[MEncoder-users] what video output to select for mencoder when encoding dvd's to h.264

[The Wanderer]

On 09/25/2011 04:54 PM, Cristian Manea wrote:

> There is something that I don't understand about MEncoder. By default,
> MEncoder and MPlayer both use xv as video output. But, for example, when I
> open a dvd title or vob file in MPlayer, it scales it to a 16:9 resolution:

According to my understanding (which could be inaccurate), that's because 
something - possibly the file itself - asked for a 16:9 aspect ratio, even 
though the actual video data was encoded with a different aspect ratio.

>> Movie-Aspect is 1.33:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
>> VO: [xv] 720x480 => 720x540 Planar YV12

I don't see a 16:9 aspect ratio in there. 720x480 is 3:2, and 720x540 is 4:3.

> So, my first question is: do I have to use a different video output that xv
> when encoding DVD's/mpeg2 streams to H.264 using MEncoder with x264 ? Maybe a
> video output that doesn't scale 720x480 to 720x540 and leave all frames
> unscaled ?

This question doesn't make any sense.

MPlayer decodes and displays the video. To do the display, it uses a VO method.

MEncoder decodes and encodes the video, without displaying anything but the
console-window text. Because it doesn't display the video, it doesn't need to
use a VO method, and doesn't. (Or I'd be exceedingly surprised to learn that it
did.)

-- 
       The Wanderer

Warning: Simply because I argue an issue does not mean I agree with any
side of it.

Secrecy is the beginning of tyranny.