Can I Encode Multiple AVI's to One MPEG2 file with TMPEGEnc?

[scottoinkingsburg]

I am about to begin a new big video project for my website. I do all of my editing in raw non-compressed avi format then encode the files into DVD- ready MPEG2 files so I can burn the video to DVD. The question I have is, after editing, some of these files can be 10 to 20GB in size. And if you have three or more files this size, you can burn HD space up very very quickly! Anyways after I am editing, I would like to take the multiple .avi files and convert them into one mpeg2 file. Can this be done with TMPGEnc? I was just curious if this could be done. Maybe with a tool like AVI Synth? Write a avs script and open the script with TMPEG Encoder. Is this possible? Thanks, Scotto

[Matt D]

Totally possible. You can open them all in V-dub, edit out any bits you don't want and frameserve it to TMPGEnc or you could write an AVS and open that in V-dub and frameserve to TMPGEnc.

[scottoinkingsburg]

OK, I have never frameserved anything out of V-dub, I am looking at the program right now. What do I need to do to perform that task?

[BJ_M]

as long as they are in the same dir. and named seq. like

file.0001.avi , file.0002.avi , file.0003.avi .. tmpgenc will encode them to one mpeg file .. just select the first one and the reast will be loaded auto..

[Matt D]

What BJ_M says is true, and it's a great feature, but there is another reason I suggest frameserving. That is because when dealing with huge files it's nice not to have to save interim AVIs before encoding.
Say you have 2 or 3 80GB files that need to be edited and encoded. Editing them and saving out the pieces will result in, for example, 2 or 3 more files that are perhaps 50GB each. Now you've got 150-175GB on top of the 240GB for the originals. Ouch!
If you elect to frameserve, you load them all into V-dub at once, edit out footage that you don't want and frameserve to TMPGEnc. You will not have to save out any extra pieces, the only additional drive space that will get used is by the MPG.
For me this works great because I don't do any fancy editing. If your work is more involved, it might not be the best way for your particular projects.
Either way it's still good to know how to do it, and there is a good guide here.

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/userguides/87270.php

[ChickenMan]

Another alternative, is to simply use The FilmMachine ( http://members.home.nl/thefilmmachine/ ). Load in as many AVI's and in any order you like and encode to DVD MPEG2 format.

CM

[cmacleo]

TMPGEnc XPress happily will encode several AVI files (and many other video files) to a MPEG2. Just load the several sources and then encode with all clips as one file

[vhelp]

Morning everyone :P

@ Matt D (and others) ...

Actually, you don't have to go the vdub route (you can skip it)
in this situation, if you follow my notes below
(first time - discovered by vhelp (to my knowledge, I've never seen it
posted anywheres, hehe)

Another great reason why I love TMPGenc

STEPS to: Cutting / Keeping areas inside TMPGenc ...

* load your source inside TMPG (any way you do it is fine, as long
.. as your source is "sequentually numbered" (as BJ_M indicated)

* click on Settings\Advanced\[x] Source range\ ...

* now, (after *ALL* your source avi files are loaded in TMPG, you
.. can highlight those areas you want to *edit out* (or *keep in*)
.. by clicking on the button [Cut editing] .. this button will expand
.. w/ two *obvious* selections ( can you figure them out ? )
.. Cut currently selected area is one, and the other is the
.. opposite. Both are *VERY* useful !!
..
.. Note.., you'll see this button to your bottom left

There. No more reason to frameserve (from vdub or AVIsynth) unless
you have to use filters that TMPG does not have
(But, IMO I do not recommend filtering for most any sources)

Thus ends the lesson for today

Class dismiss.

Cheers,
-vhelp 2841

[Matt D]

Hmm, quite interesting vhelp. What version are you using, because there sure isn't any "Cut Edit" button in TMPGEnc Plus version 2.53.

[vhelp]

hmm... how strange

I'm using version 2.520 !!

You mean, they took it out of later versions ??
Wow. They must be only inluding it in the higher or pricier version ?

oh well. ..but its a great feature. Hay.., but this version doesn't seem
to "segment" more than one AVI file. Even if I number them
as BJ_M suggested. I can't seem to get it to open more than one AVI
file

-vhelp

[BJ_M]

they seem to have take out cut edit ... but the seq. avi works in your verson (just turn in on in options , under general tab , by default it is off)

[vhelp]

@ BJ_M

I was so happy that you shared the tip, and I tried it.

It works like a charm ..this saves a lot of time and steps

Thanks pal,
-vhelp

[vhelp]

.
.
and for another tip (regaring sequence avi's) ...

If you don't want to have TMPG *change* your source file settings when it loads
in a new AVI file(s) but you want to keep your settings as-is, you can just type
in the filename for both the video/audio, and press Alt-O then Enter
.
It will refresh and the new time-line will refresh as well, but with the new
time/frames too

-vhelp

[Baldrick]

I added this tips yeaaaaaars ago... https://www.videohelp.com/tmpgenc.htm#problems ....

[BJ_M]

I added this tips yeaaaaaars ago... https://www.videohelp.com/tmpgenc.htm#problems ....

he meant the other tip

[vhelp]

yes.. but.., what I really about the avi cutting part, is that when I
perform my IVTC (using TMPG) I make my cuts first, insde tmpg, and then I join
everything all-together (I make sure the 3:2 pattern is not broken (if I can))
but if I make a mistake in the 3:2 pattern, TMPG will keep up anyways, and
continue the IVTC process flawlessly !!

This is such a *great* time savings. I can't tell you have much it is, but it is !!
The IVTC part is the *important* part of all.

For instance, I just capture (w/ my ADVC-100 and my crapy Antenna source) the
show (my favorite) Everwood. Because this show is in Film, and is *properly*
Telecined, I can perform an IVTC on it w/out having to worry one i-otta of
trouble, using the above technique. All with-in 5 minutes of cutting/editing
out the commercials. I get a 45 minutes ( after cutting out commercials )
and I set my bitrate to ... well, here's specs:

--> For EVERWOOD TV Show

From:

* Antenna -> ADVC-100 -> winDV to these DV (type 2) avi files ...
* 01.avi.00.avi
* 01.avi.01.avi
* 01.avi.02.avi
* 01.avi.04.avi

To this inside TMPG:

* Cutting: inside tmpg - cut out all commercials
* 720 x 480 - (w/ 8 pixel mask square)
* IVTC: use tmpg's built-in (fast mode)
* Bitrate: 9000
* Mode: CBR
* FPS: 23.976 w/ 3:2 pulldown (tmpg)
* Audio: 192k

Then, to:

* ifoEdit w/ celltimes.txt (my chapters) to VOB
* Burn to DVD disk using Nero

Well, my whole encoding time says 1:40 minutes.

I think that about wraps up my "rough" recipe for now on Everwood projects :P

Anyways... More than enough bitrate for one (45min) DVD disk author project

I can't wait till this finish. And, all this, cause I can Cut/Edit inside TMPG
and IVTC on-the-fly (and w/out frameserving) - - what a time saver !!

Ok. So I'm happy in all. Thanks everyone.
-vhelp