I have some avi movies I can watch fine using divx player, but can't convert to mpg using tmpgenc.

They load up fine in tmpgenc, but when I start the conversion it freezes after about the 5 second mark (meaning source position 5seconds) and the picture just freezes. Tmpgenc does not freeze, just the video. Audio is fine.

Have you maybe tried a Program Like "DivX Anti-Freeze" or "DivX-FiX" they are supposed to fig Frozen Divx files....

I'm converting VHS home movies to DVD (TMPGEnc & TMPGEnc DVD Author), and video quality is my primary concern. Audio is not. I've heard that TMPGEnc converts audio poorly, wasting space. How can I get around this to allow more disc space for video quality without buying more software?

Well there are 3 Formats allwed for DVD authoring ,they are WAV/PCM ,Mpeg1 layer 2 audio and Dolby Digital AC3 audio, Wav/PCM with Probably produce the best Quality Because it is Uncompressed But the File size is Huge ,The next Best Format to use would be "Dolby Digital AC3" this Format is a very Highly compressed Format But a Very High Quality Format and the Most common used with Retail DVD"s, You can encode to this Format with some Freeware tools Like a Program called "BeeSweet" or "AC3Machine", or you might be able to Find a Free version of "Sonic Foundry Soft Encode 1.0" which is a Good AC3 encoder but like all AC3 encoders they Take Quite a While to encode to AC3 ,especially if you encode to Dolby 5.1 surround sound, The Last Format is Probably the Lowest Quality format in DVD Authoring but also has a Really small file size, the Quality is Quite acceptable if you use a Good Quality Mpeg audio encoder,You can use Tmpgenc to make the Wav audio file then use a Audio encoder like "Headac3he" to encode it to Mpeg1 layer2 audio at 48000hz at 384kbs, and it should sound Pretty good, But if you can get a hold of an AC3 encoder then that would be the way to go....good Luck

First I will tell you what I'm doing. I downloaded a set of 2 files. I want to convert them from AVI to VCD if possible SVCD. I have an Appex AD 1110 or something like that. It is full support of any VCD or SVCD file. Well I tried out the Tmpenc latest version for a week and finally I got one of the files encoded to VCD. My problem is lot like some of the others. It seems to work fine then a few seconds it freezes like a glitch in a game. Then goes on to play when people talk they speak slow then speed up toward the end of the sentence. Could it be the problem not processing the resolution or it just isn't going to work. Or can I make a different setting of the pixels and the fps or any of the technical quality to make it run smooth like when I play it on a VCD player software or media player. Cause all the others that I've done were the same file type, same quality. And they work fine. Even when the frame would freeze for a few seconds it would still be the same lip sync. Lucky I guess. But that was a while back. Now I had to download a file that wouldn't glitch or freeze to encode it right. So does anyone have a recommendation of how to fix my problem.

The Problem you are experienceing sounds like one of Three things, It sounds Most like you are Experienceing Bitrate Spikes..Tmpgenc is really bad at controlling it"s Bitrate and will Suddenly spike up Much higher than you set it at, and when this happens it looks Like the Video will suddenly slow down then slowly catch up again with the audio, but this should only happen if you are watching it on your DVD Player because any Hard drive should be able to spin fast enough to play a Mpeg file..Another Reason for an effect like this would be Burning your VCD"s at to high of a Speed, you should never burn at higher than 8-12 speed But 4 speed is the best so no errors occur..Regular Data and Music CD"s have Error correction but VCD/SVCD"s Do not, that is why you can fit 800mb on a 700mb CD-R when Burning VCD/SVCD"s, the extra 100mb would usually be used to Correct any errors..and the Last reason why you would not get Smooth Playback would be encodeing to a Framerate different than the AVI file, Meaning if the AVI file has a Framerate of 25fps you have to encode it to a Mpeg file at 25fps, you can not encode a 23.97/24fps File to 25fps and you can"t encode a 25fps file to 29.97fps ect, But I don"t really think this is your Problem......good luck

Hi & thanks to you Minion. But it's not with Tmpgenc, it's with Virtualdub..
But it seems it's the same way for searching a solution in this sens, codecs problem. But one thing I don't understand, when I analyze the avi source film with GSPot it find that i've got the right codec installed. That's all, I would like to apology for my poor english. And sorry for that mistake. Greats from Spain. See you. Bye.

Hi to everybody out there. I'm new in the world of forums and encoding, I post somes but don't have any answer. After this short introduction here come the question. With some avi's "tmpgenc" show me the following message:
-"error initializing audio stream decompression. the requiesed conversion is not possible. check to make sure you have the requiered codec. microsoft audio codec."
I don't see if I have the VFAPI plug-in installed, maybe it's the problem. And if not, I hope some of you can help me. Thanks.

No, It is saying that you do not have the Correct Codec installed so Tmpgenc can not decode the audio from this AVI file...Not Knowing what the audio is compressed to I can not tell you what codec you need, You could try installing some Audio codecs, Or a Codec pack, But the only One that I would sugest you install would be the "Tsunami Codec/Filter Pack" it will also install utilities that will tell you what codecs your Files use so if you have this Problem again you know what codec to install...And to check you "Vfapi Plugins" to go to "Options" to "Enviromental Settings" to "Vfapi Plugins" and If you are usually encodeing Divx AVI files or Downloaded movies then you should have the "Direct show Multi-Media File Raeder" at the Top of the list at about 1 or 2 Priority....good Luck...

Hi,

I was wondering how long it would take to have Multiple AC3 tracks to be supported when editing a DVD in VOB Mode, or in elementry stream setting? This is important since many Chinese Karaoke DVDs are ether one long movie with chapters seperating the videos, or physicl files seperate video files.

If you import a seperate video file, you can only choose 1 AC3 stream to keep. Also, if you edit an existing DVD VOB, to cut and edit out only one video out of the string of videos, you are also limited to choosing 1 AC3 stream.

It would be regarded as the highest feature if you could choose to keep both AC3 streams, and in the case of cutting/editing a movie, have the program cut correctly for both AC3 tracks so that if you extract a Karaoke segment from a whole DVD (Say, one part of a consert) Then for that cut segment you get both AC3 streams.

Thanks!

Cecilia Chen

I agree. I have many HK disks which have dual language ac3 tracks (Cantonese/Mandarin) and if you cut a segment out of it, it would be good to keep both audio streams.

Wow, I didn't think there was so many users from the same computer network! Anyway, yes please add this support. I recently wanted to cut a Karaoke song out of a movie, but I was disapointed that it only allows 1 audio stream. At the end of the disk is one song which they sing, and because the DVD is dual ac3, one track is voice, one is without. So when I cut the movie at that point, I can only choose one audio stream? I hope you can make cutting cut and keep all audio parts so that way you can keep both tracks when cutting / editing a VOB movie or anything.

Hi !
I am using TMPGenc (latest) to encode AVI files from analog SVHS tapes using Studio DC10PLUS (studio 8) to MPEG for DVD (using TMPGAuth). Of course TMPGenc cannot open the AVI files (neither could the previous versions of TMPGenc full or free). I am now using the frameserver capacity of VirtualDub which works fine.
Can someone tell me the reason why TMPGenc cannot read these AVI files directly ? At least VirtualDub has no problem whatsoever with them.
Thank you.

Option -> Environmental Setting -> VFAPI Plug-In

Set the AVI VfW compatibility Reader to a higher priority. This sould work.

I tried your recommendation. Put AVI VFW right to the top (for good measure). It works. I can open my AVI file. But then, using the wizard, it get stuck while 'Judging field order...' after 9%, disk is busy (file is 50Gb), the only way to abort (the abort button doesn't react) is to kill the task using the task manager.
Then I tried not to use the wizard, selected my template (DVD (PAL), changed the settings (VariableBitRate), and started.
It works. It takes a long time (14 hours for this 50Gb avifile). Quality is not bad. Quite a improvment to using the frameserver which takes 24 hours.
Funny, I had tried this AVI VFW priority setting a few weeks ago, but that did not improve things at all, I still could not access the avifile, may be I thought I did but the setting was perhaps not active.
May be something else has changed on my pc. May be I have installed something (like codec PICVideo v2) without my knowing.
My question really was 'Why can TMPGenc not read the avifile'.
I am glad it works now, but I still would like to know why.
Thank you all the same for your help.

The VFAPI Plugins Give Priority to Certain File types so the Optimal setting can change depending on What type of file you load into it, So if you are used to encodeing one Type of AVI file and everything works fine and then you try an avi file that uses the different codec it might not Accept the File Because the VFAPI Plugins are configured to give Priority to a Different File type..The are a few different Formats that AVI codecs Fall in to, There are "Direct Show" AVI Codecs and there are "Video for Windows" AVI Codecs, and Giveing Priority to one of these Formats means that Tmpgenc will Open files of this Format Much more easily, "Direct show" will also open other formats Like ASF/WMV and Mpeg1..

Many thanks Minion for your insights.

I have produced many DVDs (2 hour + multi camera concerts and shows) using Pinnalcle Studio7, TMPGEnc Plus 2.512 and Ulead DVD Workshop 1.3.

I get a problem that I thought I had solved three projects ago (by carefully re-creating the TMPGEnc settings for the latest version) but has re-occurred in my latest project and I haven’t found a solution yet.

The problem is that DVD files (VOB etc) play smoothly in DVD players and using WinDVD4 but with PowerDVD (from hard drive or DVD, on two different computers, using V3 or V4 with XP patch) I get pauses (actually I think they are rush-aheads) then catchups (pause can be 3 seconds long) in the video (not audio) at seemingly random positions (but the same positions every time).

The MPEG file plays fine.

If I author the same MPEG with TMPGAutor the resulting VOB files play fine (the are slightly different size).

If I read the VOB files created by DVDWorkshop back into TMPGauthor as a source and create a new DVD project the result also plays fine.

I have tried many different combinations of TMPGenc settings (video only / video & audio, encoding qualities, bitrate ranges, GOP structures, GOP open / closed, Scene detection on/off) and while I do see differences in the problem (more or less pausing at different places) nothing has cured it.

I did try a short test with Dazzle DVD Complete but it gave exactly the same result as DVD Workshop.

Does anyone have any suggestions other than use TMPGauthor – which I will use for this project but I don’t want to lose the menu flexibility and functionality of DVD Workshop for which I paid a significant amount.

I will feed this back to Ulead but experience suggests I’ll be lucky to get a response.

Thanks

These Rush aheads and Catchups you call them are exactly what happens when the DVD Drive for one reason or another can not spin the DVD Fast enough to read the data at the Proper speed...This can happen from Bitrate Spikes, when the Bitrate suddenly spikes FAR higher than you set it which is Very common with Files encoded By Tmpgenc, which is one of the reasons why I do not use it Very Often For mpeg2 encodeing(and My other encoder is Faster and Better Quality than Tmpgenc)..But this Does not explain Your Problem, But it also May not be a Tmpgenc Problem Because you say the Mpeg files Play fine and that the authored DVD"s Play fine in other Software DVD Players, To me it sounds Like it is either Power DVD or Ulead DVD Workshop, I also use DVD Workshop 1.3 sometimes(Along with 20 or so other Authoring Programs) and Like it a Lot But I was haveing Problem with Burning with DVD Workshop, so I would Use it to author the DVD to a Image file or a Video-TS folder ,then Use something like "Nero" to burn the Image to DVD, this solved the Problem...I don"t know it this is Much help but then again I do not think it is a Tmpgenc problem...Good Luck...Cheers

Minion - Thanks for the reply

I am pursuing this issue with both Ulead and PowerDVD but I suspect any resolution from these will be a long time coming.

I have downloaded the free version of BitrateView and analysed the VOB files produced (from the same MPEG) by DVDWorkshop and TMPGAuthor.

I don't understand what the analysis means but there is a significant difference. The bitrate traces are fairly similar and I don't see any spikes but the quantisation scale level varies very much more in the Ulead VOB. Whether this means anything I don't know.

Would you be prepared to say what is your preferred encoder so I can try that.

Well I personally use CCE SP 2.67, but it is a harder Encoder to use than Tmpgenc cuz you usually have to Use a Frameserver with it, Plus you will Probably have to find a Hacked version cuz the encoder costs $2000 US to Buy..

Thanks but it sounds out of my league.

I think I will invest in TMPGAuthor and live with the inferior menus unless/until Ulead come up with an answer

Now I have learned to use Bitrateview better I discover I was fooling myself and the two VOB files do display identical bitrate and quantisation traces.

There must be some difference though as the file sizes are different and they play differently (the original cause of the investigation)

I have just head that there is a new version of PowerDVD (V5) on the horizon - maybe this will help.
_________________
john carr

Help! what does this mean and is there anything i can do?

This means that there is a Corrupted Frame(s) in your Source file..This seems semi-Common with DivX and Xvid Files downloaded off the net..You can try to fix it By useing Virtual Dub to scan it for errors then Make a "Direct Stream Copy" of the file which should mask the bad frames, then use the Copy as the video source, OR you can encode up to were you get the error, then use to the "Source Range" to start encodeing a New file a Couple frames after were the error occured, then Join the 2 files into one file with the "Merge & cut" in the "Mpeg Tools"....

I am using the 2.5 download version, after the 30 day period I am unable to join mpg files. only the video stream is merged and no there is no audio in the merged file .

This is Probably just a Bug of some sort with Tmpgenc and certain files.. When the Mpeg Tools start not working right there are No Magic setting to make it suddenly work Properly, What you will have to Do is use a different Mpeg editor, There are some Freeware Mpeg2 editors like Mpeg2Cut and Chopper XP but I don"t know if they Join I don"t know of any Freeware Mpeg1 editors/Joiners, But I do have a Mpeg1 editor that Cuts and Merges, if you want a Copy of it send me an e-Mail if you can"t find a Mpeg2 editor and you need one I might be able to find one of those for you also....cheers

I am using the latest version of TMPGEnc (2.512.52.161-free) and I am trying to cut out a 13 min. part from a 60 min. mpg file. Every time the prog finishes processing at about 7 min. The clip is cut out, but it is only 7 min. long. Is there a limit on the free version or am I doing something wrong? Please help.

Your Probably Not doing anything wrong, The editor in Tmpgenc"s Mpeg tools is very Picky with the files it will edit, it is only officially supposed to be for Files that were encoded By Tmpgenc and even then sometimes it don"t work right, Try a different Mpeg editor if you can"t get Tmpgenc"s to work, There are some freeware ones But the Only ones I can think of Right now are Mpeg2 editors not mpeg1 , one is Mpeg2Cut and another is Chopper XP, im sure you can find one if you look on a Search engine...

thanks for the help

thanks for the respond, but I forgot to say that I use 'easy vcd' and it must set its own settings, do you know how to make the settings in easy vcd that would set the settings in tmpge.

No Not really, But I don"t see the Big deal in doing a coule settings that takes 30 seconds, You allready have Easy VCD doing everything else for you ..I guess you"ll have to live with it...

how to have tmpge start with the same settings each time. What I don't want is the letter box (bars at top and bottom). Each time I would go to arrange settings and chose no margin.

this is an attachment to my question.
all movies r ntsc 16.9

thanks

Well save your Settings as a Template, then when you load in a File you just have to load the correct template and all the setting will be set the way you set them in the template, To do this is easy ,First load in a File go and do all of your Settings like you were going to encode and when they are set the way you like them click the "Save" button in the Bottom Right corner and give the template a Name and save it in the "Templates Folder", then next time you just have to load in your file then clicl the "Load" button and find your Template and choose it and your setting will be set...