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Resizing An Avi, I can't work it out!

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WaywardSun

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 08:41 AM

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So here's the deal. I have an avi with a resolution of 624x272. When I play it on my TV, it stretches it to fit a 16:9 ratio, and there is no way on the TV to stop it doing so, believe me, I've checked. Every button! So what I want to do is -- whilst keeping the quality and file size MORE OR LESS the same -- I want to alter this avi to be letterboxed into a resolution of 624x351, so it's not stretched at all when it plays through my TV. It's also important that it remains an XviD avi, I think. Every mp4 or mkv file I've ever tried playing on my TV has been an unsupported format... but I've been told by my housemate that he once played a certain mp4 file, so I'm assuming it's the XviD codec that means it's supported?

I tried this "successfully" once, but have no idea what I did to recreate it. And I put successfully in speech marks, because, the success came with two problems. One, the quality was reduced, and two, if I fast forwarded or rewound the video at any point, when it resumed it would have no audio at all. If you wanted to watch it, you have to watch it from beginning to end with no fastforward, or rewind. I never got around to trying out pause. I deleted the file in fury (it took me ages to do!).

So, this is what I've been doing so far!

Open the file in Virtualdub.

Video > Filters... > Add...
Selected "resize" filter.
So the new width and height I have entered as 624 x 272 (original resolution), I've then ticked the "Expand frame and letterbox image" checkbox, and entered the below width and height as 624 x 351. The preview at this point is bang on. No problems so far!

So then the first time I did this I think I just tried to save it right off the bat.

File > Save AVI...

So it gives me a quick message telling me that my video will be potentially very large. I don't even try it, I just assume it probably will be and I need to compress it. BTW, the original file size is 700MB, not sure if that info is needed or not.

So I go the to video menu and Full Processing is already selected like the warning message suggested. I go to the compression option. I think I had to install XviD at this point (I thought I already had it), but that went easily enough. I pressed configure, but I didn't change anything in the end, I just looked at it all. And I **think** that's all I did. It seemed to work from that point onwards. But like I said, it wasn't without issues. Now however, when I try to go through that process I just get a message that says "Unable to start video compression error: unspecified error (-100). I tried googling the error, I couldn't find anything useful. I've tried googling all of this entire problem, I couldn't find what I wanted. I think I'm just not very good at googling things!

I did also check this forum btw, but I didn't find it here. If it is already here, then I'm really sorry! :|

So what I want, if possible please help me understand what I'm doing wrong. I need to compress it in the correct format (XviD, avi) without too much loss in quality, or without going too much over filesize (but I will accept that it may be a bit bigger), and then the resulting file can be fast forwarded and/or rewound without fecking up the sound.

PS: Just an afterthought.... will whatever process I need to follow also help change mp4s and mkvs to avi? I have a few of those I'd like to change as well.

Abrazo

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 08:58 AM

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First of all we need to know what kind of tv screen do you have.
Is a CRT screen with an aspect ratio of 4:3 or is a an LCD screen with ratio 16:9.

Once you know that, you will have to resize to an image of respectively 720x540 (4:3) or 720x404 (16:9)
These are values that are accepted by most of the TV sets via USB-input or via a DVD-player.

When your original video has an aspect ratio of 4:3 and you want to play it on a TV of 16:9, you will have to letterbox it.
This means you resize the video to 540x404 and put in a box of 720x404.
(May sound a little bit strange, but this is what I do, and I have always been very satisfied with it).

How to ?
In VirtualDub, via the Video menu > Filters..., add the Resize filter with following settings:
New size > Absolute (pixels) > 540 x 404
Aspect ration > Disabled
Filter mode > Lanczos3
Framing options > Letterbox/crop to size 720 x 404
Codec-friendly sizing > Do not adjust
Fill color = black

WaywardSun

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 09:05 AM

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Sorry... the TV is a 16:9 LCD. The avi I'm trying to convert isn't 4:3 though, it's like a super widescreen video that is being stretched vertically, rather than horizontally.

So do I just ignore the video compression bit altogether then?

Abrazo

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 09:10 AM

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Now for what concerns encoding...

You can best encode (= compress) video AND audio to avoid too large file sizes.
You may count +/- 10 to 20 MB per minute for compressed video.

Most of the TV sets will play DivX or Xvid encoded video, and MP3 or AAC encode audio without problem.
They can also play MP4, but we will not talk about this now.

When you have already installed Xvid, you can best use that codec and leave it at settings like:
- Profile@level : Xvid Home
- Encoding type : Single pass
- Target quantizer : 4.00
- Quality preset : General purpose

For audio encoding, you can best use the Fraunhofer MP3 or the Lame MP3 codec, with settings like:
- 128kBit/s, 44.100 Hz, Stereo to achieve a quality sound (as well for spoking language as for music)

Abrazo

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 09:14 AM

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Normally the compression itself has nothing to do with it.

You will have to focus to the aspect ratio.

So try the other way around, put a
- New size of for exemple 720x312 (look at the values below the respective cases and try to become that they are equal = corresponding with the original).
(Try to use image sizes with a width and height in multiples of 4 or 8 pixels, if not, you will get error messages while encoding.)
- Letterbox again to 720x404

I hope it will help...

WaywardSun

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 09:18 AM

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We seem to have different options under the resize filter! I just have:

New width
New height
Filter mode (and there is no Lanczos3)
"Expand frame and letterbox image" checkbox
Frame width
Frame height
Fill color
Pick color
and show preview

That's it!

WaywardSun

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 09:22 AM

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Abrazo, thanks for all your help.

I've just tried all these settings, but I still get the same error message when I try to save AVi. It says "Unable to start video compression error: unspecified error (-100)".

Abrazo

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 09:23 AM

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Did you install version 1.9.11 or 1.10.4-test11 ?
> http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act...ST&f=15&t=21459
If not, please install one of these. Maybe you are working with an older version ... ?

In both versions, when I click on Video-menu, Filters..., Add... and then select the 'resize' filter + OK, I have the options that I mentioned here above.

Concerning the error...
One of the things I find via Google is this:
> http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/VideoSon/comp...jet_10249_1.htm
Did you install the most recent Xvid codec ?
> http://www.xvid.org/Downloads.15.0.html

Did you set the Video menu (and also the Audio menu) to "Full processing mode" ?

Eventually try with adjusting the Color Depth (via the Video menu) and choose an Output color depth of 24-bit or 4:2:0 ...

N.B.: Now myself, I'm going to be offline for the rest of the day...

WaywardSun

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 09:53 AM

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QUOTE (Abrazo @ Sep 1 2013, 09:23 AM)

Okay, I was working with an older version! I don't know how because I only got the copy recently. I've installed the stable version, 1.9.11.

I've followed your instructions, but I'm still getting an error when I try to save the file. It says "cannot start video compression: an unknown error occurred (may be corrupt data). (error code - 100)"

I've lso tried it with a different file of the same dimensions and it gives the same message, so I don't think it's the file that's the issue.

WaywardSun

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 10:02 AM

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QUOTE (Abrazo @ Sep 1 2013, 09:23 AM)

Thanks for all your help Abrazo.

I just downloaded XviD again to make sure it is up to date, and now it is. I've also got the most recent Vdub. I'm still having the same error message.

The link you sent me is in French... I had it translated, but it seems to be on about mp4 files, and they won't play on my TV. But it suggests DivX and not XviD?

Also video has always been set to full processing mode, but the audio wasn't. Ive hanged that now, but the error message states it's the video compression anyway.

Could the color depth thing affect this at all?

Thanks again for all your help, see you later!

Abrazo

Posted: Sep 1 2013, 06:48 PM

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So, I understand that your problem is still not resolved...

The only way I am able to reproduce the error with the Xvid codec is to use an image size that is not accepted by that codec.

When I do that, I get the error message:
"Cannot start video compression:"
"An unknown error occurred (may be corrupt data)."
"(error code -100)"

So, sorry to doubt about your words...
May I ask you which values that you are introducing in the resize filter at Framing options > Letterbox/crop to size ?

Please try with the values 720 x 404
and if you are using more than one filter, then put the resize filter as the last one.

Regards.

WaywardSun

Posted: Sep 3 2013, 01:19 AM

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Hey.

I'm not 100% sure I used the correct values, so I probably didn't. I somehow missed your sentence saying that it was best to use multiples of 4 or 8.

In the end I resolved this by just using DivX instead. Thanks for all your help anyway, I'm sure without it I'd still be struggling now!

Thanks.
Dunc

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