SVCD Compliant Files with M2 Edit Pro

[madrabbit]

I'm stumped. My source file is SVCD comliant, at least according to Nero. I edited the file with M2 Edit pro and didn't change any of the settings. The file was not re-encoded, and I checked the properties of the new file to verify that it matched the original.

The problem is that the new file is not compliant, and Nero rejects it.
If I ignore Nero's warning and burn the SVCD anyway, the resulting CD produces very poor audio.

Could I be doing something wrong? Are there any other editors I could try? I only have Windows 98 First Edition, so I don't have many choices.


Thanks.

[BJ_M]

m2 edit pro may not re-encode but it sure can mess up the files .. other editors include vitec and wobble

[madrabbit]

Like most mpeg2 editors, Vitec's software requires at least Windows 98 Second Edition, so I can't use it. Womble's editor has too many bugs and isn't capable of editing to an exact frame.

Are there any others?

[tempo]

I use the multiplex tool of TMPGEnc to remultiplex the non-compliant SVCD files generated by M2-Edit Pro 4.0 with type 'Super Video-CD (VBR)' then everything seems back to normal.

The problem seems to be that they don't have an option to output MPEG2 files of SVCD header.

[jolo]

I think the problem with these editors is that they do not handle SVCDs which are coded with VBR. They might work by using CBR.

I've been looking for a reliable SVCD editor for a while and the VBR issue seems to be the stumbling point.

Jon

[BJ_M]

vitec works fine w/ VBR

[furball6969]

M2 Edit absolutely sucks for VBR Mpeg2. TMPGEnc works very well for all cutting, de-muxing, joining functions.

[jolo]

You know furball6969,

You post "M2 Edit absolutely sucks for VBR Mpeg2. TMPGEnc works very well for all cutting, de-muxing, joining functions.", I think is totally accurate.

I have tried many, many slicker, shinier, faster, way more expensive products, yet I always come back to TMPG. It simply does the job accurately and consistently. It is the consistency that I appreciate the most.

Jon

[tempo]

Another problem with M2-Edit Pro 4.0 found. Even if a source of progressive is loaded, the final output will be identified as interlaced no matter what. I realised this when I played the file with PowerDVD 4.0. The video was played jerkily due to the 'bob' deinterlacing mode automatically selected. Normally for a progressive video, it should be 'weave'.

It seems TMPGEnc is highly praised here, but I've been having some problems with its cutting and joining tool. Firstly, the cutting is perfectly fine and accurate for MPEG1 but for MPEG2, it's always inaccurate. Secondly, the joining creates an annoying sound at the point where two files are joined.

Is there a fix to these problems?

Thanks.

[jolo]

The splitting of 2-pass VBR SVCD files is driving me nuts.
First of all M2-Edit Pro doesn't suck with VBR, It doesn't work with VBR. I contacted tech support and they told me that they only support CBR, so forget about splitting VBR files with M2-Edit Pro.

Since I started doing the 2-pass thing with encoding my AVI files, the splitting of the files in TMPG has been horriffic. It freezes all of the time, then sometimes, one of the splits is out of synch.

Either I get a "real" editor that can handle splitting of compliant VBR SVCD NTSC files or I have to stop using the 2-pass encoding method, whose results I like, before splitting that is.

What splitters, editors can handle VBR ?

Jon

[furball6969]

TMPGEnc works well with cutting/splitting half D1 VBR Mpeg2 for DVD, I've not tried it for SVCD but assume it should work jsut as well.

[jolo]

Forget about SVCD furball6969 !! I just saw the type of member that you are and I started to crack up !!

I've written to TMPG support about this, didn't get much of an answer and their english is not very good.

But it is a known "bug" about the freezing on splitting of SVCDs, but I never had the problem as severe as it is know since doing to 2-pass SVCD. I also get some synh problems once in a while.

But ..... you still can't beat the functionality of TMPG for $50 or something like that.

Jon

[JamesB69]

I use 3.03 of M2-Edit Pro (is an upgrade possible without paying more money?) and it has worked fine for me, although i will admit i have never tried it with VBR.

TMPGenc is by far the worst cutting tool available. It is a good encoder though. TMPGenc only cuts on the I frame so can be a significant amount of time off. If accuracy is important try something else.

[jolo]

James,

M2-Edit Pro will work great as long as you are using CBR. It will not work for VBR. This makes it too limiting for me. Xflix is the same.

Cutting is VBR is a major feature that TMPG can do which M2-Edit Pro cannot.
I really hope they update it.

[BJ_M]

I use 3.03 of M2-Edit Pro (is an upgrade possible without paying more money?) and it has worked fine for me, although i will admit i have never tried it with VBR.

TMPGenc is by far the worst cutting tool available. It is a good encoder though. TMPGenc only cuts on the I frame so can be a significant amount of time off. If accuracy is important try something else.

version 3 of m2edit pro is much better than version 4 really ..

[menace]

While we are discussing the pros and cons of M2-Edit--has anyone been able to edit a CBR grater than 3000Kb/s? Whenever I try it just pops back to desktop--very confusing

[jolo]

The big question for me is ..... is their any video editor that can handle splitting of VBR encoded SVCD files ????????

Jon

[BJ_M]

vitec pro mpeg2 editor .. part of dvd tools does a fine job

[disturbed1]

M2Edit doesn't work with VBR, but will produce a compliant SVCD if the stream is CBR. After you hit the produce button, change the packet size from the default 2048 to 2352 and check add CRC to the audio properties.

For VBR find out what second you want to split at, remember that number. Demux your mpg (use your favorite software doesn't matter). Open bbMpeg set the max file size to the right number, or enter in you seconds at the asked for spot.

Must of missed that guide feil: How to cut with bbMpeg

You might want to change the default mux rate from 6972 to 0, unless your video and audio combined don't peak above 2600 (ie. 2376 video 224 audio). If it's higher than 2600 you'll get buffer under/over flows.

[jolo]

Thanks BJ_M,

I will check out vitec pro mpeg2 editor. I would really love to have a solid, consistent editor. One that has some of the deatures of M2-Edit Pro, but doesn't need to be so fancy. Just so I can have some fun and be a lttle creative. But one that:
1. Will output truly compliant SVCD video, so that I don't have to run it through TMPG after.
2. Handle VBR, CBR or whatever I through at it. The VBR format saves a lot of room.

Jon

[bamafamily]

FWIW,
I captured a 3hr TV show (1st to Die) last night and here are the steps I took using DVDMF2 to cut commercials and rejoin it

Capture program using Winfast software on a TV2000XP capture card
(352x480, 4000 VBR, 48Khz audio)(File was 5.7GB big - 181 minutes)(A/V sync was fine)

opened the Mpeg2 up in DVD Movie Factory2, and set it for DVD media

Adjusted the profile and mpeg settings to match my input Mpeg2 file

Used the extract video part of DVDMF2 to cut out 16 commercials (leaving 2hr 10min of video)

Previewed it (looked ok) and set the output for a VIDEO_TS folder

30 minutes later I had a 3.7GB VIDEO_TS folder (only taking 30 minutes, I assume that no re-encoding was done at all...just rejoining)

I previewed this folder in PowerDVD (A/V sync was fine and the cut parts looked smooth)

I am currently burning it on a DVD-RW using Nero 5.5.9.17. When I get home, I will try it in my Apex 1100W. I have no reason to believe it will not burn fine.

Maybe I just got lucky, but DVDMF2 has done me right so far....

Bama

[furball6969]

I don't understand why everyone says TMPGEnc is so bad at cutting Mpeg files. It's dead on accurate for me, and I cut 4 or 5 movies out of 10 - 12 hour files regularly. Maybe I'll update my guide more detailed info explaining how I do it.

[jolo]

That would be great if you upgrade your guide, or let us know how you use TMPG to split files.

For myself, I'm going to give up on the 2-pass ans use CBR settings on my avi to mpeg-2 encodes. Might make things easier to spilit plus opens up the possibility of using other products as well, like M2-edit Pro.

Jon

[furball6969]

I have capped a short clip that shows how I make accurate cuts in TMPGEnc the url is: HERE and also in my sig.

I have changed the clip to an AVI if slightly better quality and smaller size.

The most important thing to point out is the need to hit the {} buttons after slight adjustments with the up and down time adjustment arrows, if you don't hit the { or } after small adjustments the clip will not reflect the adjustment.