Xvid encoding for dummies (ie: me!)

[xtremesage]

OK, I've read the guides. I've browsed the forum. I've given it quite a few tries.

I'm obviously doing something wrong.

Can someone point me in the direction of a SIMPLE Xvid encoding guide?

And also, something basic on deinterlacing, as this is a problem I seem to be having.

Background: I want to capture and encode some things I have on VHS tape. I'm using Win XP, a P4 chip and 768 MB of RAM.

I've captured using winPVR or WinVCR, and tried editing coverting in VirtualDub and VirtualDubMod, then running through TMPGenc to VCD.

I'd like to have Xvid encodes for the computer. Once I have an Xvid I know how to make it into a VCD.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm sorry if this is not the right way to go about this, or if this has been convered. I did look, but couldn't find anything.

[Teegedeck]

I'd say AutoGK might be what you want. Doom9 has written a guide on it, you might want to read that, too.

[Blue_MiSfit]

you mentioned VCDs several times. If you want the highest quality VCDs, use the capture itself as the source (using avisynth of course), and then encode VCD using tmpgenc as you already know how to do.

If you are just trying to make xvid encodes, then definatley use autogk, its an awesome "dummy" encoding frontend.

[xtremesage]

OK, thanks guys. I'll look into AutoGK. I've never used avisynth. It's good I take it? I've recently experimented with capturing in VirtualDub (a mess), and WinVCR (pretty good quality, but I'm still trying to get the settings/capture size right).

I've found a few sites. I assume this is the program you are talking about:

http://www.autogk.net/

I also found the doom9 guide for using it, but it specifies ripping from DVD. Does it still work with a capture?

If I'm going to go to the trouble of capturing, editing, etc then I'd like to make an Xvid file at the same time, since I don't want to go through the process for the same episode all over again at a later date.

I'd like to have both Xvid and VCD files. That way I have a high quality file I can view on the computer and also a file I can burn and watch on my stand alone DVD player.

With downloaded Xvid files I've found I can use them to make a fairly good quality VCD file. Better quality than the VCD files I have been making up until now.

My current method being capturing in WinPVR at 480x576, then editing/encoding through TMPGenc.

The problems with this being: With a high quality source I do not seem to be getting the quality I'd like in my VCDs, and with some of the episodes where the quality isn't as good as TV (VHS tapes) unless I capture as an mpeg through WinPVR I get a weird blurring (I think this is what they call interlacing?). I should probably mention I'm in Australia, so everything I'm getting from the TV and have on VHS would be in PAL I believe.

Thanks for the help!

[xtremesage]

And yet another problem...

I downloaded and installed AutoGK. When I try and input a file it will only let me select 'mpeg2' files. Not avi.

Am I doing something wrong?

[hartford]

AutoGK is for DVD backups.

Try doing your captures at 720x576, then downsize. If you're using
MJPEG as the codec, use the highest "quality" setting. If you
have the disk space, use Huffman.

VCD (PAL) resolution is 352x288; SVCD (PAL) is 480x576; not
certain about VHS, but definitely higher than VCD. Use SVCD
for less "blur."


Avisynth is a frameserver and can use filters as Virtualdub does,
but it has many more filters available.


Vdub has four deinterlace filters of which I am aware:

deinterlace
Deinterlace MAP
Smart Deinterlace
Telecide

In Vdub, from the menu bar do Video > Filters > Add then
select the filter.


To encode using Xvid, do Video > Compression > Xvid then
configure it. Then File > Save as avi...

That should get you started.

[xtremesage]

Hey thanks man. Since I came here last week I've given 720 x 576 a try and gotten better results VCDing.

I haven't been using any codecs though, just capturing uncompressed avi through winPVR. I gave virtualVCR a go, but when I went to edit it in TMPGenc it became very difficult to deal with.

TMPGenc took a long time to analyze 'field order' and then didn't like me scrolling through the file. I'd move the little cursor and then there would be a big delay before the program would catch up.

When using files I've captured through winPVR I have no problems.

To encode using Xvid, do Video > Compression > Xvid then
configure it. Then File > Save as avi...

My problem here is that, basically, I don't know how to set up Virtual Dub's Xvid encoding (and yes I've read and follow the guides. It didn't work for me).

Can you give me the Xvid settings?