Another question about file types and how to burn to disk

[Ladd]

You folks recently helped me learn a bit about NTSC and PAL files when burning same to VCD.

Hopefully this new file will present little trouble to you also.

Recent Angel finale, filename "angel.522.hdtv-lol.avi" (yes I will purchase the disc when it is available).
Loads OK into Toast 6.03.
What I am NOT seeing is the info message "Toast will leave untouched the video and audio; and will proceed directly to burning the VCD" message.

I can only assume that is because this file is NOT currently in VCD format so it will need to be encoded by Toast to do so. If this is the case and I must transcode, will I get better results encoding into DVD format instead of the VCD format? I have multiple rewritables of either format. Time to do the transcoding isn't important, video quality when watching on the TV is.

Or perhaps the file is "ready to burn" in a format I am not yet familiar with...

Second issue:
The file opens in Quicktime, but plays with 1/4-1/2-second audio delay.
***File plays perfectly in VLC.***
I assume this will be an important clue!

I have taken the time to transcode via Toast into DVD format and I get the same audio delay when playing the VIDEO_TS folder via DVD player utility.

I then used ffmpegX to transcode the file using the "DVD Hi-Bitrate" quick setting and ended up with a VIDEO_TS folder that had the same audio delay when played via DVD Player.

I then loaded the .m2v and .ac3 files that ffmpegX created into Sizzle to see if I could get a good DVD image that way, but Sizzle complains that the .ac3 file isn't 48000 KHz (according to the original QuickTime file and ffmpegX it is), accepts the file anyway but quits with no error message at some point during the DVD image-creating process.

So, lots of questions contained here as I am traversing unexplored territory trying the "what happens if I do this" method the solving the audio delay issue.

Tips and clues welcome!


File Info:
350.6 MB
640x352
millions of colors
3ivx D4 4.5.1
23.98 fps
MPEG Layer 3 audio 48000 Hz

[WiseWeasel]

DVD format will give you better quality, when the source is at that resolution. VCD is 320*240, SVCD is 480*480, and DVD is 720*480. Stick with DVD export for the best quality. And yes, you do need Toast to reencode it for you, for which it will have to be able to decode the video and audio with QuickTime. Make sure you have the Divx.com 5.1.x codec installed.

[AntnyMD]

You can also encode to 352x480/576 for DVD and you will probably like the quality better than 720x480/576 for this particular encode.

Your audio sync issue is coming from the frame rate of the video. If you have the .m2v file laying around, run it through the PulldownX software. Your video needs pulldown flags so that your software and hardware DVD player will play your video back at 29.97 fps. Once you do this your audio should sync nicely.

[Ladd]

If you have the .m2v file laying around, run it through the PulldownX software.

Sigh. Deeper into the rabbit hole -- I tried to do the PulldownX thing on the .m2v file created by ffmpegX and Terminal immediately beeped with the error message "Unable to open file for reading".

Perhaps there's something wrong with the .m2v file created by ffmpegX -- I do note from looking at the ffmpegX choices I had selected the visible NTSC setting, which turns out to be NTSC film (23.976fps). There is another setting for NTSC (299.97) so I'm running ffmpegX again to see if it will create a VIDEO_TS folder whereby the audio is synched.

Several Hours Later:
Just finished running ffmpegX on the original file ensuring that NTSC 29.97 was selected. Resulting DVD_TS folder plays in QuickTime, but identical audio disconnect is exhibited.

Attempts to run the ffmpegX-created .ac3 and .m2v files through Sizzle causes Sizzle to quit as noted before.

Attempts to run the .m2v file through PulldownX results in the same error message seen before: "cannot read file".

I appreciate the help folks have offered even if the advice hasn't initially led to a solution. Any other ideas?

Is the fact that the original file plays fine in VLC even though it doesn't in QuickTime any clue?

Note: I just looked at the VLC info for this file and it lists this info:

Stream 0
codec = XVID, 640x352 type = video

Stream 1
codec = mpga, 2 channel, 48000Hz, 173080bps, type = audio

File Setting
HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED


Does this info help any?

[Ladd]

Update:

Sizzle 0.5b1 *does* process the .ac3 and .m3v files produced by ffmpegX (sizzle 0.5b2 crashes), but the audio disconnect still exists.

I'm guessing that at some point a process or codec used by QuickTime is introducing the audio disconnect. Whatever process or codec is causing the issue isn't used by VLC which is why that application can play the file properly.

Any way to export from VLC streams that can be re-combined to get a usable VCD or DVD?

[terryj]

Ok,
so basically after getting up to speed reading here,
it sounds like you have something similar to
an issue I had with DIVX encoded avi off of usenet
last month.

I will run through my steps of what i did to fix it.
Disclaimer:--*SOME PEOPLE* will obviously not like my steps,
but i am not posting these steps for them, I am
posting them, however, in the hopes that it will
help you get to the shortest possible fix for your problem.


First, what you will need to have:

Quicktime Pro 6.51
ffmepgx ( any flavor, i use build 0.6g)
Wiretap, Audio Hijack, or Audio Hijack Pro ( i use AHP)
the 3ivx d 4.51 codec ( NOT Divx 5.1, because they conflict)
Toast 6

Ok, here we go:

1. Open the file in QT PRo 6.51. Please make note of the
information that appears in the Info window ( Window-->Show Movie Info)
2. Write down the specifics of the file on a sheet of paper for ref.
( such as: File size: 640 x 352, fps)
3. Quit QT.
4. Launch ffmpegx
5. Uncheck the audio option. We are only going to be resetting the video.
Now previously We talked about whether the file was encoded
as Q1, Q2, or Qp22 using the 3ivx codec. For the sake of argument,
( and since I haven't seen the file, nor know how much artifacting is there)
I am going to go out on a limb and ASSUME the video was encoded
much like my avi clip, using Qp22, and is around SP VHS Video quality.

6. Input the avi as source for ffmpegx.
7. set destination for the file. tag as .avi,
we will be using the MPEG-4[.AVi] module.

8. Now for your selections:

for Auto Size, choose 1:1
for Video size, input the video size you wrote down from QT Pro 6.51

9. Leave everything else at default, click encode.

10. Once done,
go to QT Pro 6.51, and open the original file.

11. Launch Wiretap/AH/AHP

12. in Wiretap/AH/AHP, select QT PRO Player, select Hijack,
set the settings to AIFF, 16 bit Stereo, 192 kbps.
Set save destination.

13. click start recording.
14. Go to QT PRO, play the original file to end.

15. When done playing, close original file in QT Pro.
16. Quit Wiretap/AH/AHP.

17. Open the aiff in QT Pro.
18. open the new .avi file in QT Pro.

19. Select all the video in the .avi file. Copy.
20. Select the aiff. Add scaled the video to the aiff.

21. Save as self contained QT movie file.

22. Close file. Reopen file and test.

23. If audio and video are properly in sync ( they should be)
close the file, quit QT Pro, and then launch Toast 6.

24. Drag and Drop into Video CD of Toast 6.

25. Make your Video CD.

[Ladd]

I look forward to trying your method to synch up the audio/video. Thanks for taking the time to write up all the steps.

Data point:
I had read previously about possible conflcts between 3ivx and Divx (probably your posting) and found that I did, in fact, have both installed. Figuring that this might be the cause of the problem I am seeing with the audio disconnect when using the QuickTime player, I deleted everything related to Divx off my drive, visible and non-visible, leaving only the 3ivx codecs installed.

After doing this the .avi file wouldn't play.

I figured that even though the file said it used a 3ivx codec, perhaps previously having both installed confused it, so I deleted all the 3ivx files and re-installed Divx.

The file still wouldn't play.

To make a long story short, multiple deletions, uninstalls and installs later showed that the only way the file plays (in QT) is if BOTH 3ivx and Divx codecs are installed.

Yet another mystery to me as to why this is so, on top of the one whereby VLC plays the .avi file just fine when QuickTime player doesn't.

Clearly I long ago exceeded my interest in watching the TV show, now it is the quest for knowledge coupled with the determination to not let this file beat me that spurs me on!

OS X 10.2.8
QuickTime 6.5