avi.NET user guide

What is avi.NET?

avi.NET will allow you to load in both MPEG-1 (VCD) and MPEG-2 (SVCD/DVD/HDTV) movie files and convert them to an AVI. Whether it be a DivX AVI, or Xvid AVI, the resulting video file will be 100% standalone player compatible meaning it will play in your home DVD AVI player just fine.


Loading a file

 
Select the 'IN' button and load in your file, if it's the first time the movie has been loaded, the file will 'index', once completed you'll notice many options have automatically been set and the movie is previewing in the main display window. Don't forget to check out the 'Quick information' section on the right for further details regarding input files.

The 'OUT' button selects the destination folder/name of the converted output file. Once you've done your settings you then add the job to the 'job-list' by selecting 'ADD', as long as at least one job is in the list you'll be able to select 'START' to begin the conversion process.

You can add multiply jobs to the list, save the list 'SAVE', re-load list 'LOAD', and encode at another time.


Settings

 
The 'av.OPTIONS' section (which is shown after loading) is where you make your initial, and most important, choices for conversion. You first need to decide what conversion method you require, you have three choices; SIZE, BITRATE, and CQ.

The audio tracks available will be shown, select your desired track, nine times out of ten your required audio track will be the first one in the list and thus already selected. By default, the audio will be converted to MP3 at 128Kbps but this can be changed to 160 or 192Kbps if you feel you require the extra bits or you can simply select the AC3 option if you would like to keep the audio as the source thus preserving the higher bitrates and surround sound.


Subtitles

Subtitles will only be available if the original VOB file or VOB set had its associated IFO present when the file was first loaded. If the IFO is present the subtitles will be extracted automatically and the subtitle options will be enabled and available to use. Again, check out the 'Quick information' section on the right for further details regarding subtitles. ‘Closed Captions’ are also supported if previously extracted with 'index.NET' (see below), these will be loaded in and treated just like normal subtitles.


Screen size

 

The width can be changed to any of the common sizes used for AVI files. Unwanted black bars are automatically removed.

There are occasions when further pixels need to be removed, which can be accomplished by using the 'screen.CUT' controls.


Filters and codec

 

'Deinterlace Movie' does just that, it 'de-interlaces' and interlaced source, only use if you can see 'combing' (jaggies) in the movie preview.

'Autocrop Threshold' allows you to change the default threshold (the sensitivity in determining the 'black bar' areas).

You have the choice of using DivX or Xvid as your video codec, if using Xvid, it >>must<< be v1.3.2 or v1.3.1, others versions will not work correctly (link is available on 'avi.NET' project page). Higher quality does just that, it's slower, but produces higher quality.

The last two options simply refer to the removal of the '.TEMP' folder, which was created when the input file was first loaded in and 'Indexed', and whether you want your PC to shutdown after the job-list conversions have completed.

To finish off, I'll explain a few little things that have not been mentioned as of yet. Right-clicking on any part of the main preview area will bring up further options, like 'Minimise to Tray' and the 'About' page. Doing this on part of the display which contains the movie will give you access to 'Pause/Play' and an 'Advanced' section, which basically contains various options that have been added recently. There's an option to force a 4:3 input to 16:9 and vice versa in case your source DVD or MPG file if flagging one ratio when it is quite obviously another. There's now a few volume options too, you can keep the normal system default volume when previewing or choose a lower level or have the audio muted. These audio options will be remembered. Clicking on any of the jobs waiting in the jobs list will display a brief popup containing some information about the awaiting encode.


Important

You must use the Xvid version that accompanies avi.NET. Using any other version will result in file sizes being dramatically wrong. Even after installing the correct Xvid, be careful of other programs and codec packs over-writing your version, maybe even without you being aware of such.


index.NET

When you load in a file with avi.NET, the first thing it does is 'index' the input file, for one or two movies this isn't too bad but if you want to convert many you will have to keep waiting for each loaded file to index. index.NET is a little utility to do all the indexing for you beforehand so you don't have to wait for avi.NET to do it. index.NET is installed along side avi.NET but you do not have to use it.

 

Select an individual file that requires indexing and click 'START', you also have an option to select a folder which will add all compatible files to index.NET within your chosen directory. You can also 'mix-n-match', by that I mean you can add some individual files, then some folders, then more individual files, whichever combination you require. Three options are also available to you, 'Force film', 'Extract subtitles', and 'Extract closed captions'.

index.NET supports input of hundreds of files, technically, it could process more than a thousand files per job.

index.NET is 'VOB SET' aware which means it knows if you are loading in an individual VOB file or a VOB file that is part of a set. It knows the VOBs numbered '_1.VOB' are part of a set, and as such, will be treated as a set. You'll notice that when added to the program the normal icon used for a VOB file will be different showing you it's part of a set. Remember, you can input individual files and/or folders and mixtures of each from various hard drive locations and then just start and leave it to do all your indexing. I hope you find index.NET of some use.