Getting jiggy with FairUse 2

banisters_mind · 03-21-06, 12:45 AM

Hi all,

As an avid watcher of movies on my X5 I recently upgraded my fairuse program to the latest version (FairUse 2) thinking it would be a good thing to do now that I've beefed up my desktop.

At first glance the updated version seems to be as good an application as it's predecessor. Easy to use, good quality output files and much quicker conversion times. The only problem I'm finding is that I can't seems to get a 320x240 screen resolution for my output files - the resolution that I find the best for watching movies on my X5. The closest res. I can get is 320x 176 which, while not bad, does test the eyes a bit. In times past I was able to get the 320x240 resolution by selecting anamorphic mode in the last screen before the encoding process - but in the latest version there is no anamorphic option.

Has anyone been using this latest version for encoding movies for use on a PPC like mine and if so have you been able to get a 320x240 res. out of the application. If not - can anyone suggest an alternative...?

Lofty · 03-21-06, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by banisters_mind

Hi all,

As an avid watcher of movies on my X5 I recently upgraded my fairuse program to the latest version (FairUse 2) thinking it would be a good thing to do now that I've beefed up my desktop.

At first glance the updated version seems to be as good an application as it's predecessor. Easy to use, good quality output files and much quicker conversion times. The only problem I'm finding is that I can't seems to get a 320x240 screen resolution for my output files - the resolution that I find the best for watching movies on my X5. The closest res. I can get is 320x 176 which, while not bad, does test the eyes a bit. In times past I was able to get the 320x240 resolution by selecting anamorphic mode in the last screen before the encoding process - but in the latest version there is no anamorphic option.

Has anyone been using this latest version for encoding movies for use on a PPC like mine and if so have you been able to get a 320x240 res. out of the application. If not - can anyone suggest an alternative...?

320 x 176 is a widescreen aspect ratio. Im assuming Fairuse is cropping the black bars from the video output. If its widescreen there is no need for a higher resolution video. You could crop it to make it full screen or you could just try to find a full screen version of the film.

banisters_mind · 03-21-06, 04:38 PM

it seems to me though that in all the talk on converting movies for use on ppc's the ideal aspect ratio is 320x240. I don't think Fairuse is cropping the black bars because the output file clearly has the black bars. I'm disappointed that the 320x240 aspect ratio option seems to have gone from the updated version of Fairuse though I'm hoping that it's merely the case that I'm missing something in the steps when using the application...

stevenator65 · 03-21-06, 05:16 PM

I think the best thing you can do is choose the closest resolution. I've only converted 5 movies so I'm no expert, but I've never gotten the exact 640x480 for my vga screen. I just choose the closest one without going over.

banisters_mind · 03-22-06, 12:41 AM

Wait a minute - 640x480 - is that aspect ratio doable on a ppc?? I'll have to give that a try...the alternative is to try another program but of all the ones I've tried so far I have had the most success with FairUse and I'd like to stick with it.

axzilla · 03-22-06, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by banisters_mind

Wait a minute - 640x480 - is that aspect ratio doable on a ppc?? I'll have to give that a try...the alternative is to try another program but of all the ones I've tried so far I have had the most success with FairUse and I'd like to stick with it.

Looks like you have an x5 which is only 320x240 if you have an x50v or x51v then 640x480 is doable :approve:

stevenator65 · 03-22-06, 11:34 AM

Banister, here's my advice. Take a short movie and use Fairuse on it but change the settings and make a few different versions of the same movie and see which you like best. It will only cost you some time. That's what I did. I like to use 475mb for each movie, and 128mp3 sound or Ac3 (you need the plugin for that). I also choose the closest vga settings. Other than that I choose the automatic settings wherever possible. Basically I only make about 3 decisions for each movie. Don't stress out, just experiment with it and you'll see right away which settings you like best.

banisters_mind · 03-29-06, 12:45 AM

Steve,

You're exactly right - I've been impatient with this one but I haven't lost hope. In fact I've solved the problem - I've found the download for fairuse 1.2 and I've gone back to that. I get my perfect 320x240 aspect ratio and I've started going for higher audio quality settings. I like to stick to around 225Mb to 250Mb for my file sizes and 96kbps for the audio 'cos I like to get around four movie files onto my 1Gb SD card. I've recently started converting documentary series and I get a nice 100Mb file for a 45 minute episode. It's great stuff. I love to squeeze the max out of my X5...

stevenator65 · 03-29-06, 08:17 AM

Now that's what I call gettin' jiggy!