trying to get this one right for weeks now, I've put hours into testing and still haven't been able to get a nice result.

I've chosen for divx3.11 sbc in nandub, 2 cds with fs@544x400 and mp3@lame -alt--standard@173mb because I'm not sure how I would be able to get a 463mb ac3 file on a 2cd rip with nice quality fs video. If anyone thinks it is possible, I'd like some tips here..

Anway, I've uploaded 2 samples to my isp, one is encoded in 2 pass, with .stats file, and the other one is encoded without .stats file.
The first sample is 2.61mb in size (2 pass), the second 3.15mb (1 pass).

http://users.pandora.be/chronos/with-stats.avi
http://users.pandora.be/chronos/without-stats.avi

The 2 pass sample shows a very blocky and ugly image @ around 0m09s, where the other sample shows a clean image.

I notice that 2-pass encoding gives me a smaller filesize and relatively the same image quality (with the sample anyway), except that one scene @ 0m09s. Maybe the image of the 1 pass encode is slightly better, I don't know, what do you guys think?

I would like to use the 2 pass encoding method, so my main request here is that I'd like to know how I can eliminate the ugly image or the image quality in a whole.

Could it be that I don't have enough bits free to put into that scene because I'm only encoding 12 seconds, and that my problem will be solved when I encode the whole movie? I've already tried it with a 2 min sample, and I had the same problem though.

Here's my nandub configuration file:

http://users.pandora.be/chronos/harrypotter.vcf

If you guys need more info, just let me know.

Tia.

[jeremymacmull]

have u tried using Gordian Knot

cos GKnot can do all the nandub settings for u and mux the sound etc and u wont need to know about the optimal settings for 2 pass encodes
This is very usefull especially if you are a newbie!!

or better use Gknot to encode to DivX 5 u should find a quite noticable jump in quality with either method divx 5 or 3 due to the fact that Gknot sets it up for u and does a conpressibility test to see how good the movie will compress

Hope any of this helps

JEREMY

[Hitokiri]

I've never tried gordian knot for encoding, only for resizing..I'll give it a shot, tnx for the tip :)

I don't know why, but I don't like divx5..and I don't think I'll ever use it, but maybe I could try xvid..ppl say it's somewhat easier to use than divx3

anyway, tnx for the help..if anyone else has got some ideas, feel free to reply :D

[jeremymacmull]

Also have u had a look at antishit

cos this problem sounds like a codec error (available in normal nandub or Gknot)

Not sure tho

but wont harm to check it and see!!

JEREMY

[Hitokiri]

what exactly do you mean by that? my antishit is set at 16dB in nandub, with min quality 0dB and motion modulation 25

[manono]

Hi-

It didn't really look like a shit problem to me, but just the usual not high enough bitrate kind of a problem. If you're sure it's not in the vob files like that, I would first knock off any kind of motion compression, whether encoding directly in Nandub, or through GKnot after the first pass. If that doesn't work well enough, I'd use the handy feature in GKnot that allows you to boost the bitrate of problem scenes in the Stats File Editor Tab.

[jeremymacmull]

as he said !!

JEREMY

PS i do actually possess a very good rip of harry potter that a friend did for me divx 3 and ac3 5.1 with none of the errors u mentioned so it is possible

[Hitokiri]

tnx for the tips guys..i'll let you know how it went as soon as i tried it :)