ONECLICK avi Pal--TO--Ntsc conversion(DVD2SVD and D2Sroba)

[Gideon25]

ONE CLICK Pal-->Ntsc conversion (with D2Sroba) *Here is how *
I had a LOT of PAL avi episodes (25fps) to convert to (23.976 fps) NTSC and have them ready to BURN to DVD and I KNEW there was a way to get it into basically a one click process or at worst a two part process with very little or no interaction once the process starts. Who wants to sit there and WAIT to edit the avisynth file MANUALLY? I will explain a way to do this using D2sRoba. I ALSO figured out a way with the help of a few folks here (thanks for the help!)to streamline a D2SRoba avi PAL-->NTSC BATCH process BACKUP ALL FILES YOU MODIFY!!!

First get dvd2svcd. Read the guides on how to set it up here:

http://www.doom9.org/mpg/dvd2svcd-avi.htm
and here:
http://www.doom9.org/mpg/dvd2svcd-basic.htm

Get the latest D2sRoba here:
http://home.tiscali.no/tylohome/files/D2SRoBa340rc3.exe
and the CCE Templates for D2Sroba (and dvd2svcd)here:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=64800

You only need the templates if you are using CCE 2.66 or 2.67.


Read the FAQ for D2Sroba HERE:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=3d799e2d7d14dbfd92491da14f1492eb&threadid=64886

HERE is a screenshot of how I have D2Sroba setup:

http://www.colessite.com/ds2roba.jpg

Set it up like that except change of course the cd size to whatever file size you require or whatever size your dvd-r/+r is.

Now onto the method!
First for the NON batch way:

USE D2sRoba- Its great and its what I used mainly because it always runs pulldown for you.

1. Select avi to SVCD in dvd2ssvcd. You can still set the res to 720x480 for dvd don't worry!


2. Create an .avs file and lets call it pal2ntsc.avs and place it in your dvd2svcd folder. My folder is "D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\"
Open it up and put this in it:

AssumeFPS(23.976)

then save the file.

3. Look in your dvd2svcd folder and EDIT the AVISYNTH.INI file (I use bicubic resize but I suppose you could use whatever)
and change the [AVISYNTH_BicubicResize] to read:


[AVISYNTH_BicubicResize]
0=BicubicResize(480,480,^b_value,^c_value)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
2=Import(!Pal2ntsc.avs)
^b_value=0.0
^c_value=0.6
!Pal2ntsc.avs=D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\pal2ntsc.avs


Save the file. Add the import line just like I have and make sure the path is correct to your pal2ntsc.avs file.In dvd2svcd under the "Frameserver" tab choose Bicubic resize.
Now you can choose bicubic resize and it WILL ALWAYS change the video down to 24.976- NO MORE having to edit the file each time! see the 480,480? Change that to whatever ntsc size you want like dvd standard(720x480,etc.). So it does not matter that we chose dvd2svcd we can do the same as the the dvd resolutions.

4. AUDIO. Make sure you use avi2svcd and tell D2Sroba to "encode audio after video." Go to your d2Sroba folder and find the "BeSweetLater.bat" file. Edit it and look for the "ave" line at the bottom like so:


ave
if '%output%==' goto exit
echo [BeSweet]> %output%.ini
echo args=%args%>> %output%.ini
echo !bitrate=%bitrate%>> %output%.ini
:exit


Change it to THIS:


ave
set args=%args% -ota( -r 25000 23976 )
if '%output%==' goto exit
echo [BeSweet]> %output%.ini
echo args=%args%>> %output%.ini
echo !bitrate=%bitrate%>> %output%.ini
:exit


Now THAT takes care of the audio conversion from 25fps to 23.976. Save the batch file! If you chose avi2svcd (which you
should )then you NOW, after these file changes, have a ONE CLICK avi pal-->ntsc conversion. You should finish with an ntsc mpg in-sync and ready to burn to dvd! Of course I was using 4:3 ratio files and I did not do any fancy border adding stuff but others here can probably explain how to do that!

In my next post here I will explain how to set up batch files for converting multiple Pal avi to ntsc mpg with D2sRoba. Everything up top has to be done but you just have to set up some .bat files.

ANYBODY want to write a guide?

[Gideon25]

EDIT---Now the batch function has been fixed and I changed this post to reflect the latest D2Sroba!!


Now, Lets BATCH encode several avi pals to ntsc mpgs ready to burn. Choose avi2svcd and do everything I said up above so its a one click process. Now create, oh lets start with 5 folders. I will name them 1,2,3,4,5. Like:
E:\DVDfiles\1\
E:\DVDfiles\2\
E:\DVDfiles\3\
etc..

Now fire up d2Sroba (make sure its in avi2svcd mode), select the file you want to encode and under "Misc" set the default output folder to your first folder you created. Mine is E:\DVDfiles\1\
Now load up your avi and start the conversion. STOP the conversion just after the audio is extracted. Close everything (including d2sroba)and start up d2sroba again. This time change the default output folder to your second folder you made. Mine was
E:\DVDfiles\2\
Select the NEXT avi you want to encode, start the conversion and stop it just after the audio is extracted. Repeat the above MAKING sure to change the default output folder each time for every avi you want to convert.

Lets create a batch file. Mine looks like this:


@REM DVD2SVCD Batch Control

"D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Tylo\d2sroba.exe" -d2s:"E:\DVDfiles\1\dvd2svcd project file.d2s" -run -exit
"D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Tylo\d2sroba.exe" -d2s:"E:\DVDfiles\2\dvd2svcd project file.d2s" -run -exit
"D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Tylo\d2sroba.exe" -d2s:"E:\DVDfiles\3\dvd2svcd project file.d2s" -run -exit
"D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Tylo\d2sroba.exe" -d2s:"E:\DVDfiles\4\dvd2svcd project file.d2s" -run -exit

etc..


Save it as d2srobabatch.bat or whatver.bat
Of course you will have to change the paths to the proper d2sroba.exe file and of course the new folders you created. It is VERY important to have all the quotation marks correct and, well, just do it EXACTLY as I have done it (changing only the appropriate paths)and you should not have a problem

So not only can we now do pal-->ntsc in one click we can do BATCHES of them with dvd2svcd using CCE and D2sRoba! Sweet!

[Gideon25]

Ok I updated some stuff and added some links.

Has anyone tried this method before? Did it work for you as well ity has been working for me?

[Sugar]

Just one question: does it work to convert DV avi PAL to NTSC?

By the way, impressive work.

[Gideon25]

Just one question: does it work to convert DV avi PAL to NTSC?

By the way, impressive work.

It SHOULD work to convert ANY pal avi to ntsc. I am not sure dv would make any difference. Of course you have to set the options in d2sroba to your preferred cd/dvd size. Be sure to get the templates as decribed above if you are using CCE 2.66 or 2.67. If you are using CCE 2.5 then you don't need the templates.

Also if you prefer to use a different Resizer option other than Bicubic (such as Bilinear or Simple)then you simply replace the ^TargetWidth,^TargetHeight part in the avisynth.ini file with the resolution you desire (720x480 for dvd ntsc), add the import line and the path to the script imported(the pal2ntsc.avs file I decreibed in the first post). An example to change every resize option to FORCE all resize options to a specified resolution and intiate the 25fps to 23.976 fps conversion, your basic avisynth.ini file (loacted in the main dvd2svcd folder)would look like:



[AVISYNTH_SimpleResize]
0=LoadPlugin(!SimpleResize.dll)
1=ConvertToYUY2().SimpleResize(720,480)
2=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
3=Import(!Pal2ntsc.avs)
!Pal2ntsc.avs=D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\pal2ntsc.avs
!SimpleResize.dll=D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\Avisynth2.5 Plugins\SimpleResize\SimpleResize.dll


[AVISYNTH_BilinearResize]
0=BilinearResize(720,480)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
2=Import(!Pal2ntsc.avs)
!Pal2ntsc.avs=D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\pal2ntsc.avs

[AVISYNTH_BicubicResize]
0=BicubicResize(480,480,^b_value,^c_value)
1=AddBorders(0,^BorderTop,0,^BorderBottom)
2=Import(!Pal2ntsc.avs)
^b_value=0.0
^c_value=0.6
!Pal2ntsc.avs=D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\pal2ntsc.avs


Now if your source is INTERLACED Pal you may get better results with using the standards conversion method in the guides and Lanczos resize. It can easily be adapted to this method by knowing how to work with dvd2svcd and the avisyth file.You can add that avisynth script for interlaced by adding this to your avisynth.ini file:

[AVISYNTH_LanczosResize]
0=LoadPlugin(!MPEG2DEC.dll)
1=LoadPlugin(!SmoothDeinterlacer.dll)
2=LanczosResize(720,480)
3=Import(!PalInterlaced.avs)
!MPEG2DEC.dll=D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\MPEG2DEC.dll
!SmoothDeinterlacer.dll=D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\SmoothDeinterlacer.dll
!PalInterlaced.avs=D:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\PalInterlaced.avs


Now I have different paths of course for my .dll files so make sure the paths are correct for your dlls. You will also have to have the correct versions of the dlls depending on what version of of avisynth you are using (or that dvd2svcd is using).Now create a file and name it PalInterlaced.avs open it and put this in it:

SmoothDeinterlace(doublerate=true)
ChangeFPS(59.94)
SeparateFields()
SelectEvery(4,1,2)
Weave()
ConvertToYUY2()

Then save it.
I have not tried that but it should work. Oh and since you are going from 25fps strait to 29.97 fps for interlaced stuff you may have to convert the audio so change the BeSweetLater.bat file in the D2sRoba folder (at the "save" part like in the first post)to :

ave
set args=%args% -ota( -r 25000 29970 )
if '%output%==' goto exit
echo [BeSweet]> %output%.ini
echo args=%args%>> %output%.ini
echo !bitrate=%bitrate%>> %output%.ini
:exit


So that would take care of the frame rate conversion for interlaced as well as the audio conversion in ONE process. Of course none of that lanczos stuff is necessary if your source is NOT interlaced though so if its progressive I would just stick to the bicubic as its FAR simpler.
By using/adding entries to the avisynth.ini file and passing arguments to avisynth via importing another file with the appropriate settings you want one can use this method with pretty much ALL the power of avisynth. Anyone using a special script should be able to adapt it to suit thier needs. Its still a one process shot and as far as I know its the ONLY one that exists for avi pal->ntsc using CCE.


I have used this method to convert about sixty 45minute avi PAL episodes to NTSC and EVERY SINGLE ONE gave me an IN SYNC ready to burn to dvd MPG. D2Sroba also kicks ass especially with the new requant transcoder built in (the same transcoder engine that Rejigg uses). Read those Faqs about D2sRoba and you will see that multipass VBR quality IS possible in one pass using that program. That makes it FAST.
Anyway I am just curious if anyone has used this one step process (once you have modified the appropriate files) to do the conversion and if it works for everyone else. Of course some would argue that its too complicated but NOT for those of use who LIKE D2Sroba and who have several Pal avi's to convert

Batch processing is a breeze with D2Sroba. For instance I have setup 20 episodes to process tonight as I sleep. I can do about 2 and 1/2 episodes per hour so when I wake up I will have converted 20 avi PAL episodes to ready to burn IN SYNC excellent quality NTSC mpg.

So yes, we now have a VERIFIED method for ONE process conversion of Avi pal to Ntsc mpg AS well as batch processing of those files.

[FulciLives]

I'm not trying to piss all over your method ... it seems rather nice ... but I can't get people to use simple AviSynth scripts which will work with CCE as well as TMPGEnc and Mainconcept MPEG encoder.

You think people will do all this?

I have trouble believing that

But yes it does seem to be good work however ...

Just a minor correction:

SmoothDeinterlace(doublerate=true) 
ChangeFPS(59.94) # or ConvertFPS(59.94) 
SeparateFields() 
SelectEvery(4,1,2) 
Weave() 
ConvertToRGB()

You should use either ChangeFPS or ConvertFPS so pick one and delete the other including the "#" symbol. I use ChangeFPS myself. Also the ConvertToRGB() is only for TMPGEnc but since you are talking about using programs that interface with CCE it should be ConvertToYUY2() instead. TMPGEnc works in RGB colorspace whereas CCE works in YUV/YUY2 colorspace.

Also out of curriousity what version of BeSweet do you use? I'm using BeSweet v1.5b18 and for BeSweet GUI I have version 0.6 b76 and for AC3Machine (which works best for converting 5.1 AC-3 to 5.1 AC-3) I have version v0.41

I think this is important because older versions of BeSweet don't do the FPS audio change correctly. Also it seems the newer versions (from what I have heard) do not even do AC-3 encoding anymore!

So people need to be aware of that.

As for your method it isn't clear to me what BeSweet is outputting ... is it MP2 or PCM WAV or can you force it to do one or the other etc.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
PAL DVD to NTSC DVD including AC-3 to AC-3 conversion:
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=160433

[Gideon25]

Also out of curriousity what version of BeSweet do you use? I'm using BeSweet v1.5b18 and for BeSweet GUI I have version 0.6 b76 and for AC3Machine (which works best for converting 5.1 AC-3 to 5.1 AC-3) I have version v0.41

I think this is important because older versions of BeSweet don't do the FPS audio change correctly. Also it seems the newer versions (from what I have heard) do not even do AC-3 encoding anymore!

So people need to be aware of that.

As for your method it isn't clear to me what BeSweet is outputting ... is it MP2 or PCM WAV or can you force it to do one or the other etc.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
PAL DVD to NTSC DVD including AC-3 to AC-3 conversion:
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=160433

Oh its BeSweet v1.5b19 and it has NO problems doing the audio FPS converison, as I have stated I have done around 60 of these conversions with no problem. I also have Besweet Gui 0.7 b4. . It looks like it has the AC-3 machine built into it and it looks like there is an ac3enc.dll in the main besweet folder. I believe this is the version of besweet that came with the latest dvd2svcd. Hmm, I am wondering if there is a way to do it if AC-3 is in the PAL avi file? Possible, I would need a pal avi with AC3 sound to play around with :P It appears the author of Besweet is still working on the AC3 stuff.

In any case most of the PAL avis I have come across be they XVid, DivX, or the like in almost EVERY case are progressive WITHOUT AC3 sound. This method will work for just about all the divX/Xvid releases and so forth out there. True a few of them have AC3 and a few might be interlaced but those are few and far between. As far as TMPGEnc goes, CCE is FAR faster and using D2Sroba one can do multipass quality in one pass. I can't think of any reasons to use TMPGEnc if one has a lot of avi PAL->ntsc conversions to do. TMPEGenc is free or cheap when compared to CCE but 90+% of the people here using CCE never paid for it anyway so thats a moot point :P

I will try to get my hands on a PAL interlaced avi with AC3 to convert but I am not seeing many of them :/
Nforce hardly has ANY of those in its release area, but I won't get into specifics as I know its not polite to speak of that stuff here (even though its a reality that most of the folks here are converting stuff they probably should not even have).

True you have to have and use D2sRoba, Dvd2svcd, use CCE (which you should be doing anyway for avi files). D2sRoba does multipass quality in one pass so why waste time? I have simply come up with a way to do this for people who are already using D2sRoba or may be interested in checking it out.

As it stands, with the addition of the interlaced method decribed above, this method should work for 95% of PAL avi's out there. Isn't that good enough?

Anyway perhaps you should try it with the next PAL avi you have to convert and post your results here :P

[opivy]

Ok I am trying this method out and have got it all converted but when i play it the audio is out of sync any idea why this might be?

[noshuffle]

Great how-to! I'm trying to pursue the DVD/DVD+-R compliant SVCDs; I'm not very familiar with a lot of the scripting and command line parameters for the audio reencoding. Is it possible to include a force resample rate to 48000 for the audio using this process? I've tried to add the command in the besweetlater.bat, but with no success:

ave
set args=%args% -ota( -r 25000 23976 ) --rate 48000 --twopass
if '%output%==' goto exit
echo [BeSweet]> %output%.ini
echo args=%args%>> %output%.ini
echo !bitrate=%bitrate%>> %output%.ini
:exit

However, the audio is still 44100, and the dsroba_log.txt shows the following

Encoded_audio_1.log" ) -ota( -g max ) -shibatch( --rate 44100 ) -2lame( -e -b 192 -m s ) -ota( -r 25000 23976 ) --rate 48000 --twopass

Any help for the pratically clueless?