newbie ques about avi to dvd conv

[luna crescent]

I tried using ffmpegx for quite some time but it seems that it just doesn't work. I started with a one hour 40 min avi file to dvd format. However, the encoding would go to 10 percent and then suddenly finish. The end product was ff.mpeg (something like that) not video_ts which I was expecting.

I tried many more times and the best I have gotten was 70 percent complete. This isn't even talking about audio which was non existent for some reason.

I then proceeded to do a very small avi file. It finished the video enconding (i think) but somehow the audio got corrupted and was encoded prematurely.

I'm not sure how to make ffmpegx work.

[luna crescent]

Here is the terminal during the encoding.

Last login: Mon Nov 21 23:33:12 on console
/Volumes/ffmpegX_0.0.9t/ffmpegX.app//Contents/Resources/pbpaste | sh
Welcome to Darwin!
whiting-chiu:~ urban$ /Volumes/ffmpegX_0.0.9t/ffmpegX.app//Contents/Resources/pbpaste | sh
Encoding started on Tue Nov 22 00:02:33 PST 2005
ffmpeg version CVS, build 3211265, Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Fabrice Bellard
configuration: --enable-mp3lame --enable-gpl --disable-vhook --enable-ffplay --disable-ffserver --enable-a52 --enable-xvid --enable-faac --enable-faad --enable-amr_nb --enable-amr_wb --enable-pthreads --enable-x264
built on Aug 14 2005 14:46:34, gcc: 3.3 20030304 (Apple Computer, Inc. build 1666)
Input #0, avi, from '/Users/urban/Desktop/MyCousinMarriage/CD1/1.avi':
Duration: 01:11:29.2, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1235 kb/s
Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 640x272, 25.00 fps
Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 44100 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s
Output #0, rawvideo, to '/Users/urban/Desktop/MyCousinMarriage/CD1/1.avi.ff.mpv':
Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg2video, yuv420p, 720x576, 25.00 fps, q=2-20, 4000 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
Press [q] to stop encoding
frame= 222 q=0.0 size= 4280kB time=8.8 bitrate=3966.2kbits/s

[major]

This output is correct. Try to disable "Normalize audio".

[luna crescent]

How would I do that?

Actually nvr, I found the option. Now it is encoding the audio but I'm waiting if ffmpegx will actually finish the encoding. This would probably take 5 hours because I'm running it on a g3 ibook.

Oh yeah, is there any adv in selecting the decode with quicktime option. Somebody told me if you install the right codecs for quicktime, ffmpegx would be more efficient.

[luna crescent]

This may clear things up:
Last login: Tue Nov 22 23:28:56 on ttyp3
/Volumes/ffmpegX_0.0.9t/ffmpegX.app//Contents/Resources/pbpaste | sh
Welcome to Darwin!
whiting-chiu:~ urban$ /Volumes/ffmpegX_0.0.9t/ffmpegX.app//Contents/Resources/pbpaste | sh
Encoding started on Tue Nov 22 23:29:22 PST 2005
ffmpeg version CVS, build 3211265, Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Fabrice Bellard
configuration: --enable-mp3lame --enable-gpl --disable-vhook --enable-ffplay --disable-ffserver --enable-a52 --enable-xvid --enable-faac --enable-faad --enable-amr_nb --enable-amr_wb --enable-pthreads --enable-x264
built on Aug 14 2005 14:46:34, gcc: 3.3 20030304 (Apple Computer, Inc. build 1666)
Input #0, avi, from '/MyCousinMarriage/CD1/1.avi':
Duration: 01:11:29.2, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1235 kb/s
Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 640x272, 25.00 fps
Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 44100 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s
Output #0, dvd, to '/MyCousinMarriage/CD1/1.avi.ff.mpg':
Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg2video, yuv420p, 720x576, 25.00 fps, q=2-20, 4000 kb/s
Stream #0.1: Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5:1, 448 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
Stream #0.1 -> #0.1
Press [q] to stop encoding
sh: line 1: 315 Bus error /Volumes/ffmpegX_0.0.9t/ffmpegX.app//Contents/Resources/ffmpeg -i /MyCousinMarriage/CD1/1.avi -y -threads 2 -map 0.0:0.0 -target pal-dvd -aspect 4:3 -b 4000 -s 720x576 -r pal -g 12 -me epzs -qmin 2 -qmax 20 -acodec ac3 -ab 448 -ar 48000 -ac 6 -map 0.1:0.1 -benchmark /MyCousinMarriage/CD1/1.avi.ff.mpg
whiting-chiu:~ urban$

[major]

There is something breaking this encode ("Bus Error"), not sure of what it is. Try to use "DVD mpeg2enc" instead. To use "Decode with Quicktime" you must check that Quicktime Player is able to playback your source file.

[luna crescent]

I tried the other dvd format but it automatically fails before I do anything. What options do I need to select or deselect to make it work?

I have g3 ibook.

Ok i tried encoding with the format you suggested and let mplayer to encode it not quicktime.

It was super slow( 1 frame/sec) and after 2000 frames, it stopped prematurely. It said Mplayer lost connection to the module or something.

[major]

Is Quicktime able to play your source file?

[luna crescent]

Quicktime can play the source file without the audio.

I installed fffusion codec to play the file

[major]

Remove it and install this instead
http://labs.divx.com/archives/000059.html

[luna crescent]

I tried the other dvd format and it finally finished the encoding. However, I tried playing the video ts file on my dvd player (comp) and it had no audio and the movie seemed like it was fast forwarded (every four sec of the movie was one sec in the real world).

The encoding also gave me ff.mpg file which I played on VLC. There was audio but it seemed like it was in slow motion (every sec of the movie was two secs in the real world).

[luna crescent]

Um... Anybody?

[kevmac]

I don't have specific help for you, but here are a couple of things that you could try (or maybe you already have):

-Encode to XviD or DivX or even VCD instead of DVD - then reencode that version to DVD if you need to. Before you encode the second time, burn a DVD-R and test it in your home player - you might be done already.

-Try selecting different audio encoders .AC3 or AAC or anything besides what the preset default is.

-Try Roxio Toast to convert and author. I've had good luck with many AVI containers using Toast 7 to encode, and you can do more things like add menus. Or use ffmegx to convert to DivX, then use Toast for DVD authoring.

-Be patient with your G3. On my G4 1.33 it takes 4 to 7 hours to fully convert and author a 1.5 Gb AVI to a DVD.

Just some suggestions, I've been experimenting with ffmpegx for a month or so and only just beginning to learn what the hell I'm doing.

[luna crescent]

It just seems more trouble than its worth.

I only watch the movies on my computer and only want to convert to DVD to have the best quality.