Problem with SVCD on Panasonic RV31?

[kinwald123]

Hi,
When I burn SVCD files using Nero I can't watch them properly on my Panasonic RV31. It freezes and I have to fast forward to get any motion to the video? Is this a problem with my DVD Player? My Encoding? Or Nero?
If anyone has a tested method of authoring/burning SVCD on this player let me know?

Thanks

[rasch]

I have the same model DVD and was under the impression it could do svcd's ... so far they've failed on me.

Not sure what to tell you.

[kinwald123]

What method have you been using? I've used TMPG to make the Mpegs and then burn them with Nero? I've heard the problem might lie with Nero? Is this similiar to the way you made your SVCD? What happens when you play yours?

Thanks

[Manny]

I have the same model Panasonic and when I tried playing my copy of Dune SVCD it also played as if it was in slow motion with the sound skipping. The framerate was almost normal when I put it in + search.
I too created tge SVCD using Nero from a MPEG2 file. I was wondering how much the framerate of the original has to do with the way the RV31 plays the SVCD.
Have you guys tried other formats of XVCD? If so, what framerates?
I would love to be able to play VCD with a bit less compression.

[kingsley]

This player is not compatible with svcd. If you burn it properly with the mpeg2 folder it will not play.
If you burn with mpegav folder, the looks here and finds a mpeg file and thinks it's a vcd plays it but the bit rate is to high.Try xvcd but make sure bit rate is no higher than vid 1800 audio 128

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: kingsley on 2001-10-15 15:42:40 ]</font>

[kinwald123]

I've got it to work fine with Video 2400/audio 128. Bit rates higher than that and it seems to choke.

[PegasusIC]

Unfortunately this DVD model and several other Panasonic DVD models don't support SVCD =(

When I first bought my DVD standalone, it was the Panasonic RV31, and everything worked great except for SVCD. After several hours of encoding small clips, the best that I was able to push out of this puppy was Video 2400 and 128 audio.

About a week later, I noticed the Panasonic CV51 on sale, and remembered reading up on it from this site and it said it supported SVCD, so I quickly purchased it and got a refund on the RV31. Excited as I was, I create a SVCD pop it in the CV51 and it starts choking like the RV31. I come running to my computer and read up on the CV51 once again to simply find out in a matter of a week, someone updated the review and no longer supported SVCD =(

But my mind was made and decided to stick with it. I simply make XVCD's with max video 2400 and 128 audio. With those settings, most movie fit on 3 CD's, but luckily for me the CV51 has a 5 disc carousel. And for 224 bit audio or 128 bit audio for me all the same to me.

[Lula2001]

Hi ,

So I had the same problem like all you guys did. And yes it did work for me with a non-compliant VCD encoded with TMPGEnc , bitrate 2400 and audio 128. Burned the CD with Nero.
But the quality is just not good enough.
So , how can I improve the quality of this non-standard VCD ( XVCD ) . I did not modify the resolution, which is 352 x240 . Making it bigger would help ? Would it then be compatible with the DVD player.
Are there other settings on TMPGEnc that would help improving quality ?

[kinwald123]

Hi,
What is the problem with your quality? Did you encode at 480 X 480? I've done a couple of divx files and the quality has been ranged from good to very good. I've had some problems with blockiness so I've been adjusting the sharpen edge option to blur some of it out and it seems to work fine.

[Kdiddy]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE> But the quality is just not good enough.
So , how can I improve the quality of this non-standard VCD ( XVCD ) . I did not modify the resolution, which is 352 x240 . Making it bigger would help ? Would it then be compatible with the DVD player.
Are there other settings on TMPGEnc that would help improving quality ?</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

No making the resolution will NOT help, you would then have to increase the bitrate as well, because you would be increasing the surface area of information that needed encoding....BITRATE is the only thing that can improve quality dramatically but unfortunately with this particular player, its drive is only 1x which why it doesnt support SVCD, because it can not gaunrantee the sustain transfer rate needed....best you can do is play around with filters but that adss time to encoding process..but also remember the rule, quality is dependent upon source material...garbage in = garbage out, GIGO....DIVX is highly compressed low bitrate material, which is fine for PC playback, but not very good once converted to play on standalone.

[Lula2001]

Hi Kinwald

In my case I don't need great compression. So I don't use Divx. I can have the input file in the resolution I want. It will be sent to me as MOV file. No problem for that also.
TMPGEnc takes care of it.
It did not do it at 480 x 480 but instead with the normal resolution for VCD (smaller). I just increased the bitrate for video as I stated earlier.
Would it help quality to make it 480 x480 ? Or , I can even ask for the input MOV on 640 x 480 and then encode with this resolution. Would it be even better ? Would it still play on my DVD player and other DVD's ? Compatible with most DVD players ?
Can you give me the precise settings you've been using for video and audio bitrate , filters and all other settings on TMPGEnc ?
Thank's a lot .

[kinwald123]

Hi,
Well I 've been happy with the mpegs I've burned so here's the information and you can decide for yourself.

480*480
MPEG-2 VBR
Automatic Bit Rate 2400 max 300 min Quality of 60
The only filter I've used is Sharpen Edge with both settings at -20
I also switched it to 10 bits instead of 8 on the initial setup screen
Audio is 44100 128 bits

I find this creates movies that I can play on my DVD that look significantly better than on my VHS player.
This is from memory, I'll check when I get home for accuracy.

[leebo]

Kinwald,
I thought you started this topic saying you coulden't play SVCD on your player.

Are you now saying you can???

[kinwald123]

Yes and No,
I managed to play back mpegs with the SVCD resolution but at a slightly reduced bitrate 2400 vs. 2520 video (if I got the numbers right)

[leebo]

But in MPEG2?

I tried a couple of SVCD's at bit rates lower than 2000, and it still jumped and froze.

[Dethroner]

The RV31-s manual states clearly that it won't play XVCD.
This player does not support SVCD. Period.

On a good note, it does play hi-res XVCDs encoded with TMPGEnc. You can try 720x576 2500 kbps XVCD. Or 480 x 576. Or 720x480 and 480x480 for NTSC. Or 352x288 PAL, 352x240 NTSC with the same video bitrate of 2500. All these formats work just fine as long as source MPEG-1 files are encoded with TMPGEnc.

It doesn't play XVCDs encoded with Panasonic MPEG-1 Encoder or Ligos Encoder (which is included in Ulead Media Studio Pro) - you can hear the sound, but the screen is black (but if you press <pause> and then <play>, it then plays OK).

The only problem with XVCDs is that there's no polished official tool capable to author and XVCD. Nero can create simle menus, but nothing more. Luckily, authoring with full feature support including menus, entrypoints etc. is possible with VCDImager and all kinds of GUIs for VCDImager, of which I personally prefer VCDComposer.

[kinwald123]

Leebo,
I use the last video setting in the menu, I believe it's MPEG-2 VBR instead of the MPEG-2 Super Video CD. All my menus say MPEG2 when I encode but when I burn it Nero says the stream is MPEG1?? All I know is it works, I find at 2250 there is no skipping but at 2400 it skips in the first 5-10 secs of the disc (usually the opening screen) and then plays fine.

Anyone know the difference between MPEG2 SuperVideoCD and MPEG2 VBR?

Thanks

[Lula2001]

Hi

Kinwald:
"The last video setting on the menu ..." . Could you explain exactly what are the options and settings you are using ? I would appreciate very much, in order to give it a try.

Dethroner : what resolution would be the best one for NTSC ? 720x480 or 480x480 ? I can have my input file (it will always be quicktime) for TMPGEnc produced on whatever resolution is necessary.
Regarding VCDImager is VCDComposer simpler to use than TSCV, which I heard is not so friendly ?

Thank's for your help.

[kinwald123]

Sorry about the bad description I was typing it at work. Go into Settings, System, Stream Type and select MPEG2 VBR from the drop down menu. I believe it defaults to MPEG2 SuperVideoCD. I'm not sure what the difference is? I know it says MPEG2 on this menu and on the video tab but when I burn it under the SVCD setting in Nero it recognizes the stream as MPEG1? I'm not saying I understand what is happening? But I know these settings work fine for me.

Thanks