File gets smaller after conversion???

[welz400]

I have an avi media file which I have converted with TMPGenc Pro to a mpg2 file
First off 'avicodec' tell me this about the avi file:

File : 1.34 GB (1.34 GB), duration: 1:55:50, type: AVI, 1 audio stream(s), quality: 62 %
Video : 1.22 GB, 1505 Kbps, 23.976 fps, 576*432 (4:3), XVID = XVID Mpeg-4, Supported
Audio : 119 MB, 145 Kbps, 44100 Hz, 2 channels, 0x55 = Lame MP3, Supported

After conversion to mpg2 using TMPGenc Pro, now 'avicodec' tells me:
File : 5.26 GB (2.97 MB), duration: 0:00:03, type: MPG, 1 audio stream(s), quality: 90 %
Video :2.88 MB, 8000 Kbps, 25.0 fps, 720*576 (16:9), MPG2 = MPEG 2 (SVCD/DVD), Supported
Audio : 93 KB, 256 Kbps, 48000 Hz, 2 channels, 0x51 = Mpeg-1 audio Layer 2 [0xc0], Supported

Anyone any ideas here please?
I used the standard dvd template for the conversion .

Thanks

[reboot]

Smaller?
Original is 1.34GB, product is 5.26GB.
There's a problem with the original, or the XviD codec you're using, as the output is only 3 seconds long
What's the question?

[Baldrick]

is the file 5.26GB? can you play the video?

avicodec may be wrong

[welz400]

Ok, well the question is why the difference after conversion?
Yes I know the file size is a 5.26Gb mpg, but avicodec says its only 2.97mb, eh? where does it get that from.
Also the audio is only 93kb after conversion.

I tried playing the mpg file with windows media player but it was jumpy, like stuttered.; both video and audio.
Anyway, now I have used virtualdub to remove the audio as a wav file of 1.16Gb, and then just converting the video only with TMPGenc, so we'll see how that come out.

The original reason for doing all this is because the first time I converted the said avi and put it ona dvd, the dvd started to break up after about 40mins of playing.

Thanks

[guns1inger]

The output is definately screwed, but you know that because it wont play and avicodec reports is as 3 seconds long. All you can really do is encode it again and see what happens.

I would scan the original for bad frames first, as you could be wasting your time.

[welz400]

Ok, thanks, I'll do that, but what tool should I use to scan for bad frames?

[welz400]

Ok, forget that last question.
I used Virtualdubmod to scan for bad frames in the avi file and there none.

So having extracted the audio to a wav file and then just converted the video only to a m2v file, I'll use those 2 files to author the dvd then.

Thanks anyway

[junkmalle]

AVICodec often gives incorrect information about MPEG files.

[welz400]

Its the audio thats screwed. Virtualdub reports a problem with the audio,
Anyway I can fix that then?

Thanks

[junkmalle]

VirtualDub has problems with variable bitrate audio. What is the exact problem it reported? There are easy workarounds for most of them.

[welz400]

Ok, the reported problem from Virtualdub is:
'VirtualDub has detected a improper VBR audio encoding in the source AVI file and will re write the headers with standard CBR values during processing for better compatability. This may introduce upto 17795 ms of scew from the video stream. If thsi is unacceptable decompress the *entire* audio stream to an uncompressed WAV file and recompress with constant bitrate encoder'

That is 99% of the error message from VD.

Thanks

[junkmalle]

Open the AVI file in VirtualDub and enable full processing mode for audio (Audio -> Full prosessing mode). Save the audio as a WAV file (File -> Save WAV). Then use that file as the audio source in VirtualDub (Audio -> WAV audio).

[welz400]

Ok thanks, but what do I save it as?
I saved it as an avi file, but it grew to 9.2Gb for 8.9 mins of playing time!!!

Can you be a bit more specific please?

Thanks

[junkmalle]

If you're going to create a movie DVD don't save the file at all. Frame serve to TMPGEnc. Frame serving simply passes the frames one by one to another program.

[reboot]

Save the audio as a WAV file (File -> Save WAV).

He did not say, "Save the avi..."
Frameserving is the best way.

[welz400]

I know junkmalle didn't say to save as avi, I just tried it, being not so clever you see.

Ok, being a real thickie here, how do I Frameserve to TMPGenc?

I start Frameserver, then a little box comes up with the name of the avi file, then I click on 'Start' and I am asked, but then nothing happens, zilch!

So what have I missed?

Thanks

[welz400]

ooops, missed something out in previous post.
It should say' and I am asked for a name of a file? to save it as, then nothing happens.

Sorry about that, I was too eager

[junkmalle]

Open that file in TMPGEnc.

[KBeee]

ooops, missed something out in previous post.
It should say' and I am asked for a name of a file? to save it as, then nothing happens.

Sorry about that, I was too eager

Save it as "whatever-you-want.vdr.avi" - Then open it with TMPGEnc

[welz400]

junkmalle, you say open that? file in TMPGenc, err which file are we talking about now?

Then Kbeee says save it as whatever I want. Ok I did, but nothing happend.

Thanks

[junkmalle]

In VirtualDub select File -> Start Frameserver. Supply a frameserver name, then supply a file name (*.vdr). VirtualDub is now ready to serve frames to TMPGEnc.

In TMPGEnc select the vdr file as your source. You may need to change the filename template to *.* to see the file in the open dialog.

[welz400]

When I choose the *.vdr file in TMPGenc, I get an error message saying it can't open or is unsupported.

[junkmalle]

Did you leave the VirtualDub frame server running?

[reboot]

Is the frameserver actually installed?

[welz400]

Well I see a message on the framserver box saying 'Framesever clients installed None'

So I guess it isn't . Oh well back to the drawing board again.

Thanks

[johns0]

Open your virtualdub folder and open auxsetup.exe and click on install handler,then frameserve and open with tmpgenc.

[welz400]

Thanks, and now it says 'Frameclients installed AVIfile only'.

OK now what, because still nothing happens. The numbers in the boxes stay at 0.

Thanks

[johns0]

When you start frameserving you save a file named xxx.vdr,open this file with tmpgenc and just start encoding.

[welz400]

Ok, yes, thanks for that. I should have realised myself...doh!

Now then, I framserved the avi and wav files of the said media file to TMPGenc while I was in bed, and it has turned into a 5.3Gb file which is ok, but the problem is that it has turned out exactly the same as before with only 2.88mb of video and 119kb of audio according to aviciodec. When I play the mpg file in WMP both video and audio are jumpy and slow.

Any other ideas please?

Thanks

[junkmalle]

Once again, you can't trust what AVICodec says about MPEG files. There's a reason it's called AVIcodec!

Since we covered a lot of different things, it would help if you went over your full procedure. What you should be doing:

1) OPen your original AVI file in VirtualDub. Ignore the VBR audio warning.

2) Enable Audio -> Full processing mode.

3) File -> Save WAV.

4) On the Audio menu select that WAV file from step 3 as the audio source: Audio -> WAV Audio. VirtualDub will now use the WAV file instead of the audio in the AVI file.

5) Set up any other processing settings you need in VirtualDub.

6) Start frame serving from VirtualDub.

7) In TMPGEnc, Open the VDR file.

8) In TMPGEnc set up all the other processing you want, then Start the conversion.

I noticed you're doing an NTSC film to PAL conversion. This will also be the source of a little jerkiness in TMPGEnc's outout. To get 25 fps out of a 23.976 fps progressive source TMPGEnc will simply duplicate a frame now and then.

NTSC to PAL is a whole other discussion. The best way to do an NTSC to PAL conversion is to speed up the AVI file's FPS rate to 25 using something like AVIFRate. Then, since the video is now playing faster, speed up the audio by the same amount. Many audio editing programs can do this without changing the pitch. Then use that faster audio file along with the faster video to produce your PAL outout.