Encoding from middle of source file causes jerkiness

[robbin]

Ok after doing some more testing (in relation to my earlier post http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140958 ) I noticed that encoding mpeg2 files from xvid/divx source, and not starting from the movie frame zero, would cause jerky playback, however encoding from zero frame (file beginning) would result in smooth playback. The only problem with this is that using mpeg tools later on to cut the file into 2 cd's would cause losing sync. Any idea what is causing that encoding problem in TMPG? Any other good replacement for cutting and joining mpeg2 files?

[puertorican138]

Framerate conversion can cause jerky playback if you don't know how to do it properly.

[robbin]

Thanks for your reply, no actual framerate conversion is done when you encode a 23.976 using the NTSC film template, it is only adding a flag noting your soft/hard player to telecine it (add every 4 fields a repeat fifth one to describe it very roughly).

[adam]

Probably has something to do with needing to start on a keyframe or something like that.

Use bbmpeg to cut instead, you will be guaranteed sync everytime. I recommend you extract the audio from the original source first and encode it to mp2 separately, and only encode the video by itself as well. Then load both streams in bbmpeg (use 1.76) and just follow the bbmpeg cutting guide on this site.

[robbin]

Thanks for your help Adam, Switching to bbmpeg is a possibility however it is much less convenient then using an all in one like TMPG, and bbmpeg seems very complex in comparison. If it is a keyframe issue is there away to solve it?

[adam]

I actually think bbmpeg is much easier to use for cutting than TMPGenc and it really simplifies the entire process. With TMPGenc all you can do it cut by visible location, ie: ok this frame looks good. But you have no way of knowing what the filesize will be so its really useless.

If you use bbmpeg instead, then just encode to exactly the right size to fill x number of disks. Then just set bbmpeg to cut to 790MB filesizes, minus the parts you want to edit out of course. Ultimately you probably don't have a choice, TMPGenc is terrible for cutting mpeg2 and I havn't really found anything else that works well besides bbmpeg, which handles it flawlessly. Play around with bbmpeg, I think you'll find its much better and easier to use than TMPGenc for cutting.

Regarding the avi...it might work if you just cut the avi before encoding. Use virtual dub and set audio and video to direct stream copy. Set your start and end points and select save avi and hopefully it will encode correctly.

[robbin]

again thanks for your help! i will look into bbmpeg now, however the latest version of bbmpeg i can find is 1.24 not 1.76?!

[adam]

Sorry, I was confusing it with dvd2avi 1.76.

1.24 is the correct version to use of bbmpeg.

good luck.

[Wooby]

Any updates on this one yet guys? I'm having the same problem encoding Gangs of New York to 4 SVCDs. The first on was pristine (source range = 1st half of first AVI...there are 2). Second Mpeg....jerky as hell. SAME EXACT SETTINGS IN TMPG!!!

Could I have the wrong environmental settings in the VFAPI plug-in? I thought I had modified them correctly to handle xvid, but switching back and forth to do normal AVI's might have caused a discrepancy. I'd appreciate anyone who has the hard settings to post them here. I use version 2.59 in TMPGEnc.

HELP!!!