Would someone please look into adding support for either dolby digital 5.1 or ac3 5.1 output.
I have asked the question before as have numerous others and never once had a reply to say why you don't support it or even if it i going to be implemented.
You do not make it obvious on your features page that express does not support 5.1 output, in this day and age when 90% of people want to convert a file that contains 6 channel audio it is misleading to give the impression that this product can (in my opinion deliberately so)when in fact it can only handle the input of multi channel audio.

I like many others would not have paid for this product as i for one feel ripped off especially as this product is not cheap!!!

regards
Bluetac

You probably won't get an official answer here. This forum is just for users helping other users. You need to email them if you want some kind of real response.

In their defense, they don't say that it does do 5.1 audio on the features page, and if you look at the specs, they only list mono and stereo for the audio output (except for WMV, which CAN output up to 7.1 audio). So if you're assuming it can do 5.1 then I don't see how they're to blame. I don't expect them to have a feature listing saying "NEW! Cannot output 5.1 audio!"
How do they give the impression that it can output 5.1 audio?

Nevermind the fact that you could have downloaded the trial version and seen for yourself that it doesn't do it. I don't know about you, but I don't just purchase $100 software without trying it first.

Don't get me wrong though, I'd love to see 5.1 DD output too, but I guess it doesn't bother me as much since I don't have a 5.1 audio system yet and most of the things I've been converting don't have 5.1 audio to begin with.

TMPGEnc XPress support for AC3 5.1 output (a simple stream copy - no AC3 5.1 encoding) seems to be something like a Trillian Astra final version - with the difference that nobody thinks about or works on it.

Dear PEGASYS, TMPGEnc XPress is a great peace of software, really... but without a simple AC3 5.1 stream copy feature you could cut off DVD input completely as well. I don't want to use TMPGEnc XPress for my iPod only.

I really hope you will think about this... Bluetac and many, many others are right - absolutely!

Dear PEGASYS, I just tried TMPGEnc XPress 4.0 and the quality output is great, but yes, 5.1 is a great missing feature that should be there. I'm, and I'm sure there are a lots of people thinking the same way, owner of PS3, Xbox 360, mini pc or other media reader connected to an HDTV with a 5.1 sound system would like to put their movies and tv shows on these media readers.

Think about that, more TMPGEnc XPress selling could happen.

Oh and... I hope the Cuda or OpenCL integration will be better in the future. When encoding a Divx, only 7% of the power of the GPU was used. I'm already using a software that encode mp4 at 40fps of more in 720p(sure you know what software I'm talking about.). :)

Thanks

I agree with the others. TMPGenc Xpress 4 is almost perfect. Support for 5.1 DD support will bring it one step closer to perfection.


On a different note, CUDA support for transcoding (not just filtering) will also bring this wonderful program one step closer to perfection. Badaboom has shown how effective transcoding can be on the GPU, but they don't have the image quality TMPGenc has. Come on guys, give us 5.1 output and GPU transcoding and your little "Nothing else comes close!" slogan will be true!

So what other software that is similar to Xpress can actually do the 5.1?

Similar to Xpress is no measurement in this case.

Take a look around, most of the video encoding, transcoding solutions can do a direct stream copy of the audio stream -- AC3 5.1 audio stream included.

So I agree with the others. AC3 5.1 audio stream copy is a must have for this kind of software today.

Yes I was very disappointed to not find this feature in this great software as well.

Especially because 5.1 is fully supported in the Authoring Works 4 software.

How can I write a text in the beginning of a clip in my project?

Use the subtitles editor.
Go here: http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/taw4_tutorial/taw4_tu_subtitle01.html

Hi
In trial version I see that I cant transcode Bluray compliant files more than 32mbps.

Is there any solution to transcode at 40Mbps?
Thanks
Chandna

It doesn't seem like it. I think it's limited so that the audio and video bitrate combined don't exceed 40MB/s. If you choose Linear PCM as your audio stream format, you can get pretty close to 40MB/s.

I have an AVI file that is 700mb and 2 hours long. When I try to burn this using TMPG it will not work. TMPG claims that it will not fit a 4.7gb DVD disk putting the project size at roughly 6gb.

Is there anyway round this? I know it says 120 mins on the DVD and that this may be the problem.

Also, at PC World, 10 Writable, Dual Layer DVD Disks cost £24.99. Day-light robbery!!! lol

On the output panel, before you start the output, set the size to fit on a 4,7 dvd disc (target size). It will be compressed to fit.

I have tried this, but there is no option for compressing to fit a 4.7gb disk, or is there?

Also, I seem to have made the sound run out of sync (on time) but cannot remember where the option is to restore it. Thanks in advance.

You just choose the size on the Output Pannel in the box [Target Size]...there you have:
None (Transcoding will not be done)
Single Layer DVD Media (4.7 GB)<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<IT´S THIS ONE
Dual Layer DVD Media (8.5 GB)
Custom Target Size (Use target size setting)

You can also make your movie bigger then 4,7 (chosse Dual Layer DVD Media 8,5)and then use another program to burn the dvd, one that shrinks, like DVD2ONE or DVDFAB.In fact it´s better this way since TMPGEN 4 does NOT use the full space on a 4,7 dvd, if you chosse that size, but a "shrinker" does that when it shrinks a bigger movie like the one you made with 6 Gb.

About the sound...you used an AVI file, and that happens sometimes (AVI is a container with sound and image separated)...solution: convert your avi to mpeg2, and if the sound in the mpeg2 is in sync...them use it for your project, it will be OK for SURE.

Hello,

I have been using TDA3 for six months or so. I have been importing a variety of files, and having no issues regarding a/v sync. However, lately it's been churning out DVD's that are a second or two out of sync. The files themselves are ok. I have played them in a variety of players. I have also checked the preview within TDA3 and it is in sync. I went ahead and burned a couple DVD's using Windows, and the audio is right in sync with the video. Only when I burn the DVD's with TDA3 does this problem occur. I have read other accounts of this, but yet to see a clear answer on the issue.

All I know was that it was working, and now it isn't. Any help on this would be appreciated. Please keep in mind that I don't know much by way of tech-speak, so please reply as though I don't know what I am doing. For the most part, I don't. Thanks. -JB

Is it possible (when will it be possible) to convert the new file format that is used in the new Windows Media Center. The file format is WTV, and not anylonger DVR-MS.
The new Windows Media Center will be available with Windows 7, and can already now also be downloades seperately.
Thanks

All you have to do is right click on the new format .wtv file and choose "Convert to .dvr-ms Format." You can then import the newly created .dvr-ms file directly into TMPGEnc.

Convertion to dvr-ms is not a solution, it's just a waste of time. The software should be able to open wtv files directly - do you plan to implement this feature and when? Thank you, Pavel (satisfied customer)

the conversion wtv to dvr-ms is not possible when wtv is H264 container. When is container for mpeg2 the conversion to dvr-ms works but not with H264.
Did TMPEGEnc directly support wtv ??

Any news on getting 5.1 surround sound fixed or aleast a alternative? Just found out that all my ripped Blu Ray's did not encode the 5.1 as TMPGenc Express 4.6.3.268 had me believe it did. I had selected the WMA 10 Pro and it said the track was 5.1, yet after verifying in my audio receiver, it only plays back in stereo. I checked my standard DVD's and they play back in 5.1, but the M2TS files that were converted to WMV using WMA 10 Pro 5.1 are NOT. Tell me this is being worked on. How can this even be acceptable!

Yeah people that think theirs are in 5.1 just b/c Xpress says it is better check the movies again. If they are, please tell me what your setup is, so I can duplicate.

How are you inputting it into your receiver? Unless your receiver has a WMA Pro decoder, you'll have to input with 5.1 analogue inputs. SPDIF input will only give you stereo (as far as WMA Pro is concerned).

Using HDMI all the way through.

Why would it matter if my reciver could decode wma? Doesn't the computer decode it, and then send it to the receiver? I could understand if the computer couldn't decode it, but if it can then there is no need for the receiver amp to deocode it again.

How do you extract audio from a video source?

It all depends upon what file format the video is in. If you have the DVD files output by DVD Author, then I have found this to be a good program for extracting the audio: http://www.castudio.org/dvdaudioextractor/

Also, TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress has the ability to just extract the audio from the various input file formats it can handle.

Hello,

TMPGenc Authoring Works v4.0.2.14 under Windows Vista x64 is starting well. But if you close it and you want to start it again nothing happens. Vista cursor circle is playing but nothing happen. You can start other programs but not this (again). After restarting the computer it helps - you can start it and work, but if you close it and if you need it again you have to reboot the computer. I was looking into services and processes and I don't see anything running that may prevent it from starting :( I've tried everything: Stopping User Control; program run as Administrator; program run with Windows XP compatibility... nothing helps... :(

Maybe someone had the same weird behaviour and solved it?

Thank you,
Me

I am using Authoring Works 4.0.2 and I am transferring Video to DVD. I have a Pioneer VCR that does the capture and transfer to my master DVD which I then read into Works to edit and create menus.

Problem is, EVERY time I use Works to Cut a section (e.g. a commercial) in Cut/Edit mode, the final Output/DVD shows distinct pixelation at the point of the Cut. The pixelation generally lasts a couple of seconds before the image clears.

I have tried increasing the quality of the output with no effect.

My gut tells me this is related to key-framing, but you have no control over adding key frames with Works.

Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

BTW - The exact same thing happens if I use Express 4.0 to

I have done several projects since posting this and have some additional information:

It appears that the pixelation happens at ANY chapter location point. It does not have to be a cut, simply any chapter entry.

Does anyone have a clue or suggestion?

I have the same problem. The only thing I can do to help with this is to use TMPGEnc DVD Author 1.6, but you only can cut at keyframes points :( But, well, sometimes is enough and you forget about pixelation problems.

It's a shame that Pegasys haven't solved that problem from TMPGEnc DVD Author 2 to TMPGEnc Authoring Works 4, you can look here for more information: http://www.videoredo.net/msgBoard/archive/index.php/t-892.html

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 have TMPGexpress 3.0 and I'd like to move it from one of my computers to another. How do I go about doing that.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Uninstall the software on the original comp. Make sure you write down your license serial number before doing so if you don't have it already.
Then just install the software on your new computer.

Sounds easy enough. Thanks!