using TMPEGnc start and ending frames HELP

[tazzila]

I am ripping dvd to vcd, but need to convert 2hour movie into two vcds. I have most info needed,but I am not sure how to brake movie into two parts. I know I have to use the start and ending frames for this. How do I figure how many frames to enter and is there a frame to time calulation/conversion for doing this. If anyone can help I would be great. Thanks TAZ.

[Vejita-sama]

Ok, this is a long reply That's because I'm trying to answer all the newbie questions I had about this at once. Sorry about that...

You use the source range command (see Sefy's Newbie guide for more info). The source range command lists both frame number AND runtime. Now you need to decide if you're making a VCD, xVCD, SVCD, xSVCD.

There are a lot of ways to do this. First, if you are using the standard VCD template then video=1150kbit/s and audio=224kbit/s. This works out to 1min=10MB.
Since a 74min CDR holds 740MB and an 80min CDR holds 800MB (of mode2 data) you can do your calculations/cut with this in mind.

eg. 120min movie. Let's cut at ~60min, that would result in 2x 600MB files. Just use source range to select the first 60min (save project) then the 2nd 60min (save project). Then use the "file | batch encode" command to encode both projects.

Now you might ask if each 80min CDR can hold 800MB and I only put 600MB on it aren't I wasting space? And the anwser is yes. You can increase the video bitrate and get a better quaility encode. The key thing to remember is that the size of your MPEG is 100% dependant on the bitrate you use (notice it's kbit/s) the resolution of the MPEG has NO EFFECT. The size of the source HAS NOT EFFECT.

[Please check to see if your DVD player/s support xVCDs]

You can use a bitrate calculator to predict what bitrate to use for X number of CDRs. Take a look to the left under Tools, at the vcdhelp.com bitrate calculator.
Enter your source runtime, number of CDRs you want to put/spilt it on, audio bitrate, etc. I suggest lowering the audio bitrate from 224kbit/s to 128kbit/s to give more bitrate to the video. (and as long as you're making an xVCD you might want to raise the resolution from 352x240 to 352x480 or even 480x480 for best results).

Now to make you'r xVCD:
1) Run TMPGenc, load the VCD template, then load the unlock template (../templates/extra). This will unlock all the greyed out parts of the standard VCD template.

2) Load your source file/s. Click on settings, under the video tab enter your desired resolution (352x240, 352x480 or 480x480).
For rate control mode, choose either: Constant bitrate (CBR) or 2pass variable bitrate (VBR). Click the little settings button next to rate control. For CBR just enter the bitrate from the calculator. For 2pass VBR enter min=300, max=2520, ave=# from calculator.
The difference between CBR and 2pass VBR is as follows. CBR uses the same bitrate for the whole encode. 2pass VBR actually encodes the movie twice (yes this doubles the encode time). The first pass is CBR, then it makes a 2nd VBR pass we it lowers the bitrate for low motions scences (to as low as 300) and raises the bitrate for high motion scences (as high as 2520), but raises/lowers so that the average bitrate is want you entered, and thus the final MPEG size is predictable. 2pass VBR gives better encodes that CBR, but takes 2x time! Might not be worth it.
Under Motion search precision choose "high quaility (slow)", highest quaility just slows things down and makes no noticable difference in MPEG quaility.

3) Click on the audio tab, and enter the bitrate that you put into the calculator (eg 128kbit/s)

4) Click on the advance tab. Double click on source range, choose start/stop points for the first 1/2 of the movie (assume you want 2 CDRs).

5) Choose File | save project. Go back to source range and choose the 2nd 1/2 of the movie. Then save that project.

6) Choose File Batch encode. Add both projects. Then take a long nap/walk, go to work, etc.

You can also save some time by not down mixing your DVD extracted audio from 48k > 44.1k.

Anyway, I know that this is way to long, but I think it hit all the main points.

[tazzila]

That did not help. When using TMPGEne I have to enter start frame and end frame info. This has to be done a second time to break up the movie so that I can fit it on a cd-r with out running out of space. The out come is a 2 hour movie is now on 2 vcds. how do you figure out the start and end frame settings is there a formula?

[smokin*1]

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You can use a bitrate calculator to predict what bitrate to use for X number of CDRs. Take a look to the left under Tools, at the vcdhelp.com bitrate calculator.
Enter your source runtime, number of CDRs you want to put/spilt it on, audio bitrate, etc.
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Tazzila: do you read what Vejita-sama wrote or just decided you didnt have the time? Anyways, in more simple terms, if your encoding at 29.97 fps then multiply 29.97 x 60 x # of minutes you want you VCD to be. Use 25 in pace of 29.97 if you are encoding to PAL.

Alternatively, since you have the # of frames from originally encoding the VCD simply rip out your calculator and divide teh total # of frames by 2. Then with all the time you saved maybe drop a thank you to Vejita-sama for his/her effort

[Sefy]

Guys, why are you complicating things
VCD standard = 10mb for 1min movie, the frames and time are in TMPGEnc, when you move the location bar in the Source Range, on the top part you can see both the frames and time moving.

You got a 2 hours movie ? simple, 2 hours is 120min, means that 1 hour is 60min, put the first 0 frame as the start and then scrool to the 60min location (look at the time) and mark the end frame, when you are done encoding, select the frame after as the start of the second part, and the end of the movie as the end frame of the second part.

[smokin*1]

Well, when things are THAT easy, you know you are doing something wrong

[Truman]

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On 2001-12-18 03:51:54, smokin*1 wrote:
Well, when things are THAT easy, you know you are doing something wrong
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It is that easy, because tazzila is talking about VCD, it has fixed specs and there is nothing to calculate.

[tazzila]

SORRY EVERYONE I GUESS I WAS ASLEEP BEHIND THE WHEEL. I finally got it thanks to everyone for your input. sorry it took awhile for the info to sink in. TAZ

[Mordant]

Vejita-sama, when I change the resolution of my x-vcd and check it with my file player, the picture appears to be stretched. Is this something my Pioneer 343 will take care of, or is there something else I must change when I change the resolution?

[kinneera]

In my experience, the only software players that honor that output aspect ratio are DVD players. WMP and ATI MMC among others display them strictly at the resolution, rather than doing the correct thing and checking the flag in the MPEG that tells the intended aspect ratio.

Short answer is that it should look fine in your Pioneer.

[Mordant]

Is there a software player I can use to view an XVCD encoded at 352x480 that will display correctly?

I'm happy that I'll be able to play my rips on my Pioneer, but would like to be able to play them on a laptop as well.

[kinneera]

WinDVD, PowerDVD

[Mordant]

Thanks, I'm going to give it a try. I'm encoding right now. The picture is stretched even in TMPGEnc preview window though...I guess I'll know in a little while. Thanks for the help.

[BxB]

Mordant, your picture is probably stretched because of the aspect ratio and Video Arrange Method you've chosen.

If its stretched horizontally (everybody's fat and short), you may have a 4:3 movie but your source aspect ratio is 16:9, or perhaps you're inadvertantly converting it to 4:3 (just guessing, never had this problem). You need to set the source aspect ratio to what your input is.

If its stretched vertically (everybody's tall and thin), then you probably have a widescreen movie that you're converting to 4:3, but your video arrange method is wrong. Try "no margin" as the source aspect ratio.

I've found that sometimes I have to mess with these settings to get everything right.

[BxB]

Back to the original subject, from the TMPGEnc FAQ:

-----------------
How can we calculate the actual size of MPGE file which will be crated?

If you choose CBR, The fillowing equation can be used to calculate. "2048/2018" stands for bitrate of system stream.

Filesize (Kb) = (Video+Audio) x (2048/201 x sec/8

E.g. Video is 1150Kbps, audio is 224Kbps, 15 sec MPEG file would be "(1150+224) x (2048/201 x 15/8" = 2614KB
-------------

As mentioned earlier, you can estimate the time from the number of frames times the frame rate.

Based on the above equation, a two-hour video will render two 627,575 MB VCDs. You can increase the bitrate to 1500 and get a much nicer looking video, and you'll have two files of 787,333 MB, still small enough for two VCDs. Since this is 13 MB less than 800, it gives you some leeway to find a nice breakpoint.

Go to Settings-Source Range. Since you've set the bitrate such that half the movie won't overfill a VCD, set the start at zero and the end at a nice break point around halfway through. Go back to the main screen, and under file select add to batch. Give it a filename. Then go back to Settings, set the start at that middle breakpoint, and the end to the end of the movie. Add that to batch (with a different filename). Select run batch, and in a day or so you'll be ready to burn two VCDs.

[Mordant]

The image is not stretched if in the TMPGenc preview if I have my vcd set for 352x240, it only appears stretched when I try to change the encode resolution to 352x480.

Anyway, when I tried to play the resulting xvcd in my pioneer 343 I ended up with a small movie on the left side of the screen, and a grey bar for the right side.

I guess I'm going to stick with 352x240 for now.

=)