Cutting vs Incremental files to remove Commercials

[Aris_Boch]

First I want to thank everyone for the guides and the posts. They have been very helpful in learning how to do many things. As a result of all the advice and considerable trial and error on my part , last night I was finally able to determine the best way to get my AverTV Studio card to capture.

I'm using VirtualDub, as the software which came with the card results in very poor quality, even when capturing in the highest quality Mpeg2 format. I have tried every codec mentioned in the posts and guides and have found all of them wanting in some respect. Huffy has terrible interlacing, Divx is extremely blocky, etc. However, I am able to capture from standard cable using Microsoft's Mpeg 4 V3 with excellent results. The capture is VHS quality and after encoding (and a little cleaning) with TMPGEnc as an XVCD, it is SVHS or better. (I can't wait to try some from the digital channels! The future is so bright, I'll have to wear shades... 8) )

The question I have is related to removing commercials from the capture. Obviously I don't want to end up with any audio or video Sync issues. So should I use VirtualDub to create incremental captures (Stopping the capture during commercials) and then merging them into a single file for the final encoding? Or should I make one file and then find a way to cut the commercials out of the file before encoding in TMPGEnc?

My initial thought would be to use incremental captures and then merge them in VirtualDub. This should avoid any hassles with cutting and merging between key frames as well as avoid sync issues. Right? Or am I totally missing the mark here?...Thanks in advance for any advice you may have!

Aris...

[ChevyNo1]

I don't capture with Vdub, but I edit out my commercials using it. I then save as a new AVI ( or you could frameserve ). The resultant AVI with no commercials I encode using tmpgenc.

- Dug

[LanceSteel]

I use an AverTV Stereo and virtualdub so here's what I do...

I use Picvideo's MJPEG codec at a quality of 18. I capture the audio through my SBLive (not through the TV card.) I use virtualdub and just start capturing when the program starts and stop capturing when the program is done. Then, when I go to edit out commercials, I switch the video editing mode to 'direct stream copy' so no recompression is done. Then you can edit out the commercials and save the file.

So to answer your question, I would just capture the whole program to one stream and then edit the commercials out after the fact.

[Aris_Boch]

Thank you both. I'll give it shot as soon as I get home!

Aris...

[jeg_jason]

I have Avertv Studio and tmeg12a (version of TMPGEnc) so I use the following approach:

I capture using the original Avertv software as either VCD or custom mpeg1/2 in one continuous clip using the Avertv VCR program. Then I close down Avertv and open TMPGEnc. I then pull down the file menu and select "mpeg tools". I then select "cut/join" and select the correct video format mpeg1 or mpeg2. From there I proceed to add the file I intend to cut. Once I double click on the item I added then it opens a preview window. Once I use the brackets to select the individual clip between commercials that I want I click ok. The at the bottom of menu I type in a location to save the file to on my computer. After clicking OK, the programs goes to work on the clip. Afterwards I repeat the process for each segment of a show then I clear the list in "cut/join." I then add the files that I saved to my hard drive in order (it helps if you end file names with numbers like seinfeld1, seinfeld2 and so on to keep it simple!) and type in a new file to save to as a mpeg and click OK. This approach is a little complicated but works well for thirty minute sitcoms and cartoons. Shows that are longer may take some time. Once I have previewed the new file I erase the original and leftover file fragments. Good luck using this approach. The tmeg12a version of TMPGEnc is used because it supposedly lets you perform unlimited cutting of mpeg2 files a feature that is no longer available for the software due to pressure on the author of the software. I have not been successful using this feature, but you can still download the program off the net and try for yourself if you look hard enough.

[Aris_Boch]

Thanks jeg_jason. I have been trying the latest version of TMPGEnc, but I'm not happy with it. It locks up when editing (Cutting and Joining) and has yet to produce a working copy of any DVD I've ripped using SmartRippper or DVDecrypter and DVD2AVI. Doesn't seem to make any difference what settings or template I use.

So I have just found a copy of TMPG 12a and plan to give that version a try. I've read in other posts that the older version seems to be more stable and reliable than the newer ones.

Thanks again and I'll give it a try tomorrow...

Aris...

[Aris_Boch]

I use an AverTV Stereo and virtualdub so here's what I do...

I use Picvideo's MJPEG codec at a quality of 18. I capture the audio through my SBLive (not through the TV card.) I use virtualdub and just start capturing when the program starts and stop capturing when the program is done. Then, when I go to edit out commercials, I switch the video editing mode to 'direct stream copy' so no recompression is done. Then you can edit out the commercials and save the file.

So to answer your question, I would just capture the whole program to one stream and then edit the commercials out after the fact.

Thanks, but this brings up an interesting question. How do you capture video through your Aver card and Sound through the SBLive? That is what I have and I'm noticing audio sync (increasing delay) when I capture. But I'm running the sound through the Aver card and then to the SBLive. Which is most likely the source of the problem...

So basically my question is how do I capture video with the Aver Card while at the same time capturing audio via the SBLive?

[jeg_jason]

I left out one very important step which keeps TMPGEnc from locking up with mpeg2 file editting. First once you have gone under mpeg tools then choose cut/join add the original file and choose a different file name and click the start button. Exit the program and make sure that your new file works then delete or move the original file. Open TMPGEnc back up and do your cutting and joining with the new file and the program should not lock-up anymore.