dvd2svcd 1.2.2 and temporal smoother

[sark000]

Hello, I just upgraded my servicable dvd2svcd 1.09 to the newest 1.22 version, and now there doesnt seem to be any settings for temporal smoother under the frameserver tab. As i understand it, this is now moved to or a part of avisynth scripting. However, I have tried all the examples I could find on the net, as well as the dvd2svcd.txt file that comes with the installation, and none of them work. It gets to the point of loading the AVS script in CCE and then CCE just shuts down completely, and dvd2svcd locks up. Could anyone give me, tell me, or help me get temporal smoothing working ala the previous versions?

I have also heard of some like Pixie Dust that look promising, I'm just used to how temporal smoother works. I am not a newbie to computers or video conversion, but I dont get how avisynth and dvd2svcd work together, passing values and settings, etc. I am mainly looking to smooth out large areas with noise, or to reduce grain, without losing a lot of fine detail. Temporal smoother has done a decent job of this in the past, but I'm also open to using something newer or more updated.

If anyone can help, it would greatly be appreciated, as I have spent almost a week trying to find the answer to this one question, and the few references I have seen with code do not work.

[CountTE]

I’m not an expert on this by any means, however since no one has replied yet, I’ll give it a shot. I'll assume that temporal smoother worked with the old ver. of dvd2svcd, so lets see...

if I remember correctly, dvd2svcd v1.0.9 used avisynth ver.2.0x or lower. starting at about svd2svcd ver. 1.1.3, avisynth. ver. 2.5x could be used and was included with (about dvd2svcd ver.1.2.1) and up.

filters for avisynth. ver.2.08 and lower will not work with avisynth. ver. 2.5x and up.

when you installed the new dvd2svcd which avisynth did you install with it?
if you installed avisynth v.2.5x then you can go avisynth. site and get the filters for the new avisynth. or - you can go to your (your path\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth) folder and install avisynth208 and your old filters should work. also check that you are using the correct path to you filters and plugins.

hope this helps, if not let me know.

[sark000]

When I go to the AVISynth site, under filters, this is all it says for that:

this is a function built in Mpeg2dec

Which leaves me back to square one. I have no idea how to set the synth script to use this, and the avisynth site also doesnt have much or anything on how to use it with dvd2svcd specifically, it mostly just has the dll downloads.

[CountTE]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you.
It would help me if you could tell me which version of avisynth you are currently using with dvd2svcd. there are two versions of avisynth included with dvd2svcd 122. they use different versions of mpeg2dec. not all the functions available in any "one" version are available in all the other versions. if that makes sense? avisynth v2.5x uses mpeg2dec3.dll, it is located (as are all the plugins included with dvd2svcd for avisynth 2.5x)
yourpath\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2.5 Plugins\
the plugins for avisynth2.0x are located in
yourpath\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\
lets just get paths out of the way, default installation path for dvd2svcd is
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\
Avisynth2.5 by default uses mpeg2dec3 - it does not list TemporalSmoother as a function. so i don't think it has TS built-in. however mpeg2dec2.dll does list TS as a function, it is included with avisynth2.08 so lets try this - install avisynth v2.08 - path =
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth\avisynth208.exe double click and install now go to dvd2svcd Frame server tab and change all the plugins(at the bottom)
from C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2.5 Plugins\
to C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\and use mpeg2dec2.dll instead of mpeg2dec3.dll when done, it should look like this -
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\Mpeg2dec\MPEG2DEC2.dll
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\InverseTelecine\Decomb.dll
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\Avisynth Subtitler.dll
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\Avisynth BMP Loader.dll
reboot and you sould be able to use TS as before. make sure you have the correct paths when you edit the avisynth script. it should look something like this - sample -

LoadPlugin ("C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2.5 Plugins\Mpeg2dec\MPEG2Dec3.dll")
MPEG2Source("C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie\dvd.d2v")
TemporalSmoother(strength,radius)
BicubicResize(480,360,0.0,0.6)
AddBorders(0,60,0,60)
ConvertToYUY2()

I have a few more things we can try, but lets try this first. let me know what happen's. and we can go from there.

(you can go back to avisynth2.5x by running C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth\avisynth252.exe - don't forget to change the frameserver paths back too! - reboot)

[sark000]

thank you for the suggestions and help. I have been struggling with this for over a week now, and nothing works. The examples in their own readme text files dont work either. No matter how I set things, I get one of 2 results: Either CCE shuts down completely upon loading the AVS file along with DVD2SVCD locking up, or I get a framesize error "Frame size of 976x56 not supported" from CCE upon loadin the AVS file, then CCE stops doing anything, but I can close it, and dvd2svcd locks as well.

I tried both ways what you suggested, and have it back to avisynth 2.5. According to the avisynth website, temporal smoother and soften are now built-in. But no matter how I write the scripts, even using their own examples, I get one of the 2 results listed above.

Here are my simple scripts for attempting this:

[AVISYNTH_BicubicResize and Temporalsoften]
0=BicubicResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight,^b_valu e,^c_value)
1=AddBorders(^BorderLeft,^BorderTop,^BorderRight,^ BorderBottom)
2=TemporalSoften(^Clip,^Radius,^Luma_Thresh,^Chrom a_Thresh,Mode=^Mode,Scenechange=^SceneChange)
^b_value=0.0
^c_value=0.6
^Clip=4
^Radius=2
^Luma_Thresh=4
^Chroma_Thresh=15
^Mode=2
^SceneChange=15

[AVISYNTH_BicubicResize]
0=BicubicResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight,^b_valu e,^c_value)
1=AddBorders(^BorderLeft,^BorderTop,^BorderRight,^ BorderBottom)
2=TemporalSmoother(^Strength,^Radius)
^b_value=0.0
^c_value=0.6
^Strength=2
^Radius=2

[CountTE]

Oh! Yeeesss!
I've seen that one before.
OK, when cce or avisynth crash, it is normal(on my machine's anyway) for dvd2svcd to lockup. I'm using win2000 pro sp4.(sp4 = service pack 4).
first open your avisynth.ini with notepad and put it back to this for the time being -
*****************************************
[AVISYNTH_SimpleResize]
0=LoadPlugin(!SimpleResize.dll)
1=ConvertToYUY2().SimpleResize(^TargetWidth,^Targe tHeight)
2=AddBorders(^BorderLeft,^BorderTop,^BorderRight,^ BorderBottom)
!SimpleResize.dll=C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2.5 Plugins\SimpleResize\SimpleResize.dll

[AVISYNTH_BilinearResize]
0=BilinearResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)

[AVISYNTH_LanczosResize]
0=LanczosResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight)
1=AddBorders(^BorderLeft,^BorderTop,^BorderRight,^ BorderBottom)

[Global]
AVIReader=AVISource(!filename,audio=false)
MPEG2Reader=MPEG2Source(!filename)
MPEG1Reader=DirectShowSource(!filename)

[AVISYNTH_BicubicResize]
0=BicubicResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight,^b_valu e,^c_value)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
^b_value=0.0
^c_value=0.6

******************************************
and save it as a text file, check and make sure that the file name is avisynth.ini and not avisynth.ini.txt.(sometimes when you open files with wordpad it will save them with a .txt at the end if your not careful)
now go to C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie\ and delete all files and any subfolders that may be there.(ie. \subs). go to C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\DVD2AVI and if there is a DVD2AVI.ini there delete it also. now start dvd2svcd &

click - dvd rip tab -
rip to folder = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie
vstrip = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\vStrip\vStrip.exe

click - dvd2avi tab -
dvd2avi 1.76 (1.05) = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\DVD2AVI\DVD2AVI.exe
save project in = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie

click - audio tab -
besweet 1.x = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\BeSweet\BeSweet.exe
save in folder = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie
madplay = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\MADPlay\madplay.exe

click - frameserver tab -
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\Mpeg2dec\MPEG2DEC2.dll
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\InverseTelecine\Decomb.dll
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\Avisynth Subtitler.dll
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\Avisynth BMP Loader.dll

click - encoder tab -
cce = C:\Program Files\Custom Technology\Cinema Craft Encoder SP\cctsp.exe (or what ever the path is to your encoder)
save in folder = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie
safe mode = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\VFAPI\Reader\VFAPIConv-EN.exe

click - pulldown tab -

pulldown = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\pulldown\pulldown.exe
save in folder = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie

click - multiplexer tab -
a/v mux = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\bbMPEG\RunbbMPEG.exe
subtitle mux = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\WinSubMux\WinSubMux.exe
save in folder =C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie

click - subtitles tab -
save in folder =C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie

click - cd image tab -
vcdxbuilder = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\VCDImager\VCDXBuild.exe
vcdimager = C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\VCDImager\VCDImager.exe
save in folder =C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie

click - misc. tab -
put check in box for don't delete any files

now go ahead and start you project as you usually do, when\if avisynth\cce crash's, close cce and dvd2svcd. go to C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie\ and open AviSynth_Script_file.avs with notepad - it should look something like this -

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\AVISYN~1.5PL\Mpeg 2dec\MPEG2D~1.DLL")
MPEG2Source("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\Movie\DVD2AV~1.D 2V")
BicubicResize(480,480,0.0,0.6)
Import("C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Movie\ResampleAudio.avs")
ResampleAudio(44100)
ConvertToYUY2()

the ConvertToYUY2() is important, cce doesn't like YV12.
you can also try to open AviSynth_Script_file.avs with VirtualDub -
some times avisynth will return an error message stream, thats where the "Frame size of 976x56 not supported" comes from. if this doesn't
work let me know and we well check some more things. I'm having to anwser from work and at home - thats why it takes me so long to get back to you. if it was the weekend i could anwser quicker. let me know how it works out.

[sark000]

Ok I have everything reset back to what it should be. Encoding works fine, of course, but my problem is I need a smoother. The test encode went fine, no crashes, but if I put ANY temporal smoother code in ANYWHERE in the ini file, they crash, or give me the resize error.

So what now do I do to get a working smoother? I'm back to basically the installed settings, but I am no closer to getting the smoother to work, which is the only thing keeping me from using this newer version. The AVS file looks as you decribe, with the ConvertYUY2 command in. I cant believe there is no simple answer to this anywhere on the net. I have looked here, google, doom9, the avisynth website, and no one can give a working example with dvd2svcd specifically, especially the new version.

Anyway, thanks for the help, and if you can shed any light on how to get a smoother working, I would greatly appreciate it.

[CountTE]

OK! let me play with TS on my machine for a little while, and I'll get back to you as soon as I figure out what could be going wrong. I may not be able to reply untill I get home tonight(5:00pm central, usa). hang in there with me, and we'll get it worked out!

[CountTE]

OK I've got it!
temporal smoother is not included in avisynth2.5 or mpeg2dec3.dll.(only SpatialSoften / TemporalSoften)
temporal smoother is included in mpeg2dec2.dll, which will not work with avisynth2.5. SpatialSoften / TemporalSoften are included with avisynth2.08 however the argument count is different from SpatialSoften / TemporalSoften in avisynth2.5. examle -

avisynth2.5
SpatialSoften(clip, int radius, int luma_threshold, int chroma_threshold)
TemporalSoften(clip, int radius, int luma_threshold, int chroma_threshold, int "scenechange", int "mode")

avisynth2.08
SpatialSoften(clip, int radius, int luma_threshold, int chroma_threshold)
TemporalSoften(clip, int radius, int luma_threshold, int chroma_threshold)
mpeg2dec2.dll
TemporalSmoother(clip,strength,radius)

there some errors in your script above, if you want to use TSmoother you have to use avisynth2.08. check your plugin paths for -
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\Mpeg2dec\MPEG2DEC2.dll &
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\xxx...
you know the rest.

2=TemporalSoften(^Clip,^Radius,^Luma_Thresh,^Chrom a_Thresh,Mode=^Mode,Scenechange=^SceneChange) is correct for avisynth2.5 but since we want to use TS we have to use avisynth2.08, so we have to use the old TemporalSoften -
2=TemporalSoften(clip, int radius, int luma_threshold, int chroma_threshold)
also there is an error in your two addborders lines -
1=AddBorders(^BorderLeft,^BorderTop,^BorderRight,^ BorderBottom)
it should read -
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
so here is the script that works for me(I only tried a couple of different things with this, so there may still be some errors in it. but it should point you in the right direction.) i also took out the clip=4 argument, you really don't need it here. if you find you need it, put it back in. i never use clip except in xxxxsource("movie.xxx") statements.

AVISYNTH.INI
***********************
[AVISYNTH_SimpleResize]
0=LoadPlugin(!SimpleResize.dll)
1=ConvertToYUY2().SimpleResize(^TargetWidth,^Targe tHeight)
2=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
!SimpleResize.dll=C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2 Plugins\SimpleResize\SimpleResize.dll

[AVISYNTH_BilinearResize]
0=BilinearResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)

[AVISYNTH_BicubicResize]
0=BicubicResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight,^b_valu e,^c_value)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
^b_value=0.0
^c_value=0.6

[AVISYNTH_BicubicResize and Temporalsoften]
0=BicubicResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight,^b_valu e,^c_value)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
2=TemporalSoften(^Radius,^Luma_Thresh,^Chroma_Thre sh)
^b_value=0.0
^c_value=0.6
^Radius=2
^Luma_Thresh=4
^Chroma_Thresh=15

[AVISYNTH_BicubicResize and TemporalSmoother]
0=BicubicResize(^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight,^b_valu e,^c_value)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
2=TemporalSmoother(^Strength,^Radius)
^b_value=0.0
^c_value=0.6
^Strength=2
^Radius=2
*************************************
one more note - if you are using EclCCE to load cce make sure
shutdown computer & allow multiple ecl projects are not checked. that had me going for a few min. let me know how it works for you.