I want to put a set of 22 AVI files onto standalone DVD playable discs, but am unsure as to the best way of going about this. Each file is ~45 mins long with the following AVIcodec stats: (where Video/Audio MB and Kbps vary slightly)

File : 349 MB (349 MB), duration: 0:43:05, type: AVI, 1 audio stream(s), quality: 59 %
Video : 297 MB, 964 Kbps, 23.976 fps, 624*352 (16:9), XVID = XVID Mpeg-4, Supported
Audio : 52 MB, 168 Kbps, 48000 Hz, 2 channels, 0x55 = MPEG Layer-3, Supported

I could make huge DVD files and do 1 episode a disc, but I'd rather shoot for something more like 6 discs.

What would be the ramifications of putting files through the DVD wizard and reducing the average video bitrate (so I could fit more files,) versus having them go through the VCD wizard where even at the max bitrate I could fit several files onto 1 DVD?

Thanks for your help; I DO appreciate it! =)
--DanielShawn

Having used the Tmpg Encoder some years ago (and the many different update versions) I am surprised by the volume of problems that continue to be asked about by users.

Is this the fault of the encoder or the user? Since the programmer's encoder should have had all the faults ironed out ages ago I doubt that the program is at fault. So what is the cause of the "problems"? Okay novice users are bound to have teething problems with any new software they've installed on their computer but in essence they should only be minor hiccups!

TmpgEnc.net offers a 21mb sample movie and this even caused me to say b....... to it since it would have taken a while to download! Perhaps a better approach should be made at providing usable/viewable HELP training on line. These wouldn't be particularily hard to create and I find it strange that there is no such link on the FREE program to a HELP on-line.

Come on TmpgEnc.net get your act together - you've had plenty of time to create a training or a Help section of your own.

SoftDeko Software Database
http://www.SoftDeko.com/

.. I know I'm not any type of administrator, but stupid complaints probably isn't the point of this board. :P

Will TMPEG be optimized for any of the Althon 64 processors? I currently have the FX53.

Thanks.

Why in some part of the movie, not all, the audio gets desynchronized and after this point the audio goes desynchronized until the end of the movie. I get this With Predator 2.

I have just encountered the same problem.

My source is an MPEG2 Video with an MPEG1 Layer 2 audio track which I was trying to re-encode to change video size and audio bit/sampling frequencies. After about 20000 frames there is a noticeable lag in the audio which gets progressively worse

I have found that by first de-multiplexing the audio and video then encoding from these two files fixed the problem. Unfortunately this also significantly increases the encoding time.

No idea why this happens though. I only stumbled across the fix by trial and error - but still very annoying!

Hope this helps

According to the product introduction:

.....Since DVD Author also supports DVD-Video files (VIDEO-TS.ifo) as input files, you can also cut out scenes from your favourite DVD and make a new DVD-Video......

Anybody know how to do that ?

Simply click "Add DVD Video" under "Source Setup" and tell it
where the VIDEO_TS directory is containing the DVD files. It'll
show you the streams that are available, and will scan them for
chapter stops. You can then edit as desired just as you would
with any other clip.

Note that this won't work with encrypted commercial DVDs unless
you use a tool like DVD Decrypter first.....

Hi I am having a wierd result when encoding an avi file. The movie works fine when played in a divx player of any sort, even a real player or wmp. After watching the movie, I went to virtual dub and extracted the audio. (Some people say that this is extra work but if i do not, the audio never seems to work for me. The extra 10 minutes it takes to extract audio is not my problem.) Anyways,heres my problem.
Using TMPGEnc (free2.521), When i set everything that i think is correct (below is my settings), i double click advanced, source and set the frames. During this part when i click to different portions of the movie, the movie is slightly angled and there are numerous thick lines crossing the movie in alternating colors of red blue and green (which turn into different colors because of the movie color). Noticing this, I tested encoding about 10 seconds of the film. What occured was exactly as the preview showed. To test further, I burnt this short 10 second scene as a VCD and played it in a dvd player not connected to my computer. The same lines appeared. I have read here that Angle potion may be a cause of this and yes it is true that i once downloaded this codec. However, when i go to add/remove programs angel potion is not there. Then i click control panel settings and multimedia and click drivers and check my codecs. Angel potion is not there so im pretty sure I deleted it.
Any reason why this video would encode in such a way? The wierd thing is none of my previous videos do this. Also virtual dub plays it in its orginal colors the first time i click but as soon as i click stop the bars show up and the movie becomes slanted. i close virtual dub restart and then video is fine the FIRST time previewed. Subsequent 'dubbing'(previewing) brings up the lines. Playing the file in any player however never brings up such odd lines.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I searched for a problem similiar to this and could not find a solution (or problem). Thank you for your help.

Here are my settings while encoding: (may be completely useless information because I am not sure what is useful)

Loaded VCD(NTSCFILM) settings
First page of settings could not be modified (information not worth typing?)
Advanced
Video Source Type--------------Non Interlace (Progressive)
Field Order--------------------Bottom Field First(Field B)
Source Aspect Ratio------------1:1(VGA)
Video Arrangement Method-------Full Screen (Keep Aspect Ratio)

The AVI plays at 23.9...fps, uses the divxnetworks divix v5 codec for Video and mpeg layer 3 codec for Audio
framerate 638*350 (16:9) (is it because i am using the wrong aspect ratio????)

I dont believe it is my computer that is the problem, but if you do need my computer information to solve this problem please ask.

The only problem i can think of is video codecs
These are my video codecs, (are any possibly hack codecs?):
divx 5.2 codec
iccvid.dll
indeo i.263 video driver
ir32_32.dll
mimicicm.dll
msh261.dll
msh263.dll
msrle32.dll
msvidc32.dll
msyuv.dll
xvid mpeg-4 video codec.

P.S. I can print screen and send you a picture of what I am referring to when i say horizontal lines and slanted video. When you reply to this just ask and type your email.

Try using ffdshow as Decoder for your Video.
Play arround with the Priority-Settings of the VFAPI-Plugins in TMPGEnc.
Set Field order always to TFF (only for DV-Source, BFF is needed)

I fooled around with the plugin settings which are assosciated with avi files with no luck. I checked, alternated priorities, every pattern of settings i tried, with no luck. The last suggestion does not apply to me because I did not have that option. field order only allows bottom or top first in my version of tmpgenc (not paid for). As for the first suggestion, I cant seem to find the decoder for video settings. Are you talking about the plugins?
Anymore suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I've heard of this one before and if I remember rightly it was a codec problem.
My advice is to uninstall ALL video codecs you have installed. In XP you can do this by navigating to Control panel>Sound and audio devices>Hardware>Video codecs>Properties
Remove any MPEG4 codecs (MS-1,2,3, XVID, DIVX,Angel potion)
then reboot. Install FFDSHOW then try TMPG again. http://athos.leffe.dnsalias.com/ffdshow-20040718.exe

Also raise the priority of the 'Directshow file reader' in the VFAPI plugins to 2 or 3 and ensure it is top of the list.

I've just had another thought.
Try applying the deinterlace filter.
Try using TMPG's 'Even field' deinterlacing setting.

The currect Version of ffdshow do include it's VfW pendant ffvfw, so it is not longer needet the raise the priority of the DirectShow file Reader.

The priority setting in the VFAPI plugins is to force priority over other decoding methods.
This can help prevent decoding errors and conflict from other codecs.
It is irrelevant that FFDSHOW now includes a VFW decoder also, which in any case usually has MPEG4 decoding disabled by default.
The whole point is that is preferable to use a Directshow decoder not an older VFW type.

> The whole point is that is preferable to use a Directshow decoder not an older VFW type.

I don't agree to this. To use the DirectShow Reader can cause a lot of problems. So the very best way is to let TMPGEnc itself choose the beste Methode to open a file (and to install the best Codec/Filter for a given Problem).

As an Example: Imagine you want to re-encode a MPEG-Video directly by using only TMPGEnc. You have DirectShow-Filters for MPEG2-Files installed and you have m2v.vfp. If your DirectShow Reader Priority is higher than the Priority of m2v.vfp, the DirectShow-Filter will be used to decode the Video - a bad choice, because m2v.vfp is one of the best MPEG2-Decoders in the World and much better than ANY MPEG2 DirectShow-Filter.

A second Example: If you have the Mainconcept DV-Codec on your PC and a Priority-Setting that prefers DirectShow, in any case, the MS-DV-Codec will be used, which issen't as good as the Mainconcept-Codec which is VfW-Compatible.

Thanks for the advice. I just tried the deinterlacing method and unfortunately no luck.(my setting was at deinterlace even field). video source non interlace...bottom field first...basically everything else left as is.

I will try uninstalling all my codecs tonight and get back to you tomorrow. However, before i uninstall all my codecs, some codecs are new to me. The mimic msh, etc. are ones I've never seen (just happen to have on my computer). I can easily download the divx codecs, and ffshow, but these indeo*.dll and msh*.dll codecs, are they required for programs on my computer? If so, where would I redownload these codecs? Or are the only video codecs required divx, xvid codecs?

One more thing I should note, I've tried deinterlacing with all the options and this does not appear to be a solution. The preview screen that is above the deinterlacing option showed no change or very little change. Is deinterlacing noticeable on the TV only?

What you are proposing is precisely what causes the problems in the first place!
That is not how it works and would have thought you would have known that.
If all priorities are set the same then conflicts are abound which appear as decoding errors in the output.
It is exactly this type of mismanagment of the plugins that causes these decoding errors.
Giving priority to one codec over another ensures that windows builds a clean filter graph and connects all the required pins in the chain correctly.
Certain pins in the chain will only work with certain filters, using the wrong filter can render a pin unusable or cause an error in the output.
If any part of the chain is not built correctly then an error WILL occur which is why it is important to ensure TMPG's priorities are set correctly. They are there for a reason and not just for show.

I'll not argue the toss about what type of codec is preferable, DS, VFW, OpenDML e.t.c. because that is not the issue here.

By the way the post above is intended for B_racer.

@Problemkid

If you have ffdshow, you don't need any other MPEG4-Codec - use ONLY ffdshow. It can work as an Encoder too (Xvid) and decodes any kind of MPEG4 and a lot of other formats.

Don't install the other Codecs, only DivX and Xvid and mimicicm.dll
have to be removed. The older Codecs are rarly used, but they don't affect your Problem.

Any Deinterlace-Option of TMPGEnc will result in a loss of sharpness and/or will produce a kind of "Ghost Pictures". If you have no other Choice, i suggest you to use Double or Double (Adpation). And you MUST set the Field Order to Top field first (TFF), that's mandatory for progressive Videos.

> "because that is not the issue here"

Yeah, but it is the result!
On my TMPGEnc, all Settings for VFAPI are on their default state - and TMPGEnc is able to open ANY kind of Video (any AVI, ASF, WMV, MPEG1, MPEG2, OGM, MKV, RM - anything). That's because i installed the correct codecs/filters for decoding these kinds of Videos.
DirectShow or VfW? This does not matter, only the installed Codecs and Filters are important - nothing else.

Read again, what i posted. It is exactly what will happen! Do what you want, but that's a fact.

okay so what I did was as follows:
I removed DIVX 5.0 codecs, XVID and MIMIC...
Ashy you told me to remove the MS-codecs do you mean all? msh261, msh263 msrle32 msvidc and msyuv.dll?
Meanwhile Racer told me to only remove DIVX XVID and MIMIc codecs....
So far i have followed racer's advice and installed FFSHOw. Progress...I dont know if the result could be called better though. Now instead of random colored bars the bars are all grey and the lines are much thinner. The slant is still there.
Is this because I did not remove the msh261, ms263...etc .dlls?
Also something wierd occured when i removed the mimicicm.dll. I removed it, closed everything and reopened the video codecs box. Mimicicm.dll still shows up which is odd. I clicked properties and it said is enabled but not functioning properly. ???? This wont contribute to my problem will it? When i remove it again, it shows up when i go back to it...It shows up everytime i remove it...wierd.
(after this I installed the FFshow and the above result occured in tmpgenc.)

Should I just remove all the.dll and install only FFshow?
thanks for help.

Msh261, msh263 msrle32 msvidc and msyuv.dll.
These are codecs that were installed with windows, so you needn't worry about these.
Only the codecs that were installed by yourself need to be removed. The only ones regarding MPEG4, the others do not affect you. MPEG4 includes DIVX, XVID, 3IVX, Angel potion and MS-1,2,3. MS,1,2,3 is an older DIVX3 hacked codec. If you don't see it or see something similar then don't worry about it.

Your problems now seems strange. Is it posible you can post a screenshot of it?

Dam, I think I deleted a codec that was not previously installed. I deleted mimicicm.dll. Will this affect any of my video files?
here is my snapshots. <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/homepage_1_1/index.html">
http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/homepage_1_1/index.html </a>

hope this helps

Thanks for the screeny.
I know what the problem is right away.
It has an illegal resolution. I have seen this effect before myself and it is sometimes hard to correct.

You must alter the resolution to a legal one. This means Height and Width must be divisible by 8, the nearest is 640x352.

You can do this 2 ways. Either may or may not work.
First alter the resolution in Virtualdub with Bilinear resize to 352x192 then frame serve the AVI to TMPG and see the result.
If that doesn't work open the AVI in AVIsynth and resize it by adding the following command to the script:
BILINEARRESIZE(352,192)

Post back with the results.

Okay, don't know how virtual dub filtering works but that's okay. I created an avs of the movie and resized it as you said and it worked like a charm! Thanks alot! Tmpg is encoding fine now.
For future reference, if I get into this situation again, why did you choose 352x 192? Is it just random numbers that are divisible by 8 and have a height width ratio similiar to the original? Once again, the problem is solved so if you dont reply thats fine. Thanks a lot!

The reason I suggested 352x192 is because you are intending to create a VCD.
VCD resolution for NTSC is 352x240 however your source is 640x352 which is a PAL 16:9 resolution so resizing to 352x192 will maintain the correct aspect ratio for a 16:9 source for encoding to VCD.
Not only that, but AVISYNTH is a far better resizer than TMPG and will preserve much of the original pixel quality.

ahhhhhhhh ok i get it now. thanks alot.

I am trying to convert a pal dvd to ntsc. every time I convert this pal movie to ntsc the audio is missing from the movie. I have a AC3 filter and AC3 codec installed, but still I have no audio at all on the converted movie. the movie itself will convert to ntsc with no problems at all, it just that the audio is missing. I am at my wit's end as I have encoded this movie about 7 times now with the same results is there any way to use tmpgenc that will include the audio everytime? I have tried tmpgenc 2.5 and tmpgenc 2.5 plus and tmpgenc dvd source creator and tmpgenc dvd author with the same results on all versions. Has anyone else encountered the same problem and if so how did you fix it? thanks for your help.

Download AC3ACM decompressor and install it.
http://fcchandler.home.comcast.net/AC3ACM/AC3ACM.zip

i have installed that ac3 decoder but audio is still missing why can't any of the tmpgenc software convert ac3 audio? i have tried everything i know to get this to work and yet i can't get it. anyone have ideas perhaps maybe doing a audio extacting and then reencoding with tmpgenc that way but have yet to find a good one. any one ever have touble converting a pal dvd to ntsc with ac3 audio? thanks for the help.

Are you converting this movie to NTSC for DVD?
If you are there is no need to convert the audio at all, however you need to be aware of the issues of PAL to NTSC conversion.
TMPG cannot do proper PAL to NTSC conversion or vice-versa. You will experience jerky playback.

In any case if you have installed the 'AC3ACM decompressor' correctly it should be able to decode the AC3 in your AVI. If not try raising the priority of the 'VFW file reader' to 2 or 3 in the 'VFAPI plugins' and make it top of the list.

If all else fails extract the audio to wav with Virtualdub.

Hi.

I recently downloaded TMPGEnc v2.5 Free version and I wanted to encode an AVI movie into a DVD format.

Well, the "Movie" itself comes out great, BUT the sound is horrible. If I encode the AVI movie using Sonic MyDVD the sound plays normally. If I tell TMPGEnc to encode the AVI file, the sound comes out really slow. Sorta like if you decrease the speed or pitch of the sound. Everyone sounds like "Jabba the Hut" or "Darth Vader".

This is frustrating the heck out of me. What must I do to make the sound come out normal? Do I have to encode the sound seperately? Must I use VBR instead of CBR? Is my sound sampled improperly? Any help would be great.

Thanks!

Will posting a demo of what happens be of any help?

Nevermind, I figured it out. TMPGEnc cannot convert AVI sound properly, so this program won't help me. I found a program called DVD Santa that will convert WMV files well, but not AVI files...I wonder what it is about AVI files...hmm...

Ashy

>You seem to be confused about things.

Most likely, but I appreciate you helping me out.

>There is no reason why you can't use MPEG1. MPEG1 is infact more suited to low bitrate encoding. VCD is typically CBR only however with KVCD or XVCD you can use VBR for MPEG1. This will allow you to fit more on 1 disk with higher quality.

I'm interested in the process you mention. I have not heard of XVCD, but if it will allow me to convert 60 minute avi files to a good quality mpg that will fit on an 80 cd-r I would like to try it.

Is there a tutorial or help files that explain the process. I'm not too impressed with KVCD, have not tried XVCD but am willing to try.

BTW, just for ducks, I converted one of the files to SVCD mpg2 and the resulting file is 1.25 gigs. Great quality, big file. Nothing like learning from experience!

Carol

ANY kind of Non-Standard-VCD is a XVCD, even KVCD, AVCD or MVCD. The difference between them are differend Templates.

You simply have to use other settings for Bitrate than the Standard-Things (and don't use the Wizard).

For an Example: To burn 120 Minutes of Video with 160 kbps for Audio onto a 80 Minutes CD as XVCD, just use 2pass VBR with:

Min = 400
AVG = 752
Max = 1350

Instead of CBR with fixed 1050 kbps.

You can also use a special Matrix like the following one:

Name18="KVCD_CQ65"
ReadOnly18=0
Intra18_0=8 16 19 22 26 27 29 34
Intra18_1=16 16 22 24 27 29 34 37
Intra18_2=19 22 26 27 29 34 34 38
Intra18_3=22 22 26 27 29 34 37 40
Intra18_4=22 26 27 29 32 35 40 64
Intra18_5=26 27 29 32 35 40 64 80
Intra18_6=26 27 29 34 38 48 80 80
Intra18_7=27 29 35 38 46 80 80 88
NonIntra18_0=16 17 18 19 20 21 26 26
NonIntra18_1=17 18 19 20 21 26 26 30
NonIntra18_2=18 19 20 21 26 26 30 30
NonIntra18_3=19 20 22 26 26 30 30 34
NonIntra18_4=20 22 24 27 28 32 34 72
NonIntra18_5=22 22 27 28 32 34 72 80
NonIntra18_6=22 27 28 32 34 72 80 80
NonIntra18_7=27 28 32 34 72 80 80 88

Thanks for the settings and the information. I will follow your suggestion and see what happens.

I was doing well with your message until I got the the matrix part ... Reads like Greek to me right now, but then if I'm not exposed to this stuff I will never learn.

Carol

I should have also asked about interlace/non-interlace. In TMPGEnc is says the setting will affect resize, but I'm not sure which should be the default, or does it matter as long as I'm not resizing?

The avi files I have are 640 X 480 and a bitrate of 1266 kb/s. Should it be resized to reduce the file size, or just change the bitrate? The audio is 128 kb/s stereo at 44100 Hz.

I don't think I saw an XVCD template, even at the KVCD site. Is there a link where I can get a template?

Carol

more questions ... after encoding a bit of the file. Should I load the vcd NTSF template, and then unlock the file and just change the bit rate?

How about the system stream setting? MPG1 or VBR?
Source aspect ratio? what is the best setting for viewing on TV?
Video size ?
interlace or non-interlace?

The partial file encoded has hard subs, but with the reduced bitrate the are sorta soft, if you know what I mean. Not as clear as on the original. I'm thinking I can up the average bitrate since the file is 60 minutes and then get a better image.

So many questons ... so much to learn ... bear with me on this!

Carol

VCD is always Non interlaced. If you have interlaced Source, choose one of the Deinterlacers.
Open the Video, load the Template, unlock it.
Stream setting is illegal VCD (MPEG1 Video-CD (non standard))
Video size... good Question, in my early Days, i used 352x288(240) or 352x576(480).

If you want only to put 60 Minutes on a 80 Minutes CD-R, i suggest you to use the CVD-Format, not XVCD. CVD (Chine Video Disk) is nearly the same than SVCD, but using 352x576(480) instead of 480x576(480).

AVG = 1636
Max = 2512 (for Standard Bitrates)
Min= 950
B-Picture Spoilage = 0
P-Picture Spoilage = 0

Audio = 192 kbps

Stream setting is Super Video CD

thanks for the settings! I will try it tonight and see what results I get.

Carol

Can I have people's opinions on using either Full Screen (keep aspect ratio) and Center (custom 640x440)? For 4:3 movies that do not have any subtitles, I use Full Screen (KAR). For subtitles, I use Center 640x440. But, on an older movie where I used Full Screen (KAR), I noticed that a lot seems to get cut off (and yes, it is 4:3). Which of these would the original DVD producers use?

TRhat's simple:

1. Never(!) use KAR, most AVIs from the Net did not have a correct AR, because the producers are to stupid.So, if you use KAR, your encodings will have a wrong AR too. And, in fact, all Full Screen-Modes are doing something with the Pictures, even if it not is necessary.
2. Never let TMPGEnc do any resizing, it's Resizing-Engine is not good, AVISynth and VirtualDub are much better.
3. If you use AVISynth or VirtualDub for Resizing, in TMPGEnc only Center (with nothing else) is the correct setting.
4. 640 is way to small, on some TVs you will see a lot of black space arround the Video.
5. To get the right AR and Picture-Size, use a Program like Fit2Disc to do all the calculations.

Well, I don't have a widescreen TV so it looks good with 640x440 when I have hard-subbed files. As for Fit2Disc, is there another program/option, it needs donations. :(

Hi all,

I've captured a file from my vcr with my pinnacle TVpro card. I'm trying to
re-encode specific part of the captured mpg file in tmpgenc as i want to cut
out add breaks. I've noticed an issue though if i tell tmpgenc to reencode
from frames 120 - 5000 everthing will look ok in the preview window, but
when i check the reencoded file after the process is complete is seems to
start and finish a few frames too late.

I've never had this issue working with avi files. Any ideas whats going on
here?

Thanks in advance
Jonathan

I am having trouble encoding an avi file. The error comes up as 'can not open or unsupported'. It is a regular avi file which runs perfectly on my pc. I have tried decompressing the audio and that works fine, just the video is causing a problem. Sorry if this is a stupid question, but any help would be appreciated. I have tried encoding to different formats - vcd, dvd etc, but it will not accept the input.

That's one of the frequently asked questions!
Try to give the DirectShowReader VFAPI-PlugIn a higher priority.