Clarity - like to chime in here - hopefully with Clarification ....
There are two primary issues -
1 - what is the ideal encoding format, and
2 - What are good choices for file delivery
Then there are ancillary issues like the choices for file editing software (trimming commercials etc) or conversion software (Autogk and many others). The choice of video editing software is only important in that it must present a work-product that is suited for final conversion. Anyway - those choices are like the difference between Snap-On and Sears Apple and WinXP, largely religious once you get beyond core utility.
Back to the primary issues .. I think there is confusion between the former (encoding) and latter (deliverable), and thus conflation of these two issues.
The vote that was held with a majority voting on DiVX concerns issue 1, not issue 2 -
this is because DiVX is an encoding format - one that happens to be extraordinarily lightweight.
When rocketmann speaks of the virtues of DiVX he does not dismiss the use of tools to help him get to the end result, it is the lightweight that is attractive.
That leaves issue 2 - the utility of the deliverable.
There are three primary choices - presented in no particular order
*** Make a DVD
- a folder of DVD ready files abiding by the AUDIO_TS folder and VIDEO_TS structure and 1GB file chunks for video that we all find on examining a DVD, menu files may also be included (this has been timbuck2's historic approach and I see rocketmann has reserved some of the timbuck2 DVDs)
[NOTE - the actual files used in making the DVD may themselves have been compressed using the algorithms in the authoring program or a separate "Shrinking" program - but regardless, the product contains pure MPG-2 files).
-- Advantages - the deliverable is universally burnable, and universally playable on PC, in any TV set linked DVD player
-- Disadvantages - file size, without effort to compress, can reach full size for a 4.7GB DVD, this lengthens the download - with compression the file length is typically below 3.5 GB - still one game per disc.
***
Make DiVX file with a pure MPG-4 video stream (this is the approach that rocketmann has historically preferred to use, some of his files bear an
MPG some an
AVI extension).
-- Advantages, MPG 4 using DiVX 5/6 codecs for encoding is extraordinarily lightweight. An entire half might be below 1.5 GB (example
Michigan Ohio State - 2004), an entire game with little passing below 2GB (
example OSU - PSU 2003). Playable on PC with the right codecs, most DVD players made since 2005 explicitly include statements of DiVX compliance and can play these files.
... Potentially one can build a disc with 2 games after downloading.
-- Disadvantages, Burned DVD-ROMs with DiVX movies / games require a newer DVD player. Menus, though allowed under DiVX, are minimal. Changing the file on receipt to a DVD by reauthoring can reduce the fidelity of the original conversion MPG-2 to MPG-4 OK, MPG-4 to MPG-2 not always OK.
***
Serve another format - e.g., .MOV or .VRO etc
-- Advantages, potentially easier pipeline for the file-serving author, file sizes are not constrained into DVD file tree (1GB splits) or ISO 9660 file (2GB upper limit) chunks. All the author's attention is to removing commercials. Speed of delivery is improved.
-- Disadvantages, the files on receipt may bear a file extension that is recognized by a limited number of systems (.MOV by Apple-Macs or Windows machines with Quicktime installed), .VRO by Video Recorders / Camcorders. This typically means the file recipient has to become the final auteur - converting the (typically) over-large file into .VOB 1GB chunks if authoring a DVD, or converting to .mpg, supremely easy with .VRO files, and then splitting into <2GB chunks.
NOTE - for DVD authoring If the file was already subjected to MPG-4 or other encoding this may introduce artefacts if the video is re-authored to DVD compliant MPG-2 format (the risk of which depends on the subtlety / sophistication of the authoring software).
For me the last challenge is a relatively small mole-hill. I can easily understand though that it isn't as easy for all others.
