Raw WMV3 to h264, without losing quality. How?

[sapsa]

I was lucky to get one of my *rare* childehood anime that I watched.
The problem is that the whole collection aint that big (60) but It waste alot of space 25Gb.
I would like to make those AVI + WMV3 to MKV + h264 if i get same quality with less space needed.

I'm not into this stuffs, I used automkv programs to conver Fraps to mkv h264 with great results. I was hoping someone can guide me if there is a point for making this. Those are RAWs.
If its important there's no subs.
I provied info about files:

Format                           : AVI
Format/Info                      : Audio Video Interleave
File size                        : 541 MiB
Duration                         : 24mn 50s
Overall bit rate                 : 3 043 Kbps (few got 1 962 Kbps)
Writing application              : Nandub v1.0rc2 “ú–{Śę”Ĺ
Writing library                  : Nandub build 1853/release

Video
ID                               : 0
Format                           : VC-1
Codec ID                         : WMV3
Codec ID/Info                    : Windows Media Video 9
Codec ID/Hint                    : WMV3
Duration                         : 24mn 50s
Bit rate                         : 2 838 Kbps (1 757 Kbps)
Width                            : 640 pixels
Height                           : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 4:3
Frame rate                       : 23.976 fps
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.385
Stream size                      : 504 MiB (93%)

Audio
ID                               : 1
Format                           : MPEG Audio
Format version                   : Version 1
Format profile                   : Layer 3
Mode                             : Joint stereo
Mode extension                   : MS Stereo
Codec ID                         : 55
Codec ID/Hint                    : MP3
Duration                         : 24mn 50s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 192 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Stream size                      : 34.1 MiB (6%)
Alignment                        : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration             : 24 ms (0.58 video frame)
Interleave, preload duration     : 480 ms
Writing library                  : Gogo >=3.0

[Temuthril]

http://x264.fushizen.eu/?p=314
Get either 32-bit or 64-bit patched build (depending on your OS) & unrar it to the folder with the original files.

Open command prompt, go to the folder and type these.

Code: [Select]

x264 --preset veryslow --tune animation --crf 18 --acodec copy -o outputfilename.mkv inputfilename.avi

[sapsa]

I will read about those preset's (i'm unfamiliary with those).
I got some spare time. first file for test puropse: 2:30h O.o

[Xiong Chiamiov]

Since you're converting lossy -> lossy there will be a loss in quality.  You can probably make it an unnoticeable difference, though, by using rather high settings, which is why that conversion's going to take so long.

[Temuthril]

I will read about those preset's (i'm unfamiliary with those).
I got some spare time. first file for test puropse: 2:30h O.o

If it feels too slow use a faster preset. Also you can modify the crf if you want; bigger number gives a smaller with lower quality, smaller number gives a larger file with better quality.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/assassin/x264.txt

[sapsa]

I will leave it the way you said. I rather want to encode 4h/each with great pq, than 1h/each with bad picture.

Xiong, Its true that i Lossy > Lossy. But it wont be my goal just to take it out from avi container and put to mkv cointainer

[x5ga]

But it wont be my goal just to take it out from avi container and put to mkv cointainer

Wait... so you just want to make the avi -> mkv? Wouldn't it be better then to just demux the avi and then mux the contents into a mkv file? That's clearly a lossless operation, if you don't mind the video still being in the WMV3 format...

[Temuthril]

Using faster presets mostly just results in a larger file.

But it wont be my goal just to take it out from avi container and put to mkv cointainer

Wait... so you just want to make the avi -> mkv? Wouldn't it be better then to just demux the avi and then mux the contents into a mkv file? That's clearly a lossless operation, if you don't mind the video still being in the WMV3 format...

Highlighted for you.

[sapsa]

Temuthril, thanks for info. I found few guide about those presets, tune and crf. I think I been under the rock when it came first time.
Great thing about those 1:11h more till first encode - I will post how great it end up:)


edit:

After alot of time the filze size went down by 26% It's alot, 7GB more for few anime eps

I will compare PQ later, but for now:

Temuthril, you are epic win, for today

I got good day