TMPGENC audio sync problem

[krg765]

Hello. I've been lurking here for a couple of years and made two or three posts. Each time you guys have been very helpful and put me back on track. I thank you all for that.

Well, I had finally completed what I thought would be my first quality dvd, but the audio/video was out of sync. The video looks great; virtually indistinguishable from the source tape. I realize that there is a sticky post for this, and apologize if this is out of line, but I've tried everything short of changing hardware that I can think of (can't afford that for a little while). Here's my setup: P4, 3Ghz, 512mb, 160gb, pinnacle pctv capture card.

I use the Sourceforge drivers for the card and capture at 720x480. I am capturing from a Hi8 camera by the way. I capture in Virtualvcr in avi format. The audio in the avi is in sync with the video during the entire movie (2hrs). I convert to Mpeg2 in Tmpgenc plus. After the conversion, it progressively grows out of sync. I have tried both ES and System. I've saved the audio to a wave in virtualdub and used that. None of this makes a difference. I've watched the playback on the computer and burned the disc and watched it on the TV. No difference.

I think Tmpgenc is the problem. Undoubtedly, I have a setting off somewhere, but I have read guide after guide and cannot figure it out. If the a/v in the AVI is in sync throughout, then it's not a hardware issue, right?

Please help me. I'm begging. I'm a patient guy, but this is pushing me over the edge. I'm currently at a loss. I just don't know what else to do. If there are any settings that I'm not reporting to you that would help you to know what's happening please let me know. I listed everything I could think of that would matter.

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be very greatful. Thanks again.

Kyle

[gitreel]

there is a setting to delay audio by # of seconds. You need to play with it when encoding with TMPGenc

[bottle-necked]

Capturing to the same HDD as your o/s can do that. I notice only 1 hdd in your profile. It's always a good idea to have a drive that is just for video, least that has been my experience anyway.

Does the original AVI file play in sync in VirtualDub. I have found VD to be my main testbed for audio sync. If the file will play in sync in VD then you can bet it is in sync, at least that is what I have found.

Here is how I have been setting up VirtualVCR

)Video:
Use custom
720x480
YUY2
29.970
Use Compression
HuffYUV (Best - Best - 480)

)AUDIO:
48K
compress audio
PCM
(PROP)
1,538Kbps - 48K - Stereo.

)A/V Sync tab
Master Stream in AVI File = Video

These setting are probably not the best but I have had good luck using them so far.

I've never had Tmpgenc to cause gradual loss of sync in a file before. lol

Good luck.

[amongthedead]

Ive had simular problems, what fixed it for me, was not compressing the video.

[krg765]

Thank you all for the replies.

Bottle-necked, I did review the AVI in virtualdub as well as windows media player and the a/v is spot on throughout the duration of the clip.

Would those Virtual Vcr settings help me if my AVI is already in sync? I'm guessing (very well could be wrong though) that my problem is not in capturing, but in the conversion. I did notice that there were quite a few lost frames (like more than 10 or 15) during the capture. would that explain the sync loss? If so, that would mean I need to break down and get a new hard drive as you suggested. I remeber reading that each lost frame equals about 33ms. So several lost frames would add up over the duration of the clip causing it to progressively grow out of sync. What I don't understand, is why the AVI appears to be in sync while the mpeg doesn't. Is it that the AVI still has an 'empty' frame where the lost frame was keeping the time the same, but drops it altogether during the encode to mpeg2 causing the mpeg video to be shorter than the audio? Am I even on the right train of thought?

Gitreel, where in Tmpgenc is there an option to delay the audio? I have looked and looked, but can't seem to find it.

Thank you guys again for all your help.

[gitreel]

setting,click on advanced tab, double click source range. At the bottom is audio gap correction. You can adjust the milliseconds either way.

Or from the wizard just check the box that says sourcerange, it will be at the bottom.

[bottle-necked]

The VirtualVCR Settings page on their website does have some good information on how to use the settings in their program. I find their page on A/V Sync to be very informative. I'm linking it here in case you want to look it over. http://virtualvcr.sourceforge.net/html/virtualvcr/sync.php

Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[krg765]

For those interested: Using the information from a post somewhere in this forum, I used to Virtualdub to fix the problem. Video--->Frame rate--->Match video to Audio (or something like that). I then frameserved it to Tmpgenc. It worked on at least one of my videos. Thank you guys for your help. One quick last question: Should it take about three times as long to encode the video when you're frameserving as when your not?

Thanks again,

Kyle