Video Codec Recomendations Please (for making compressed AVIs)

peteruk · 18 Mar 2006 at 23:16

Hi all,

As the title suggests, I'm looking for a video codec to use to create compressed AVIs.

Recently, I've been using the VP70 codec, typically at rates between 250 and 350kbps but sometimes as low as 150kbps. Now that codec was great- small file size and good quality.

However, the trial period on that has run out, and to purchase it, it seems you have to buy a huge software pack from On2 osting a bomb. Also, although I haven't given it much of a try, VP60 doesn't quite seem up to the job as well.

EDIT: When I've tried to use them in the past, both codecs have had a little problem with the sound being out of sinc (sp?) on longer clips. Though that's probably just me.

So my request to you pros on here is: Please recomend me a great free (or reasonably free) codec that will work well for low bitrate, good quality encoding (like the bitrates I used to use). Now I'd like to emphasise I like to wait a very long time for encoding to take place if it gives better results. I mainly do short clips, 5 minutes or so of video might take 30mins+ to encode.

Now I have tried DivX and Xvid; maybe I wasn't configuring them properly, but none of them seemed to come close to what VP70 could do.

Any help much appreciated.

mrk · 18 Mar 2006 at 23:18

The settings used in divx/xvid are dependant on the content being encoded

- I suggest checking out doom9 for any guides etcm I usaually only encode 16:9 DV footage so have a set ruleset for encoding parameters and get DVD quality video but yours will be slightly different!

peteruk · 19 Mar 2006 at 00:52

mrk said:
The settings used in divx/xvid are dependant on the content being encoded - I suggest checking out doom9 for any guides etcm I usaually only encode 16:9 DV footage so have a set ruleset for encoding parameters and get DVD quality video but yours will be slightly different!

Ok, thanks for your help, I'll give that place a try

. Sounds seriously more complicated than I thought.

Which one of the 2 would you recomend?

mrk · 19 Mar 2006 at 01:06

I prefer divx, xvid is open source and all but isnt wide supported as much and divx 6 has awesome quality and size too

Baron_Samedi · 20 Mar 2006 at 08:49

One thing I do find is that using two pass encoding gives a way better result than single pass encoding.

peteruk · 20 Mar 2006 at 18:14

Well actually everyone, I found out that I had simply installed the wrong version of the VP70 and it is in fact free to use personally indefinately. Can't get the dual pass working on it though, will post error message soon in case anyone can help.

One thing I did notice though - the sound drifts badly after about 6 or so minutes when I encode with lame mp3, but I tried using OGG instead and there were no problems. No idea why.

And one more technical question - what is the difference in the 'modes' of OGG, like 1+, 2+, 3+?