[MEncoder-users] filter question (converting low quality dvds to xvid = larger files)

[Kerry Kirk]

First some background:
I am on an Ubuntu 8.10 box and am using MEncoder 2:1.0~rc2-0ubuntu17 with
libxvidcore4 2:1.1.2-01ubuntu3 (according to Synaptic)

When I convert my dvds to xvid my process is as follows.

Using dvdshrink via wine I rip out the parts I want, decrypt them and save
the results as an iso.

I have a script file that will process as many iso files as I request by
mounting each iso as an iso9660 loop and issuing the following commands

first pass
mencoder -dvd-device /pathtoisofile dvd://1 -nosound -ovc xvid -xvidencopts
pass=1:turbo -passlogfile xvidlog -o /dev/null 2>>errorlog

second pass
mencoder -dvd-device /pathtoisofile dvd://1 -oac mp3lame -lameopts
cbr:br=96:vol=8 -alang en -ovc xvid -xvidencopts pass=2:bitrate=900
-passlogfile xvidlog -o outputfile.avi 2>>errorlog

I generally get a 2 hr movie down to about 650-700 megs.  With a few dvds of
very old movies where the quality of the original is lacking the files end
up being much larger.  I am guessing that the static and jitteriness(sp?) of
some of these old films is the cause of the difference in compression and
thus file size.

Are there any commands or filters I should add to my encoding commands that
might get some better quality xvids out of the older films.  I have used
grayscale in the xvidencopts and it does seem to help with the b&w films.
Any other ideas?