QT Reference to mpeg2 using SUPER (c) - problem + Alternative programs?

[Roughcut]

I have been converting a PAL Quicktime Reference file (exported from an old version of Avid Xpress) to an mpeg2 file for burning to DVD. It's a once in a blue moon event so I don't want to buy any software. I initially used a trial version of Sorenson Squeeze which did a good job - but it had their logo right across the middle! I eventually managed it with TMPGEnc's trial version. But in case there's ever another blue moon I've been trying to find a free alternative - quite a challenge.

I eventually alighted on SUPER (c) which does encode the file, but my 16:9 footage always ends up 4:3 ie cropped, not centrally but with the right-hand quarter or so chopped off. And depending on which player I use the image may or may not be stretched as well, but the right-hand cut-off is always the same. The relevant settings I'm using are:

[1] DVD Std. Compliant (VOB), or Automode VCD, SVCD, DVD, or MPG
[2] MPEG-II
FFmpeg, or MEncoder
720:576 or No Change (available MPG with MPG option)
5:4, or 16:9, or none selected
Stretch it: On, or Off

Changing the settings seems to have no effect. The Video Scale Size of 720:576 is correct for my file (though it's coming out of Avid which means, I understand, non-square pixels if that's relevant).

Having found a free program that seems to accept QT Reference files I'm loathed to give up just yet. But if I have to, can anyone suggest an alternative?

Thanks.

[Baldrick]

Hc encoder or with a gui like avstodvd.

Or try another ffmpeg frontend where you can adjust more settings like xmedia recode.

[Roughcut]

Hc encoder or with a gui like avstodvd.

Or try another ffmpeg frontend where you can adjust more settings like xmedia recode.

Thanks for your reply.

I downloaded AVStoDVD. Seems a lot more complicated (more adjustable parameters) than SUPER. But I ploughed through it, and I got the error message:


Avisynth open failure:
FFVideo Source: No video track found


Do you know for a fact that the program supports Quicktime Reference files? Or should I just add it to the list of programs I've found that don't?! If it DOES support QT Ref., then clearly I'm doing something wrong.

I'll try the other program you suggest and report back.

[poisondeathray]

FFVideoSource() should handle QT Reference files, but it depends what the real video is.

A reference file isn't a real video, it is a "signpost" to the real video . If you've moved it to a different directory or changed anything it won't work.

What format is the real video? Use mediainfo

An alternative to FFVideoSource is QTInput() in avisynth, but you need quicktime or quicktime alternative installed

[Roughcut]

FFVideoSource() should handle QT Reference files, but it depends what the real video is.

A reference file isn't a real video, it is a "signpost" to the real video . If you've moved it to a different directory or changed anything it won't work.

I understand the Reference file concept, and there's presumably nothing wrong with the file because, as I previously said, SUPER (C) successfully encoded it producing a VTS_01_1.VOB file which plays okay but is cropped on the right - the reason for my OP!

An alternative to FFVideoSource is QTInput() in avisynth, but you need quicktime or quicktime alternative installed

Do you mean the Quicktime MPEG2 add-on (as also required by MPEG StreamClip)?

...try another ffmpeg frontend where you can adjust more settings like xmedia recode.

I have tried xmedia recode and it goes through the motions without any error messages but only produces an audio file! Alas "more settings" aren't necessarily a help to a newbie... What might I be doing wrong?

Or - returning to my original question - does anyone know why SUPER (C) does a conversion but the result is cropped on the right?

[Gavino]

An alternative to FFVideoSource is QTInput() in avisynth, but you need quicktime or quicktime alternative installed

Do you mean the Quicktime MPEG2 add-on (as also required by MPEG StreamClip)?

He's referring to the QTInput() function from the QTSource Avisynth plugin:
http://www.tateu.net/software/dl.php?f=QTSource

The idea is to use this in your Avisynth script in place of FFVideoSource/FFAudioSource.
If you don't know much about Avisynth (I see you are using it via AVStoDVD), you may need some help with this.

You don't need the Quicktime MPEG2 add-on - that's for decoding MPEG2.
(I assume your source isn't MPEG2, as that's what you want to convert it to.)

[Roughcut]

The idea is to use this in your Avisynth script in place of FFVideoSource/FFAudioSource.
If you don't know much about Avisynth (I see you are using it via AVStoDVD), you may need some help with this.

Methinks you're right. I know virtually nothing about programming. But isn't the point of software like AVStoDVD that it avoids the need for direct programming? I have downloaded the QTSource.dll to the AviSynth 2.5 Plugins folder. But having loaded my .mov (QT Reference) file and clicked 'Preview Title output' I still get the error message 'FFVideo Source: No video track found'.

How do I get the AviSynth/AVStoDVD to use the QTSource plugin? Should it be showing up as an optional 'AVS Source Filter' (under AviSynth Preferences), or somewhere else?

[poisondeathray]

you still haven't answered the question: what format is the real file ?

1) Install avisynth if you haven't already, and put qtsource.dll in the avisynth\plugins directory

2) open notepad in the same directory as the reference file, write the following, save it, then rename extension from .txt to .avs . Open that .avs file directly in avstodvd. Change the filename to match. (The .avs file is like a signpost or frameserver, in this case it's usage is similar to a quicktime reference file)

QTInput("video.mov")

[Roughcut]

Thanks for your help and patience Poisondeathray - I have made some progress. Firstly, FYI, when I 'add' my QT Reference file exported from AVID ('new test.mov') to the main AVStoDVD window it says:

Title 1 (L:\test\new test.mov)
Apple DV PAL - 28800 kbps - 720x576 - DAR 1.25 - 25 fps (CFR) - - 23 seconds - 586 frames
PCM - 1536 kbps - CBR - 2ch - 48000Hz - 16bit - 23 seconds - Internal

I followed your instructions installing QTSource.dll and managed to convert my file, but not entirely successfully. For a start I've lost the audio. Secondly, when I open the file in the VIDEO_TS folder using WMP something plays but it's just a black screen. However, it opens and plays alright in Nero Showtime, but the image is horizontally squeezed - should be 16:9 but looks 4:3 (it also looked wrong when I previewed the output prior to conversion).

SUPER C has lots of options for changing frame size, aspect ratio etc (though it didnt seem to have much effect as I said in my OP), but I can't see where you adjust all that stuff in AVStoDVD. Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[poisondeathray]

Sorry I forgot to mention to specify audio=true

QTInput("video.mov", audio=true)

If avstodvd can detect the characteristics of the reference file, then it should be able to convert it directly (without using qtsource)

I actually don't use avstodvd, not sure where you can set the AR. You can do it in HCEnc and using other authoring tools, maybe someone else more familiar with avstodvd can help