Re: mencoder + xvid worse than virtualdub + xvid

Manu J schrieb:
...
> cat *.VOB | mencoder -vf
> crop=720:378:0:52,scale=640:272,pp=lb -ovc xvid
> -xvidencopts
> bitrate=900:me_quality=6:quant_type=mpeg:gmc:trellis:chroma_opt:chroma_me:hq_ac:vhq=3:autoaspect:max_bframes=3:qpel:pass=2
>  -oac mp3lame -lameopts q=3:vol=7 - -ofps 23.96 -o
> dch.avi
> 
> I found out that virtualdub gave a better quality
> video for the same filesize.I don't remember tge
> settings for Virtualdub but i just followed the
> doom9.org guide.Mencoder was slower than virtualdub 
> 
> Now some questions.
> 
> 1)Is there any way to speed up mencoder without
> affecting quality.Is it slower slow because i used
> quite a lot of options for xvid like qpel,gmc?

you cannot compare apple with fish.
you compared the encoding environment, but not the encoders. you get 
quality only by encoding options, not at all by the encoding environment.

Comparing "followed the doom guide" against
bitrate=900:me_quality=6:quant_type=mpeg:gmc:trellis:chroma_opt:chroma_me:hq_ac:vhq=3:autoaspect:max_bframes=3:qpel
is not really productive.

BTW: I wrote a vdub-encoder starter for VirtualDub (similar to gordian 
knot, just command-line), which takes similar options as mencoder, so 
you can compare those options then.

$ vdub-xvid-job-cfg -cfg-use_2pass_bitrate 900 ...
http://xarch.tu-graz.ac.at/home/rurban/software/xvid/srt-scripts.zip
gknot writes to the registry, I just create the vdub base64 options for 
the job file and don't mess with the registry.

Usage:
   vdub-xvid-job-cfg [OPTIONS] <file.avi> >> vdub.jobs
Sample:
   vdub-xvid-job-cfg -c -r x --resizecrop [--ssa <file.ssa>] <file.avi> 
 > file.jobs
Options:
   --append|-a                  add jobs for appending the second CD 
based on the first's CD input
   --complete|-c                add complete header and footer
   --out|-o <output.avi>
   --ssa|-s <subtitle-file.ssa>
   --t template
       onecd_2pass_1.0.1   xvid 1.0.1 release, => 740MB targetsize
       twocd_2pass_1.0.1   xvid 1.0.1 release, => 370MB per CD
       onecd_2pass_1.1     as onecd_2pass_1.0.1, since the 20040719 snapshot
       twocd_2pass_1.1     as twocd_2pass_1.0.1, since the 20040719 snapshot
       onecd_1pass_1.1     single pass (CBR)  => 740MB targetsize
       twocd_1pass_1.1     single pass (CBR)  => 370MB per CD
   --resize|-r <height>x<width> add resize filter to put the subtitles 
below.
                                height and width optional if Video::Info 
is installed (-r x)
   --resizecrop                 crop the upper letterbox border if 
subtitles are put below
   --cfg-<cfgname> <option>     pass any CONFIG option to the compressor
                                e.g. --cfg-use_2pass_bitrate 850
   --append|-a                  add jobs for appending the second CD 
based on the first's CD input
   --complete|-c                add complete header and footer
   --xvid_version=1.0.1         use a proper VFW template. Only '1.0.1' 
or '1.1' supported.

> 2)Is there any xvid option i missed which would have
> made a difference in quality? I tried to enable 4mv
> but mencoder said it's not a valid option though TFM
> said otherwise.

get rid of gmc.
xvid-1.1 is much better.

And I personally wouldn't use gmc,max_bframes=3:qpel
just max_bframes=1, for compatiblity with the available cheap divx 
standalone players.


> 3)I tried running GordianKnot in wine but didn't work 
> .I couldn't even open the first pass settings window
> of xvid.But i can use virtualdub to cut videos etc.
> Now in the archives some people have reported success
> with it.Now did you have to do anything special like
> changing dll settings ?I installed the full codec
> pack.Was that a bad idea ? :-)

xvid and lame is enough.
also as explained above gknot creates the xvid configration in the 
registry, and I don't know how that interacts with the wine environment.

> System and software info
> 
> Slackware linux 10
> MPlayer 1.0pre5try2-3.4.2
> Wine 20041019
> Xvid 1.0.2
-- 
Reini Urban
http://xarch.tu-graz.ac.at/home/rurban/