When it comes format-shifting videos or ripping DVDs, there's a mind-numbing variety of programs to choose from. (Just check out this list!) But I invariably find myself drawn back to xvidenc.

In essence, xvidenc is just an interactive shell script built around the many, many, (many!) options available from the MEncoder command -- which itself lies at the heart of movie player MPlayer. Here, for example, is a not untypical MEncoder command ...

mencoder "/media/shared/infile.flv" -o "/media/shared/outfile.avi" -vf softskip,harddup -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=140:aq=4:vol=2.2:mode=1 -ovc xvid -xvidencopts bitrate=1200:me_quality=6:vhq=1:threads=1:max_bframes=2:bvhq=1:nopacked: quant_type=h263:noqpel:nogmc:trellis:nointerlacing: chroma_me:nochroma_opt:hq_ac:nolumi_mask:rc_reaction_delay_factor=0:rc_averaging_period=100:closed_gop:autoaspect

That was actually generated by xvidenc after prompting me with straightforward questions such as ...

Select the Audio Codec [default is MP3]:

... and ...

Would you like to convert the final encode from AVI to MP4? [y/n]:

... through to more technical ones such as ...

Would you like to use Pre/Postprocessing video filters? [y/n]:

... and ...

Would you like to use Automatic Brightness/Contrast? [y/n]:

Along the way xvidenc makes its own intelligent selections, so in most cases it's just a matter of hitting <Enter> to stick with the default.

You need to give the xvidenc command a couple of parameters when you kick it off; the number of passes and a predefined quality preset (xvidenc --help will list them all).

xvidenc -1p -p nq

In this case I'm opting for 1-pass encoding using the Normal Quality preset. After that, the script takes over and you're away ...





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