Help configering xvid

[gh_speedyg]

I've finally removed divx and gone the way of xvid. Can anyone help me config it properly for transcoding my files. I have it set up for 2 pass, but my real problem is that it converts the files to 16x9 format after, stretching all of my files (input is regular stb not HD)

[gh_speedyg]

Anyone?

[pcostanza]

I not an expert by any means and personally, I use AutoGK which works very well for me. I still can't seem to get the cleanest files like those you find on the net but I assume most are HD anyway.
Some places to look are:
http://www.divx-digest.com/articles/xvid_setup.html
http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/xvid.htm
and videohelp.com and the after dawn forums are always helpful.

[gh_speedyg]

Thanks! That was super helpful. I guess I didn't get deep enough into the menus. Thanks again.

[gh_speedyg]

Can someone tell me what I need to do to run mencoder?

Everything I've read tells me that it will do everything I need for transcoding, but nothing lists everything I need to use and configure it.

Or, please let me know how YOU transcode your files (if it works for you, it will probably work for me too)

Thanks!
Sped

[pcostanza]

Can someone tell me what I need to do to run mencoder?

Everything I've read tells me that it will do everything I need for transcoding, but nothing lists everything I need to use and configure it.

Or, please let me know how YOU transcode your files (if it works for you, it will probably work for me too)

Thanks!
Sped

Sorry, I've never fooled with it. Again I'd probably check out those sites I mentioned previously. Lots of great minds there.
I hope you find out what you are looking for.

[gh_speedyg]

Sorry, I've never fooled with it.

So you just keep all of your recordings in mpeg format? Doesn't that take up loads of space?

[sub]

I think the vast majority of people just leave recordings in their original format. I leave everything as .mpg files. I've got 500GB drive, which holds a whole lot more recordings than I need to keep - I'd rather not loose quality converting the recording xvid etc.

[Deusxmachina]

I've finally removed divx and gone the way of xvid.

I didn't understand what this meant, if it means you are (were until mentioning Mencoder) using the built-in GBPVR transcoding or what. GBPVR can do both divx and xvid, so if the divx was working how you want you should be able to just copy most of that line in config.xml to the xvid line. If format is the only problem, should be able to just put a resolution command in there which I don't know what it is exactly offhand.

If using Mencoder, I'd probably just use Stattik's auto-converting script since you can then use more of its functions later if you want. You don't have to set it up for auto-converting, but you can change the lines in the file easily enough and then put a shortcut for it on the desktop and then drag-and-drop the files to that shortcut to run it. Zed's converter has plenty of options if doing things manually outside of GBPVR.

Once I started using a 400+gb drive, about the only stuff I convert is when wanting to save it to DVD, which means I will convert it manually to make sure the commercials are cut properly and the quality is as good as I can get it.

For quick-and-dirty for a big file that I may want to keep around for awhile and don't mind a bit lower quality, I have GBPVR's xvid transcode changed to Constant Quality 7 and audio 160. Two-pass isn't useful unless shooting for a specific filesize. Hmm, CQ7 might be standard in GBPVR now so that might already be set.

For keeper stuff, AutoMKV is my main choice due to having enough powerful options built-in without being obnoxious, such as filters and multiple methods of deinterlacing. Converters with only one setting for deinterlacing don't cut the mustard for keeper stuff. Plenty of nice free converters out there to choose from. If AutoMKV did drag-and-drop for multiple files it'd be perfect (for me).

If you just want to convert everything to save space, GBPVR can already do that automatically in Config. Again, would think you'd just need to specify a resolution if it's not doing the resolution you want.