the svcd's i produce with tmpegenc (and nero for burning) end up having choppy sound during scenes with lots of sound going on. it doesnt seem to matter how much action is in the video though. this happens regardless of source audio format, ive tried various formats including uncompressed pcm and wav.
im now thinking this might be due to the max bitrate of the svcd standard, which is apparently 2778kbps. ive tried using CQ,VBR,CBR, etc, but always with bitrate (or max bitrate) at 2520. that plus sound is 2744, so it should be okay.
but ive heard that if you even get close to the max limit it may be too much.
has anyone noticed this, and gotten around the problem?
im going to try a lower max bitrate for the video to compensate, but as the computing/burning/testing process is pretty tedious i thought id ask just in case anyone has experienced this.

oh yeah, forgot to mention, the mpeg files play fine from the computer. its only when viewed from my stand-alone dvd player that the choppiness occurs. so its not any encoding problem.

Yes I have Experienced this quite a few time when makeing really High bitrate XSVCD"s..Ever player has it"s max bitrate before you start getting problems Mine is pretty High about 6000KBS, but the effect i get is the same as yours, and I thought it was something wrong with the Audio but the audio allways sounded fine in the computer..I think you just have to find the max for your player and stay below it...

If your player is SVCD compatible then it should handle those bitrates ok.
The maximum Video bitrate for SVCD is 2,600 kb/s and the max audio bitrate is 384 kb/s which is 2824 kb/s in total. Your bitrate is under this.

Have you used the MPEGtools to cut your movies at any point and which stream setting did you use when you used them?
Also what speed are you burning your disks at?

ASHY

my tmpg enc will not do avi movies but it will do music clips witch are avi can som one help ot an tell me why

You probably just need to raise the Priority of the "Direct Show file reader" you do this by going to "options" to "enviromental settings" to "vfapi plugins" and raise the "direct show" to "2"...

The biggest problem people have with avi files is they don't realize avi is a generic term. It is the most widely used audio/video format on Windows platforms. However it is not at all the easiest file to play. Because it is not compressed with one specific codec, rather it is a file that can be compressed (or completely uncompressed) with any one of hundreds of codecs (examples: DivX, MPEG-4v2, Indeo 3.2, I263, Cinepak etc.).
AVI means "Audio Video Interleave".

I have downloaded movie files that are in 2 parts. Each part is more than 700mb. Is it safe to assume that if I want to encode these file that I will have to divide them as I would full avi files. I ask this question because I will have to use 4 cd-rws for one full movie. Are there any alternatives?

The size of the resulting Mpeg file is Directly related to the Length of the source file not the size of the source file..An hour of avi file that is 300MB will be the same size and Hour of AVI that is 1GB as long as the same bitrate is used...

You shouldn't need to use 4 disks for a regular movie no matter how large the source is. Like Minion states it is the running time of the film which determines the size of the output not the size.
If you are creating VCD from this movie then it is likely to fit on just two disks. If it is a large movie and you are creating SVCD then you will likely need 3 disks.

ASHY

Ok let me understand this. You two are saying that if I have a movie that is in 2 parts that equal over 700MB prior to encoding, that I should be able to fit ALL of the encoded material on two disk as usual, that the lenght of the file is more relevent than the size??? Therefore a two hour movie file encode should fit on two disk when burned.

A 700 MB CD-R will hold 1 hour and twenty minutes of MPEG(1) Video. I usally put 78 minutes of movie on first cd then the rest on next. Only twice have I had to use three cd's

It wouldn't matter if the source movie was 10GB in size. It is totally irrelevant.
If it's only a 2 hour movie and even if it was 10GB it would still fit on 2 disks when encoded to MPEG1 VCD.
It is the output bitrate and the length of the movie which determines the output size not the the input size and bitrate.

ASHY

Thanks for the heads up. I was having an issue about the possibility of using so many cds. Appreciate the help.

I have noticed a flaw in the TMPGenc. When I go to turn a ASF into a MPG when I view it in the Setting>Advance>Source to adjust its start and end points it freezes TMPGenc up so I figured must be the file but when I looked at the file it plays fine.
So I decided to encode it to Divx through TMPGenc with out any setting of the Source filter to my surprise it worked fine. Next I relized maybe it has to do with viewing the file in TMPGenc since I always leave the preview feature of it was possible that it could be that TMPGenc doesnt like to display it. I belive the Source Edit function to be BUGY and in need of some looking at beguging and smoothing out.
So I switched on preview and it froze TMPGenc up. I have noticed that their isnt a whole great deal of attention payed to the easy converstion of other formats with TMPGenc I hope this is looked at closer in future editions as being able to convert from oneformat to the next is what brought me to fall in love with TMPGenc in the first place. I am looking forward to Version 3 but hope and pray it will be able to Convert Video types easily. I wish tmpgenc would convert RAM,RM,MOV,ASF,WMV,AVI formats<DIVX> with better ability for their are so many people out on the net using to many codecs it seems these days. TMPGenc is a great product why not make it awsome! I only want to use one encoder for all my needs! And this should be TMPGenc I hate it when I see people suggesting to use other encoders here in the BBS to get around compatibility problems this seems a real shame. If I was the authore of TMPGenc I would be Outraged and work harder to make sure TMPGenc was the only encoder talked about becuase it was purely the best and compatible.

> TMPGenc was the only encoder talked about becuase it was purely the best and compatible.

I agree that TMPGEnc is one of Best encoder, but it seems to be aiming at
more stability side than compatiblities with other formats.

By the way, TMPGEnc does not support ASF as far as I know.

It converts ASF and WMV but Just not very well sometimes,I think this has more to do with the fact the ASF and WMV are Very compressed and there fore has a lot more errors in it than say and AVI file...I think most of the problems that Tmpgenc has encodeing certain formats is due to the codecs used to decode the files for Tmpgenc than tmpgenc it"s self,cuz after the codec is finnished decodeing the file for tmpgenc all files are pretty much the same, and the problems occur when the codec doesn"t decode it properly.....

Minion your probable right but just seems it should all work together smoothly though after all if another encoder can decode and encode (convert) a file then TMPGenc could also. TMPGenc Rules! Please Hori Help smooth out the conversion process. :o)

Has anyone actually considered that the reason why TMPG sometimes has problems converting certain formats is precisely because it DOES support so many formats.

What I mean is how many encoders do you know of that will accept almost all formats there is with a few exceptions. I don't know of any other encoder which works with so many formats. I.E. AVI,MPEG,WMV,ASF,MOV,JPG,BMP,VDR,AVS just to name a few.

It is because of this multi format support which maybe causing the problem. There are so many codecs that TMPG must work with and this is bound to cause problems on an incorrectly configured system. Some people install all sorts of conflicting software and codecs on their systems which turns their system into unstable crap.

Then when something doesn't work poor TMPG gets the blame when really it is a badly configured system which is at fault.
It must be the truth because time and time again there are people on this BBS with certain problems which TMPG gets blamed for being buggy, but these same problems are never experienced by myself and some others.

I can say I very rarely have had, if ever, any problems with ASF or WMV files or compressed audio for that matter.
In my experience I would say it is either the file, the TMPG settings and or the system which is at fault and maybe on rare occasions TMPG itself.

Set things up with TMPG correctly, set the priorities right in the VFAPI plugins for the particular file you are encoding so TMPG knows which codec to use to give that file type the top priority over the others and use a good clean system and only the codec you need rather than one which has god knows how many different silly codec packs installed and all sorts of different player/encoder software using different conflicting codecs.

If you do this you won't have as many problems. I only install what's needed not multiple versions of encoders and authoring software and I have a stable system without the many problems posted on this BBS.

ASHY

Exactly..You are better off haveing only the software you need and the codecs you need than having every codec in the book installed that you will never use..

Yeah I hear what you guys are saying about "only the software you need and the codecs you need". I just Like the ability to down load whatever files I want and then converting them to one format. I wish I didnt have to deal with crapy Real player formats or WMV files but unfortunatly so many people use so many different formats these days. I myself prefer (AVI)DIVX or MPG1 or MPG2 files. On a positive note I never have a problem with those files unless its a corrupt file. TMPGenc is awsome and I also understand when you say "TMPG sometimes has problems converting certain formats is precisely because it DOES support so many formats." I am sure thats a big part of it and yes alot of issues on the BBS are user computer related or improper set up but their are those that are not. Like any help forum users tend to only visit here or post here when problems exist from what ever reason..LOL Well Ashy, Minion I have to say its nice having regulars who like to help out and I really like the info you give out here I label you both as the resident Experts of TMPGenc and I just like visiting here to see if I can learn a few tricks most of the time its nice to read the problems and see the answers given. :o)

Thanks 4 that, good to be appreciated.

ASHY

From any time (I think from divx 5) I cannot convert correctly divx films to VCD, using for PAL.

When I select video file, TMPGENC don´t detect sound automaticaly.

I need to convert first sound with virtualdub to change the sound file.

when I have do this, I have no problem with first VCD disk starting from the begining, but I spend a lot of time syncronizing video & sound for the second VCD, and sometime I cannot do it.

tks for help.

Hello

I began to use your program TMPGenc Plus 2.54.37.135 Full few days ago
and I've got to ask you how to solve some problems I got.

I'm using TMPGenc Plus 2.54.37.135 Full to change asf files into mpeg files
so that I can burn a vcd.

and so far I worked on about 10 files
and 3 files are okay both at sound and at screenplay.
but the rest of those 7 files got some problem.
There were some short mutes during the songs,
So, the screenplay was fine but the sound wasn't.

How do I solve this?
Because I did the same on these 7 files
as I did to those 3 files.
and I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Please tell me, thank you.

hmm...asf formatt can be tricky sometimes. Assuming your asf files are not corrupt, have u extracted the audio from the asf and converted to wav first? Use dbpower amp http://www.dbpoweramp.com/ to do that and then add the wav to tmpgenc for the audio rather that using the asf file.

U might also want to try to repair the asf using asf tools 3.1 http://www.geocities.com/myasftools/.

Bear in mind that tmpgenc is not good at encoding from audio formatts other than wav so u should always add wav files for the audio. Make sure u download the WMA codec from the dbpower amp site so u can convert windows media audio in the asf to wav. Good luck,,,

I search for the best setting to convert avi to mpeg2 as a svcd.
Can anyone help me and tell me the setting. I am not sure,
i should do a movie on one or on two cds.

Thanx, kawiseca

Use one of the templates.

ASHY

And a Whole movie should go on 2 or 3 CD-R"s in SVCD format..

I have more questions than the subject actually states. Here is my query.

I want to film in the 2.11:1 Aspect Ratio (NOT recording bands, just using Aspect Ratio Guidelines in the viewfinder) and film in 40 fps. I then, using TMPGEnc want to refine the colour, the edges, and convert to telecine (24fps). I also want the film to be in the 2.11:1 aspect ratio.

First question is this. Do I already have to have the video in the 2.11.1 aspect ratio (with the wide bands already on the video), or, does TMPGEnc add the wide bands itself, OR, does it simply compress the image into the 2.11.1 aspect ratio (which would require me to record in the 2.11:1 ratio, to prevent the image from being squashed out of proportion, which my camcorder cannot do)?

Second query. I tried to encode and MPEG2 file using TMPGEnc. I changed all the settings that I needed to change (convert to telecine, 650mb Disc, sharpen edges, refine colour, etc), and then began the encoding. I clicked on 'File', 'Save', then saved it as a .tpr file. I cannot open this file with any program. How do I encode an MPEG2 file to MPEG1, so I can burn it onto a CD using Nero?

I do have an alternative, and that is to download a patch for Nero which enables it to burn MPEG2 files. However, I want to be able to use TMPGEnc to do video enhancements such as frame rate conversion, colour refinement, and if necessary, this business with the 2.11:1 ratio. I don't want to record in 24 fps because my camcorder keeps the shutter open too long, making the image very blurred.

I may be wrong, but when you change the aspect ratio in the settings before encoding, is this just so that TMPGEnc can squash the image into the correct ratio? Only, when I did change the aspect ratio, the image didn't seem to change when it was encoding. So, my idea is that you have to be filming in the 2.11:1 aspect ratio in the first place for this setting alteration to be necessary.

I've tried to explain everything best I can, I hope you understand it. The main problem is that when I've encoded the file, it saves as a .tpr file, which I can't open or burn. How do I encode as an MPEG1 file, which I can burn?

Thanks

Jonny

There are a few things I don't understand what you mean here.

If you want to maintain correct 2.11.1 aspect ratio then you are going to have to film in 2.11.1, but if it is only the output you want as 2.11.1 then just change the output ratio to 2.11.1 and the input ratio to whatever ratio you have filmed in.
So for example if you have filmed in 16:9 then the input ratio needs to be 16:9 and the output 2.11.1, but I don't understand what the point would be of doing this.

Secondly I don't understand what you mean by convert to 24 fps telecine. Telecine is a process of adding extra frames to a film to make it run for the same length of time, but at a higher frame rate. A typical and common example is 3:2 pulldown which converts 24 fps to 30 fps.
24 fps is just a framerate it doesn't necessarily mean it has been telecined.

To convert 40 fps to 24 fps you would have to use a process called IVTC which does the opposite of Telecine, but I wouldn't think it would be possible to do this with IVTC because you haven't used any sort of pulldown in the first place which can be reversed.

The only way really is to do a framerate conversion and TMPG does not do framerate conversion very well, the result will be jerky playback.
Your best bet for this would be AVIsynth which can do a proper framerate conversion and the results are usually pretty good.

Next I don't understand why you are creating a .tpr project file.
You must realise that when you create this file, which only takes a second to create, that you haven't actually encoded anything.
Encoding is a lengthy process and takes more than a split second to do. The file you have created is just a project file which stores all the settings you have created for your movie so you can use it another time or with another compatible program.

To encode from MPEG2 to MPEG1 you will first need the right MPEG2 codec to open the file and then either load the VCD template or set TMPG up yourself. When your happy with the settings just click start in the top left of the main window and the encoding will begin.

The last staement I will make is forget about using NERO to encode. It is an awful encoder and nowhere near as good as TMPG.
I think you need to take a trip over to VCDhelp.com for some tutorials and info how to set TMPG up to encode.

ASHY

Hi,

I've converted loads of AVI's to MPEG (mostly 23.976 or 25 fps). When I try to convert a NTSC movie (I keep it NTSC), the audio in the converted file is always out of sync. I work always with separate AVI's and WAV audio files (ripped them with VirtualDub). 23.976 or 25 fps movies will never give this problem. Do you have suggestions?

Thanks,

Marc

I had this problem what is happening is while you are converting the video to pal the sound is still in ntsc to fix this do the following :-

in vetual dub set audio to full processing mode then goto file and save as wav
this will save the sound uncompressed

then get besweet and the besweet gui
set input file filename.wav and output file to filename.mp2
set it to ntsc to pal (for more info on this got to http://doom9.org/)

then load avi as Video Source mp2 as Audio Source in tmpgenc.

Hope this helps

He isn"t Converting from Pal to Ntsc or Ntsc to pal he is just saying that he only has sync problems with 29.9fps NTSC Files but not with 23.9FPS or 25FPS Pal files...

Please, this is urgent, we are producing a 800 x 608 mpeg2. It is possible to produce it with Final Cut Pro 3 and it's possible to view it with WinDVD4. But the main problem now is that i have separate audio and video files, and i want to "introduce" the audio into the mpeg2 video files. How the hell can I do it? it would be possible with tmpgenc BUT 800x600 RESOLUTION is not allowed!!!! Help, please!!!!

You just need to use the "Multiplex" in the Mpeg tools..Go to "file" to "mpeg tools" to "Simple Multiplex" load in your audio and your video file and click Run" then it will merge the audio to the video..Remember the audio has to be "Mp2"..

>How the hell can I do it? it would be possible with tmpgenc BUT 800x600 RESOLUTION is not allowed!!!!

No but 800x608 is if you change the profile level to MP&HL.

ASHY

Sorry But I beg to differ,, i had this problem what is happening is while you are converting the video to pal the sound is still in ntsc to fix this do the following :-

in vetual dub set audio to full processing mode then goto file and save as wav
this will save the sound uncompressed

then get besweet and the besweet gui
set input file filename.wav and output file to filename.mp2
set it to ntsc to pal (for more info on this got to http://doom9.org/)

then load avi as Video Source mp2 as Audio Source in tmpgenc.

Hope this helps

SORRY ignor the above post by me clicked the wrong reply,, gonna be one of those days i guess,, admins please delete this 2 posts. thanks

HELP!

I just got the trial version of TMPGEnc Plus 2.54 and I'm having a problem. I want to convert an SVCD to a VCD (MPEG-2 --> MPEG-1).

When I open the Video Source as the MPEG-2 file, the Audio Source stays blank. When I try to convert it, I can convert video but not audio.

When I try to manually select the MPEG-2 as the Audio Source it says file format not supported.

What's going on? Help Help!

FunkyMan

Tmpgenc is trying to tell you something!!!Why encode the audio??it is allready in the correct format for VCD..So go to "File" to "Mpeg Tools" to "Simple De-multiplex" load in your Mpeg2 file then click "Run" it will seperate the audio from the video, then you just encode the video to mpeg1 then use the "Mpeg tools "Simple-multiplex" to join the audio from the mpeg2 with the video from the mpeg1...Tmpgenc does not like to encode compressed audio formats and Mpeg audio is a Very compressed format..You would probably have to extract the audio to a wav file if you were encodeing an AVI file...

write error occurred at address 004028A9 of module 'TMPGENC.EX' w/00901810

this came up after i converted avi to mpeg at 99% done
what does this mean and how do i fix it?

I've exactly the same problem.
write error occurred at address...of module 'TMPGENC.EXE' with ...
the numbers are different, but it always pops up at 99% (avi 2 mpeg/SVCD).
I tried different VFAPI plugs (AVI2/Direct Show) and it did't make a difference.
Though the converted video seems to be o.k.,nero complains when trying to burn a SVCD, that the data-encoding is invalid for SVCD.
When I turn off the standard-compatibility the size of the videofile is changing from 800 MB to 900 MB. Burning it on a CD-R 99 works on my DVD, but this suckers are expensive.
Any help would be appreciated....