Can anyone tell me if there is a difference in the DivX and MPEG4(part 10) codecs ? I have been using the Mainconcept MPEG encoder to convert AVI to MPEG2 and that works fine except for DVD quality on long movies to a single DVD. The Mainconcept MPEG4 encoder is due out in the spring and it would seem smart to use the newer codec for conversions. In looking at DivX players, they all seem to show DivX and MPEG4 as being the same family ? If a player plays DivX, it plays MPEG4. As I am really satisfied with the quality of the Mainconcept product, I expect that their new encoder would continue to be of high quality. Waiting a couple of months to get higher quality conversions at lower bit rates makes sense if, in fact there will be no player compatibility problems. I realize that neither Divx nor Mpeg4 will play on older players. Thanks for any info.
Yes DivX is MPEG4.
DVD players play MPEG2, but converting an AVI is like making an audio CD from MP3s: you get the larger file-size but only the quality of the smaller (compressed) file.
If you are converting MPEG4 AVI to MPEG2 then you don't need to wait months for higher-quality at lower bitrates. That would be a consideration for compressing MPEG2 to make AVIs!
Expanding an AVI to burn to DVD should be pretty staightforward... ?
Regards
Thank you for your response. Guess my non-technical wording led you away from the real thrust of my thread. I have the MainConcept MPEG encoder(which I really like) and use the capture engine in that application to capture VHS using HuffyUV codec. That gets me an AVI file that is quantifiable, sizewise, and that I can use 2-pass VBR to make a MPEG2 DVD. But, reading about MPEG4/DivX, I am thinking that I could get a better quality DVD using the MPEG4/DivX codec to convert the AVI file. Currently, with a 2 hour movie, I have to keep the average bit rate at about 4500BPS, to make it fit on a DVD. 6000BPS would make a better quality but won't fit on a single DVD. As MPEG4/DivX is the latest and greatest, I would like to go with the newest technology, knowing that I would need a newer standalone DVD player, to play back the MPEG4/DivX. So, if all the above makes sense, should I be getting out of the MPEG2 arena and into the DivX/MPEG4 arena ? How much improvement should I get? Thanks for listening.
DivX MPEG4 and MPEG2 look a lot alike, but MPEG2 takes up about 8 times more space.
So you basically need to figure how best to capture to DVD... MPEG2 will let you playback anywhere, but it's a shame you are first capturing to AVI and converting. Are these AVIs high-bitrate? Seems they could be your biggest potential bottleneck for quality.
Ironically, I capture in MPEG and then convert to DivX AVI! If I had a DVD burner (which I don't yet) could I not just burn my MPEG2s straight to DVD? Oh wait, maybe they're MPEG1s that I capture...
If I were you I would think about making the very finest captures I could, and then stick with MPEG2 for DVD use.
You should checkout the handy OSS Video Converter at OneStopSoft.com, and I am going to check out your capturing application. Does it cost money? I wish to check out how it works, as I have HUNDREDS of LaserDisks to capture...
Later
CAN ANYONE HELP. I DOWNLOADED A DIVX FILM, IVE PUT IT THROUGH AVIcodec AND IT TELLS ME ITS MPEG4 AND THAT IT IS SUPPORTED. THE PROBLEM IS I CAN WACH IT THROUGH DIVX PLAYER AND ALL IS WELL BUT IF I PLAY IT THROUGH MEDIA PLAYER THERE IS NO SOUND. IVE PUT QUITE A FEW XVID AND DIVX FILMS ON TO DVD BEFORE USING TMPEG plus AND TMPEG dvd author AND HAD NO PROBS BUT WITH THIS FILE IT WONT ENCODE,IT'S NOT THAT AN ERROR MESSAGE COMES UP IT IS JUST STUCK ON 0%. IVE ALSO TRIED PUTTING IT THROUGH DR DIVX AND THE SAME HAPPENS.THE LAST FILM'S I DONE WERE ALL MPEG4 AND THEY WERE OK. CAN ANYONE SOLVE THIS TA
