MPG->AVI - VirtualDUB hangs EVERY time.

[Atomic Dog]

Hi, I have an ATI AIW Radeon 8500, and I'm using this method (https://www.videohelp.com/ATI_AIW_Guide.htm) to capture to .mpg.

I want to convert to .avi, but any time I try using VirtualDUB (following the guides) - with any codec, video or sound, at any bitrate, it stops after like 5-10 minutes of converting. I haven't gotten a single one to work, and I can't figure out what the problem is.

Anyone seen this problem before and know what to do?

Thanks.

[drewson99]

if it is uncompressed avi could your HD be full?

sorry if that was insulting.

why not cap to avi?

[Atomic Dog]

Nah, I have plenty of space free.

And besides that, when it's converting, estimated file size is under 100MB anyway.

As for capturing to AVI, I could, but the quality sucks. If I use the Huffy codecs, I get GIGANTIC files, and if I use divx at anything more than 320x240, I get garbage quality.

The guides don't offer much help for capturing to avi. Can you suggest any methods for getting good quality, decent size (like 160mb max for a 40min show), captures?

[KingJohn]

Your dropping frames, these are problems that cannot be later converted, try scanning for bad frames. Mpeg 1/2 are more difficult to fix.

[Atomic Dog]

I shouldn't be.

I've got a 2.26ghz P4, 80gb HDD, 512 RAM, and the AIW Radeon 8500.

Am I dropping frames because of the method I'm using? Can you suggest a better one that will not cause this to happen?

[Atomic Dog]

I'm looking at your bad frames guide now....

TMPGEnc will convert some bad AVI's with junk frames, sometimes reaching 80% before crashing. TMPGEnc also supports AC3 so long has you have the codec filters installed (See my codec guide)

What's happening to me is like the opposite of that. So that means that the .mpg has bad frames, right? And it's fairly futile to try and fix it?

So then, should I capture to .avi instead using VirtualDUB? If so, are there any suggestions (A/V codecs, bitrates. recpmpression settings, etc) you can suggest using to make good .avi captures?

Thanks.

[Atomic Dog]

Also, I'm looking at your codecs page... I installed the Nimo pack. Do you think it would be wise to get rid of those that were installed by it, and only install the ones you suggested (if so, how? Just run the uninstall? How can I be sure all the non-necessary codecs will be gone?)

[Atomic Dog]

OK, for sake of seeing what's up, I tested an mpg I know has no bad frames, I even did a scan for them before running VirtualDUB.

It still freezes about 1/4 way thru. Has anyone seen problems like this before or know what to do?