converting avi to mpeg 2

[Tedis]

I have seen alot of threads on this, but there hasn't been any clear answers that worked.

I simply need to convert an avi file to an mpeg-2 file so I can author a dvd with it. I just want to convert the file itself so I can set the quality to be as high as possible. I have seen stuff with Mencoder, but it didn't work.

Please, someone help! Also, I am kind of a linux n00b, so please be as specific and detailed as possible.

Thanks

[Cypher]

ffmpeg will handle the job.

[Tedis]

I just tried:

ffmpeg -i input.avi output.mpg

It 'worked' but the output.mpg file was terrible quality. Is there any way to set the quality to full, or something?

[Immolatus]

do it again and watch the file size. Is it increasing or decreasing?

[Cypher]

ffmpeg has numerous options that can control all aspects of the encoding/decoding stages. I'm not the most familiar person with ffmpeg yet, so check out the documentation on that site and play around with some of the options.

Also, you might want to do run through two passes to get things in ship-shape order..

[underdog512]

Originally Posted by Cypher Also, you might want to do run through two passes to get things in ship-shape order..

How do you do this

[little_penguin]

Originally Posted by Tedis I have seen alot of threads on this, but there hasn't been any clear answers that worked. I simply need to convert an avi file to an mpeg-2 file so I can author a dvd with it. I just want to convert the file itself so I can set the quality to be as high as possible. I have seen stuff with Mencoder, but it didn't work. Please, someone help! Also, I am kind of a linux n00b, so please be as specific and detailed as possible. Thanks

Hi Tedis,

An easy way to convert avi to mpeg2 (SVCD) which can be played in a standalone DVD player is to use Avidemux. You can get this from the Ubuntu repositories via Synaptic.

- Open your avi file in Avidemux.
- Then from the Auto menu, just select SVCD - this preloads some defaults automatically.
- Now just click Save, give it a name, and off it goes. If you need better quality, just experiment a bit.

Regards,
little_penguin

[kelvin spratt]

I use DeVeDe it is very similer to convertXtodvd in windows download the latest version 3.0
from http://www.getdeb.net/ and it also has menus, do a 10sec preview if you have sound problems go to their site and down load the patch at the bottom of the page, render to ISO, right click on ISO select write to disc and click providing you've put a disc in the jobs done

[Mize]

Originally Posted by Tedis I just tried: ffmpeg -i input.avi output.mpg It 'worked' but the output.mpg file was terrible quality. Is there any way to set the quality to full, or something?

add -sameq before the output filename to match the input file quality.

[sophtpaw]

Originally Posted by kelvin spratt I use DeVeDe it is very similer to convertXtodvd in windows download the latest version 3.0 from http://www.getdeb.net/ and it also has menus, do a 10sec preview if you have sound problems go to their site and down load the patch at the bottom of the page, render to ISO, right click on ISO select write to disc and click providing you've put a disc in the jobs done

Hi Guys..

i was looking for a solution to burning avi to dvd. and fell on this thread in my search. Can i say i've used DeVeDe and sometimes it works. Essential is to use the preview to make sure there are no streaks. Unfortunately half the time an avi will show up with lots of horizontal streaks. Why i don't know... Could it be the quality of the avi?

Anyhow, is there another way? i was told mpeg2... So, i downloaded ffmpeg but i see no gui frontend in Applications for it and besides i am reading here that it has compromised the quality.

Is there another way still(besides running back to windows) and how, please?

--
sophtpaw