# Video encoding

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Videos can be encoded through the command line, as single commands, or using scripts, or using GUI interface to command line options. This article covers some of the possibile methods.

## GUI Conversions

Several graphical user interfaces exist to assist with the conversion of video to new formats.

- winff
- ogmrip
- dvdrip
- handbrake
- avidemux

## Scripted Conversions

xvidencAUR is a script available in the AUR. It uses MEncoder and might be a good fit, if want to convert some videos but lack most of the knowledge: While there are (probably?) even easier scripts out there, this one still gives you a lot of choices (most of which you can ignore by pressing enter to use a decent default settings).

h264encAUR is an advanced shell script for encoding DVDs or video files to the H.264 format using the encoding utility MEncoder from MPlayer.

## Specific Commands

### Encoding AVI Videos in Windows and Mac Readable Formats

Use these commands:

    opt="vbitrate=2160000:mbd=2:keyint=132:vqblur=1.0:cmp=2:subcmp=2:dia=2:mv0:last_pred=3"

    mencoder -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=msmpeg4v2:vpass=1:$opt -oac mp3lame -o /dev/null input.avi
    mencoder -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=msmpeg4v2:vpass=2:$opt -oac mp3lame -o output.avi input.avi

"input.avi" is the AVI you made using Linux utilities, and "output.avi" is the AVI you want to make which will be readable by Windows and Mac users.

## Common Misconceptions

### Codecs v.s. Containers

A common source of confusion when it comes to video encoding is the difference between codecs / encoding formats, and containers. The difference between them can be illustrated with a few examples, MKV, AVI, WEBM are all container formats, while XviD, H.264, VP8 are video encoding formats, AAC, Vorbis and MP3 are audio encoding formats.

While the encoding format describes how the audio or video data is compressed and encoded, the container format describes how this encoded data is laid out inside a file. A video file will typically contain audio in addition to video and often might contain additional data such as subtitles and chapter marks. In addition, these tracks of data need to be synchronised, so that the audio, video and subtitles play at the appropriate time. How the audio, video, subtitle and additional data is put together and kept in sync is described by the container format.

A very old yet common container format is AVI (Audio Video Interleave), it only works for simple situations where all you need is a single audio and single video track. Newer, modern formats such as MKV allow for much greater flexibility; MKV for instance supports multiple audio tracks (e.g. multiple languages), video tracks (e.g. multiple angles), multiple subtitle tracks, chapter marks with support for nested chapters, it can also support cover art, arbitrary attachments (for example a PDF booklet for a song), and even support for DVD-like menus. Google's open source WebM format is based on MKV, however it utilises VP8 for video encoding and Vorbis for audio encoding.

MP4 often refers to both the video compression format, and the format of the container, however they are both distinct entities. The MPEG-4 Part 14 specification describes the format of the MP4 video container, while other parts have to do with the audio and video encoding. MPEG-4 Part 2 for instance deals with video encoding, and is possibly more popular DivX and Xvid, it is superseded by the MPEG-4 Part 1 format, which is more popular as H.264, or AVC. MPEG-4 Part 3 deals with audio, and is used wherever you see MP4 audio (m4a files) and is also known as AAC.

With a modern container format such as MKV or MP4, it is possible to encode video and audio in any desired format and to put them together in a single file for simultaneous playback. One could for instance pick H.264 / AVC video, and use it together with Vorbis audio and put the resultant in and MP4 container. The resultant file should have no trouble playing on a computer with the requisite software installed, however it could cause problems for mobile phones, smart TVs, set top boxes that have less flexible decoding software.

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