Help VCD burning newbie question

[sschevel]

I am new to this and am trying to learn.
I have an .avi file that I want to create a VCD with.
I used TMPGEnc and created a MPEG1 file following the directions from your site.
The avi file was 638 some MB, but the new MPEG1 file was 1.4GIG!
I then used TMPGEnc on the avi file to go to MPEG2, again the MPEG2 file was 1.2GIG!
I then used Nero 5.5 to create a VCD. I seleted the MPEG1(1.4GIG) file, and Nero said the file was incorrect. Following your web site, you folks recomended to let Nero fix this. So I did, and after 4 more hours, the final conclusion from Nero is that the file was to big to fit onto a CDR.
I then tried to let Nero do the whole conversion process for another 4 hours, but then in the end, Nero reports the file to big for the media.

Help?
Thanks
Guy

[Vejita-sama]

Ok, first please read the Convert section to the left, for converting DivX -> VCD/SVCD.

The size of your encoded MPEG is 100% dependant on the bitrate you use. Bitrate is given as kbit/s. So the runtime of your source determines the size. The size of the source or the resolution have NO EFFECT on the size of the encoded MPEG.

For the standard VCD template video=1150kbit/s and audio=224kbit/s. This works out to 1min=10MB. A 74min CDR will hold 740MB (of mode2 data) and an 80min CDR will hold 800MB.

Now you say that your VCD came out to 1.4GB and your SVCD came out to 1.2GB. If you used the standard templates something is wrong I suspect that you didn't load a template but just seleced MPEG1 or MPEG2 in TMPGenc.

1) Run TMPGenc
2) Click Load (bottom left) and choose the VCD (or SVCD) template. NTSC = Japan, USA or Canada. PAL = Europe.
3) Load your input file/s.
4) Name your output file
5) Encode

Ok, back to size. The max size for an 80min CDR is 800MB, however you need ~5-6MB to write the extra files/dirs need to produce an x(S)VCD.

If you're using the standard VCD template than 1min=10MB, so you can predict where 795MB cut off is (ie. 79.5min). You can select what part of your movie you which to encode using the source range command.

Click on settings (bottom left), choose the advance tab. Then double click on source range. From here you can enter the start/stop frames you want to enocde (there's a time clock at the top). So for the VCD template if your source runtime is over 80min (really 79.5min) then you'll need to use more than 1CDR (or lower the bitrate). You can use source range to decided what part of the source you want to encode.

Now as for burning. If you're using Nero choose either the VCD or SVCD template (in the wizard). Then turn OFF the standard complitantion(sp) check. Then drag/drop your MPEG, and burn.

[sschevel]

Yep, you were correct, I missed the "load" template while using the go-by. I guess I just saw "load" and skimmed past it thinking of "loading" a file, and not a template.
So, right now, TMPGenc is now working again.
I made no other changes other than load the template.
I just hope the new file is small enough to fit the CDR 80 Min I have. If not, I will have to go learn about changing the size. I really am not sure if I should change down the bitrate(?) or if I should try to make it into 2 files. I hope that I will not have to do either.
We'll see in about 3 hours.

[Vejita-sama]

Well if you're using the standard VCD template it's 1min=10MB. So if you have a 90min source that'll be a 900MB MPEG file.

If it's to big to fit on one CDR (ie. > 800MB) then you'll have to cut it and put it on two (using source range is easier than cutting). I strongly recommend cutting with bbMPEG and not TMPGenc! See Edit section to the left. Good luck

[sschevel]

I guess that I am just screwed then.
I opened the .avi file with windows media, and it showed the file had a length time of 2h 23min.
does this mean that I should stop the TMPGenc and go the bbMPEG and cut the file?
I looked at the directions for the bbMPEG and it just confused me,
Lets see if I get it correct;
1 Use TMPGenc to demultiplex the mpeg1 file that is 1.4gig
Which will output it as 2 files 1-vid 2-sound
2 launch the BBMPEG and hit "encode"
Select the input files 1 and 2
select the output file,
select the size of output
And hit start.

Now, does the BBMPEG just create the multiple files with the output name? set to the size I selected?

Just go back to Nero and burn the files one at a time to a VCD?

If I have it correct, I will let TMPGenc finish makeing the MPEG1 file, and go from there.

[sschevel]

Well, using TMPGenc to split the MPEG1 in 1/2 because I could not figure out the BBMPEG stuff listed on this site.
Anyway, after spliting the file in 1/2, I then went to Nero to burn a VCD. Of course, Nero reported the file incorrect, so I let Nero encode it again and write the CD.
Well, Nero did that, and burned a CD, saying it did it correctly.
Now here is my new question, I have a new CDR that contains 4 directorys on it. Using Explorer, and checking properties on the "Z" drive(my CDRW drive) it reports that 2 MB used space and NO unused space on the drive.
Not knowing if my file I want is on the drive or not, I swapped it over to my DVD drive, which in the end just kicks it out saying "Check the disk".
I had thought that my DVD would do this because checking the compatibility charts, my DVD only reads a few different media.
Question is, does this CDR have the mpeg1 file that I want on it and explorer does not "see" the file on the drive, or is it not there, and I messed something up.

Could someone suggest a software package I could purchase to do all this stuff easier?
I find that following the pages here, are not helping me very well. Page here says do this or hit that, and this or that is not the correct step, or its label'd differently on the software. Seems the pages here just make me more confused...............
Sorry for the negitivity but I AM a NEWBIE, and frustrated wasting time and CD's when I attempt to follow the steps laid out here...............
Guy

[Mordant]

The guides are really quite good. I learned from them with no prior knowledge, and was buring VCDs and SVCDs right away. You have to have a little patience.

If you are making a straight VCD the limit is 74min on 650Meg CD, and 80min on an 700meg CD.

Check the length of the film you want to encode.

Now start from scratch. Open TMPGenc and select the VCD template (NTSC or PAL). Select your source file for Video and Audio (the same file if it is a DivX). Click configure. Click Advanced tab. Double click the Source Frame Range - this will allow you to pick a stop and start point for your video. If you found your video was longer than 80 minutes, move the slider to about the 40 min make and look for a good place to split the film. Mark the start and end.

Go back to the main screen and choose a file name for this part of the movie ("movie part 1.mpg" or something like that) Hit encode. The mpeg produced will be usable in Norton with the VCD burn option.

Repeat for the next part of the film.

If you want to make an SVCD you will have to look into the bitrate calculator and follow the guide at left. Making a VCD first might give you the knowledge you need to make an SVCD.

Good luck.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mordant on 2001-12-19 22:39:36 ]</font>

[dumwaldo]

if you have a file that is 638 meg and has 2 hours and 23 minutes of video your source is far to low quality to do anything with. you can use it but your output will probably not look to good.

with that said i would suggest doing the following

1. open your avi file in virtualdub. select direct stream copy in BOTH the audio and the video pull down menus.

2. hold down the shift key and drag the slider to around 72 minutes on the video. continuing to hold the shift key you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to get the exact position you want in the video. holding down the shift key will keep you locked in on keyframes where it is safe to cut without screwing up the audio sync. how often keyframes appear is at the encoders discretion so sometimes you will find keyframes very frequent and other times you will find you jump many second of video at a time.

3. once you have located a keyframe between 71:30 and 72:00 on your video write down the frame number so you dont forget it. now click on the button in virtualdub that looks like a black half arrow head pointing to the left. now hold the ctrl button and press the right arrow on the keyboard. this will move the slider to the very end of your video. now click on the button in virtualdub that looks like a black half arrow head pointing right. this should highlight the second half of the slider bar. press the delete key on your keyboard and it will delete the selected part.

4. in the file pull down select save avi and call the file movie part 1 and save it. the result will be a new file that is the first half of the movie alone. now repeate this process going to the same exact frame as before but delete the first half this time. so when you select the frame in the middle you would hit the half arrow head button that points right and go to the first frame and hit the half arrow head button that points left. save the second part with the file name part 2.

5. now you have 2 seperate avi files that are each around 71 to 73 minutes. use TMPGEnc and the VCD template to convert those files to vcd compliant mpg files.

you can burn your mpg files with any software that burns vcd's and they are still small enough that you can burn them on 74 minute cd's.

BTW all the advice offered here is excellent but i often have problems using TMPGEnc for cutting so i try to use virtualdub whenever possible.




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: dumwaldo on 2001-12-19 23:41:25 ]</font>