[MPlayer-users] vbitrate option doesn't affect filesize

[D Richard Felker III]

On Thu, May 27, 2004 at 06:32:15PM +0200, Jaap Struyk wrote:
> Op wo 26-05-2004, om 08:00 schreef Jack:
> 
> > If setting a lower bitrate shrinks the file
> 
> I yust did a test comparing pre3 and pre4, if I set the vbitrate in pre3
> to 300, average is about 300, if I set it to 1500, it's up to 900, so
> that proves your right about mencoder using the max that's possible
> without wasting bits. (altough personaly find it to the choise of the
> user to waste bits ;-)

For single pass, this is not possible unless you want to ruin quality.
The encoder has to use significantly lower bitrate when it's not
needed so there will be extra bits available when it gets to a more
complex scene later.

If you really insist on being stupid and wasting bits, you can set
vrc_minrate and vrc_maxrate both equal to your bitrate (don't set them
to anything else, it won't work right) and lavc will stuff the
bitstream with useless bits to keep the rate constant. But this has no
purpose except encoding vcd.

> If I do the same test with pre4 it's always up to 900 whatever vbitrate
> I choose, also when choosing 300...

Sounds like you have something stupid in your command line or config
files. You should tell the exact commandline.

Rich