Question - Using DivX 5.05 and "Nth pass" with Virtual Dub

How do I go by using DivX' Nth pass feature with Virtual Dub?
I´ve done 2-pass encoding before, but it´s been awhile. Now I want to do a 3- or 4pass encoded video.

I´m guessing you first add "Multipass - 1st pass to the job list and then the "Nth pass".
But what if you want go higher than a 2-pass encoded movie? Do you just keep stacking Nth pass jobs in to the joblist?

 

Yup.

BTW, did you get your name from the movie with Forrest Whitaker?

 

Thanks Powerdup. I´ll try that.

Yes I did. Funny thing is, I´ve had this nickname for maybe a few years, and I finally got around to watching the movie a few days ago.

 

Thats is funny and a little weird...

 

OK, the third pass is on it´s way, but a couple of questions.

You name the different passess with different filenames, right? Just like with the old 2-pass method.

How does the third pass know how to utilize the information from the second pass to further improve quality?

Thanks.

 

Yeah you use different names.

Did you enable 'update log file' when you did the nth passes?
After each nth pass the log file created by the first pass will be updated by more information gathered after the previous pass.

Man I really hope you did, otherwise I dont think itll work.

 

I really hope so too. Obviously I can´t check right now, but if I messed it up I guess I´ll have to do it all over again this evening.

 

Yeah cross your fingers.

Seriously, I should have told you about that but I assumed you already knew...my apologies if you wasted your time.

 

Well I checked in the codec´s settings right after the last job was completed and the "Udate log" box was checked. I also had a quite large text file in my C: root, so I asume I did things correctly.

Thanks for your help Powerdup.

 

3 passes would certainly do that

No Problem, Im just glad you didnt waste your time.

 

Is there a remarkable difference in quality from a 2pass encode to a 3 or 4pass encode?

I've read the EKG guide at divx.com but I still don't get why you need EKG if at all?

 

Most people say that a 3rd pass does show a significant change in overall movie quality, but more passes than that is useless. The EKG program is used to manually distribute bits across the movie. Its useful when you know that you can take some bits from a part of the movie which you know wouldnt matter and transfer it to a part that really needs it, like an action scene.