I use the MPEG-4 AVC encoder to convert mpeg2 files that are 640x480 into mp4 files. I run into a weird problem where if I set the output to be 1:1 pixels and 640x480 it will come out 640x470 and have 5px black bars on top and on the bottom.

I've resorted to just compressing it at 640x470 and making my player a bit smaller, but does anyone know how to fix this? I've done everything I can think of in terms of changing the inputs and output pixel type (4:3, 1:1, etc.) and it always seems to be a problem.

Another thing that is strange and possibly related, this - and every other video software - says that the original mpeg2 video is 720x480 but it's clearly 640x480 when you measure the pixels playing the video - if it's played at 720 then it's stretched.

Thanks!
Ryan

When you add the clip, what is the aspect ratio in the Clip Addition window/Clip Properties/Clip Settings?

Is the video distorted/stretched before or after output?

It's also entirely possible that the file could actually be 720x480 with a 4:3 pixel aspect ratio.

The clip settings from the input mpeg 2 file say:
display mode: Interlace
field order: top field first
aspect ratio: Pixel 10:11 (NTSC 4:3).
res 720x480


When I open the video in any kind of media player and take a screenshot and measure it, the actual pixels on my computer screen are 640x480. The pixels on a computer screen are all 1:1 pixels I guess...

Any thoughts? I think I've tried every combination of changing the inputs and outputs in the encoding format section to try to output it to 640x480 actual pixels and haven't ever been able to make it work...
Thanks!

If you really want to recreate exactly how it looks, you can set the output size to 720x480 and the pixel aspect ratio to 10:11 (NTSC 4:3).

The source file actually is 720x480 but the pixel aspect ratio setting tells it to display a certain way. In this case, it tells the pixels to change shape to display the video in a 4:3 aspect ratio, ending up as 640x480.

720x480 are the common dimensions of a NTSC DVD compliant video file, but you may notice that it is neither 4:3 nor 16:9. The pixel aspect ratio tells the video to display at one of those aspect ratios, causing it to stretch or squash to the appropriate aspect ratio.


Your other choice is to do what you've been doing and then using 4.0 XPress' crop function to cut off the 5px of black bars from the top and bottom. You can find the crop function in the filter tab of the clip editor.

If I set it to 10:11 and 720x480 for an mpeg4 file then the outputted file is ACTUALLY 720x480 in pixels so it stretches the width by 15% or so and it's distorted...

If I crop out the 5px bars, then the resulting file is 640x470 which is what I get now without having to do that...

There's no way to get an actual 640x480 output with no distortions????
Thanks,
Ryan

I've run some tests on a file I have that is similar to yours with dimensions of 720x480 and aspect ratio of 10:11.

I can recreate the 5px bars you are getting when I change the output dimensions to 640x480.

The easiest way I have found to avoid the black bars is to set the format settings to the same settings as the original file -- 720x480 with a pixel ratio of 10:11.
I'm not sure how this in not working for you.

If you absolutely have to have a 640x480 video without black bars, then you can input your outputted file (with the 5px bars) into 4.0 XPress and use the Picture resize function to stretch the video vertically to 490 pixels, then output the file again.

When you use the 11:10 at 720x640 your image isn't distorted (stretched horizonally) are you sure? It can be hard to notice sometimes if you just look at it quickly becuase it's not really extreme, but people do get "fatter".

Does the picture resize filter work without reencoding - for example I have something where I need to change the audio track but leave the video the same - is there some way to avoid reencoding the entire video like you suggest? You get noticable quality degradation reencoding from an encoded file...

Thanks,
Ryan

Hmmm...I think I found a solution for you. Use the picture resize filter and set it to "Centered (custom)", 640x480. Then do as you've been doing and set the output size as 640x480, 1:1 pixel. Check the preview to make sure there's no black bars.

I don't know why I didn't try this before!

Hello. I'm a longtime user of TMPGEnc, and it's always been completely bulletproof. However, this weekend I upgraded my Quicktime Pro to 7.5.5 and now when I select Quicktime as an output format in TMPGEnc 4xp, I get the following error:

An error occured during the file output initialization. (-2147450879)

This happens as soon as I select Quicktime and try to move to the next step. I don't even have a chance to pick codecs or parameters.

I've unistalled/reinstalled QT, and I've uninstalled/reinstalled TMPGenc. Does anybody have any other ideas what might have gotten buggered up? I can't work without my TMPGEnc. I use it all the time.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

Try opening QuickTime Player, then go to Edit-->Preferences-->QuickTime Preferences-->Advanced tab. Then make sure "Enable encoding using legacy codecs" is checked.

I'm also using QuickTime ver. 7.5.5 and I'm able to select and use QuickTime as an output in 4.0 XPress, so hopefully the above solution works for you.

1) i downloaded trail version but after conversition in the screen for every 5 minitues ''TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress'' lable is displaying on the screen. this will makes us uncomfortable.
is there any option without displaying this banner information on the screen.

2) secondly, i would like to go licenced version TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress. so what is the MAJOR diffrerence between trail version and licenced version? and how much its cost? please let me know details

3) is there any best software with you which can convert .mod files TO mpeg format? please let me know the clear details.

well it does state that the trail version will contains the label on it.

and getting a fully licensed version, i believe gives you unlimted support (as you need to give over your details when contacting them) plus you can gain updates which you cant with a trail version., plus gain updates of other templates etc...or is that with their dvd athouring lol

ok mod file exntesnion is simply mpeg-2 video format.

so i woudl say any tmpgenc product can deal with this

could you please tell detail "ok mod file exntesnion is simply mpeg-2 video format" what does it means?

do i need not convert to .mod file to play in cd player or do i need to convert? pls clarify?

wow a cd player

well you will need to convert to a KVCD if you wish to play video file if your player is that old, and kvcd is mpeg-1 complaince format.

mpeg-2 is normal dvd famiyl structure.

you need to tell us what you aim to play your end project with etc

OK, since i hate vista and so do most of the world, i wish to know if tmpgenc plan on doing their dvd ahtouring and xpress to this os, and i ask this becuase im planning on using windows 7 x64 but will not if the software wont work on it.

As of version 4.6.2.266 it does not work on windows seven RC

Tried on my friend's computer, not mine as i don't use it. i use version 2 free

Hi, all, I recently purchased a new Dell w/ an I72.66, 6GB of RAM and Vista64. While encoding 1080P WMV videos w/ DTS sound I am only using around 45% of my CPU processing power, and the encodes take around 10 hours for a 2 hour movie. How can i set up TMPEG to take advantage of my full processing power?

Thanks
Shawn

make sure your cpu is not placed on limit in the bios, in otherwords some boards have a feature where it wont use half its power unless its needed, and this feature is anoyign as i had to turn mine off with my asus maxismus se formula since the cpu power just didnt arrive.

also make sure that the software and process of the software in task manager is set to high as this will kick the system into high gear for that software

Thx for the response Matt,

Tried bumping it in task maager and in TMPGEnc, no luck. Anyone have any information on Dell limiting the CPU power in the BIOS of the 435MT? I cant see to find any information about this.

Thanks Again,
Shawn

ill have a look at my bios see where it says it on mine, maybe that could helpyou out there.

i do hear though the dell have gone down quite badly in quality wise with their systems

which is a shame

This is not utilizing the full capacity of i7. It's got nothing to do with bios settings. Tmpgenc needs to address this with an update.

It might be one of the 2 or 3 common energy saving settings in your BIOS, but then again it could be the new Core i7 architecture. Try turning off C1E, EIST, T1, and T2 options in the BIOS. If you have hyperthreading enabled then my guess is that 4.0 Express isn't coded yet to do the hyperthreading correctly which would drop you to the 4 actual cores being used instead of the 8 virtual cores with hyperthreading. That would make a %45 CPU load make sense. The core I7 architecture is the first new intel CPU to have hyperthreading in 2 or 3 years, so maybe the software needs an update. I would think that TMPG would have been on this by now since Core i7 has been out since last year.

Also, 10 hours to encode a 2 hour movie in 1080p doesn't sound too horrible. I haven't put my i7 to the test yet, but my old quad core Q9300 could do a standard definition movie in about 2 hours and 1080p has about 4 to 6 times more information than standard definition. Even if you do get the extra 4 cores working through hyperthreading your encode times probably won't get cut in half.

Whenever I make a MPEG-4 the final frame of the picture turns white.
Even when I tell TMPGEnc to fade the clip to black, it fades to black and then show a white frame. Does anyone know why this happens.
Thanks.

Dear all,

I've been using tmpgenc 4.0 to convert my dvd's to wmv for the last month or so and I'm happy with the results so far. Yesterday I started to convert the series "friends" from dvd to wmv and I noticed a vertical blue line at the right side of the screen after the conversion. The line isn't visable at the source and not all the dvd's convert this way. Most of them come out just fine.

Does anyone have a clue at what's going on? I know I can always crop the picture, but I would like to know what's causing the issue.

Thanks

Michael Waterman

we are encoding m2t files (with avs scripting to overlay a logo into the movie, approx 30 / 45 minutes each - 6 tot 10 gigs per file) with tmpgenc xpress with all updates installed.
encoding is to wmv VC-1.

It goes ok until the third file. (always the third file).
the first 2 files are perfect and everything but a soon as the encoder is into the first 2 minutes of the third file it gives the 8007000e error and the memory the program consumes is approx 1 gig then (growing from 150 mb at the start)

i have set the program so it removes the done conversions from the batch when done, but it does not do that.

anybody has any idea why the memory keeps piling up? looks to me that that is the problem here..

I was encoding a VOB to mp4 with a 2 pass setting and everything was going fine but the encoder got stuck at 78%. From the preview window, it appears the encoder got stuck trying to encode "Snow". (The interference type like an untuned TV channel.) This is part of the program so it's not something I want to edit out and I don't believe it appears on screen for very long either. The strange thing is that it never locked up the program as I could still adjust encoding setting in the R-Click flyout menu and had access to the options menu, but it will not quit the program when I try to hit exit.

I let it run over night with a priority of foreground +2 and nothing changed. Also the is no CPU activity. I would hate to to wait another couple hours to find it's going to get stuck again so I would really appreciate any input on what happened and what I might try to remedy it. Please let me know if you need any more information.

Many Thanks,
Eidolen

hi,
There are times when DVD-video files have
special build structure or has weird data or broken, in case of import
directly from a DVD-video there are broken sectors or problems in files
specially in the .IFO files.
Check if it happens the same with other DVD-videos.
Recorded DVD's sometimes there are troubles,
try the following:
At Windows, My computer, please try to copy the DVD (VIDEO_TS)
folder to your HDD, if it becomes a reading error it means that the
recording(copying to disc) is bad, or your DVD media is corrupted, weird,
has some kind of protection, or was wrong created.
- If your DVD-video was recorded
( we think DVD recorders have few DVD burn modes such as
HDD > DVD Auto, LP,SP)

also try to import like this:
-At Source stage click "Add file" button.
-From the file browser choose the folder where your .VOB files are
and select "All files (*.*)" option.
-Choose a > .VOB file for ex. VTS_01_1.VOB file and click "Open".
-There will come out a warning message, please click "No".

- Or... you could try to use an "IFO repair software", search or it
with this keywords in Google or other portal.

Also try the following:
- Start MPEG tool > Multiplexer.
- Choose your .VOB file and click "Start" output it. (You must change
the name or path of the Output file).
- Import the output MPEG file from Multiplexer in a new XPress 4
project and check about it.

good luck

Hi, I have a problem here. Whenever I try to open this file to encode, I kept getting this message:

"Could not open the video part of the file H:\12.avi
Only the audio part can be opened."

There is no problem with the video file; it plays perfectly on any mediaplayer but the file size is just too big and I wanna make it smaller. Is there a patch for it? Been using this program for alot of files with no problems and this is the 1st time I encounter this. Of course, as someone requested earlier, it would be good to have a 'join clips' function as well.

Thank you for reading and looking forward to your reply.

What is the codec used? There may be a codec conflict.

60% of all of my mpeg movies are not read right by Tmpgenc xpress. I have the latest version and the mpeg's are not encrypted or copyright protected. For example a mpeg my be 1h28min yet tmpgenc reports it in the clip/edit during import as a 28 min mpeg and the frames in the preview window do not match the ones in the thumbnail viewer. This means that I can't recode but 40 percent of my mpeg's. Does anyone know an answer to this.
FYI: the mpegs are on my hard drive and none of the other softwares on my computer have any problems reading them except for tmpgenc. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling tmpgenc. And have even recently reinstalled my OS with no results. The 40 percent that it does read import and encode correctly without error. All of the mpeg's are from the same source.

Where do the problem mpegs come from? Are they DVD rips, captures, from the web, etc? It's possible they have damaged header files or it may be a transport stream that XPress can't read.

They are DVD rips from the same software. I found a solution on my own. It is to demultiplex the ones that it can't read correctly, then import, and then convert. It has worked on several so far.

Well now the video and audio are out of sync. Great now this software is like trying to get Vista to work. I guess I'll start another thread.

I recently upgraded Real Player & Miro after which I received a Swish.Zone popup referreing to their FLV-source filter installed on my PC.
This popup only appears when opening TMPGEnc (4.0 Xpress lateate version)and causes it to hang when opening FLV-files for converting.
Anyone with a solution for this?
Unilstaiing Realpleyaer & Miro has no effect.

Thanks

Rob

Uninstall swishzone maybe?

Try to disable the Flv.ax filter. You can use a program like MMCompView or "Sherlock - The Codec Detective!" - that can be downloaded from free-codecs.com - to disable specific codecs.
Using the programs search for "FLV File Source" and disable it.

Or maybe try to unregister the filter typing in the Start > Run :
regsvr32 -u "C:\Windows\system32\FLV.ax" , if FLV.ax is inside C:\Windows\system32, otherwise use your own path for the file.