Help Choosing settings for converting to XVID

[WARP MAN]

I have a lot of DV from my video camera. I have it uncompressed at the moment. I want to convert the fiels to XVID. I can do this no problem, but always get a larger than required filesize. For example, for a clip 1:30 long, i have a filesize of 44mb. If I choose lesser settings, I get badly distorted picture - considerable loss of quality. How can I encode to XVID and keep the same quality - like downloaded XVID films?

I am using ULEAD VIDEOSTUDIO and POWERPRODUCER.

Thanks.

[celtic_druid]

Downloaded files will generally be progressive. DV is however interlaced. If you want similar quality to the source however you should go with quant1/2 and a nice hiq quant matrix.

What are you current settings? If you are doing two pasw what is or would be the size of the first pass? Also what XviD build?

[WARP MAN]

I've found my best quality to file size ratio comes with using the FFDSHOW Codec. Using XVID-4 Encoder, mode - 2 passes - 1st pass. I have left everyhting else untouched. First pass is smaller, but I do get worse (noticable) quality.

Is there anyway to to convert interlaced to progressive without getting the lines?

[celtic_druid]

Yep, deinterlace it. XviD can actually handle interlaced material though.