Problem reducing size of final MPEG

[boing]

I have an 350MB AVI (4cc: XVID video/MPEGLAYER3 (MP3) (0x0055) audio) that I am trying to encode with Tmpgenc to Mpeg1 ready to burn to VCD

When I open it in Tmpgenc it tells me that the end Mpeg will be 1145MB in size, at this point I reduce the bitrate down to allow me to squeeze it onto a CD with a new file size of 780MB, the thing is though that as Tmpgenc encodes the file its doesnt seem to be producing the 'reduced in size' mpeg but instead again gives me a file of 1145 MB

I have experimented with the bitrate even to the point of trying 50kbs to see if this would alter the bitrate but the end file was still 1145MB

The only thing I notice that changes with each different bitrate was the countdown timer which was both quicker and smaller than with the higher bitrate

I am missing something? how can I get the outputted file to be smaller than 1145MB??

Cheers

[junkmalle]

Are you reducing the audio bitrate too?

[boing]

Are you reducing the audio bitrate too?

I have tried it with audio of 224kbs and 192kbs but still the same bloody oversize mpeg

Tmpgenc tells me the end file will be 780 but yet gives me the much larger file

[junkmalle]

I thought maybe you were using PCM audio which would make audio quite large -- so you wouldn't see as much difference as you changed the video bitrate. Guess that's not the case.

Which Rate Control Mode are you using? Contant Bitrate? 2 Pass VBR?

[boing]

Okay, I have just tried to encode another couple of AVI's and an Mpeg and none of them will reduce in size when I reduce the bitrate (I have successfully encoded one of the files already but cannot do it again, I am now at a total loss as to why I cannot reduce them again?)

I also tried to encode a file with HC and have had the same problem

What the heck is happening? anyone?

[spectroelectro]

MPEG-1 VCD is a fixed bitrate format. In order to reduce the size of the video, you're going to have to move to a variable bitrate format like SVCD using MPEG-2. MPEG-2 is a more efficient video encoding format than mpeg-1 anyway, so for the same bitrate you typically get smaller filesizes with mpeg-2.

If I were you I'd try encoding to svcd with mpeg-2 and then running ReJig on the output. Use a generous set of bitrate specs on the SVCD encode, something like 100 k min / 3000 av / 5000 max, then ReJig the output down to 690 mpegs. SVCD audio sampling rate is 44.1 khz so you shouldn't have any problems with sample-rate converting the audio.

[boing]

I have used Tmpgenc before to reduce the bitrate so that I can fit a film on a CD (eg: a 700mb AVI that when encoding with a bitrate of 1150 will give me an mpeg of 900mb, I then lowered the bitrate and got an mpeg1 of under 800mb etc), the problem here is that is wont allow me to do it now?

I know something is wrong because I have an AVI that I once [as an experiment] encoded at 20kbs which resulted in a unwatchable video with no audio, I have just tried this experiment again and this time I get a watchable video with some artifacts but still watchable

What seems to be happening is that Tpmgenc is detecting me change the bitrate and then telling me what the output filesize will be but then upon clicking to start the encoding process it doesnt follow through with the lower bitrate like I used to be able to do

[junkmalle]

Boing, I figured out what your problem is. When you select Standard VideoCD from the Wizard it always uses 1150 kbps -- even if you change the bitrate manually. To get a different bitrate you need to go to Settings -> System and set Stream Type to "MPEG 1 Video CD (non standard)" TMPGEnc will now use whatever bitrate you specify. The resulting VCD may or may not work on your DVD player though.

[boing]

Boing, I figured out what your problem is. When you select Standard VideoCD from the Wizard it always uses 1150 kbps -- even if you change the bitrate manually. To get a different bitrate you need to go to Settings -> System and set Stream Type to "MPEG 1 Video CD (non standard)" TMPGEnc will now use whatever bitrate you specify. The resulting VCD may or may not work on your DVD player though.

That has done it mate

I take it this must have been the setting I had it on before?, I never manually set it to this setting though so heck knows what happened?

Is there any 'huge' reason why it 'may not' play in my DVD player?, I mean if this is the only setting that could allow me to play around with the bitrate then surely it is the setting I must have used before with success?

Either way, for know it is looking good with the outputting mpeg reduced in size , after its finished I'll run a test burn and then try it in my DVD then report back

Thanks for your help

[junkmalle]

Is there any 'huge' reason why it 'may not' play in my DVD player?,

Well, it's called "non standard" for a reason!

surely it is the setting I must have used before with success?

Sounds like it will work then.