Hi,

I have a movie spread accross 3 SVCD format cd's (each disk just under 700mb and encoded in mpeg 2 with a bit rate around 2500 kbps) that play ok in my standalone dvd player.

I have a 2 part avi movie that I would like to convert to svcd format and put onto 3 cds with a similar bit rate. Each of the 2 parts of the avi is under 700mb.

When I put the first avi into tmpenc is says that the resultant file size is huge - into gb's. Ideally I need it to be around 1gb - enough to fill 1 and a half disks. However, the only way I can do this is to reduce the bit rate down to a level that would give poor picture quality.

Can anybody help ?

Don"t tell me you are useing the "CBR" encodeing method????This is not the best method for encodeing mpeg files, the files are much too big and a lot of the bitrate is wasted and the quality is not as good as it could be...Useing the "CQ" method you can get better quality and smaller files sizes with a higher bitrate,generally speaking most scenes of a movie do not need the bitrate to be 2500kbs to produce a good picture but you do need the high bitrate to give good quality for high motion scenes, so if you used the "Constant Quality" setting with a minimum bitrate of say 1500kbs and a maximum bitrate of 5000kbs with the quality from 80-90, with these settings you could probably get 45-55 minutes on a CD-r with as good or probably better quality than the CBR setting..Useing this method is arguably as good or better than the "2-Pass" method, and you probably won"t need 3 cd-r"s unless the movie is over 100 minutes...

Hi,

I have a registered version of 2.56 and I downloaded the 2.57 free version as an upgrade. Thing is that it gives me the "30 days left" dialog. I can't seem to find a way to input my serial number to unlock it. Any suggestions?

You can not register an "free" version, you can only register a "Plus" version, you should know that seeing how your a registered user but anyhow double click the banner at the bottom of this BBS, then go and download the "Plus" version, if you are intitled to a free upgrade the new version should register itself automaticly........

Just go to Pegasys's webpage, and download "TMPGEnc Plus 2.57",
I am using both 2.56, and 2.57, and working both of them without
problem.(I am also registered user.)

With the latest version (English) it won't register on my system either.
I am told my trial period is over so I downloaded the Japanese installer
(I run NT4 J) and it installed no trouble and registered itself with my
serial.

Thier English version installer is screwed.
I've contacted support in both Japanese and English but they are SLOW in replying!

I've tried everything suggested here and at Afterdawn. Nothing is working. I was able to use an older version of TMPGenc just fine. I've recently upgraded to XP and had to download all the supporting software once again to create VCD.

Someone help me. I can't get past the "cannot open, unsupported" error message when I try to open a video source. I used SmartRipper and dvd2avi. It worked before, why not now?

So what I think your problem is with loading in "D2v" files???You didn"t really say what your problem is .Well if it worked before and you haven"t done and major software installations or deletions, and the "dvd2avi project file reader is set to a high enough priority , and you haven"t moved or deleted or renamed any of the "VOB" or "D2V" files then you just might need to just run the vob files through DVD2AVI again, and if for some reason that does not work and you are at your wits end then try useing the "vfapi converter" you can download it from "vcdhelp.com" what you do it open the "vfapi converter" folder then install the "vfapi codec" by double clicking the "vfpset.bat" file, then load the "D2V" file into the "vfapi converter" then click "convert" then it will make a psudo AVI file that you can load into Tmpgenc then load the audio from DVD2AVI into Tmpgenc then encode like normal...It is a very handy tool to have to overcome little problems like this..........

Thanks Minion, I guess I left out a few things.

I'm trying to work my way through afterdawn's new "DVD to SVCD" guide. I've used their "DVD to VCD" guide successfully but I'm stuck at the TMPGEnc step, so that is why I'm here.

I've checked all my settings and have tried all the suggestions from this BBS as well as afterdawn's. I have done a major upgrade. I've moved from Win98 to XP and have upgraded all the software needed for this project. I've ripped the movie twice and done the dvd2avi twice and I get the same error message when I try to load the video source into TMPGEnc, "not supported". I'm looking at vcdhelp.com for the converter you suggest and can't see it. Can you give me the direct link?

You can download the "Vfapi converter" here :http://www.divx digest.com/software/vfapi.html ..I just upgraded from "Win Me" to "Win XP" and I didn"t have any problems with encodeing files, and I just upgraded from "Win XP" to "Win XP Pro" and everything is even better...But the "Vfapi converter" should give you a work around for this problem....

This is the link:http://www.divxdigest.com/software/vfapi.html

Sory that one won"t work either, just go to "www.divxdigest.com" and look for it ,it seems they don"t accept links.....

I've attempted to get dvd2avi to work with Windows XP Pro on NTFS wiht no success. If there is a way to make it work, I'd like to hear about it.

Just checking to make sure you haven't abandoned the forum .... people like you and Minion contribute a great deal to this board.... much appreciated by people like myself.

No not abandoned, just busy with a project at the moment (plus a few tempermental girlfriend troubles). Don't really have much time on my hands at the moment. Back soon though.

Cheers,
ASHY

The program seems to shut down about 5 - 8 seconds into the movie. I am encoding avi to svcd the avi's play fine, but the program just comletly shutdown. what might the problem be? thanks in advance. cdman

I am trying to get subtitels to a movie, first I am jusing Virtuel dub to make the frameserve, then I open TMPGenc, and opend the frameserve, but get the message that it is illegal stream format.
The movie is convertet from AVI to MPG. the sound is convertet in Virtual dub.
The subtiels is SUBRIP subviewer3.
What am I dooing wromg.
svaagec

I have a very simple question because im new to this. All i want to do is make the size of a mpeg i have smaller. I have this video which is 776mb and i need it to be 700mb so i want to know how to do that using this program. Please help me im just a newbie sorry if it frustrates you

You can fit 800mb on a 70mb 80min CD-r, but if you need to cut it use the "mpeg tools"...

Try to do reencoding using different compression rate.

As Minion said you can fit around 800mb on an 80 min CD.
Make sure you enable overburn on your CD authoring software.

VCDeasy has the overburn option on the settings page - CDRAO

Kisoo Lim,
By "compression rate", do mean by setting a lower bitrate to encode it to?

I used vcdgear to extract an mpeg of an svcd. It broke the mpeg into two parts, the last (and smallest) one being 100 megs, and 7 minutes long. When i try to load the second part into tmpgenc it claims that the second mpeg is invalid. When i load the second mpeg into media player it still runs fine. Is there any easy way to correct the second mpeg header so that tmpgenc will merge the two back together and convert it to vcd?

Thanks,
Kraken

If you use the multiplex or the "merge & cut" it will put a new header on the file and possibly correct the problem....

I have some movies saved as svcd and my dvd player won't read them. I heard you could run TMPGEnc "MPEG Tools" and set the type as MPEG1-Video-cd and the header would be changed so it would "fake" the dvd to thinking it was reading a vcd instead of a svcd. When I run TMPGEnc I ge the following error message:

"143604 s packets cause buffer underflow. The MPEG file might cause erro when it played".

Is this method correct and what causes the underflow?

Thanks

You shouldn"t get this error if you run it through the "merge and cut" instead of the multiplex"...

Will that method still accomplish what I am trying to do?

Thanks

Yes, you are just putting a vcd header on a svcd file.........

Everytime I run Norton SystemWorks Fix Problems function, I get this "Medium Level" problem notice:

Missing or Invalid ActiveX/COM SubKey Entry
the key,"CLSID{EC8DD32F-8110-4F89-BD09-0C2A86E9729E],"refers to an invalid application identifier,
"{003857E1-EEC6-7092-0E40-0008563345AA},"

How the heck do I fix this?

Does anybody know, Please?

(the reason for my upset comment previously was because I am upset with the changes in your latest update. And that TMPGenc apparently needs a DVD decoder that will cost me extra money to get now in order to encode DVD to VCD.....and that the change occurred very shortly after buying your product)

You need A mpeg 2 decoder to Watch your mpeg files so I don"t know what the big deal is ,It does not cost anything to for a Mpeg2 decoder, just download a demo of power dvd and it will use it"s decoder, I think it is one of the best fixes that they have done on Tmpgenc..You can still use the old "m2v-vfp" plugin if you want it will still show up in the plugin list and still works but this works much better...As to registry problem, does the registry thing cause any problems???It shouldn"t cuz Tmpgenc does not use your registry to run, I think the only stuff it puts in the registry is something so you can"t use a 30 demo for more than 30 days and it wont let you use a new demo..This information stays in your registry after you delete Tmpgenc, so that is probably all it is, and if you delete the registry entry then you could probably use a demo again but sisce you are registered it don"t matter....

Thanks for answering, Minion
there are a number of things that have conserned me about your product lately(and some of my user friends on video message forums).

1)that Norton warning only happens only after I run your program...and it says that the invalid program ID in the registry can cause crashes with my system. I Have had my computer freeze while doing a few lengthy encoding projects from DVD to VCD...and think that is possibly why.

2)I did not uninstall your trial version when I purchased Plus, I just clicked on the popup and overlayed Plus over the trial version. I think some items of the trial version(like this problem)remain in my registry and I don't know how to get rid of them.

3)I have not yet upgraded to 2.57 yet because of 2 things. I read a post on this board that someone had an older version that worked well, but when they upgraded to a later one, it did not work as well...and when they tried to go back to the earlier good working version, some parts of the newer one remained hidden in their system and the program never again worked well in the prior version because of it. I'm afraid of upgrading to 2.57 because if I find it does not work as well as 2.56 is(except for the freezes), there will be something left in the registry(like the issue that Norton is finding now)that will remain and not make it function as it had before I upgraded.

4)those proprietory DVD players all cost money don't they? PowerDVD costs $50.
What are you talking about they are free? Only the limited 30 day trial is free. Why did you say that? Your upgrade will cost me money if I use it in the cost of a new DVD player decoder purchase....Or if not, TELL me of a free one that works before I upgrade! I don't want to upgrade then find I can't go back because of parts of 2.57 still left hidden in my registry and then be FORCED to buy a player. WHAT ones are free that you say exist???

Your help in all these issues will be appreciated. I had been please with your product until all this started!

thanks,
Joe

There are lots of free mpeg2 decoders on Kazaa if you want to try there and if you have any "Ulead" products on your system then you should have the "ligos" mpeg2 decoder installed also, and if you have any Cyberlink products on your system you will have the cyberlink decoder on your system, but you can still use the "m2v.vfp" mpeg2 codec that was for the old versions so in that regard nothing has changed cuz you can still use the old codec with the new version, it is just more stable with the new codec support..You can just delete the invalid registry entry or "Norton" should have deleted or fixed it,and it shouldn"t cause a problem cuz Tmpgenc does not rely on the registry for it to run properly, I use "norton system works" to check my system and it is a great tool for cleaning up your system .........

Minion,
I'll check into those decoders you mentioned.

But about Norton finding that registry problem. I am talking about their SystemWorks too. It's their "Norton Utilities...Find and Fix Problems that finds that registry error every time I encode with TMPGenc. And yes, I tell it to "fix" it each time. I run a few programs and check again...Norton says my system is clean and has no problems....I then run TMPGenc(nothing else) and check Norton again....and it tells my there is that registry problem.

There are TMPGenc keys all through my registry...in about 10 different places. So, I don't know why you say my registry is not affected by TMPGenc.

One of the registry entries appears to be the free demo version(2.54). Would you recommend that I delete it? Do you think that is causing all this as you mentioned the 30 trial connection before?

ALSO....Do you see what I mean? Things from other versions of your program stay in the registry and affect things. Are you really telling me that if I upgrade and decide to go back to 2.56 as I'm using now....that something of 2.57 will not remain in my registry afterwards and affect how TMPGenc works?

I think this proves items stay behind from other versions and affects things.

Please answer THOSE 2 comments/questions! Please

Tmpgenc Will effect your registry but Tmpgenc does not rely your registry to run, but deleteing old entries from versions that you do not have installed anymore will not hurt your system or how tmpgenc runs and should be done to help keep a clean healthy system, so if you arent useing 2.54 then you should delete the entry..If you upgrade to 2.57 you can still have 2.56 and if you don"t like 2.57 then delete it and all it"s old reg entries.That is strange though that the reg entry is being read as an error with "System Works" have you tried to delete Tmpgenc then get rid of all it reg entrys then re-download it and see if the new entries are being read as invalid by System Works??I have 2.56 and 2.57 installed and Norton hasn"t given me any specific registry errors regarding Tmpgenc, but it has given me invalid entries errors from versions I don"t use anymore, I just delete them, Norton Can seem a bit over paranoid at times but I guess better safe than sorry...Have you gotten any specific errors while running Tmpgenc that mention any specific registry entries???If I were you I would wait to up-grade Tmpgenc, The new version has better support for mpeg2 files but It has some really annoying bugs in the mpeg tools so that is why I still run 2.56, maybe the bugs will be fixed in the next version.......

Minion,
I Very Much appreciate your honesty on waiting on upgrading to 2.57 because of current bugs,etc. I will wait on those revisions.

TEMGenc has performed OK, except for freezing my computer after finishing encoding.

Please answer these question, please:
Could the version 2.54 registry folder be the 30 day demo that I used before buying Plus? (and could possibly be the problem because it was a demo form?)

AND....you said you have both 2.56 and 2.57 on your computer. Are you able to chose between them and switch back and forth, if you want to? (or does the computer automatically use the latest version?)

I am appreciating your help here, Minion.

i've never had a problem capturing at 19.x fps. every capture i've done completes without issue. as soon as i began capturing at 29.x fps, i've run into many issues. i have an athlon 1.4 ghz machine, 256MB ram, 40GB 5400 rpm hard drive...sometimes the my machine just stalls - i cant click on anything on the screen, capture stops, i need to reboot. other times the incoming image becomes scrambled and i need to stop capture and restart my machine to get it running properly again. i didnt get any of these problems before at 19.x fps. has anyone experienced this before? is this indicative of a memory issue or what?

thanks in advance,
gpalmz

sorry, this is more of a virtualdub issue, but if anyone knows anything, please let me know!

This could be a memory issue cuz when I capture on my 1.7ghz Intel at 29.9fps I drop frames like crazy, and the system freezes up sometimes, it also could be a driver problem , I capture at 24fps now cuz I don"t drop frames and I can still use my computer to do stuff while capturing ..I sometime capture useing "Windows Media Encoder" to capture to "Microsoft mpeg-4 v3" and can capture to 30fps with out much of a problem with pretty good quality and Tmpgenc encodes the file fine.........

Hey when i'm encoding a file from .avi to mpg it says "Stream Write Error". What is this? and how do i fix it?

Are you getting low on "Hard drive "space????