DVB to DVD using Lordsmurf technique ?

[slingky]

ok...i'm trying to transfer DVB (dish network 501 recordings) from dvb mpeg2 to dvd.

i'have tried lots of different encoders including mainconcept and tmpgenc.

it was pain to get more than 2 hours on a dvd (like 3 episodes) so 4.5 mbps was what i thought the minumum.

but on lordsmurf web site, i found this tutorial;
http://www.digitalfaq.com/convert/tmpgenc/tmpgencplus.htm

and i followed the CQ VBR settings of (half d1, min 0, max 4000, cq 85)

WOW, i got a file of 615Mb for 40 minutes of material...very nice and nearly the same quality as the 1435Mb file of VBR (min 4000,avg 4500, max 5000)

but the only problems, i get little artifacts in background, particularly when it's black...

is there a way to get rid of these artifacts ?

what do i have to change if the lordsmurf settings are ;

CQ VBR
min 0
max 4000
cq 85
half d1 resolution

?

i read the half d1 max out at 5mbps...
so is (min 0, max 5000, cq 85) a good choice ? or it won't be enough to get rid of artifacts in low light scenes ?

p.s. it just seems to be background cause people stay clear, nearly picture perfect.

[Baldrick]

dvb to dvd is not dvd to dvd. i'm moving you.

[slingky]

could you move it to the advanced conversion ?

i put in the wrong forum. i know

[lordsmurf]

The darkness artifacts are from low compression. In this case, yes, tack on that extra 5000.

Few options I'd try:

0-5000 85%
0-5000 90%
0-4000 90%

You can also cap off the minimums, that could help

2000-4000 85%
2000-5000 85%
2000-4000 90%
3000-5000 50%
1000-4000 85%
1000-5000 85%

You get the idea...
Play with number in that range.

The blacks may be try to take too low of a VBR, or the max VBR is not high enough. Adjusting one or both of thse may help. Finding a good compression is the key to small file sizes with no artifacts.

Also, if your source is perfect, an encoder like Procoder may suit you better. I only use TMPGEnc for filtering. For perfect source, I use Procoder in high or mastering quality.

I have a DVB to DVD conversion here myself. 544x480 tivo dumps from DISH, and I'm use Procoder 1.5 to convert to 352x480. Looks like I didn't even touch the source files.

Good luck.

[slingky]

the reason i use tmpgenc is that it's able to deinterlace...

i have to do it... cause if i don't, my xbox doesn't play the file correctly.

mainconcept and canopus encoders do deinterlace but they don't do "double framerate" which is the best deinterlace for me yet !

so i will stay with tmpgenc which is very good in CQ VBR...

i will try settings you suggested.

i guest the low bitrate of 0 is the problem cause in VBR mode, if a put like ;

min 0, avg 4500 max 6000 i get crap results compare to
min 4000, avg 4500, max 5000

btw, is there any way to predict the size in cq vbr... i know it's nearly impossible but is there some tools that do i good job and try to estimate roughly ?

[slingky]

i for sure, i heard of avisynth and its filters...

but i found it difficult to play with all that stuff...

i wanted something straightfoward...

dishextract (get 501 recordings from pvr)
tmpgenc
tmpgenc dvd author

[slingky]

i forgot to ask...

you said you convert dish tivo recordings to dvd 352x480

which cq vbr settings, are you using same as me, min 0, max 4000, cq 85?

or it always depends of the source, e.g. channel, action scenes, etc. ?

[lordsmurf]

I use Procoder for direct transfers. No filtering needed. Be sure you have the correct field order on the interlace. I also have an XBOX, plays the DVDs fine when interlaced.

Double deinterlace will no doubt get you ghosting of images. In fact, deinterlace may be partly to blame for the odd darkness of encodes.

I would think 1000-4000 at 85% would look fine. Also remember the PC will see more errors than the tv screen.

[slingky]

one more problem...

i encoded all episodes... and tried to finally make the first dvd wow 7 episodes of 40 minutes...

but all my tests were done on episode # 1

now episode # 6 and maybe others look like crap...
(lots of pixelation, even in light areas.)

maybe there is more action scenes... i don't know.

even at vbr min 4000, max 5000, avg 4500...not better than min 0, max 4000, cq 85... so it's related to the source...

i will try noise reduction in tmpgenc...

do you recommand anything else ?

[lordsmurf]

I only stick 7 episodes of 23 minutes on a DVD. This means you should go 3-4 for 44 minute shows. Yeah, it'll be pixellated crap at 7x40min. You'd be essentially 5-6 hours which is VCD quality.

[slingky]

ok, but what min,max,cq i have to use to get these results ???

[slingky]

the other weird thing is that at PC screen, it's superb ! yeah yeah at PC screen...

but in front of TV it's pixelation...

i used min 0, max 4000, cq 85, half d1

maybe it's some filters i have which are too efficient !