Auto Gordian Knot: current version 2.55

[Darth Maul BR]

len0x,
No more support for Windows XP theme? :(

[Rzwen]

Is it possible to queue up a list of files for it to run overnight? I'm trying to backup Family Guy and it's very high maintenance having to be there while its working.

Also, I have resolution set to Auto, but AutoGK is giving me different resolutions for different episodes. I have it set to 1/2 CD 350 MB. Why is it giving me different resolutions for different episodes? Also, I have the audio set to Auto. What quality audio is it producing for 1/2 CD 350 MB Encodes? Does it keep the AC3 or Encode using MP3?

But, all in all, this is a gorgeous program. The best I've seen so far.

--EDIT--
Oh, nvmd. Adding more jobs allows more files to be queued! Awesome! :D
But I still don't understand the different resolution thing.

[manono]

Hi-

AutoGK is giving me different resolutions for different episodes.

My guess is that different episodes are compressing differently, so to maintain even quality for all of them, it's using different resolutions. If you don't like what it's doing, then use a custom fixed horizontal resolution to make all of them the same. AutoGK can still make some adjustments to try and maintain even quality, but there are no guarantees along those lines.

Does it keep the AC3 or Encode using MP3?

Good question. My guess is that it's converting to MP3. But it's easy enough for you to find out. Open the completed .avi in VDubMod and go File->File Information and have a look. Or open it in GSpot (http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/Editing/gspot221.exe). It'll tell you that and a lot more.

[iradic]

hi...

not a big thing but here i cant see filesize in downloads section of gknot website... (using firefox)

as i said not a big thing...

bye

[len0x]

Originally posted by eb
What is going on when the file in process is .mpg or .mpeg with video as E0 and audio as C0


Well, mpegs are not transport streams and therefore cannot be processed as transport streams but just as pure mpegs (DGMPGDec distinguish files by extension).

[len0x]

Originally posted by Darth Maul BR
No more support for Windows XP theme? :(

meaning ?

[len0x]

Originally posted by iradic
not a big thing but here i cant see filesize in downloads section of gknot website... (using firefox)


they are not set - that's why :)
Probably I can do that for stable release, but for betas its lots of hassle to change it everytime...

[len0x]

Originally posted by GizmoDerMokwai
Hi len0x, wouldn't it be usefuller, if you'd make the Maxium Width feature as a check feature, i mean, that you can activate it in compination with the min width option, so you can enter resolution ranges like 448 to 640 for width....

I know you requested maximum width feature before, but as it is now its not for limiting normal encodes but rather HDTV sources (you don't want to get 1920 resolution in the end probably...). And I don't have infrastructure in place to support both limits. Usually you know which way to limit anyway.

[len0x]

Originally posted by Mc|Atm0s
16 second?!? 9243,75 fps?!?


Are you still getting this error ?

[len0x]

Originally posted by Smiff
shame because i think the split point is very important in not ruining 2-cd movies, disturbing the enjoyment too much you know. it could be a great new option in Hidden Options, to enter a frame number to split on, like the credits option. perhaps this can't be done for technical reasons, but thanks for listening.

Its too much to ask from automatic tool. There is no way to know exactly where to split before encoding unless you want to do two separate encodes and have uneven quality of the two halves.

[Mc|Atm0s]

Originally posted by len0x
Are you still getting this error ?
No...
I've resumed the 2nd pass without error...

[Smiff]

Originally posted by len0x
Its too much to ask from automatic tool. There is no way to know exactly where to split before encoding unless you want to do two separate encodes and have uneven quality of the two halves.

hi lenox, yes that's exactly what i want, the uneven quality (which won't really be significant at all, i figure - unless one half of the movie was much more compressible than the other half or something very weird?).. of course i realised after posting it would take two seperate encodes, with the extra complexity of getting the audio and subs synced right. thanks anyway, guess i'll be going back to learning the manual way if i want to continue with this :/ i might use manono's tip (thanks!) of undersizing slightly. but neither solution is perfect, how much of a perfectionist do i want to be. i guess one day someone will make a tool that let's you choose split point (by time), but i quite understand if it isn't this one, i wouldn't want to get into it either :)

[Zhnujm]

Originally posted by len0x
no, afaik AVI doesn't support more that 2 audio tracks. (neither do standalones)

At least up to 7 work with Mediatek based players.
Have not tried more than that ;)

[NMachiavelli]

Originally posted by len0x
no, afaik AVI doesn't support more that 2 audio tracks. (neither do standalones)

I figured it was something like that, which I'm too noob to know.

I'm guessing the matroska format would support what I'm looking for?

len0x, I remember you saying you weren't going to support matroska until there was stand alone support for it, but how many people use HTPCs instead of STB to play their backups? Was there a poll along these lines at one point? I don't see it on the website...

[Darth Maul BR]

Originally posted by len0x
meaning ?
Yes... :( Before version 1.25 its ok.... now the buttons look like classic theme... :(

[ydobon]

Hello, there.

Originally posted by len0x
no, afaik AVI doesn't support more that 2 audio tracks. (neither do standalones)

Well, I don't know if it's standard but VDubMod lets you add as many audio streams as you want.

I've manually added a third audio stream (director's commentary) to an AGK encode and it played without problems in a Kiss DP-1000.


Regards,

[len0x]

Originally posted by Darth Maul BR
Yes... :( Before version 1.25 its ok.... now the buttons look like classic theme... :(

Can you post a screenshot(two if possible with 1.25 and 1.35)? I didn't touch GUI at all!

[len0x]

Originally posted by ydobon
I've manually added a third audio stream (director's commentary) to an AGK encode and it played without problems in a Kiss DP-1000.


I gotta try this on my standalone...

[Mc|Atm0s]

Hi len0x! This is the problem:

I've asked AutoGKnot to encode Kill Bill with Subtitles: Italiano / Normal Captions : Wide/Letterbox , but the log says:

[05/06/2004 19.44.21] AutoGK 1.30b
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] OS: WinXP (5.1.2600).2
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Job started.
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Input dir: D:\Video\Films\KillBill\KILL BILL VOL.1
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Output file: D:\Video\Films\KillBill\KILL BILL VOL.1\Kill Bill Vol.1.avi
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Audio: Italiano
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Subtitles: all
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Codec: XviD
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Target size: 1400Mb
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Custom audio settings: CBR MP3 with bitrate: 160Kbps
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Started encoding.
[05/06/2004 19.44.21] Demuxing and indexing.
[05/06/2004 19.49.31] Source aspect ratio: 16:9
[05/06/2004 19.49.31] Source resolution: 720x576


Why "all" subtitles?

Also, why in my logs don't appears "Subtitles size: xxx bytes (xxx Mb)" and "Splitting and compressing subtitles"?

[len0x]

Originally posted by Mc|Atm0s
I've asked AutoGKnot to encode Kill Bill with Subtitles: Italiano / Normal Captions : Wide/Letterbox , but the log says:


what's the contents of your stream info file ?

Originally posted by Mc|Atm0s

Also, why in my logs don't appears "Subtitles size: xxx bytes (xxx Mb)" and "Splitting and compressing subtitles"?

coz they are internal...

[((( atom )))]

afaik avi supports at least 8 audio streams and should even be ok with several videostreams.

[Mc|Atm0s]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by len0x
[B]what's the contents of your stream info file ?


0x20 - Subtitle - English / Normal Captions - [SubPicture 01: Wide/Letterbox] / LBA: 31285 / PTS: 00:01:18.647 / Delay: 78360ms
0x21 - Subtitle - English / Normal Captions - [SubPicture 02: Wide/Letterbox] / LBA: 17414 / PTS: 00:00:38.367 / Delay: 38080ms
0x22 - Subtitle - Italiano / Normal Captions - [SubPicture 03: Wide/Letterbox] / LBA: 12460 / PTS: 00:00:25.887 / Delay: 25600ms
0x23 - Subtitle - English / Normal Captions - [SubPicture 04: Wide/Letterbox] / LBA: 355806 / PTS: 00:14:35.927 / Delay: 875640ms
0x24 - Subtitle - Italiano / Normal Captions - [SubPicture 05: Wide/Letterbox] / LBA: 12462 / PTS: 00:00:25.887 / Delay: 25600ms
0x80 - Audio - AC3 / 6ch / 48kHz / DRC / English / LBA: 118 / PTS: 00:00:00.287 / Delay: 0ms
0x81 - Audio - AC3 / 6ch / 48kHz / DRC / Italiano / LBA: 119 / PTS: 00:00:00.287 / Delay: 0ms
0x8A - Audio - DTS / 6ch / 48kHz / DRC / Italiano / LBA: 120 / PTS: 00:00:00.287 / Delay: 0ms
0xE0 - Video - MPEG-2 / 720x576 (PAL) / 16:9 / Letterboxed / LBA: 1 / PTS: 00:00:00.287 / Delay: 0ms

[cyberfly]

I wanted to rip Saint Seiya (anime series) with AutoGK (I used 1.25 and 1.35), but the subtitles aren't encoded with the video stream in the preview.

I selected the English subtitles and they don't render. This is when I try to rip the whole DVD (all chapters). When I rip PER chapter, only the first chapter displayed subtitles.

This is the stream info file contents:

0x20 - Subtitle - Chinese - [SubPicture 01: Normal] / LBA: 8696 / PTS: 00:00:14.006 / Delay: 13659ms
0x21 - Subtitle - English - [SubPicture 02: Normal] / LBA: 35403 / PTS: 00:01:32.518 / Delay: 92171ms
0x80 - Audio - AC3 / 2ch / 48kHz / DRC / Japanese / LBA: 4300 / PTS: 00:00:00.693 / Delay: 345ms
0xE0 - Video - MPEG-2 / 720x480 (NTSC) / 4:3 / LBA: 1 / PTS: 00:00:00.347 / Delay: 0ms

When I ripped The Emperor's New Groove, it worked flawlessly !

Thank you for your trouble.

[Sharkbyte]

Aside from my friends' problem above me, I have another problem. I tried to encode a show recording from a DVD. The source is 720x576 (no black borders) interlaced PAL. For some reason, every width setting I choose results in a zoomed picture, making the stand-up comedian's head go outside the image. I tried 1.25 and 1.35.

The logfile can be seen here (http://users.skynet.be/phunc/01_gk.log).

[Darth Maul BR]

Originally posted by len0x
Can you post a screenshot(two if possible with 1.25 and 1.35)? I didn't touch GUI at all!
1.25... OK!
http://www.dvdnews.hpg.ig.com.br//teste/autogk1.25.gif

1.35... Windows Classic :(
http://www.dvdnews.hpg.ig.com.br//teste/autogk1.35.gif

[Taurus]

@Darth Maul BR

Where is the difference in your screenshots?
Just the green marks! And the blue writing!
Are you kidding?
C'mon, no pea collecting.
Nevertheless, I think lenOx will give it a shot. :rolleyes:
Form follows function and truth(beauty) is in the eye of the admirer(viewer)....

Have a nice day

Taurus

[therealjoeblow]

Originally posted by len0x
Its too much to ask from automatic tool. There is no way to know exactly where to split before encoding unless you want to do two separate encodes and have uneven quality of the two halves.

...to clarify - you have to split on a keyframe - if you enter a preferred frame # to split at before encoding, there's no way to guarantee that will end up being a keyframe after encoding, so you can't necessarily split at that point.

@len0x - been away for a while (changed carreers in the last month, very busy times) - thanks for the continued work and updates!!!

[therealjoeblow]

Originally posted by NMachiavelli
I figured it was something like that, which I'm too noob to know.

I'm guessing the matroska format would support what I'm looking for?

len0x, I remember you saying you weren't going to support matroska until there was stand alone support for it, but how many people use HTPCs instead of STB to play their backups? Was there a poll along these lines at one point? I don't see it on the website...

HTPC here! Best bang for the buck, hands down - try playing NFS or Commanche on your standalone divx player ;-)

[dubrava752]

HI !!

Your program is the best, but I have one question. I use burn-in-subtitles but size of that font is too small. Can I choose size of the font somewhere in the program ??

p.s.sorry for bad english

[Stebs]

As far as I know subtitles on DVD's are a layer of bitmaps, so it is impossible to easily change size of font.

BUT, if you use an external Program like SubRip instead of a doing an "burn-in", you can choose the size, position, color and even type of font while the Playback! This is possible because Subrip is doing an OCR on the bitmaps resulting in an textfile (which takes less space than 100 kb btw).
Every good Mediaplayer can show "Textfile"-Subtitles and even some Standalone Players can display them...

[GizmoDerMokwai]

0x20 - Subtitle - English - [SubPicture 01: Wide/Letterbox] / LBA: 17509 / PTS: 00:00:47.727 / Delay: 47440ms
0x21 - Subtitle - Deutsch - [SubPicture 02: Wide/Letterbox] / LBA: 53573 / PTS: 00:01:53.727 / Delay: 113440ms
0x22 - Subtitle - Deutsch - [SubPicture 03: Wide/Letterbox] / LBA: 53576 / PTS: 00:01:53.727 / Delay: 113440ms
0x80 - Audio - AC3 / 6ch / 48kHz / DRC / English / LBA: 88 / PTS: 00:00:00.287 / Delay: 0ms
0x81 - Audio - AC3 / 6ch / 48kHz / DRC / Deutsch / LBA: 89 / PTS: 00:00:00.287 / Delay: 0ms
0x8A - Audio - DTS / 6ch / 48kHz / DRC / Deutsch / LBA: 90 / PTS: 00:00:00.287 / Delay: 0ms
0xE0 - Video - MPEG-2 / 720x576 (PAL) / 16:9 / Letterboxed / LBA: 1 / PTS: 00:00:00.287 / Delay: 0ms


[11.06.2004 15:24:44] Subtitles: all
[11.06.2004 15:24:44] Codec: XviD
[11.06.2004 15:24:44] Target size: 825Mb
[11.06.2004 15:24:44] Custom resolution settings: minimum width of 512 pixels
[11.06.2004 15:24:44] Custom audio settings: AC3
[11.06.2004 15:24:44] Started encoding.
[11.06.2004 15:24:44] Demuxing and indexing.
[11.06.2004 15:27:41] Source aspect ratio: 16:9
[11.06.2004 15:27:41] Source resolution: 720x576
[11.06.2004 15:27:41] Found PAL source.
[11.06.2004 15:27:41] Analyzing source.
[11.06.2004 15:27:52] Source is considered to be progressive.
[11.06.2004 15:27:52] Found 143227 frames
[11.06.2004 15:27:52] Indexing subtitles.
[11.06.2004 15:30:48] Compressing subtitles.
[11.06.2004 15:30:58] Audio size: 274,993,152 bytes (262.25 Mb)
[11.06.2004 15:30:58] Overhead: 954,880 bytes (0.91 Mb)
[11.06.2004 15:30:58] Subtitles size: 1,036,242 bytes (0.99 Mb)

The final and also temp Subtitles include also the first Subtitletrack. I've used 1.35b with DVD input...

C:\DVD\VTS_01_0.ifo
D:\tmp\gk_tmp\123
1
0
0 cc
CLOSE

[AlmanNewfred]

I just finished an encode of a movie from a hybrid source (mostly NTSC), but the aspect ratio was 4:3 when it should have been 16:9. It's no big deal for me since I can change the AR in my player. Would you like to see the log?

EDIT:

Here's the stream information file:


0x20 - Subtitle - English - [SubPicture 01: Wide/Letterbox/Pan & Scan] / LBA: 4103 / PTS: 00:00:15.115 / Delay: 14814ms
0x21 - Subtitle - Français - [SubPicture 02: Wide/Letterbox/Pan & Scan] / LBA: 11601 / PTS: 00:00:37.804 / Delay: 37504ms
0x80 - Audio - AC3 / 2ch / 48kHz / DRC / Français / LBA: 16 / PTS: 00:00:00.233 / Delay: -66ms
0xE0 - Video - MPEG-2 / 720x480 (NTSC) / 16:9 / Pan-Scan & Letterboxed / LBA: 1 / PTS: 00:00:00.300 / Delay: 0ms


It says the video is both pan & scan and letterbox. Could this be confusing AGK?

[len0x]

Originally posted by AlmanNewfred
It says the video is both pan & scan and letterbox. Could this be confusing AGK?

NO, but can you post the beginning of D2V file from gk_temp directory ?

P.S. which version of autoGK are you using ?

[AlmanNewfred]

Originally posted by len0x
NO, but can you post the beginning of D2V file from gk_temp directory ?
DGIndexProjectFile06
4
34 D:\LM\VIDEO_TS\VTS_03_PGC_01_1.VOB
34 D:\LM\VIDEO_TS\VTS_03_PGC_01_2.VOB
34 D:\LM\VIDEO_TS\VTS_03_PGC_01_3.VOB
34 D:\LM\VIDEO_TS\VTS_03_PGC_01_4.VOB

Stream_Type=1
iDCT_Algorithm=2 (1:MMX 2:SSEMMX 3:FPU 4:REF 5:SSE2MMX)
YUVRGB_Scale=1 (0:TVScale 1:PCScale)
Luminance_Filter=0,0 (Gamma, Offset)
Clipping=0,0,0,0 (ClipLeft, ClipRight, ClipTop, ClipBottom)
Aspect_Ratio=4:3
Picture_Size=720x480
Field_Operation=0 (0:None 1:ForcedFILM 2:RawFrames)
Frame_Rate=29970
Location=0,0,3,55B92


...so I guess it looks like a dgindex issue.

P.S. which version of autoGK are you using ?
1.35

[len0x]

Originally posted by AlmanNewfred
so I guess it looks like a dgindex issue.


yes, see here for solution: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=77780

[len0x]

Originally posted by GizmoDerMokwai
The final and also temp Subtitles include also the first Subtitletrack. I've used 1.35b with DVD input...

I need to have a look as you're not the only one having a problem with "All" subs.

[Sharkbyte]

Originally posted by Sharkbyte
Aside from my friends' problem above me, I have another problem. I tried to encode a show recording from a DVD. The source is 720x576 (no black borders) interlaced PAL. For some reason, every width setting I choose results in a zoomed picture, making the stand-up comedian's head go outside the image. I tried 1.25 and 1.35.

The logfile can be seen here (http://users.skynet.be/phunc/01_gk.log).
;)

[Carraway]

Originally posted by Sharkbyte
;)

Is the background behind the comedian predominantly black? If so, it's probably an autocrop issue; it thinks that the black background is actually letterboxing, and therefore crops it all off. I personally don't know of a fix for this* (though that doesn't mean there isn't one), but len0x has said that in the soon-to-be-implemented config file, you will be able to change the crop threshold values, and that will probably fix it.

*I had a similar problem with a Buffy episode (S1E7, "Angel") where, despite the episode being 4:3, the top and bottom of the frame were so consistently dark that autocrop() mistook it for letterboxing, and the resulting AVI was closer to 16:9 than to 4:3. I didn't know at the time how to fix it, and aside from manually editing the *.d2v to increase the luminance slightly, I believe there still is no solution.

[((( atom )))]

@len0x
since the average compressibility even of older movies with todays codecs is so high meanwhile i start wanting to keep the full 704 or 720 pixels width. this way a lot of resizing is circumvented and the full detail is preserved.

when i now set the width to either of these ratios i run into trouble:
first of all i don't know if the movie is 704 or full 720 encoded, secondly i would like to keep to standard filesizes like 1/2/3 cds or half dvd etc.. with fixed quality setting i would end up having very different filesizes.

i really think it would make sense having the option to stick tightly to these "professional" formats. how do you think about it?

regards,

[Hobojobo]

@lenox

What about a (hidden) comp test on Strg-F11 ?
After a comp test you could estimate the size for a one pass quality-encode.

I put the focus on several points.
audio: 2 tracks, ac3/mp3, depending on the total file size.

1. resolution 704x... (min)
2. File size around 2 GB
3. Quality 60-75%

With a comp test before I could calculate, which way to go, without a full second pass.

Once again, I want to say thank you for such a nice tool.
Since AutoGK can handle mpg files directy, it is perfect and fool-proof for me and I think for many, many...

[len0x]

Originally posted by ((( atom )))
i really think it would make sense having the option to stick tightly to these "professional" formats. how do you think about it?


I don't think I understand your request. What is it exactly you suggest ?

[len0x]

Originally posted by Hobojobo

What about a (hidden) comp test on Strg-F11 ?


As it is now - you can always abort encoding after comp test, so there is no need for explicit comp test mode...

[((( atom )))]

Originally posted by len0x
I don't think I understand your request. What is it exactly you suggest ? sorry if i didn't make myself clear enough.
my request would be an option for keeping the full resolution combined with a decision for the filesize, wich should have some steps like 1/2/3 cds or use the dvd-size steps. the point is, that if the decision to lower the resolution automatically to keep quality within a given range is gone, id would be nice to implement a mode where the filesize is adjusted accordingly in steps to have an influence on the quality again.

as it is atm, one has no influence on the final size when keeping the full res and ends up with nice clips wich all have different filesizes, so it is very unconvinient when wanting to burn them. also one can not know what "full res" or full width actually is, since dvd come mostly with 704 but some do have the full 720 wich are also the two most common resolutions for instance when using professional mpeg2 encoding hardware cards.

any chance?

[Sharkbyte]

Originally posted by Carraway
Is the background behind the comedian predominantly black? If so, it's probably an autocrop issue; it thinks that the black background is actually letterboxing, and therefore crops it all off. I personally don't know of a fix for this* (though that doesn't mean there isn't one), but len0x has said that in the soon-to-be-implemented config file, you will be able to change the crop threshold values, and that will probably fix it.

*I had a similar problem with a Buffy episode (S1E7, "Angel") where, despite the episode being 4:3, the top and bottom of the frame were so consistently dark that autocrop() mistook it for letterboxing, and the resulting AVI was closer to 16:9 than to 4:3. I didn't know at the time how to fix it, and aside from manually editing the *.d2v to increase the luminance slightly, I believe there still is no solution.
Yes I think your absolutely right, the background is indeed dominantly black. Problem is, AutoGK is the only program that would have encoded it properly, for some reason Gordian Knot made a 2,4GB file of it, and I specifically said I wanted a 1,4GB (2 CD's). Also, sound was all wrong etc etc. AutoGK didn't have those problems, but the auto-crop is indeed the problem I think.

Len0x, there isn't a way of disabling cropping with a startup command or something with the current version ?

[len0x]

Originally posted by Sharkbyte
Len0x, there isn't a way of disabling cropping with a startup command or something with the current version ?

Nope, but ealier next week a new version which allows you to set autocrop parameters will be available.

[len0x]

Originally posted by ((( atom )))

my request would be an option for keeping the full resolution combined with a decision for the filesize, wich should have some steps like 1/2/3 cds or use the dvd-size steps. the point is, that if the decision to lower the resolution automatically to keep quality within a given range is gone, id would be nice to implement a mode where the filesize is adjusted accordingly in steps to have an influence on the quality again.


Sort of autosize mode, right? I though about it a lot and the only reasonable solution would be:

- add option to adjust size when fixed or minimal width selected
- this option adds 700Mb increments if good quality is not reached
- this option won't change audio type
- this option will only work for 1/2CDs original target size and make in the end either 1, 2 or 3 CDs

If ppl are happy with this scenario then I can implement it.

Regarding 704/720 width selection - I can't do anything since inside AutoGK I never know what actual width (after crop) is. So you have to manually set the limit anyway.

[Sharkbyte]

Well yeah, Isn't a kind of "quality slider" a good option ? Like this:


|--------||---------| [640x480 @ xxx kbit/s]
reso- bit-
lution rate


The bitrate would follow the setted disc number/filesize.
So setting it to the left would give the vid a higher res (max 720, min 4xx) and to the right would give it a better bitrate but lower res.

Or you could just let the slider be a resolution only slider, it's the same actually. That way, people can very simply choose if they want a lower res, but higher bitrate or vice versa.

[len0x]

Originally posted by Sharkbyte
Well yeah, Isn't a kind of "quality slider" a good option ? Like this:


It's not what we're discussing with atom though. We're talking about ability to have a decent resolution and quality without knowledge of movie compressibility. Its impossible to set final size prior comp test to achieve this. That's what auto-size really means.

[Sharkbyte]

Ah groovy, got confused than :D

[((( atom )))]

Originally posted by len0x

- add option to adjust size when fixed or minimal width selected
- this option adds 700Mb increments if good quality is not reached
- this option won't change audio type
- this option will only work for 1/2CDs original target size and make in the end either 1, 2 or 3 CDs

If ppl are happy with this scenario then I can implement it.

Regarding 704/720 width selection - I can't do anything since inside AutoGK I never know what actual width (after crop) is. So you have to manually set the limit anyway.
ok, now we are on the same track. :)
all in all your suggestion is good, for my special case though it brings up a rather serious problem:
since i store all my movies on harddisk but still sometimes burn them to mostly dvd, my personal maximum size is 2gb. so for me it would be cool to have an option to limit the max. filesize to 2gb. this brings up the next question: what should the program do, if 3cds/2gb won't be enough for decent quality @ full res?

and regarding the 704/720 issue: if the movie is made in 704 then 704 is the correct width to choose and if it is 720 then 720 is it. if one could simply choose "use full resolution" we would have achieved a non-resized picture anyway.