I've been using a program called VSO ConvertXtoDVD to transfer my downloads to DVD. That's all been fine and Dandy for TV shows. It's fast and easy to use.

However there are some .avi movies I have that I wish to transfer, watch, and archive in the highest quality possible. Is VSO ConvertXtoDVD still the best program for this job, or are there any other programs which will give higher quality results so I get the best viewing quality on my new HDTV?

I'm new to this so I'm finding it hard to sort through info about what are the best programs to use. Any advice or suggestions will be much appreciated.

I take it you mean re-encode? because the best quality way of transferring avis to DVDr is not to re-encode because inherrantly its a lossy process. Your far better off buying a standalone for Xvid because it will be VASTLY better quality, and saves you huge ammounts of time and trouble.

An 2nd xbox, with a 1 year warranty costs ?50 here. This can be modified to playback anything without any hardware modifications. This is infinitely smarter than having to encode to dvdr. That's a wise investment imo

I would simply recommend you really don't. However, if your a visual sadist and refuse, there's numerous topics you can get advice from:
(about vcds but exact same concept) http://forum.dead-donkey.com/viewtopic.php?t=10718
http://forum.dead-donkey.com/viewtopic. ... rt+avi+dvd
etc


You may notice a general theme in my posts, huge rant about why its bad to do it, then suggesting CCE. That's pretty much the best notion, quality wise your really shouldn't be doing it... if its your concern, then buy better equipment


Short answer, if so simply must compromise quality by re-encoding use CCE, but you really should consider just burning avis to a data dvdr and you'll have much better quality.

I have to admit I don't know anything about Xbox's. But now I've read what you wrote I'm slapping myself for not having picked one up years ago. Hopefully I will be able to still find one. In the meantime I have an LG DVD player that plays avi's.

So ConvertXtoDVD is really the best program for the job for burning onto DVD? If so, I will use that, thanks again for your help!

If it plays avis you don't need ConvertXtoDVD, that's re-encoding.

You just need to burn a data cd with the avis on, no re-encoding. Like nero, or even windows inbuilt burner if your a sadist. Just drag your avi onto your disc, hit burn, and put your disc in the player. Then select your avi from the list of contents of the disc.

Personally i use nero, and then create a DVD data disc project. I put the disc in my xbox and select the avi.

That's the whole point of avi players, you don't need to convert to DVD. DVD is mpeg2, whereas avi is mpeg4. Don't be confused by converting to DVD (whcih is re-encoding the video), and burning to DVDr which is lossless data DVDrs not a DVD-Video format disk. A DVD with video on, like you buy in a shop is a special codec encode video which is inferior to the mpeg4 codec of avi; neither of which need confusing with a storage space such as DVDr which is capable of storing data in any format.

It sounds like your re-encoding when you don't have to, or have i missed the point? If you need to re-encode, your dvd can not play avis which is why you need to re-encode.

It sounds like your confused over what you need to do, if your not, i still can't understand what your asking.

No you didn't miss the point you've been immensely helpful and I will be downloading Nero. I totally mixed up what avi's are and how to play them.

ah, i see... well i guess its something that's just assumed.

Yes, avi is a different technology.

With MPEG2 (That's dvd-video) containers can be:
VOB (DVD)
MPG (General MPEG 1 or 2 can go in these files)
TS (Normally MPEG2)

With MPEG4 (That's stuff like Divx, Xvid, etc.):
AVI (ORiginally microsoft devised, but hacked to fit in xvid, divx, etc.)
DIVX (Made by the dvix people)
MKV (Very nice and robust container, but not standalone friendly)
OGM (For ogg media audio and mpeg4)
etc.

Hi folks, its been a while... how are we all?

Just a question, I realise there is a very noticable quality drop when re-encoding DivX or AVIs to DVD, but how else are we to add the subtitles in the foreign films that often tend to appear? (and I tend to enjoy so much!)

I could never get my head around people complaining about hard subbed films, lol


Cheers!

you give the subtitles the same name as the movie filename, ie.
movie.year.source.codec-group.avi
movie.year.source.codec-group.srt
or
movie.year.source.codec-group.english.srt
etc. (or both and you will be able to select like you can do on a dvd)

and then they play automatically (asssuming your not using a crap piece of software/standalone that doesn't support subs, ie. windows media player). You can then switch them off if you so desire or switch language. You can also change the position on the screen and the colour, as well as the font, if your software/hardware is well designed enough to support that.

On the pc, using media player calssic (MPC) for example, they will play automatically. You then go to play>subtitles and switch or turn them off.
If you want it to be handled outside of the player, direct vob sub will handle subs in the same way, then you just go to your tray to switch language (just right click the green arrow and choose what you want).

I watch all my movies on an xbox, subs play automatically. If i want to turn them off or configure them I can do so by pressing a menu button on my remote. To change font i do that under options.

If your standalone support avis, and there's shit loads that do, chances are it support subs too. You can re-format subs if it only supports text based subs like SRT, using subrip to convert vobsubs to text (will require a few manual interactions so it can understand the image whilst converting)

With hard subs, you have physically and perminantly defaced the movie, you have no control over the subs, you can't turn them off and you have localised the release to a single demographic and thusly compromised the source count and lastability of your release. The font, size and placement are outside of the viewers control now

You should never release hard subbed, its counter productive

That answer those questions?

Okaaaay, so that's where I've gone VERY wrong since getting these films! I was re-encding all films I needed subs for as I didn't know about the (standalone DVD style) compatibility that's in various media players. I tend to use Windows Media Player (it's simply what I'm used to) or Power DVD, so I simply re-encoded them to have the burnt in subs - though I was a tad confused simply because all rippers push for quality (thankfully! lol) and therefore would be no point at all to have to re-encode.

My standalone supports DivX/AVIs, maybe I should try out burning the subs and the film on the same CD to try it out, simply to find out which type they support.

Btw, I ONLY re-encoded the films that needed the subs. The rest I watched on my standalone.


Thanks again Spud... informative (and helpfull) as ever!

lol, well just name the file the same as the movie, or with an addition of the language and they should play.

If you have to use windowsmedia player, which i can't understand why you would, google for DirectVobSub. Better yet google for media player classic, very small but good player.

Hey Spud,

I know I'm acting like a complete n00b here, so I apologise in advance...

but which subs should I burn to a disc alongside the specific video file to enable playing on a standalone? .srt or .sub? (I have Yamada and Xoro DivX players, if that makes a difference)

Oh and what is the .idx file that turned up un my Nekromantik subs folder after I unrared it just?


Cheers for all the help and advice!!

Mr Sooner

P.S. I'm onto Media Player Classic right now! Strange, but Play/Subtitles doesn't work for me - it's not highlighted... I have to go to Play/Filters/DirectVobSub (yes, I probably needlessly installed that one after your earlier suggestion!)

i honestly have no idea what your talking about, i simply name the subs the same as the movie and they play. End of story for me. Windows media player is a piece of shit so i don't expect that to play, but in Media Player Classic they automatically play. Similarly, if you install direct vobsub they play.

I can't fathom why identical procedure does not work for you, i'm guessing your still not naming the files identically?

Second part: idx is part of a format known as vobsub, there's an idx which references images stored in a .sub file. This .sub file can also be rared to save space:

filename.avi
+
filename.idx
filename.sub
or
filename.idx
filename.rar

are known as vobsubs. Vob subs are image files and are not ocred. Other formats are text based, such as srt or .smi, these are single text file based subtitle format

for example:
filename.avi
+
filename.srt


SRT are almost universally compatible.

I would suggest you visit your player's manufacturers homepage and seek help on what formats are accepted, because i can't understand how they can not play if you are following this procedure.

If your standalone does not support a certain formats, you need to convert the subs into a format they do support, for example. vobsubs to srt via a program called subrip.