Quick Guide to Reencoding Video for Axim with Divx 5.0.X

fibrizo · 02-20-03, 06:26 PM

I've noticed a lot of people have had problems encoding video for the axim and making it fit, so I decided to write a little guide for people having basic problems. This is very basic and assumes that the video is standard size (4:3) and you are using mpg or avi files as your original source. If you are rencoding another sized video, then you can make the corrections to keep your video properly sized. This was written to help people who watch vids but never have encoded or reencoded them

First, you need to download the following and install them. Virtualdub, and divx 5.0.3 on your computer and PocketMVP for your AXIM.

Virtualdub is availble at
http://www.virtualdub.org/index

divx 5.0.3 is availible at (all you need is divx basic)
http://www.divx.com

There are 2 versions of pocketMVP, one for PocketPC 2002 and one for PocketPC 2003. They are NOT interchangable.

PocketMVP for 2002 is availible at
http://home.adelphia.net/~mdukette/kits/PocketPC.zip

Pocket MVP for 2003 is availible at
http://www.wincesoft.de/html/pocket_divx.html

After all are installed, open up virtualdub. Go to "file" and open the video file you want to reencode for your axim.

The following are my settings and based on personal taste (Which is to get decent video and decent audio in the smallest possible size as to get the most video on my axim), so if you wish to change bitrates and such, be my guest.

After the file is loaded, click on "audio", and select "Full Processing Mode". Then go to "audio" again and select "conversion".

This will bring up the conversion menu. I usually select "22050hz", "16-bit", and "Mono". Then click "ok" (Choose others if you want higher quality sound, but there is only 1 speaker on the axim and it's not that great, so no point unless you use headphones.)

Then click on "audio" again and select "Compression"
Choose "MPEG Layer-3" or "LAME MP3 encoder (ACM)" Whichever you have. Then in the window next to it, select "32kBits/s, 22,050hz, Mono" Then click "ok".

Click on "video". Then click on "Frame Rate". Look at the number next to the "No Change (Current:" if it is higher than 15.000fps then select "Process every other frame (decimate by 2)" under "Frame Decimation" Leave everything else alone ie "No change" Under "Source rate adjustment" and "None (progressive)" under "Inverse Telecine". Click "ok" when done.

Now Click on "File" and click on "File Information"
Look at the box that says "Frame Size". Remember this number. (it should be something like 320x160, 320x240, 512x384, 640x480) click "OK" to close the window"

Now Click on "Video" again. Click on "Filters".

Now if your video size is 512x384 or 640x480 go to 1. then 2. If your video size is 320x160 or 320x240 go directly to 2. (If you have a non standard video size or if you are using a widescreen source, go to the end of the guide as I have added the calculations at the end.)

1. click "Add". Select "resize" then click "ok". "New Width" Should be set to 320. "New Height" should be set to 240. For "Filter Mode" Select "Precise Bicubic (A=-1.00) from pull down tab. then click "ok" You should now see a filter on your list of filters. Now to step 2

2. click "Add". Select "rotate" then click "ok". Select "Left by 90" then click "ok". You should see the rotate filter on your list of filters. click "ok"

Now click on "video" then click on "compression" Select "Divx 5.0.3 codec"then click "configure" click on the "profiles" tab. Make sure the "1 - Choose your profile" box is NOT checked. (uncheck it if it is checked and a warning box will pop up. Click "ok to dismiss it)

Next click on the "Bitrate Control" Tab. for "Variable Bitrate Mode" Select "Original 2-pass, 1st pass". For "Encoding Bitrate" type "128" into the box next to the bar. Under "Multipass Encoding files" Make sure to select "Write MV file" and "Do not prompt with error and warnings" then click "ok". click "ok" again to get back to virtualdub

Now Select "File" and go to "Save as AVI". enter a filename for your file select where to save it to. then make sure to select the box at the bottom that says "Don't run this job now; add it to job control so I can run it in batch mode". Then click "save". If you did this right, nothing will happen and you return to virtualdub.

Now select "Video" and then click on "compression". Then making sure "Divx 5.0.3 codec" is still selected, click "Configure". For "Variable Bitrate mode" select "Original 2-pass, 2nd pass" from the drop down menu. click "Ok" then "Ok"again to return to virtualdub.

Now Select "File" and go to "Save as AVI". Enter the exact same filename as you named the file before and save it to the exact same place. Make sure to select the box at the bottom that says "Don't run this job now; add it to job control so I can run it in batch mode". Then click "save". If you did this right, nothing will happen and you return to virtualdub.

Now Select "File" and go to "Job control". You should see 2 jobs in the box. click "Start" and go get some coffee or something as this will probably take a while depending on how long your videos are. Don't use your computer too much until both jobs finish if you want it to go faster.

When both jobs finish, test the avi file that is produced with windows media player on your computer... you should see a rotated video... copy this AVI to your AXIM memory card (SD or Compactflash)....

Then Open up Pocket MVP (which you should have already installed on your axim) And go open the file you just made and play...

Phew...:D

CALCULATIONS FOR SCREEN SIZE (WIDESCREEN and NONSTANDARD)
Say you have a widescreen source... lets say 480 x 208 or something like that...

Your final width should always be 320.

So take 320 and divide it by the width of your widescreen film.

which in this case is 480 so

320/480

This gives 0.6666667

now multiply by your movie's height, in this case it's 208

0.666666667 x 208

This gives us 138.666 or 139 rounded...

so our resized film would be 320x139, however...

Divx requires that your width and heights for your film be mutiples of 16...

So divide 139 by 16

139/16 is 8.6875

Which rounds to 9

So 9 x 16 gives 144

So you should set the height to 144

so your final film size is 320 x 144...

If you are following the guide I wrote, just enter that into step 1 instead of 320x240.

(Note this does do some stretching of the picture, but it's basically unoticable... If you downloaded that test file I put up, it's encoded this way and slightly stretched, but not noticably at all...) If you really want to be anal about it, it's possible to correct it completely and just put black space into the file, but that takes alot more calculation.

geezer · 02-20-03, 06:57 PM

fibrizo,

Most excellent work! Three cheers!

My fingers thank you. (I'm a terribly slow typist...)

This definately deserves a sticky!

Jeff

KKelsen · 02-20-03, 06:58 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by fibrizo

PocketMVP is availible at
http://home.adelphia.net/~mdukette/kits/PocketPC.zip

This link is not working for me...

Is there another source to get it?

Keith

geezer · 02-20-03, 07:01 PM

try this

KKelsen · 02-20-03, 07:05 PM

Is it me?

Welcome to Users.adelphia.net server!

The page you have requested was not found on this server. That could be caused by several things:

The URL you were trying to retrieve was mistyped

The URL used to exist but has been changed

The customer account has been removed

If you are a former home.adelphia.net customer who has not yet created your users.adelphia.net account, you may do so by going to the User's Migration Page, entering your current home.adelphia.net username and password. Your account will be created automatically.

Note: that since the period for migrations has passed, we will no longer be able to retrieve your old site content, however your new account will allow you to post the content using either FrontPage 2002 or earlier, or via FTP. The original message that was sent can be found Here

If you encounter any problems with this migration, please contact Adelphia Technical Support if you have questions.

geezer · 02-20-03, 07:17 PM

Hmmm, curious.

Both links above worked fine for me. The one I supplied is to the homepage and I've tried it 3 times and goes right through.

Must be something on your end. Try again later?

fibrizo · 02-20-03, 07:26 PM

Thanks Geezer... just trying to help out what seems to be alot of people with basic issues...

Also try www.pocketmvp.com if the link is not working...

KKelsen · 02-20-03, 07:48 PM

Tried them all. All other links and web access is working...just this one...?

Even www.pocketmvp.com takes me to the error message that I gave earlier. Go figure?

Thanks

Keith

PS. If you have the exe. set up file can you send it to me?

02-21-03, 12:13 PM

Isn't it in the download section of Aximsite?

KKelsen · 02-21-03, 12:29 PM

Thanks. It is the same link. Still does not work for me. I am still waiting for someone to send it to me.

Keith

fibrizo · 02-21-03, 12:31 PM

I've been trying to send it to you, I sent an email out to you. I need your email addy so I can attach the file.

KKelsen · 02-21-03, 12:40 PM

sent you an e-mail last night resent today to the ran...address

rcmiv · 02-21-03, 12:56 PM

Perhaps aximsite could mirror the file instead of linking to adelphia? Bandwidth constraints could be a problem. Anyone out there with some spare bandwidth wanna have a go?

Thanks,
rcmiv

Work4crown · 02-21-03, 01:14 PM

I looked around for PocketMVP on Google to see if it was available for download somewhere else, but I couldn't find it.

If anyone has this software please post a link or something.

Thanks!:D

cessna · 02-21-03, 01:43 PM

When I get back to the dorm I'll mirror it.