Forum Archive Home -> User guides -> How to convert DV to DivX or XviD using Virtualdub
| How to convert DV to DivX or XviD using Virtualdub | ||||
| Baldrick posted 2004 Nov 10 08:20 | ||||
| This guide will describe the basic steps to convert DV to DivX or XviD (or other interlaced captured material such as TV to DivX/XviD) using free software. You must configure a lot of settings but you will have full control of everything and you can also add optional filters to reduce noise and such. If you want something easier I would recommend Dr. DivX.
Tools required WinDV or DVIO (capture/copy the video to your hd) Virtualdub DivX 5 Video Codec or XviD Codec Lame MP3 Codec Smart Deinterlacer Filter Guide Preparation Install all tools. Extract the Smart Deinterlace Filter files to the Virtualdub plugin folder. Copy the DV to your HD Use WinDV or DVIO and copy the DV your HD. Use type2 dv. Remember that DV is huge, around 217MB/minute so you need lots of free hd space. Convert to DivX or XviD Open the dv avi in Virtualdub, if you can't open it try install the Panasonic DV Codec. If you still can't open the DV try convert to DV Type 2 with DVConverter or Canopus DV File Converter or DV Type 1 to DV Type 2 Converter. Deinterlace Most DV cameras captures interlaced video, it means that you must deinterlace it or it will look like crap on computers. Read more about interlace over at www.100fps.com . If your camera captures in progressive video mode you should skip this step, progressive video = you should not see any interlace lines in the video(see the interlaced screenshot below). 1. Add the deinterlace filter, under Video->Filters, click Add and add the smart deinterlacer 2,3. Check the preview, the interlaced lines(2) should have dissapeared in the preview window(3). 
Resize DV is 720x480 NTSC or 720x576 PAL with aspect ratio 4:3. DivX and XviD doesn't have any aspect ratio so we must resize the video or it will look stretched. 1. Add the resize filter, under Video->Filters, click add and add the Resize. 2. Set the new size, 640x480 or lower but with width divided height = 1.3333(4:3). Some common sizes, 640x480, 512x384, 384x288, 320x240. 3. Set the resize filter mode to Lanczos3. 
Convert to DivX or XviD First select under Video->Full Processing. DivX 1. Select under Video->Compression and select the DivX Codec 2. Click Configure 3. Click Bitrate Calculator. 4. Set the time of your video clip 5. Set the output size in MB, bigger file means higher bitrate means higher quality. You can try encode some clips with different sizes and see how it looks like. 
XviD 1. Select under Video->Compression and select the XviD MPEG4 2. Click Configure 3. Click calc. 4. Set the output size in kbytes, bigger file means higher bitrate means higher quality. You can try encode some clips with different sizes and see how it looks like. 5. Set the time of your video clip 
MP3 Audio 1. Select under Audio->Full processing 2. Select under Audio->Compression, select the Lame mp3 codec and 128 kbit/s. 
Last select File->Save as AVI to make the DivX or XviD. 
Done. | ||||
| BJ_M posted 2004 Nov 10 08:22 | ||||
| Precise bilinear is not the best resizing filter - but alright i guess considering its just DiVX anyway .. | ||||
| Baldrick posted 2004 Nov 10 08:38 | ||||
| what is the best resize in virtualdub? no avisynth here now...:) | ||||
| BJ_M posted 2004 Nov 10 09:11 | ||||
| Lanczos3 or Lanczos4 or Mitchell
Lanczos3 is in Virtualdub | ||||
| BSR posted 2004 Nov 10 15:17 | ||||
| But for XVID(DIVX), wouldn't bilinear help smooth out the picture(like filtering) to help with encoding?
I know it doesn't produce as sharp of a picture. Or am I thinking of it wrong? For crappy captures, I usually use bilinear, thinking it will help remove some of the noise and do some smoothing. My thinking could be flawed. For good captures, I either use bicubic or lanczos3 depending on what mood I'm in.:) FYI: I capture VHS through my DV cam so I'm always working with DV either way. Either way, nice guide Baldrick. | ||||
| BJ_M posted 2004 Nov 10 15:27 | ||||
| bilinear can increase the chance of banding, will produce a slight color shift, and soften the picture ...
i prefer to keep my sources as sharp as possable and if nessessary, remove single pixel noise or other noise via other means .... | ||||
| BJ_M posted 2004 Nov 10 15:29 | ||||
| each to thier own though of course | ||||
| BJ_M posted 2004 Nov 10 15:30 | ||||
:D | ||||
| BSR posted 2004 Nov 10 15:38 | ||||
Thanks for the info, didn't know that. :) | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 11 10:27 | ||||
By what means does an expert like yourself go about to remove noise. You say you still prefer the sharpest image possible. I have spent years Googling and PMing people to help me with my DiVX/XviD encodes. Would you explain to me a method you use to remove "single pixel" noise but maintain decent sharpness? I know that if you go to the extemity of filtering noise, you get an image that looks like it with polished to the point of looking like silk. BAD! I have a Panasonic MiniDV PV-DV953 Camcorder. It has the ability to record in Progressive mode. Would doing this result in better original quality and be easier on encoding since VDub wouldn't have to use a filter to do this afterwards... I am a quality/filesize perfectionist, but I am aware that there is a certain boundary between them. Any help you can give me would be awesome. I will start resizing. Also, why didn't you base your guide on a 2-pass method? Two passes usually ends up in better management of the bitrate, especially with the latest version of these AVI codecs. Why not throw in some AVISynth sections in there too? I'd personally love that. :) I don't know how to use it very well, so a step-by-step walkthrough would rule! | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 11 11:42 | ||||
| Ok, I just did a test to compare DivX and XviD. Seriously, from the bottom of my heart, if you want smaller filesizes and sharper image quality, go with XviD.
Hey, check out the new DivX Plasma Codec. http://labs.divx.com/archives/000035.html | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 11 12:13 | ||||
| That DivX codec sucks. It won't encode at the specified bitrate, it always goes at 780 kbps. :evil:
I think DivX is full of crap. XviD is the best. | ||||
| Baldrick posted 2004 Nov 11 13:23 | ||||
| Yep, progressive mode will result in better video quality. All deinterlace filters reduces the video quality. Added it to the guide also.
I'm no avisynther....:)....check the doom9 dv forum. | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 11 18:11 | ||||
| I think I prefer interlaced and a de-interlacing filter instead of progressive. When moving left and right, small thin lines are shown on the edges of things.
Here is the image. sample.jpg | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 11 22:44 | ||||
| Baldrick, do you know anybody who is particularly good at video encoding/conversion? | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 13 16:43 | ||||
| Nevermind, I guess this thread is dead now. | ||||
| BJ_M posted 2004 Nov 13 18:06 | ||||
| i spent a few hours doing it once - does that qualify ? | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 13 22:55 | ||||
| Lol, pretty much the same amount of time I spend doing a major encode. What did you learn? | ||||
| BJ_M posted 2004 Nov 13 23:04 | ||||
| i was joking -- i do a fair lot of ... like all the time , every day .. at work .. and at home...
i still don't know nothing .. | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 14 11:35 | ||||
| Hmm, all the time. Are you a perfectionist as far as the quality/filesize border goes? Or do you just make it so you can throw the frickin' thing on your HD and call it a day? | ||||
| vhelp posted 2004 Nov 14 12:09 | ||||
| @ state of mind
What size are you reducing your DV 's to, in order to make your XviD encodes ?? I don't really do much dviX 'ing (XviD 'ing) these days. Last time I used divX (v5.02 I think) I was pretty satisfied the results. But I'm more in tune with MPEG-2 stuff. I just don't see the need for xvid/divx on pc, when you got a good mpeg-2 encode. Anyways. I was just curious about the size, since that seems to be an issue w/ you :) BTW.. I also deal a LOT w/ DV (footage) from my TRV22 cam. But, remember, this post (above) is a guide :wink: -vhelp | ||||
| State Of Mind posted 2004 Nov 14 13:18 | ||||
| I know it is a guide, and these posts can contribute to the guide, so people know specific little things that some users do with their encodes to improve the results in any way.
I like the 10 MBs per minute sort of filesize. I usually use 1500 kbps as my bitrate and MP3 96 kbps for audio. I only do MPEG-2 with DVDs I make of my home video. Otherwise, I try to get the filesize down to the minimum while taking quality into serious consideration so I can quickly send my videos to my friends through a chat program. | ||||
| TheGame7 posted 2005 Jul 24 07:00 | ||||
| Hi,
Just came across this guide and it is pefect for what I want to do, convert football (soccer) footage from VHS/PVR source to XviD (or DivX - is DivX no longer free to encode in? Then why am I able to do this in TMPGEnc? Does the codec come free with Windows XP? I ask, as I am unable to find an uninstall feature for it so that I can try DivX 6, yet I cannot remember installing it) using the Canopus ADVC-55, an anologue to digital convertor. As it outputs in DV, like a video camera, the footage is interlaced to start with. Why does this need to be deinterlaced? And what does it achieve? Why do video cameras and television here in the UK have interlaced output rather than progressive then? (Especially as I hear HDTV will be progressive so I assume its better?) What would you recommend I resize to for this? I want people to be able to watch in full screen with decent quality. Up until now, I have uploaded in mpeg VCD quality. I am more familiar with TMPGEnc and the new express version is excellent, any guides to doing the same process but in this software instead? Thanks. TheGame7 | ||||
| Shifty268 posted 2005 Sep 01 01:03 | ||||
| Heyt ere i followed this guide but using DivX 6. My end result was a bit joulty. What do you htink it wrong? | ||||
| Stonechatz posted 2005 Dec 06 07:44 | ||||
| TMPGEnc is MPEG-specific. MPEG1 = VCD, and is generally larger file-sizes than MPEG4/XviD. VirtualDub converts my Canopus ADVC 100 Type I DV into .avi files (XviD), and I usually get anything below 2 hours in length onto a single CD (716,000 bytes), with excellent quality. I never use VCD/SVCD any longer now that I have been using MPEG4 - but then again, I play all these files on computer: there are still very few good MPEG4 stand-alone players on the market, and maybe MPEG4 is restrictive that way. | ||||
| Xad posted 2006 Apr 13 12:59 | ||||
| If i resized at higher settings (720x540) would that be worse or better? I mean computers and dvds can handle that resolution right?
Or would it be better to stick to 640x480? | ||||
| Stonechatz posted 2006 Apr 14 16:37 | ||||
| 640x480 retains the 4:3 on-screen ratio as does 720x576 (PAL) ratio. I tend to use the 720x576 as I use a process method that eliminates the processing of the black areas (top & bottom) and then using a resized to letterbox filter, goes back to the original (and deletes any white lines that can often invade the black spaces at the same time ...). 640x480 produces smaller filesizes OK, the extra bandwidth being available for quality purposes if you need it; and if your movies look good at 640x480, then keep that ratio. | ||||
| ignius.sako.kalbam posted 2007 Jan 12 07:38 | ||||
| Great guide..... | ||||
| clogman posted 2007 Jan 17 15:05 | ||||
| This is a shot in the dark cos the thread looks dead, but here goes anyway....
I have a mass of home-movie DV files that I want to squueze down onto DVD to play on my standalone DivX certified player. 1. Use Dr DivX and 6.4 codec, and the end movies play only a loop of the first second - no audio, no other frames, just a repeating loop. Have tried lots of different settings, always the same result. 2. Use XVid in RiverPast Video Cleaner Pro. If I leave the video settings alone, it produces a square-format image which stutters on playback. If I force Xvid to use 720x540 or 720x528 (the apparent size of the frames) I get horrible interlacing. 3. Use the DivX encoder 6.2.1. At Home Theater settings it compresses the DV footage by 90% and produces (obviously) a terrible picture quality. If I encode to high def settings at the maximum bitrate it allows, and size the end result to the 720x540 (or 720x528) that I am looking for, it still compresses the footage by around 80% with subsequent loss of picture quality. What the f@@k am I doing wrong? What is it with this DV footage that is causing these headaches? I am not sure if it is DV AVI1 or AVI2, and would that make a difference? Please help, before I have to resort to making VOB files. Clogman | ||||
| mats.hogberg posted 2007 Jan 18 01:26 | ||||
Home made movies often suffer from shaking picture, fast pans - all kind of "nasty" stuff that takes lots of bitrate to make look good. A high bitrate DVD mpg may be the only OK solution. If you really want it XviD/DivX, try AutoGK, and use the target quality mode. Start at 75%, and up this until your quality demands are satisfied. /Mats | ||||
| kbehel posted 2007 Feb 19 15:02 | ||||
| Why resize the video at all? I mean, I plan to archive a copy of my DV videos in Xvid format on my PC to eventually be put on a DVD as MPG2 video. My TV is a regular TV (interlaced) so I don't need to de-interlace. Even if I did, I fail to see why a resize is necessary? If the original source is 720x480 (NTSC) and I want to play back on a TV, why would I ever need to resize?
thanks, Kevin | ||||
| mats.hogberg posted 2007 Feb 19 15:31 | ||||
| If you go DV -> XviD -> mpg/DVD, you lose most of the original quality - much better to go DV -> mpg/DVD, resizing or not.
/Mats | ||||
| paul6 posted 2007 Feb 19 17:03 | ||||
| Hi all,
I bought a mid-range camcorder (Panasonic PV-GS39) and I can't say I'm all that impressed with it. The image quality is not as good as I had hoped. The indoor footage is always dark even with good lighting, and the outdoor footage is nice but is still grainy/blurry. It's not as crisp as I would like it to be. My question is, would buying a higher-end camcorder give a better picture? (Especially those that record direct to DVD instead of using DV tapes?) | ||||
| mats.hogberg posted 2007 Feb 20 01:10 | ||||
| DV is on all accounts better than DVD camcorders. The latter only caters for those who just want to instantly watch their recordings on a TV and then archive it, and won't be bothered with such arcane tasks as editing and authoring.
/Mats | ||||
| clogman posted 2007 Apr 03 10:08 | ||||
640:480 is 4:3 720:576 is 5:4 720:540 is 4:3 for what it's worth. | ||||
| peter06 posted 2007 Jun 10 17:43 | ||||
| a) why do you resize the video? isnt it a loss in quality?
b) what about 16:9 vids? c) what record method on my camcorder should i prefer for xvid/divx - prog scan (25p) oder normal (50i) (in PAL)? | ||||
| skorch posted 2007 Aug 06 11:46 | ||||
| I seem to be having a problem with this guide and need a hand.
I've captured an OOP VHS movie thats 92 minutes long using the ADVC-100 which produced a 21+GB file. I followed the steps in this guide and for the file size I set it to 972,800kB (1024kB x 950) to get a file just under 1GB. The only steps I added were two more filters, sharpen and contrast/brightness. After letting it work overnight I wake up to an XVID file thats about 3.5GB which is way bigger than I want. How can I get the right file size? Thanks. | ||||
| mats.hogberg posted 2007 Aug 06 12:15 | ||||
| Are you sure you're not using some CQ / Target Quantizer (Encode mode) mode when encoding? Also, make sure you've configured the audio correctly.
Personally, I'd use AutoGK, at least as I'm no expert on configuring the codec. Produces reliable, predictable and very good results every time. /Mats | ||||
| skorch posted 2007 Aug 06 16:02 | ||||
I use AutoGK 1.96 all the time but didn't realize the latest version supports DV file input. Thanks Mats! | ||||
| nemesis53 posted 2008 Jun 16 17:37 | ||||
| If is there anybody still interesting in this. I have a little problem with this coversation.
I have Sony 355E Digital8 Camcorder with DV port. I have done everthing as told (except i used vdub's internal deinterlacer cus it's 2008 and vdub has this ability now :D ) Anyway on the pc everyhing is normal but when i try to watch my video on my Standalone DVD/Divx Player colors look like negative. When i switch to NTSC playback option in the dvd player's menu colors are normal. What is the problem? Why i cannot watch my videos in Pal TV. Is it is about resizing or what? ( i resized my video to 512 * 410 ) Any help will be appreciated :) | ||||
| manono posted 2008 Jun 16 20:39 | ||||
Yes, it's probably about the resize. 410 is only Mod2 (only divisible by 2). And how did you happen to pick 512x410? Oh, I know. You started with a 720x576 DV and wanted to keep the same aspect ratio. Well, 720x576 is 1.25:1 and in the wrong aspect ratio. Can't you tell that people look tall and thin? It gets resized at playback to 768x576 or some other 1.33:1 ratio, and you should do the same when encoding. Make it 512x384 or some other 1.33:1 ratio. And I bet your color problem will go away. The Resize section of the guide is very clear about how to resize properly:
Or take the earlier advice and use AutoGK for the job. | ||||
| nemesis53 posted 2008 Jun 17 14:03 | ||||
| Thanks for your quick reply. I'll resize it. BTW people look just normal in 512 x 410. What if i use 512x384 is video will be cropped or streched?
And i must say my captured video doesn'T look like the original tape quality. Is it about my camcorder's streaming function or this WinDV method is outdated. Can you suggest me a better way to capture or this is the best capture method already. Check out the samples at http://www.100fps.com/ they look perfect so why mine not. :cry: | ||||
| gadgetguy posted 2008 Jun 17 14:34 | ||||
| There must be a problem with the way you are comparing if you see a difference between what's on the tape and what's capsferred with WinDV. WinDV isn't capable of changing the data stream coming from the camcorder. It simply takes the data and puts it in an avi container on the hard drive. | ||||
| nemesis53 posted 2008 Jun 17 14:55 | ||||
| I mean captured video's colours look more faded the the original tape quality. | ||||
| gadgetguy posted 2008 Jun 17 15:40 | ||||
| So how are you comparing them? If you've ever walked down the TV aisle of an electronics store, you've seen that no two TVs display colors the same way unless they've been properly calibrated. On top of that, monitors display different from TVs and the video usually appears darker. Unless your software is using overlay which can produce yet a different color result.
Rest assured that the video in the avi file that WinDV capsferred is the same as what's on the tape. If you doubt it, send the avi file back out to the camcorder on a different tape and compare the two tapes. | ||||
| nemesis53 posted 2008 Jun 17 15:53 | ||||
| @gadgetguy
@manono Thank you. I have solved my all problems. | ||||
| roog posted 2008 Jul 12 22:47 | ||||
| My DV tapes are type-1 so do not have the seperate audio stream (as I understand it). How is it possible to use this method AND capture the audio too?
TIA. | ||||
| gadgetguy posted 2008 Jul 13 06:16 | ||||
| Your DV tapes are neither Type1 nor Type2. WinDV will capsfer to DV-AVI as either Type1 or Type2 as directed by You. Both types will have audio, but some programs will not recognize the audio in Type1 because it's not in a separate channel. IIRC, there is a bug in WinDV when using device control (the checkbox between Config and Capture) that sometimes caused audio problems on some machines. Make sure that box is unchecked and start/stop your camcorder manually. | ||||
| Jim44 posted 2008 Jul 14 12:52 | ||||
| gadgetguy is correct, and I'll add that I typically start the camcorder first and make sure that WinDV has started the transfer and then press the "Capture" button. This insures that the audio will be present as well - when I forget this procedure I don't get the audio.
Verified by the creator of WinDV: http://forum.videohelp.com/topic208025.html#842293 HTH, Jim | ||||
| roog posted 2008 Jul 17 00:28 | ||||
| Hi - thanks for the pointers. The DV tapes were already captured a long time ago by Windows Movie Maker, and it is the resulting hard drive DV files that are type-1. I have now found the excellent DVdate utility which will convert those to type-2, so now I'm away. I had already found the ulead converter but it has a problem with corrupt sound on files bigger than 4GB.
I'll use WinDV for my future captures. Thanks for the excellent guide. Cheers. |
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