What are non-packed bitstreams and how to encode them in AVI files

[MARIGOLD]

Hi, I already posted a thread about my problem here it is:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/349708-Cann-t-burn-mpg-into-vcd-due-to-encoding-problem!

Now, after trying avi2dvd, after it does transcoding process,

the encoder window opens and says : Could not decompress frame 0 (c:\source.avs,line 1)

after searching over the net I found that it might be related to non-packed bitstream
it is noteworthy that the file has been modified in windows movie maker, does this have something with packed and non-packed bistreams?

I used MPEG4Modifier hoping it will pack it but I get this err msg : this is not a valid mpeg-4 video start code not begining of the frame

Please, any explanation or reference or help will be appreciated.
If you refer to the first thread I put you will know the start of the problem and when I used vcd burning program it also mention that it is related to encoding problem, I just need to burn it to vcd in any way either by recoding first or any other solution. Thanks a lot in advance

[jagabo]

Basically, packed bitstream was invented as a workaround for Windows' Video For Windows (VFW) library. VFW is based on a "one frame in, one frame out" paradigm. It reads one frame worth of compressed video from the file, decompresses it, then hands it to the editor. But this paradigm breaks down with codecs that use bi-directional prediction and out-of-order decoding. With bi-directional prediction a frame may need to reference a future frame in order to be fully reconstructed. So the encoder packs the bi-directional frames along with the future frame into what looks like one frame to VFW. Then adds enough "null" frames (place holders for the packed frames) to the compressed stream to fill out the frame count. Internally the decoder decompresses the future frame and the bi-directional frames and stores them in memory until the program reads the null frames.

http://itsjustonesandzeros.blogspot.com/2007/01/what-is-packed-bitstream.html

I'm not sure what your problem with WMM is. Are you sure it output a Divx/Xvid AVI?

[jman98]

Packed bitsteam is NEVER necessary. NEVER. Whatever your problem is, I do not think this is it.

Just use Xvid4PSP on your file to convert it to Xvid and see if that gives you better results.

[Bjs]

Use mediainfo to determine codecs in play first.

Mpeg4modifier will show the warning for div3.

Moviemaker supports dv avi output ... which would be preferred over avi > wmv > other (far too much quality degradation)

From here a solution may be found.

[jagabo]

Packed bitsteam is NEVER necessary. NEVER.

It's necessary if you want frame accurate editing in a VFW editor.

[jagabo]

Moviemaker supports dv avi output ...

I suspect this is what the OP used. Mpeg4Modifier gives the "not a valid mpeg-4 video..." when opening an DV AVI file. Though that doesn't explain the problem with AVI2DVD.

[MARIGOLD]

Basically, packed bitstream was invented as a workaround for Windows' Video For Windows (VFW) library. VFW is based on a "one frame in, one frame out" paradigm. It reads one frame worth of compressed video from the file, decompresses it, then hands it to the editor. But this paradigm breaks down with codecs that use bi-directional prediction and out-of-order decoding. With bi-directional prediction a frame may need to reference a future frame in order to be fully reconstructed. So the encoder packs the bi-directional frames along with the future frame into what looks like one frame to VFW. Then adds enough "null" frames (place holders for the packed frames) to the compressed stream to fill out the frame count. Internally the decoder decompresses the future frame and the bi-directional frames and stores them in memory until the program reads the null frames.

http://itsjustonesandzeros.blogspot.com/2007/01/what-is-packed-bitstream.html

I'm not sure what your problem with WMM is. Are you sure it output a Divx/Xvid AVI?

Thanks a lot for the explanation, highly appreciate it.
Regarding WMM, I really don't know if it outputs a divx/xvid AVI, I think it is not coz when I run it in dvd player it says Data Error (divx)
How can I know if it is not divx avi and what is more important, how can I solve it if it is not divx avi, I am totally newbie this field,
Many many thanks

[MARIGOLD]

Packed bitsteam is NEVER necessary. NEVER. Whatever your problem is, I do not think this is it.

Just use Xvid4PSP on your file to convert it to Xvid and see if that gives you better results.

Thanks a lot,so if i convert it to xvid will it be like divx?

[jman98]

MARIGOLD - I told you what to do in my post. But if you would prefer to waste days on your problem and continue to get nowhere, that's OK with me.

[MARIGOLD]

Use mediainfo to determine codecs in play first.

Mpeg4modifier will show the warning for div3.

Moviemaker supports dv avi output ... which would be preferred over avi > wmv > other (far too much quality degradation)

From here a solution may be found.

I don't really understand, does 'dv' mean divx? told you totallly newbie
Anyway, I'll go and search about mediainfo to get more information , thanks a lot

[jagabo]

DV as in DV camcorder, DV codec.

[MARIGOLD]

MARIGOLD - I told you what to do in my post. But if you would prefer to waste days on your problem and continue to get nowhere, that's OK with me.

I don't want to waste days definitly
I just don't understand is divx the same as xvid, by the way, once I read your post I immadiately downloaded and it is converting now one of the files but it takes lots of time, didn't finish converting yet

[MARIGOLD]

YES YES YES YES IT WORKED!
thanks a looooooooooooooooooooooot jman
I used xvid4PSP , and the converted file worked immediately in the DVD player without the headache of converting it into VCD just like any normal avi, many many many thanks I was about to give up and ignore this file but finally

[jagabo]

is divx the same as xvid

Divx and Xvid are two implementations of the MPEG 4 Part 2 spec. Divx is a commercial produect, Xvid a free open source product. For the most part, players that can play one can play the other.

[MARIGOLD]

is divx the same as xvid

Divx and Xvid are two implementations of the MPEG 4 Part 2 spec. Divx is a commercial produect, Xvid a free open source product. For the most part, players that can play one can play the other.

Uha, I understand now
Thanks a lot for the explanation

[MARIGOLD]

Packed bitsteam is NEVER necessary. NEVER. Whatever your problem is, I do not think this is it.

Just use Xvid4PSP on your file to convert it to Xvid and see if that gives you better results.

I though that the converted file worked, but it seems it worked only for 5 seconds maybe and then it shows Data Error (divx) again,
I don't know where is the problem but I believe that this program will solve my problem coz it at least managed to run the beginning of the video but maybe I know the steps of using the program
what I did is:
1-open the file
2-video encoding is set at xvid HQ Ultra
Then I go to encode but it shows me a box saying:
The application "xvid_encraw.exe" has made an attempt to load ffdshow
this dialog is shown because this application is not l isted in the ffdshow whitelist or blacklist
your choice will be applied to both audio and video if both are used

then it gives me options:
*don't use ffdshow (just this once)
don't use ffdshow (always)
use ffdshow (just this once)
use ffdshow (always)

the first one is the selected one by default and then it starts encoding
by the way, when I try to burn it to vcd it gives me this warning:


the following properties are not according to the VideoCD standard:

witdh or height
video bit rate
encoding of the video stream
encoding of the audio stream
audio bit rate
general encoding

the fie is not video CD-compatible
the video will not work as expected

please re-encode the video file


can someone please tell me what is wrong? and how to fix it?

[jagabo]

AVI files are not compatible with VCD. VCD is MPEG 1 video at 352x240 29.97 fps (NTSC) or 352x288 25 fps PAL. You need to use an MPEG 1 encoder, not an Xvid encoder if you want to make a VCD. If your player plays Xvid/Divx AVI files you don't make a VCD, you just burn your AVI files to CDs as data files.

If you really need to make VCDs try using the free version of TMPGEnc.

[MARIGOLD]

jegabo, it didn't try to convert it from avi to vcd directly. I used Any Video Converter to convert avi to mpeg, then used ashampoo burning studio to convert it to vcd, it but no vain. My player plays divx files, and I always just burn avi files but this times it does not work, actually they are 34 files, all have been edited in Windows movie maker and all have the same problem, that's why I though about converting it to VCD

Anyway, I managed to solve the problem and I really believe that the problem is with Windows Movie Maker, what I did to solve the problem is:
Went back to the Windows movie maker and opened the project of the movie, then saved it as DV AVI, wmm only saves as wmv or DV AVI but the file is too large more than 4 GB
Then, I used total video converter to convert it from the big sized avi to another small sized avi file
The final converted file worked finally on the DVD player,

Thanks for everyone who tried to help me