I have a 1.5 hr movie which is a compilation of several home movies. At the beginning of each section, I have some text that fades in, displays for a few seconds, and then fades out. I'm trying to use TMPGEnc so I can better control the resulting file size and thus fit teh entire movie on one DVD.

First, I encoded everything with a contant bit rate of 4965. Everything seemed ok. It encoded well, it worked well with the authoring software, it burned fine. I was able to play the DVD perfectly on my PC. However, when I put it in to my standalone DVD player (memorex), the text fade sections did not work. To be exact, the screen just stayed blank and the text never appeared.

I then tried several smaller files with just the text fade in/out with several of the different options in TMPGEnc. It turns out that using the Constant Bit Rate, the text never showed up. Even at 8000 bit rate. I did a test using 2-pass VBR Min:0 Max:8000 Avg:4000 and the text fade worked perfectly.

So I re-encoded my entire movie using the following settings:
2-Pass VBR
Min: 1000
Avg: 4900
Max: 7500
P Spoilage: 0
B Spoilage: 20

GOP: IBBPBBPBBPBBPBBP
Closed GOP: Y
Detect Scene Change: Y

What I got was a movie, that would fade the text in correctly, but while the text was static, it would appear to be "jumpy" or have fuzzy edges, then the fade out would look fine as well.

This is my first DVD and I think I have everything figured out except the correct settings for encoding the MPG file. The text fade looks great if I use some simpleton software like Sonic MyDVD. But that won't let you change the bit rate (therefore, the size can't change) and the menus suck.

Can some one help me out?

Thanks,
Josh Breitbach
josh@breittechnologies.com

What Audio format are you useing with your DVD??? If you are Useing wav audio then that could be why the DVD Files are so big as Wav Files are Huge and it is better to use a Different format even Mpeg 1 layer 2 audio is better than Wav just because it takes up so much disk space..At an average bitrate of 5000kbs with mpeg audio at 224kbs you should be able to easilly fit 2 hours on a DVD-R ...As for the Fade ins and Fade outs not working on your DVD Player but they do work on your PC then it seems like a DVD Player or Burning program problem and not a Tmpgenc encodeing Problem..Tmpgenc will only encode what is On the Video and will not change it in a way that you seem to be sugesting.....cheers

I was using WAV but I don't see how that would affect whether or not my text displayed correctly. And I don't see how it can be a player problem if the player will play it correctly if encoded by another software. It's definitely got to be the way it is encoded in TMPGEnc. Would the Detect Scene Change have any affect on this? How about the minimum bit rate or GOP structure? Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Josh Breitbach
josh@breittechnologies.com

What program did you use to create the text? Many programs render the text as Progessive frames. Go back to the program and see if you can set the render option to interlaced. This may be why its fuzzy and jumpy.


Minion is correct.

Wav audio is huge compared to mpeg audio. Most of the time your ears can't tell the difference between the two. Your text may appear fuzzy because it may not be given enough bitrate by the encoder. By compressing the audio and can give much more bits to the video stream and thus clearer video.

Use the GOP defaults that are in the TMPGEnc DVD template.

It makes no sense that you would get a black screen using CBR and then have it show up in VBR.

What is the format of your source. Is it avi? If it is, is it uncompressed or DV or something else? If the text is in the source avi file then it should be shown.

I do 1.5 hour encodes all the time which I burn to dvd. I use CQ, Max at 6500, Min at 2000, Audio at 256. I find that CQ gives much better results then the two pass VBR, plus its takes less time to encode.

Video Guy.

The text was created in Adobe After Effects. And the movie was output as a DV AVI file. I assume the render out of AE was interlaced but I will check tonight.

I was using the default GOP structure unless I am mistaken.

As I mentioned earlier, I did a test on a much smaller video (30 sec) that included the exact same text fade in/out. The best test was from the 2-pass VBR. During testing, the CQ setting showed the text, but it was fuzzy and jumpy. But I will try one with your settings.

The were some differences between the test video that looked great and the actual full video.

The test had:
min: 0
max: 8000
avg: 4000

The actual:
Min: 1000 (I thought this would improve quality)
Avg: 4900
Max: 7500

I agree that encoding my audio would allow me a higher bit rate for my movie. But what kind of a bit rate should static (not moving) text require? I wouldn't think much. Also, that wouldn't explain why when rendered with a cbr of 8000 (pretty high I assume) the text did not show up.

I'll try some of these things out tonight.
Any other tips?

Thanks for your help
Josh

For those of you who are experiencing the error "illegal audio mpeg stream" or some such;
If you are downloading the image files say from IRC or some such and are using ISObuster or WINiso or VCDgear to create SVCD-DVD's.
Please be aware that your problem may be caused by the fact that you are merge/cutting mpeg files (both vid/audio) using the EDIT utility in MPEG tools prior to reencoding the audio. If this is the case any significant overlap in your merge can cause the stream to become unstable/corrupt (audio will sometimes unsync as well. So if you are merging your files (disc1 to disc2) either: make the merge points seperate chapters in your dvd authoring tool of choice or: de-multiplex the audio & video stream re-encode just the audio to/224bit/48000Hz MPEG layer II - then multiplex the vid/audio again (view to ensure sync) after this has been performed you can than progress to merging the discs/files and not have to worry about the illegal mpeg stream issue.
Its worth trying as I no longer have this problem.

I found it better to Not use Tmpgenc for File mergeing at all..I would use Mpeg2VCR to Merge My SVCD Files then after mergeing I would demux the Mpeg audio and encode it to AC3 audio at 48000hz, then Use a Program called "DVD-Lab" to author the SVCD files to DVD..It is the best program for authoring SVCD to DVD and it has all the Features that any good authoring Program has like Motion Menu"s and AC3 and DTS support and Chapters ...I backed up over 400 SVCD"s to DVD useing it and all of them were flawless....Cheers

I am burning movie to DVD. For just 48 minutes, it takes up 3.4G. According to specifications, a 4.7G DVD takes up to 155 minutes. Is there any settings I need to do?

What determines the Size of your Mpeg file is the Length of the File and the Bitrate used to encode the file...If you Lower the Bitrate you also lower the size of the File and lower the Quality..and you have to realize that Tmpgenc could be adding the Size of the Wav audio to the Overall Size of the mpeg file, so the Video Might just take up 2.5gb but the audio could be takeing up 1gb..Wav audio is Not really good to use in DVD"s Because it takes up a Lot of Space on the DVD Disk, and the Only other Audio format that Tmpgenc will encode to is "Mpeg-1 layer 2 audio" which does only take up about 10% of what wav audio takes up but the Quality isn"t as good..so if you set the audio to Mpeg 1 Layer 2 your Projected file size should greatly decrese..I usually encode the Wav audio to AC3 which is the best format for DVD because of it"s Small file size and High Quality...When Makeing a Standard Full D1 DVD you can get about 2 hours of Video on the DVD at a Bitrate of about 5000kbs and an AC3 or Mpeg audio Bitrate of 224kbs..That will Produce quite good Quality but you shouldn"t go much lower than that if you want to achieve any sort of Quality image..You could not fit 155 minutes of Standard Full-D1 Resolution Video on a DVD, If you want to put more than 2 hours on a DVD-R I would sugest useing a Different DVD Format Like "Half D1(352+480/576-Pal)", You can get about 3.5 hours of Good Quality video useing this DVD standard and the "SIF Standard (352+240/288-Pal)" you can get up to 6 Hours of Fair Quality Video on a DVD-R...well I hope this Info helps...Cheers

Thanks for the details info.
It looks like if I use TMpgEnc, I can only use Mpg-1 Layer 2 audio to burn a 2-hr DVD. How can I do it in AC-3?

Well to do it is AC3 you would need an AC3 encoder to encode the Wav audio files to AC3..and your DVD authoring Program will have to support AC3 audio files as Many lower end Ones do not like Most DVD Apps Made by Ulead...Most AC3 encoder are Very expensive but there is one freeware one that I know of and it is Called "BeSweet" I found it hard to use so i never bothered figureing it you...I have a Fairly High end Video editing Program called "Vegas Video 4" which comes with a High Quality AC3 encoder built in and that is what I use for AC3 encodeing ..And you have to make sure your DVD authoring Program supports AC3 audio as Some Lower end ones do not...well good Luck and you can probably get away with useing Mpeg 1 Layer 2 audio But make sure you use a High Bitrate which will give you better Quality, 384kbs will achieve Quite good Quality in Sterio....Cheers

I'm converting the standard NTSC AVI file to MPG2 using 2-pass VBR, and every time at 50% (after Analyzing) I get the "can not open, or unsupported" error. I tried few times with the same results. I also changed the priority on VFAPI plugin - Direct Show Multimedia File reader to 2 - it did not help.

The strange thing is that just other day I have successfully converted another AVI file (created same way as this one - Using Ulead Video Editor 7.0).
This behavior is puzzling. Any suggestions?

Tomas

This Is Rather wierd..When it is analizeing can you see the Picture in the Tmpgenc window??? usually when I run across a File that I can"t just simply encode in Tmpgenc for some unknown reason I usually try to frame serve the file to Tmpgenc useing either AVISynth or Virtual Dub which usually works..Does it encode normally when useing the Regular Encodeing modes like CBR or CQ??? Because if your Source AVI file is of High Quality then you will not get any noticeable quality gain useing 2-Pass compared to the Constant Quality method, and only Marginal improvements when useing Low Quality or Noisy source files....Well either way Im sure if you tried Frameserveing the file tmpgenc will encode it normally unless there is something wrong with the file like it was a downloaded file as Many downloaded movies just aren"t reliable...good Luck

Thanks for your quick response.
I tried the CQ and it worked OK.

I'm still wandering why it does not worked for VBR setting. I use this setting 95% of the time and usually have no persistent problems.
I've seen people suggesting that the MS WMP 9.0 may create the TMPGEnc processing problems. Can this issue apply to my problem.

Tomas

There were Problems with WMP 9 and Blocking access to some Mpeg-4 codecs but I believe those Problems have been resolved cuz I now use WMP 9 and I don"t have any problems..But I do occationally get a File that I can play Fine but Tmpgenc will Just not load no matter what settings I use but with these Files I usually Just frame serve them which solves the Problem 99% of the Time...Cheers

I found the reason for the TMPGEnc to crash at 50% of 2-pass VBR. It only happens if I use the "Center" setting for Video Arrange Method. Go figure, I changed it to "Full Screen (keep aspect ratio)" and it completed OK.

Tomas

The movies im trying to encode are in widescreen so i heard that its best to encode them that way. I have actually gotten it to do it this way once but i have no idea what i clicked on to do it. Im even clicking on the 16:9 aspect but it still doesnt work

Quick guide for PAL DVD only...
First of all, You must have a project file (You can do this using DVD2AVI - File/Open --> select *.vob which contains the main moovie, next go to Audio --> Output Method and check Demux All Tracks, next go to Video --> Field Operation and check None, next go to Color Space and check YUV 4:2:2. Next File/Save Project --> usually it takes about 10 to 15 minutes).
It gives You a project file *.d2v and demuxed audio file *.ac3.
Next You can start Tmpeg application...
Give path to Video source and output file name...
First - check box ES Video Only, and press Settings
At Video window:
- stream type: MPEG-2 Video
- size: 720x576
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 display
- Frame rate: 25fps
- Rate control mode: 2 pass VBR
Settings:
- Average bitrate (set required value)
- Maximum bitrate (circle about 8000kbps)
- Minimum value (leave as is - 300kbps)
- Profile and level: Main Profile and Main Level
- Video format: PAL
- Encode Mode: non interlaced
- YUV format: 4:2:0
- DC component precision: 8bit
- Motion search precision: Motion estimate search (fast)
The 2 last options You can change as You prefer - it depends by quality which You request...
At Advanced window:
- Video Source Type: Non-Interlace (Progressive)
- Field Order: Bottom Field First (field B)
- Source aspect ratio: 16:9 display
- Video arranged method: Full screan (keep aspect ratio)
other options I usually didn't use...
At GOP Structure:
I frame: 1
P frames: 4
B frames: 2
Output Interval of sequence header: 1
and check Detect scene change
You can use Force picture type settings and load file which can be produced by IFOEDIT... In this case You can uncheck Detect scene change...
At quantize matrix - leave as is...
After few hours you get the output file *.m2v...
Then go to IFOEDIT for example, press Author new DVD, give path to your *.m2v file, your *.ac3 file (which You have been demuxed earlier...), give path to output file, ant thats it!
I know taht is a very short description (guide) but it should works pretty well...

Thanks for the info. About that DVD2AVI.. i dont know if i downloaded the wrong version or something.. but it only lets me open MPEG-2 files. Im trying to open an Avi file though. Do i have to make it mpeg first then open it in DVD2AVI?

Okay, here's my problem.

i convert some avi files (format 512 x 384) into VCD and all looks fine.
BUT!
when i play the VCD on my DVD player, some Parts on the left and the right side are getting lost.
i've tested anything at the Advanced Settings but nothing works.

the best result was at
"Source aspect ratio: 4:3 625 (PAL 704 x 576)"
and
"Video arrange Method: Full screen (keep aspect ratio)

my DVD player is okay. other VCD's from avis with the same soucre format are working fine.

What can i do?

See if this helps
http://www.movieking.co.uk/guides/firstvcd.html

thanks

i've found another way in the meantime.

Source aspect ratio: 4:3 625 line (PAL, 704x576)
Video arrange method: Center (custom size)with default 320 x 240 pixels.

It makes borders around the the preview in tmpgenc but on the tv it's correct.
only on the right side is a little border, but it's better as a cutted picture.

i hope this works with all episodes of the serie.

Your Source (512x384) is 1:1 VGA.
You have to use Full Screen NOT Full Screen (keep Aspect Ratio).

thanks, but i've tested this also and it cutting the picture too.

i've convert a lot of movies with 512 x 384 but the problem is only at this one serie.
don't know why this is so.

Did you chose Setting -> Video -> Aspect Ratio -> 4:3 ?

I ripped a DVD with DVD Decrypter 3.1.7.0, got the following files:

VIDEO_TS.BUP 18KB
VTS_01_0.BUP 60KB
VTS_02_0.BUP 28KB
VTS_03_0.BUP 20KB
VIDEO_TS.IFO 18KB
VTS_01_0.IFO 60KB
VTS_02_0.IFO 28KB
VTS_03_0.IFO 20KB
VIDEO_TS.VOB 49,994KB
VTS.01_0.VOB 29,914KB
VTS.01_1.VOB 1,048,482 KB
VTS.01_2.VOB 1,048,396 KB
VTS.01_3.VOB 1,048,472 KB
VTS.01_4.VOB 230,188 KB
VTS_02_0.VOB 29,984 KB
VTS_02_1.VOB 199,540 KB
VTS_03_0.VOB 122 KB
VTS_03_1.VOB 2,594 KB

These were placed in a folder such as C:VIDEO_NAMEVIDEO_TS

I then took DVD2AVI 1.77.3 and tried two different ways. I opened the exe from the folder, then

FILE>OPEN, then navigated to the folder that contained the rip, then selected VTS_01_1.vob.

DVD2AVI then autoloaded the files

VTS.01_1.VOB
VTS.01_2.VOB
VTS.01_3.VOB
VTS.01_4.VOB

I hit the "OK" button, then save project. I put the files in a subfolder I named D2V.

Here are the files I got:
fourth try AC3 T01 3_2ch 448kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3
fourth try AC3 T02 2_0ch 192kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3
fourth try AC3 T03 2_0ch 192kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3
fourth try.d2v

It took about 7 minutes to rip this down.

Then I started TMPGEnc.exe

Video-CD NTSC was selected, CBR standard format, then NEXT> I am prompted to select a source

file. I select the fourth try.d2v file. It pauses to judge field order, then autoselects
Video type: Interlace
Field Order Top field first (field A)
Aspect Ratio 4:3 525 line (NTSC 704 x 480)
Content of Video is greyed out but reads "Video movie"

I skip the next page which contains Source Range, Clip Frame and Noise Reduction

The next screen contains this info:
Movie Info: 352x240 29.97fps / 44100hz stereo / 66 min 10 sec
Video Resolution 352X240
Average Video Bitrate 1150kbits/sec
Audio bitrate 224 kbits/sec
Estimated file size 661.66 MB

I ignore the expert settings and hit next. I get:

VIDEO_NAME.mpg

"begin encoding immediately" is selected.

I hit "OK" and encoding starts. It takes about 45 minutes to encode.

When I go to play the .mpg file, I get great video, but no sound.

I can play the .vob files no problem, also the .ac3 files play fine

System info:
Skunk-A-Rific! P3N15 tower with
MSI Kn2DL MOBO,
AMD 3000XP+ Processor with Thermaltake 9 Volcano fan on autopilot
Geil 512 DDR 400 RAM
2 X Seagate 120GB HDD
Lite-On LTD 1665 Combo unit. No audio cable installed
Windows XP Pro
Premeir 450W Power Supply.
Logitech Z-340 2.1 speakers
NVidia N-Force Audio Codec

I hope I've included enough info!

VFAPI ?

http://www.movieking.co.uk/guides/tmpgencplugin.html

OF cource you get no audio Because you haven"t encoded any audio...The D2V file only contains Video information...The AC3 T01 3_2ch 448kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3 files are the Audio files and only the First one should be the english audio Track...In DVD2AVI useder "Audio" to "Dolby Digital" it should be set to "Decode" Not "Demux" or not "Demux all Tracks" and it should also be set to "Track #1", This way DVD2AVI will extract the Audio to Wav format then you use the Wav file as the audio source in tmpgenc and the D2V file as the Video source...Tmpgenc doesn"t Natively accept AC3 audio files as the source audio...If all you have right now are a Mpeg file with no audio and an AC3 audio file then all you need to do is Use a freeware audio encoder like "Headac3he" to encode the AC3 audio file to Mp2 audio at 44100hz, then when you have the Mp2 audio file you just open Tmpgenc and go to "File" to "Mpeg tools" to "Simple Multiplex" and Load the Mpeg Video file in and the Mp2 audio file in then choose "Video-CD" from the dropdown menu and click "Run" and it will Join the audio and Video together into a Working VCD Mpeg file.....Cheers

I'd appreciate if someone "WHO KNOWS" will explain the setting of the aspect ratio parameters.

When I start the TMPGEnc with the Wizard and pick the AVI file (Captured by Scenalizer from Sony TRV900) the Aspect Ratio in Expert Settings for Source portion of the screen shows 4:3 525 Line (NTSC, 704x480) - Is it correct or should I change it to 4:3 525 line (NTSC) or even 4:3 Display

Next when I go to Other Settings, Video Tab the spect ratio there is set to 4:3 Display
And finally I go to Advance tab and look at Vidoe Source Settings - It looks like this Aource aspect ration corresponds to whatever I selected at the very beginning at the Expert Settings for Source part of the Wizard. And again; What should it be?

Another confusing part on this tab is the Video Arrange Method. Does it matter how it is set if I'm producing the DVD for the NTSC TV Output and I'd like to keep original size and aspect ratio?

I come accross the following explanation for Source aspect ratio and Video arrange method. Are they correct?

>>>>
***Source aspect ratio
If source footage dimensions are the same as the output dimensions, then selecting 4:3 Display or 16:9 Display (depending on the format) for both the source and output aspect ratios will ensure that no resizing is done (which makes the encoding faster and preserves the source quality). Alternatively, you can select the n-Line mode that corresponds to the source file's format (ex., for a 4:3 PAL file captured at 720x576, select 4:3 625 line (PAL), and for a 16:9 NTSC file captured at 704x480, select 16:9 525 line (NTSC, 704x480), etc.). In older versions of TMPGEnc, the n-line modes compressed the image horizontally by a few pixels in PAL, but this problem appears to have been fixed in newer versions. Note that the 1:1 (VGA) option doesn't refer to square images, but to square pixels (the format used by most computer-generated images).

***Video arrange method
If your source footage has the correct size (i.e., the same as the output size, selected in the Video tab), any method you pick will produce the same result. If the source footage has a different size, then it will be resized using the rule you define here. If you do not want the video to be resized at all, select Center. If you want the video to be stretched to occupy the entire screen, select Full screen. If you want the video to be resized in such a way that it keeps its original aspect ratio even when that's different from the output aspect ratio, select the modes marked (keep aspect ratio). If you want to convert a video clip to fullscreen without letterboxing it (by clipping the edges instead), select No margin. If you want to adjust its size manually, select Center (custom size).

Generally, if your source footage does not match the DVD resolution, it's best to resize it using an interactive program (that will show you the result immediately), and then feed the resized footage into TMPGEnc. If you resize directly in TMPGEnc you will only see the result after the compression is finished, so if you select the wrong mode you will have wasted a lot of time.
<<<<

Thanks for any clarification, Tomas

I just downloaded TMPGenc a few days ago and tried to convert a couple of DIVX files. The first one went through fine, but the second one ended up with having sound but no video. Anyone have some idea what might cause this?

Try this

http://www.movieking.co.uk/guides/tmpgencplugin.html

Well, that link didn't really help me much, but I think I figured out the problem. The first file I did was actually in divx, but the second one, which I thought was also divx, was was actually xvid. I used virtualdub to convert it to divx and then ran it though tmpgenc with no problems.

That is not a Good Idea to convert the XviD to divx then to Mpeg because the conversion from Xvid to Divx will greatly reduce the Video quality...What you should have done was Loaded the XvId file into Virtual dub and Frame served it to Tmpgenc or if you Install the FFDshow decoder then Tmpgenc should de able to decode it Properly and if you go to "options" to "Enviromental settings" and Raise the Priority of the "Direct show" then Tmpgenc will also probably encode the file properly...

how do i determine whether the avi file(s)is interlace or non-interlaced (progressive)?

If you load the File into Tmpgenc useing the "Wizard" it will analize your Files to see if it is Progressive or interlaced and if it is Interlaced it will Judge the Field order and set it accordingly.....Most Files that you download that are 23.97fps are going to be Progressive, Most that are 29.97fps are going to be Interlaced and with 25fps it could go either way but if Made from a DVD it will usually be Progressive but there are allways exceptions...Cheers

thanks alot Minion!!!

I used DVD Decrypter to Decrypt my movie using IFO mode as per the COPYTODVD instructions, Encoded with DVD2AVI and when I go to use TMPGEnc I get an error message that says F:DVD_VideoVideo_TS*d2v cannot open or unsupported where * is the name of the movie. What does this mean?

This is Probably something simple...You have to first make sure that you didn"t delete any of the Vob files or rename or moove any of the files in the Path between the D2V file and the Vob files..and if this is all correct then you probably just need to copy and Paste the "DVD2AVI.vfp" file from the DVD2AVI folder into the Tmpgenc install folder then restart Tmpgenc and it should accept the d2v file...Cheers

Typing Chinese Characters for menu names and items don't work.

Why you think it is Bug?

You can use the Chinese version from Chinese Windows.

To my knowlege, there is no chinese version of tmpgenc author.

http://www.pegasys-inc.com/gb/gb_main.html
or
http://www.pegasys-inc.com/big5/big5_main.html

The English product should still have support for multi-byte characters, because very often english products are upgraded first, and as such, users install English products on their local OS.

>The English product should still have support for multi-byte characters,
In my knowledge, the newest version will not support for multi-byte characters
again, cause of the copyright problem, cause the most of chinese user never buy software license. It is normal result.