Joining Mpeg files problem

[efiste2]

I have ripped lots of Car action from various TV action shows and am in the process of joining them all together using my favourite editor program VideRedo.....Hoever I have stumbled on a strange problem which Im hoping you learned chaps can sort for me......
Most of the clips join join together with no problems and smoothly join together. but certain clips display a very short black screen before playing the specific clip and after the specific clip all other clips then join flawlessley. ie, either side of the clip there is a black screen displayed for a very short time. Its spoils the edit so I need to see if it can be fixed. The funny thing is that the rougue file is ripped from exactly the same DVD disc as other files that work fine......The other clue to the problem I can give you is that the clips that do not join well when loaded into Videoredo show a "kink" or a "step" in the frame at the top of the picture....as I have arrowed in the pic below, All the clips that join without a problem DO not show this kink....If I still include the "problem" clip in the final product, ie all the clips joined and then saved as ONE file, When I reimport that ONE BIG file into Videoredo, when the "problem" clip is about to be shown, the program stops and gives an error message "Video Thread - Video Dimensions Changed"
Up till now out of around 100 clips I have joined together THREE clips have done the same thing.
Can anyone suggest a solution or indeed a way of making these rougue clips fit into the final edit without showing this black screen.
Any help or even a solution would be really apreciated.......

[DB83]

I wonder whether the cut for the troublesome clips is not on an I-frame

[transporterfan]

First I would run the individual clips through QuickStream Fix in VideoRedo, saving them as new files.
Get the info for the 'ONE BIG file' which works using MediaInfo.
Then use a crop tool to remove (overscan/poor cut?) black bars.
Resize the cropped clips and convert using the dimensions, bitrates and file type given for the 'ONE BIG file'.

The small amount of distortion in the frame will most likely only be recognizable by you, if at all.
After all this, try joining with the edited files in VideoRedo again and see if it works.
It is something I have done in the past and it worked for me.

[efiste2]

The quickstream fix doesnt make any difference im afraid. and im not quite sure how to set about doing the second part of your answer. I have downloaded media info, can you suggest a crop tool for me to use.
Im assuming you mean i should use mediainfo to get the general settings for the BIG file, then use the crop tool to match the "rougue" clip to the bigger clip. the join them again. I know this is a noob question but what are the settings/info that i should be looking at..........

[transporterfan]

The QuickStream Fix option did work (it proved there were no bad sync frames).

I used Avanti for cropping (I think..It was a while ago and I have only needed to do it the once to correct part of a wedding video).
If you install it make sure the AviSynth/FFmpeg combo are 32 bit builds. It's important to avoid conflicts!

Load your source and name your destination file. Set Destination Audio to 'Copy Audio'.
Destination Video wants to be Codec=mpeg2 and Container=vob. Everything else wants to be set to 'Source'.
I'll ignore the MediaInfo and just max everything...Set Bitrate to 9000 and Min rate to 6000. Ignore Max rate.
The trouble with cropping is it causes a recode. This may not give you the quality you want. Experiment.

The two tabs at the top of the screen you need to know are the blue circle (Main Page) and the black-barred thumbnail (Crop/Scale). Click it.
Set 'Destination size' to match 'Source Size'. On the right, use ONLY the red boxes (Crop). The following are guesses.
You will have to tweak to suit. In the box above the word 'Crop' enter '4'. If that is a black bar on the left then, in the box to the left of the top 'Reset' button enter '8'. You can use the 'Preview' button to view your handiwork.

Return to Main Page (blue circle). Tick 2 pass if you prefer and sync audio. Click 'Start process' (twice) and hopefully you will have a new file in a few minutes which is compatible with VideoRedo's Join option.
If not, you're going to have to go the whole hog and learn FFmpeg. Sorry.

[efiste2]

I have found the problem, I had forgotten that I had to rip a few clips off the REGION 2 discs, because my region 1 discs have a scratch somewhere and SHRINK will not import it and thats whats cadusing these annoying black screens either side of the clip....even though the clip I need isnt scratched.

So my question is a) Is there a program that will work its way around the regiopn issue,
b) is there a ripping program that can avoid damaged disc areas.........Thanks so much for your help on this one

[DB83]

My head hurts.

What are you asking ? Region 1 disks will be NTSC. Region 2 will be PAL. You would have to convert one or the other to ensure that both join. Both frame size and fps are different. You do know that ?

And that will itself not create a black screen.

A scratch on the disk. What are the odds of that happening at the start of a clip ?. No. That would result in some missing footage - a jump - as the ripping tools will simply avoid the scratch.

Dvdshrink is not really a ripping tool so if it does cause the black screen then use a proper ripper - start with dvddecrypter. That has a force mode to ride over any scratches bit you can not recover the data under them.

[efiste2]

apolgies for making your head hurt..........how do I convert PAL to NTSC. I do know that a scratch isnt causing the black screen I am saying that due to a scratch on my R1 NTSC disc i had to use a R2 Pal disc, and combining the two formats IS causing the black screen. So can I convert the PAL clip to NTSC settings.......

[Noahtuck]

Really ?!?!?!

A member for over 10 years and you are using DVD SHRINK to rip dvd's ?!?!?!

Someone has NOT been paying attention!!!

Use something else to try and rip the disc's you want, even though scratched, it may not be the scratches preventing a good rip/copy of the original dvd.

Anydvd, DVDFab Decrypter,

[efiste2]

Shrink has always been great to rip a clip from a dvd for me personally, using the re-author mode...obviousley its rubbush for damaged discs. as I have said previosuley is there a simple program that will convert an PAL file to an NTSC file.
Also I do use DVD FAB for a few thimgs but I dont know how to rip a creatin section, I can only find how to rip a chapter in the "CUSTOMIZE" option......is it actually possible to rip a small section (not a whole chapter) using DVD FAB

[Noahtuck]

Well the point is, DVD Shrink has not been updated in YEARS!!!

3.2 (July 25, 2004)

That is a LIFETIME x 10 in the digital media world.

It can not defeat "most" copy protections newer than the software.

I still use shrink from time to time, but I first rip dvd's to my hdd with something else then use shrink for what I want to do.
Dvd Shrink is still a great tool, for what you can use it for.

[efiste2]

I know Shrink is from a bygone era, but what i need right now is either a program that will turn a PAL video file (mpeg) into an NTSC file (or similar settings) that wont cause errors or black screens in VideoReDo......
I have tried ripping the DVD with AnyDVD and it error messages at 91.5 % of the disc and FABDVD does the same even with 10 attempts at the Ignore error feature. The clip I am after is around this point they all fail on.
So unless i can adapt the PAL rip to NTSC settings......Ill have to try to repair the disc or buy a new NTSC one....

Once again thanks for your patience....

[theewizard]

IF you have the vobs are hard drive
try vobtompeg then try avidemux to convert them the frame size and dgindex to convert to nstc

your in the uk, why not convert the nstc disc to pal, instead of pal to nstc

is there some reason this must be nstc

[efiste2]

All of the clips originate from NTSC discs, that is apart from one or two that are PAL, and I only had to use PAL due to scratched discs.......
The files are in Mpeg already as outputted by ReDo, if I use Avidemux what frame size do i need to convert them to

Thanks again

[transporterfan]

This thread reminds me of something, oh yes, I remember now:

"You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension - a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone!"

[efiste2]

By dragging you "Learned" guys into the "ZONE" Its obviousley beyond my knowledge and experience to do this after all this info you have given me, apologies for wasting your time on this......I have ordered a new NTSC disc thanks again for your time and witty comments

[transporterfan]

No offence meant. But you picked yourself a task-and-a-half.

[efiste2]

No probs Thanks again........

[DB83]

Well you came on here to ask but now go away without the knowledge that might assist you in the future.

Well I have never tried to join a NTSC clip with a PAL clip but I suppose it is possible that the different timings could cause some blanking.

But really, a 'member' since 2002 and you do not even know what the specs of each format are !!!

If you really wanted to learn then an hour or so reading the forum and the guides would give you the information. It seems pointless to advise you directly of even simple methods of converting a PAL mpeg to a NTSC one which in your case would be the prefered method - and less work.

[theewizard]

off the top of my head
704*480
but you can check the frame size of the NSTC mpeg clips,
look at the info in your media player like vlc
or the data shown by media info
on many files you can simply right clik , choose properties, detail, using windows explorer

All of the clips originate from NTSC discs, that is apart from one or two that are PAL, and I only had to use PAL due to scratched discs.......
The files are in Mpeg already as outputted by ReDo, if I use Avidemux what frame size do i need to convert them to

Thanks again