[MPlayer-users] advice on mencoder options

[anton]

I have been trying to get an "optimal" setting for most of my dvd 
backups (not really interested in trying 5 different settings with every 
encoded movie...), and have come up with the following (using mdk9.2 
with plf 1.0pre2mdk.rpm):

mencoder -ovc frameno -o frameno.avi -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=128 
-aid 128 -endpos ??? movie???

mencoder -oac copy -o /dev/null -ovc lavc -lavcopts 
vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=???:vhq:vpass=1:autoaspect -vf 
crop=???:???:???:??? -endpos ??? movie???
mencoder -oac copy -o ???.avi -ovc lavc -lavcopts 
vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=???:vhq:vpass=2:autoaspect -vf crop=???:???:???:?? 
-endpos ??? movie???

The ???s get filled in with the appropriate entries...
I have read quite a few howtos and readmes and very often there are 
extra bits and pieces. for example
http://digilander.libero.it/w1llcoyote/ has:

*mencoder -o /dev/null -oac copy -ovc lavc -vop 
scale=640:360,crop=720:552:0:12 -lavcopts 
vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=896:vhq:vqmin=2:vqmax=31:vpass=1 -sws 2 
SKULLS21-1.vob*

Most howtos seem to scale, but the mplayer documentation says not to. I 
am ok with only using mplayer (so autoaspect is ok) but if scaling is 
going to give me better quality then I would rather do that than have 
things "elegant".
After reading the man page it also seems that the default vqmin and 
vqmax values are 2 and 31 so the above is completely pointless, is that 
the case?

I realise that there are often options that are going to give results 
for particular types of movies, eg vampire movies are usually at night 
and that means you should use x, y and z. Is there anywhere where there 
is a reasonably readable list of options that are advised for particular 
types of movies eg, Werner Herzog movies (15 minute sunsets, etc), 
vampire movies, war movies, etc. Preferably with explanations of why 
i.e, x decreases the number of bits used when scenes don't change much 
for more than 1 minute so good for Herzog or Tarkovsky, etc?
If not then I'm sure I speak for many wannabe newbies and say it would 
be damned good!
Cheers
Anton
ps, So how are my options?...