15 fps AVI -> NTSC DVD

[fropones]

I've converted 25 fps AVI's to DVD all the time without any problem by using TMPGEnc and dgpulldown and extracting the audio and leaving it as is, but how do I convert a 15 fps AVI to dvd quality (.m2v and .mp2) NTSC video? (I have a feeling I can't just use DGPulldown, or can I?)

[edDV]

One way to get from 15fps to 25fps would be to repeat 10 of every 15 frames distributed 2 repeats to one nonrepeat.

112234455677889 and so on

[jagabo]

Dgpulldown can't go from 15 to 29.97. At most it can increase the frame rate by a factor of 1.5.

You should just convert 15 fps straight to 29.97 fps in TMPGEnc (it will duplicate each frame except every 1000'th). Duplicate frames don't cost much in terms of bitrate.

[edDV]

Oops, missed that he was USA.

[fropones]

But doing that in TMGEnc will **** up the audio, won't it?

[jagabo]

But doing that in TMGEnc will **** up the audio, won't it?

Not at all. Duplicating each frame turns 15 fps into 30 fps with the same overall running time. Be sure not to select the "Do not frame rate conversion" option. That would keep the same number of frames but flip through them twice as fast, cutting the running time in half.

[fropones]

could u possibly give me a step by step?

[jagabo]

If you use the new project wizard in TMPGEnc and select NTSC DVD, it will automatically set everything up properly.

Or just open your source file as you always would in TMPGEnc. Before encoding press the Setting button near the bottom of the window. The MPEG Setting dialog will pop up. Go to the Video tab if not already there. Set Frame Rate to 29.97 fps. Press OK to close the dialog. Encode.

[fropones]

and the audio will stay in sync?

[jagabo]

Yes. All your doing is doubling the number of frames and then flipping through them twice as fast. The running time is exactly the same.

[AlanHK]

I had to encode a 15 fps file a while ago and was given some hints;
as a result this Avisynth script worked for me:

AVISource("03.avi")
LanczosResize(720,368,0,0,482,272)
AddBorders(0,56,0,56)
ConvertToYV12()
Changefps(30)
Assumefps(30000,1001,true)
resampleaudio(48000)
FlipVertical()

Obviously you'll have some different parameters.
FlipVertical was necessary because otherwise, for some reason perhaps peculiar to my file, it was upside down.

[fropones]

Also, when I'm converting a 30 fps movie, do I have to do anything different than if it were 29.97? (Normally for 29.97 I just use TMPGenc Xpress, because it's got a built in bitrate calc and I'm lazy)?

[jagabo]

Also, when I'm converting a 30 fps movie, do I have to do anything different than if it were 29.97?

Are you talking about some other video? 30 fps must be converted to 29.97 for DVD. As far as bitrate is concerned, treat them all the same.

[jman98]

I've used TMPGenc to convert 15 fps (shudder!) Quick Time clips to DVD. The Star Trek fan film series Hidden Frontier releases almost everything they do in 15 fps QT format TMPGenc converts it to 29.97 fps with no audio sync problems, but the action doesn't look completely natural. I just accept it for what it is. I think Hidden Frontier uses 15 fps because they have a serious misunderstanding about video and think this is "saving space". Even the original video doesn't have natural movement at that frame rate. Don't expect miracles given the source, but TMPGenc Xpress can certainly do this kind of conversion. I think I read that years ago it was decided to use 24 fps for film because lesser frame rates were unable to produce realistic motion, so don't expect your final result to look perfect.

[bruper]

give gui4ffmpeg a try
once i discovered this very fast tool i quit using tmpeg