I'm currently using the deshaker plugin for Virtual Dub and I have to select a codec for my imported footage. VD has the following codecs to choose from - Cinepak Codec by Radius, Intel YUV, Microsoft RLE and Microsoft Video 1. Out of these, which one would be considered the best codec? Alternatively, if all those codecs are substandard, could anyone recommend a better codec that could be added to VD?

Both DivX and XviD work well with VD. There's also a H.264 variety that works, called x.264. Google them and you'll find them easily. Just remember that Adobe doesn't support XviD, for some reason.

Ah cool thanks. I'm guessing they might be zip files. If so, which folder in Virtual Dub would I unzip the file? The plugins folder or somewhere else?

i think they will require installing where all the other codecs get installed. when you get your codec it will most likely self install once you click on it and virualdub will just see the codecs that are installed. i have 5 codecs listed but nothing shows in either of virtualdubs folders. still there's a chance i could be wrong

No, you're absolutely right Chardie, just install them as you would any other piece of software, and they will appear in the codec list in VD.