AVI to Mpeg2 conversion

[carlmart]

Which is the best way, quality wise, to convert AVI files that maybe Xvid or Divx to Mpeg2 files that may be used to author a DVD?

Until now I have been using mostly Procoder, but since my recent conversions with VirtualDub or AVStoDVD I am not sure that program is as transparent as I would like it to be.

What do you suggest as best?

[Baldrick]

HCEnc is the best free solution.

[carlmart]

HCEnc is the best free solution.

And which is the best non-free one?

[jman98]

And which is the best non-free one?

I'd vote for CCE. It has something like 3 different versions at different prices. I have an old version that I sometimes still use, but HCEnc + AviSynth has worked so well for me recently that I'm finding it harder to justify using CCE any more.

[carlmart]

In my case I would only be able to run HCEnc through AVStoDVD, because I couldn't make it work by itself.

[carlmart]

OK. New question concerning this AVI to MPEG2 conversion: the original file is in 16:9 letterbox and I would like to have it in full 16:9.

Is it possible to do that AVStoDVD?

[guns1inger]

When you say 16:9 letterbox, do you mean it is actually 4:3, with the black bars encoded in it ?

If so, it is possible with AVStoDVD, but only by changing the avisynth script before encoding.

If it is a widescreen video with no black bars, AVStoDVD can (and will be default, I believe) encode it as 16:9 anamorphic.

[jman98]

When you say 16:9 letterbox, do you mean it is actually 4:3, with the black bars encoded in it ?

I strongly suspect the poster means that the file is in something like 2.39:1 and they want to convert it to 16:9 so it completely fills up the screen, but they do not understand the ramifications of this - you can do it, but you'll lose some of the image.

[guns1inger]

And again, you will have to go in and manually alter the AVS script in AVStoDVD before you encode.

[carlmart]

When you say 16:9 letterbox, do you mean it is actually 4:3, with the black bars encoded in it ?

If so, it is possible with AVStoDVD, but only by changing the avisynth script before encoding.

If it is a widescreen video with no black bars, AVStoDVD can (and will be default, I believe) encode it as 16:9 anamorphic.

Yes, it's a 4:3 with horizontal bars that I want to leave out and anamorphize it to 16:9.

How do I change that Avisynth script before encoding?

[carlmart]

When you say 16:9 letterbox, do you mean it is actually 4:3, with the black bars encoded in it ?

I strongly suspect the poster means that the file is in something like 2.39:1 and they want to convert it to 16:9 so it completely fills up the screen, but they do not understand the ramifications of this - you can do it, but you'll lose some of the image.

That I wouldn't do. I am totally against altering the original ratio. If it's cinemascope, whatever the ratio, I don't mind having black bars.

[manono]

How do I change that Avisynth script before encoding?

Crop(0,60,0,-60)
Lanczos4Resize(720,480)

And encode for 16:9. I don't know anything about AVStoDVD, so I don't know how you edit the script it generates. And even if you're successful in converting it to 16:9, you may (or may not) be disappointed with the results. It's not as if you can create resolution that's not there to begin with.

[AlanHK]

How do I change that Avisynth script before encoding?

Crop(0,60,0,-60)
Lanczos4Resize(720,480)

Note, the actual numbers in the "Crop" depend on the file. They refer to:
Left, Top, Right, Bottom
respectively.

I like to use AvsP to edit AVS files with preview, it has a crop editor you can drag to get the numbers exactly.

[_MrC_]

OK. New question concerning this AVI to MPEG2 conversion: the original file is in 16:9 letterbox and I would like to have it in full 16:9.

Is it possible to do that AVStoDVD?

Yes, it is possible, and it is very easy, without editing the AVS script.

Go to 'Edit Title'/'Video', toggle off 'Auto Video Setup' and select "16:9" from 'Video Aspect Ratio'. AviSynth script will be adjusted automatically.



Bye

[carlmart]

OK. New question concerning this AVI to MPEG2 conversion: the original file is in 16:9 letterbox and I would like to have it in full 16:9.

Is it possible to do that AVStoDVD?

Yes, it is possible, and it is very easy, without editing the AVS script.

Go to 'Edit Title'/'Video', toggle off 'Auto Video Setup' and select "16:9" from 'Video Aspect Ratio'.

But will the black bars be cropped away?

[guns1inger]

What is the resolution of the source file ?

Does it have the bars embedded ?

[_MrC_]

But will the black bars be cropped away?

It will crop to change resolution from 4:3 to 16:9. You can see the exact amount of cropping by looking at AviSynth script ('AviSynth' tab).

You can also preview the output video from the 'AviSynth' tab.



Bye

[carlmart]

What is the resolution of the source file ?

Does it have the bars embedded ?

The original files is 608 x 368, and it does have the bars embedded.

In fact the original DVD, which I also have, was exactly like that. Probably ready to be shown correctly in any 4:3 TV in letterboxed 16:9. And there's a whole series of european films released like that.

So I tried to find a new full-16:9 version, but there is not. So I am carrying on some tests on an avi version I found and see how far I can get. But I think it will be better to use the original DVD file.

[carlmart]

But will the black bars be cropped away?

It will crop to change resolution from 4:3 to 16:9. You can see the exact amount of cropping by looking at AviSynth script ('AviSynth' tab).

You can also preview the output video from the 'AviSynth' tab.

Yes, it did output a 16:9 file.

Can you explain a bit more on how to preview the output video?

[carlmart]

How do I change that Avisynth script before encoding?

Crop(0,60,0,-60)
Lanczos4Resize(720,480)

And encode for 16:9. I don't know anything about AVStoDVD, so I don't know how you edit the script it generates. And even if you're successful in converting it to 16:9, you may (or may not) be disappointed with the results. It's not as if you can create resolution that's not there to begin with.

Oh, I know I can't increase the resolution if it's not there. But going full-screen will help on setting the subtitles in the right place.

In any case, are there any tricks I can try to improve the apparent resolution?

[manono]

Oh, it's 1.66:1. Then the traditional 4:3 to 16:9 methods won't work, if you want to keep the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Here's how a 4:3 1.66:1 movie looks at 720x480:



and here's how it looks when 16:9:



The cropping in the script you use depends on the exact placement of the black bars in the original 4:3 DVD, but one sample script might go:

Crop(0,48,0,-48) #if those are the correct crop values
Lanczos4Resize(656,480)
AddBorders(32,0,32,0)

Again, I have no idea how you'd go about doing this in AVSToDVD. Or, you could do a tradional 4:3 to 16:9 conversion and lose part of the picture since the video aspect ratio will become 1.78:1.

In any case, are there any tricks I can try to improve the apparent resolution?

I use LimitedSharpenFaster.

But I didn't quite understand this:

The original files is 608 x 368, and it does have the bars embedded.

So maybe all that above was just wasted effort on my part.

And I would definitely use the original DVD as a source for the 4:3 to 16:9 conversion. I have no idea why you're even considering using an inferior AVI as your source.

[carlmart]

Oh, it's 1.66:1. Then the traditional 4:3 to 16:9 methods won't work, if you want to keep the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Here's how a 4:3 1.66:1 movie looks at 720x480:



and here's how it looks when 16:9:



The cropping in the script you use depends on the exact placement of the black bars in the original 4:3 DVD, but one sample script might go:

Crop(0,48,0,-48) #if those are the correct crop values
Lanczos4Resize(656,480)
AddBorders(32,0,32,0)

Again, I have no idea how you'd go about doing this in AVSToDVD. Or, you could do a tradional 4:3 to 16:9 conversion and lose part of the picture since the video aspect ratio will become 1.78:1.

Well, you're absolutely right! I just made a comparison between the original avi file and the converted one, and it does lose picture up and below.

AVStoDVD has some space where I think I can put those scripts in.

What do I do with the other Avisynth screen where I put 16:9 in? Do I deactivate it and leave just the script to work?

In any case, are there any tricks I can try to improve the apparent resolution?

I use LimitedSharpenFaster.

Is that a program or what?

But I didn't quite understand this:

The original files is 608 x 368, and it does have the bars embedded.

So maybe all that above was just wasted effort on my part.

I run MediaInfo and it showed me that for the file. It's probably reading the file without the bars. If I play the file in WMP it also fills the screen, with no bars. But if I play it with VLC or on my DVD, the screen will be in the middle, as 4:3 letterbox.

And I would definitely use the original DVD as a source for the 4:3 to 16:9 conversion. I have no idea why you're even considering using an inferior AVI as your source.

The original image is not that good, seems as if they used a 16mm copy on the telecine (which maybe they did). So I was looking for a better source. The avi file was taken from that DVD file, that's for sure. I don't think there are other DVDs for that film, which it's a pity.

[victoriabears]

may I ask why you are doing this, why not just get a dvd player that plays the files?

If you are doing it for a friend/relative, the time saved by buying them a machine will be worth it.

[manono]

What do I do with the other Avisynth screen where I put 16:9 in?

I don't understand. What other AviSynth screen? The 16:9 is set in the encoder or somewhere in AvsToDVD.

Is that a program or what?

LimitedSharpen(Faster) is a sharpener available as an AviSynth function:

http://avisynth.org/mediawiki/LimitedSharpen

[carlmart]

It's fair that I should make your work easier, so here are the two screens for AVStoDVD: script1 with 4:3 in Avisynth and script2 with 16:9 activated in the Avisynth setup.

[/img]

[carlmart]

Here's the other:

[carlmart]

It looks as if I have to modify the "12" numbers, perhaps to "10" or so, right?

[carlmart]

may I ask why you are doing this, why not just get a dvd player that plays the files?

The files ARE played in the player, but only in 4:3 letterbox. In my 42" plasma screen it only can be played in 4:3, or I will lose the subtitles. It was authored like that: I can't do much else keeping the original.

If you are doing it for a friend/relative, the time saved by buying them a machine will be worth it.

They are for me. I am re-authoring many of my DVDs for this new screen. Some films are old and will not be released again. But even on newer ones the subtitles are too large for a 42" screen and take up a lot of image space. They need to be re-positioned, use smaller characters and longer lines, so they become less invasive.

[carlmart]

What do I do with the other Avisynth screen where I put 16:9 in?

I don't understand. What other AviSynth screen? The 16:9 is set in the encoder or somewhere in AvsToDVD.

Sorry, following MrC explanations I went to "View/Edit Title settings", then "Video Edit" and unmarked "Auto Video Setup". Then marked 16:9 fopr video aspect radio.

That got me "script2" on the screens I loaded above.

LimitedSharpen(Faster) is a sharpener available as an AviSynth function:

http://avisynth.org/mediawiki/LimitedSharpen

The question is where I can load that for this process.

[poisondeathray]

I'm confused. Please clarify what you are trying to do? Are you trying to distort the 4:3 active image?

Do you want the subs displayed on the active image (it should be on a 16:9 TV). So you are trying to make the image smaller to display the subs differently on a letterboxed black area while maintaining the aspect ratio? - if so you will lose image pixels from cropping as pointed out earlier

The frame size of the avi is 608x368, is it 1:1 pixels, or is there anamorphic display or DAR information set?

Do you want to preserve the aspect ratio of the avi (approximately) or the original source? (most avi's are cropped approximately to conform to mod16, and are not exactly like the original source, they are off by a bit)

What is the active area (the actual image cropped)?

I think victoriabears was saying get a cheap $35 DVD player that supports DivX/Xvid instead of converting to DVD. DVD only supports 4:3 , 16:9 so you have to do some math to make it display exactly how you want it. In contrast , you could make it display exactly how you wanted it to by hardsubbing an avi easily, even sub placement, styles, colors etc,....

If you can't figure it out, it might help to upload a 1 sec sample of the source here. Use virtualdub, direct stream copy video & audio, mark in/mark out, save.

You need to place the LimitedSharpenFaster.avsi (search the avisynth site for the link) in the avisynth/plugins directory. Read the documentation, the strength default is 100, you might want to adjust that.