SVCD's choppy using ntscfilm!! PLEASE HELP!!

[Octavian]

Hi, I really need some help with the conversion of divx->svcd. My source file is 23.976 fps (ntscfilm), so i use the svcd ntscfilm template in tmpgenc to encode (3:2 pulldown IS enabled in video tab). It is done in 2-pass vbr flawlessly. However, when I play it back, whether in PowerDVD or my Apex AD-1200, it goes smoothly for a few seconds, stutters a little, then resumes smoothness throughout the ENTIRE movie!!

I am quite sure it isnt the fault of any of my playing hardware. Am I making a mistake somewhere? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Octavian

[banjazzer]

When I convert 23.976 fps DivX to VCD I use the NTSC(film) template without 3:2 pulldown ticked. Maybe it should be, but my VCDs play smoothly! Maybe it's the same for SVCD? 8)

[Octavian]

Thanks alot for the reply!! However, I have tried encoding to svcd with the "3:2 pulldown" option ticked in the 'advanced' tab last night, and the resulting file is still somewhat slow...

[Octavian]

WAIT a minute...you said to do it W/O the 3:2 ticked? I've tried that as well...and in my initial post, I didnt mean I ticked the 3:2 pulldown in advanced. I meant the "3:2 pulldown when playback" under the 'video' tab was already pre-selected in the svcd ntscfilm template...

[banjazzer]

Looking at it again, I think 3:2 pulldown is not supported anyway for VCD, so ignore what I said.

Unless you unlock the template, the video setting encode mode is grayed out. If you have tried both advanced setting ticked and unticked, I don't know what to suggest. Does altering the motion search preciion to high quality have any effect?

[Octavian]

Oh ya, I didnt mention that im doing it at high quality too

[Octavian]

sigh...

[banjazzer]

Sigh? Well, many of the DivX I see don't actually merit converting to SVCD. And a lot of the ones that do are my own - but then there's little point when I can go from DVD to SVCD direct. 8)

[Octavian]

I really appreciate your help banjazzer...but could someone more knowlegeable in SVCD's give some input? Im ripping my eyes out trying to fix it!!
Here are my specs in tmpgenc.

Video Tab
Frame rate: 23.976 fps (internally 29.97 fps)
Rate control mode: 2-pass VBR (1869 avg, 2520 max, 300 min)
Encode mode: 3:2 pulldown mode when playback

Advanced Tab
Video source type: Noninterlace (progressive)
Field order: Top first field (field A)
NO special filters have been added except for source range..but I doubt that would affect playback.

This is how I encoded my svcd...seems error-free to me. But playback will always jump every couple of seconds, whether I play it on my comp or my AD-1500. PLEASE HELP ME![/u]

[PimpInDaHouse]

Do you think it maybe the file you are converting? You said that it plays fine then stutters then plays fine for the rest of the movie. That sounds like a flaw in the .avi file to me and the 3:2 pulldown should be checked and banjazzer maybe you sould read the post a little better he is trying to make an SVCD not a VCD. How long is the stutter like a second or a minute? If it is only one or two seconds don't worry about it I'm sure it is good enough. And what kind of DVD player are you using a AD-1200 like in your first post or an AD-1500 like your last post?

[banjazzer]

and banjazzer maybe you sould read the post a little better he is trying to make an SVCD not a VCD.

And maybe you should read the thread a little better. My first post ended "Maybe it's the same for SVCD?". It's as useful as any of the other advice offered to date.

[adam]

If you encode in 23.976fps and your making a SVCD then you MUST use the 3:2 pulldown flag. Some dvd players don't need it but most do, and it doesnt hurt anything to have it if your player doesnt need it.

VCD's do not and cannot use the 3:2 pulldown flag.

I do not see how the 3:2 pulldown or encoding in ntscfilm could possibly be causing this problem.

First off check the origial avi and see if this glitch is present there. If so there's nothing you can do short of deleting those frames and that part of the audio.

If the source is ok then make sure you decompress your audio to wav in virtual dub before encoding to mp2.

Try demultiplexing your mpg and remultiplexing in bbmpeg.

It really sounds like the problem lies with the source.

[banjazzer]

I've been running some tests on a DivX NTSC(film) sample. Do you get the same problem if you use the NTSC template with 3:2 pulldown?

[Octavian]

Thanks for input, guys. Well, my source avi is perfect, I am sure of that. By the 3:2 pulldown flag, you mean the one under 'video' or advanced'?? Also, the stutters last for about 1-2 seconds, and occur every 5-7 seconds or so. I am refraining on encoding in NTSC because of the 20% bitrate loss I heard about.

[banjazzer]

I mean 3:2 pulldown in advanced settings - and I presume we all do. (?)

[treetop]

I'll put this out there just in case it might help.....my SVCD's are choppy on my Panasonic stand alone until.....i put a VCD header on it (the file, that is) using TMPGEnc

[Octavian]

Nice suggestion treetop, but I'd like to keep my SVCD's as SVCD's. And banjazzer, when I tried encoding with the 3:2 pulldown in 'advanced' checked, it produced an even choppier file when played in powerdvd. I then discarded the file and did not attempt to burn it and test on the dvd player, thinking it would play the same.

[PimpInDaHouse]

Did you look at the .mpg after you finished the first one? Not in PowerDVD but in WMP? If you did was it messed up in there? Are you recording at to high a speed, maybe you are having buffer underflow when recording and it is messing up the recording.

[kjmacke]

Just try to convert to 29.97. It has worked out great for me when my original was 23.976.

[banjazzer]

I think I suggested that a few posts back. 8)

[Octavian]

Ok, all. I will try a svcd encode using the NTSC template...could you outline the process of using 3:2 pulldown with it?

[kjmacke]

you don't use any 3:2 pulldown. Just encode it to 29.97. Just use the template in tmpgnc and your good to go....

[Octavian]

Banjazzer said something a while back concerning the use of 3:2 pulldown with the NTSC template...

[banjazzer]

You could try it both ways. I only tried it with 3:2 pulldown ticked in advanced settings.

[Octavian]

SOLVED!!!!! I ENCODED USING THE BASIC NTSC TEMPLATE, WITH NO 3:2 PULLDOWN, AND IT LPAS AS SMOOTH AS SILK!!!! God bless you guys, all who tried to help me. I can finally move on to another divx!!

[Octavian]

It still is strange, though. Why on earth did I have to encode a 23.976 avi using the ntsc template? Funny, but it seemed to solve all my problems. Can anybody explain this occurence?
btw, encoding in NTSC with 3:2 ticked smoothens it as wel, but produces ugly line effects everywhere.

Octavian

[Big_Jit]

I have to do a 3:2 pulldown on all my films
if i tick 3:2 pulldown and set the output fps to 29.97 you get line effects, here's what I do

Mpeg-1
output 23.976
3:2 pulldown ticked on advanced tab

Mpeg-2
23.976 fps (internally 29.97fps)
3:2 pulldown when playback on general tab

and all my videos play smooth!