MPEG-2 to Divx with..... VDub-MPEG2

[toadster123]

Okay i have a video that i captured using Cyberlink Power VCR II, and it is encoded as a MpEG-2 CBR - 4000kbps 29.970 fps video.... with layerII audio @ 224kbs..

And it takes up like almost 3 gigs on my hdd.... but i dont have much room left... so i wanna convert it to a 1 cd DIVX (~700mb)


So i got the VDub with AC3 adn MPEG-2 support, but when after i loaded the movie and set my conversion processes.... and as soon as i went ot "save avi.." it said something like "cannot read log" and then gave me another Vdub error code (-02) i think.

So, my question is : Does anyone know what that error means? Or why it wouldnt let me convert the Mpeg-2????



BTW, is this the right forum???? (there are so many different sections, i never know where to ask my occasional Q's)

[Tommyknocker]

Have you tried to open the file in TMPGEnc? Can you move the file to another drive if you have it available, just to make sure your program is not having to contend with not enough drive space.

[toadster123]

First off i dont have another drive.... and i do have 3.78 gigs left...so i guess that should be enough....

When u say open it with TMPEnc, what do you mean exactly? Just load the movie into it? Cause i did that but then i didnt do anything, b/c i didnt want another mpeg...i want ot convert it to divx (without losing quality by converting to a VCD or something - through TMPEnc)

But i guess i COULD possibly just load it in TMPEnc and see if it could convert it to a SVCD.... then try to load that in VDub (the Vdub with Mpeg 2 support)


ANy other suggestions or comments?

[MrKGB]

the encoder of power vcr is not great, so it is a good idea to reencode using tmpgenc.
open your file in tmpg, select constant qulity, 2000 bps, quality 70, resoluton 480x480 or 352x480 for ntsc or x576 for pal and encode it.
your file will become about 3 times smaller, and you will be able to play it in standalone dvd player.

[Nitemare]

I recommend running the MPEG through DVD2AVI and saving a project file, then running VFAPICONV on the d2v file to make a pseudo AVI that will load directly into the regular version of virtualdub.

You'll have to handle the audio separately and make it a WAV file to load in Vdub.

I get nothing but errors with the MPEG2 mod of Vdub. I assume it's something about my system that the mod just doesn't like because others here use it all the time with no trouble. I probably could have worked those problems out, but the above method is fast enough so I haven't bothered.

Let us know how you make out!
Nitemare

[DJRumpy]

You'll have to handle the audio separately and make it a WAV file to load in Vdub.

DVD2AVI will produce a wav file if you ask it nicely (set your audio to 'Decode'), or simply select the 'Demux' option, as DivX will support MP2/MPA/AC3 audio without issue. Just leave it until your ready to create your final muxed DivX file, and add the audio back in.

[toadster123]

Thank you very very much

First i'll go ahead and try the DVD2AVI method, and if that fails i can always resort to TMPEnc.

Thanks again

[toadster123]

Okay i tried to run the mpeg2 through DVD2AVI - saving the project, then loading the project in the converter.... but i just got a 10meg .avi file.

Also , how big should the project file be?? After saving the project i have one of those small project files (less than a meg) and a .mpa file that is like 150 megs...

IT seems kinda weird..........

[Nitemare]

This is entirely normal. The d2v file is a "wrapper" that allows access to the MPEG2 file. It is not another video file at all but more like a roadmap to the frames inside the MPEG2 file. If you delete the MPEG2 you made it with then the d2v file becomes unusable.

Now just run the VFAPICONverter on the d2v file. This will be yet another "wrapper" that produces a very small pseudo AVI file that you'll be able to load into Vdub. Now you will have wrapped the wrapper of the MPEG2 file. I want to note that you "could" have de-muxed the file and loaded the resulting m2v in VFAPIconv but this method saves HDD space, which is an issue in this case.

In all cases, these files only act to allow you access to the original MPEG2 file so do not delete it! The .mpa file will have to be converted separately. I never seem to get a WAV when I use DVD2AVI on an SVCD file even if I DO select decode. I don't know why but I suspect that DVD2AVI's built in converters have missed the MPA->yourchoice options... or I "could" have made an ID10T error ... either way... let's move on.

Load the pseudo AVI and the WAV you made (use an uncompressed WAV for synch purposes) into Vdub and select your settings and make your divx. (Vdub can output the MP3 audio for you... you can make your own MP3 and try to mux them together but you may get synch issues) Once you're happy with it, you're done and can delete the original SVCD/MPEG2 file and the wrappers. Then write back and let us know of your success!

Regards,
Nitemare

[toadster123]

OOOOOOOOOOOKAY...

That clears up everything... i didnt realize that what was meant by a "pseudo AVI", but know i do ... thank you once again !

[toadster123]

Okay, i did all that stuff and got a pesudso (sp?) .avi

THen i loaded it into Vdub, it loaded fine.. i selected my divx settiings,
BUT - when i went to save .avi it gave me the original "Fatal Error - Could not open log file for reading" then "Vdub error - THe source image format is not acceptable (error code -2)"

GOSH DARNIT!!!!!!!


Could that error possibly have to do something with me apending the original 5 or 6 600mb sections into 1 ~3 gig .mpeg (through TMPEnc)??????

[DJRumpy]

Open your psuedo avi into VirtualDub, and verify the framesize (resolution). It may be wrong.

[Nitemare]

DJRumpy is right. Divx can be very particular about resolution, color depth, etc. Make sure everything is Divx compliant and all should be okay. I don't know the compliant specs off the top of my head but a quick search should give you the info.

[toadster123]

ummm yea i think ur right...but what should i do????/

I think its showing up as 320x480, but it like needs to be stretched out to 640x480 i think.... Power VCR II might have recored it at 320x480..but when i play it in windows media player it says 640x480 and it looks correct

SO what should i do? Add a filter to resize to 640x480?

[Nitemare]

Does it look stretched out in the vdub preview pane? Click on File->File Information ... this will tell you all you need to know about the source file including frame rate, resolution, color depth, etc.

Yes, a resize will be in order to make it look correct as a divx file.

[DJRumpy]

The frame size is correct for MPEG (Half D1/CVD). For Divx, you'll need to stretch it back out to the proper width. If your video has an aspect ratio of 4:3 (1.33 decimal), then you multiply the height (480), times the aspect ratio (1.33)

480x1.33=638

638 would be the width you need to resize it to.

Same thing applies for 16:9 movies. If it's 1.85, or a 2.35 aspect ratio, the same math applies. The only problem is that enlarging so much for these higher aspect ratio's may degrade the quality too much. In those cases, you can reduce the vertical instead, by dividing your target width by the apsect ratio (say you decide to make it 480 pixels wide. You would divide that by the aspect ratio. 480 / 1.85 = 259, or 260 rounded to the nearest even number, for your new Vertical value.

[Nitemare]

"638 would be the width you need to resize it to."

This may not be an accepted resolution for Divx, though. I think the file's width and height must be divisible by 4 or 8 ... again, not sure of the specs. You can correct this by either resizing to 640x480 (you'll never notice the 2 pixel difference) or you can select the "add letterboxing" option under the resize filter and add a 2 pixel letterbox to make it the correct size of 640x480.

If you wish to go smaller the resolution would be 480x360. You should also note that resolution has no effect on the file size. 640x480 encoded at 1000kbps will be the same size as 480x360 encoded at 1000kbps. The larger resolution would be "less quality" (arguable) than the smaller resolution because the same bitrate is spread out over a larger area.

[toadster123]

okay im still kinda confused, i went to add filter... changed it to 640x480 and selected divx 4.12 but it have me the same errror (last post by me)...

So i dont get it????

Under file info it says its 320x480.... and its sqwashed in , so i made it 640x480 and in the preivew it looks normal (stretched out to what it should look like)... but it wont save it as that...

So wtf am i supposed to do?

[toadster123]

i also just tried freakin converting to Xvid but i just got a 3.5meg file after 2 hours and it was just a black screen the whole time...
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

SUGGESTIONS??????? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

[Tommyknocker]

If you get an error message when opening like file unsupported or can not open or is not supported
or you get an empty(black) video preview windowor the video look wierd in the video preview window like green or purple or pink
Try first to change the directshow codec reader priority settings in TMPGEnc under Option->Environmental settings->VFAPI plug-in and right click on the DirectShow Multimedia File Reader and increase the priority to 1 or 2 or to the top of plugin-list and try open the video.
If that does not help be sure that you have installed DivX or XviD or MPG2 or DV Codecs,

-- The Newbie Guides

[Nitemare]

What are you setting your color depth for? Divx will only make 24bit RGB. (arguable) Try a new version of the divx codec? Did you convert the audio to a WAV and then select Audio->WAV audio?

From http://www.virtualdub.org:
"DivX 4.11 and 4.12 will not work on a Pentium, Pentium MMX, or AMD K6/K6-2/K6-3 due to use of a Pentium Pro instruction."

Does the above apply to you?

Some tips from the offsite forum at virtualdub.org;
"There seems to be a couple of possible sources for this error when using divx.

Check that the log files (divx.log and mvinfo.bin) can be written-to (i.e. that they are in 'real' places).

When using divx, height must be a multiple of 2, width must be a multiple of 4. The source may be OK, but if you are using a filter in VirtualDub to crop the source, then the size of the source as presented to divx will be changed." (sorry for not crediting this poster... closed the window before I realized that I hadn't grabbed the name)

You will also want to scan the file for bad frames using Vdub. Search the forums or guides to find out how to do this correctly. This CAN and WILL be done before this is all over. We just have to find out where the problem lies.

I know it's a pain but next time you try anything, document every step you take during the process and post it back here if you get any errors. We've reached the point where general tips and generic advice are becoming less and less valuable.

If none of the above tips help then this problem is being caused by something specific and now we'll need to know EXACTLY what you're doing step-by-step and with what software (including version #s), PC specs, and codecs to help troubleshoot it. In the meantime, I strongly recommend you upgrade to a newer version of Divx.

Once we have all the info then SOMEONE here will know the answer. A little research into known bugs with various divx codecs and versions of vdub will save you a lot of time later.

[toadster123]

Okay yea i tried upgradeing my divx version, but it still gave me a 3.5 meg video which was just a black screen the whole time (after it converted)

and yes the color depth was set to 24bit in Vdub

no i didnt try converting audio to wav yet.... would that even matter right now? as im getting a black screen after encodeing

yes divx.log and mvinfo.bin can be written to, i just checked (c:divx.log and c:mvinfo.bin)

So now i am using Divx Pro 5.0.5 and Vdub 1.5.2
I was using the VFAPI Codec version 1.01, but i just (while typing this post) upgraded to ver 1.05


Also as tommyknocker said i will try to "change the directshow codec reader priority settings in TMPGEnc under Option->Environmental settings->VFAPI plug-in and right click on the DirectShow Multimedia File Reader and increase the priority to 1 or 2 or to the top of plugin-list and try open the video."

but of course i will be using Vdub so it might be a lil different..
but just to clear things up...in the preview window(s) it looked like the movie, but only after it finsihed converting and i loaded the 3.5meg file back into Vdub did it appear to be over an hour of just "black screen"... so maybe this suggestion wont really matter...but i will let u know when i try it what happens
--- okay i tried to do what is stated above in Vdub , but i dont think u can... or can u?

Anyways here are my exact settign in Vdub that i am trying this time (using the codecs stated farther above)

Video:
Filters - 320x480 resize 640x480 precise bicubic
Compression - Divx 5.0.5 ; 850kb/sec; multipass, first pass;
Performace- Quality(under divx 5.0.5) : slowest
Full Proccessing mode selected


Audio:
source audio, full proccessing
Lame MP3 encoder (ACM) - 44100KHZ, 128kbps CBR, Stereo 16kb/s

and ... i will post the results in a couple hours after i scan for bad frames , then save avi...

okay i just did the scan video stream for error, and it said "0 frames bad.blah blah blah , but 0 frames decodeable...."
so ummm yea..i dunno
i guess i'll just try to save the avi (ill just do a lil part) and see if it works (with the settings above for video/audio)

okay i "encoded" alike 1 min seg. with the settings above, but i still got a black screen (windows media player said it couldnt even play it, but if u load it in Vdub it just shows up as black frames)

So, what should i try now????? maybe i should just resort to using TMPEnc and downgrading slightly into a SVCDish thingy..?

*One more question (lil off topic) can Vdub do VBR audio? Or is there any Vdub mods that can?

[Nitemare]

Try doing a single pass encode on a small section. Doing multi-pass encodes with divx is extremely complicated. Most people use a scripting tool to accomplish this, if they bother at all.

When you converted the video with the VFAPIConverter, did you do the video only? If you did (and you should have), there will be no "source audio". You'd be better off testing with "no audio" until the audio stream was correctly converted to a PCM WAV file and loaded as WAV audio, then converted to MP3 by vdub.

With the settings you selected, a 90 min movie should come out darn close to a 700MB file. A 3.5 MB file at those setting is unheard of unless your audio is not being converted, or you're doing a VERY small section of the file.

As for the other question, Yes, VBR audio can be done but keeping the audio synched to the video is nearly impossible. It CAN be done but playback from one machine to the next will be unpredictable. If this is something you're planning to share with family or friends, keep it to CBR MP3 if you want them to STAY your friends.

I'm not a divx "expert" by any means, but most people I talk to HATE divx ... until they see one of my files. At first they're amazed it actually plays, then they get impressed with the quality of it. My settings are comparable to the ones you selected, except I use single pass.

If this doesn't work, you may want to try de-muxing the file and using the VFAPIConv on the m2v that's created and try with that. Also, make sure that there are no "known issues" with divx 5.05 and the vdub version you're using.

Ignore the TMPG advice you've been given until you've given up on the vdub method. They have nothing to do with each other and the conflicting advice is confusing you. If you give up on vdub, THEN ignore all of the vdub advice and follow the TMPG advice. (the advice is great but it's not what you're working on right now).

Try single pass and post results? Good luck!
Nitemare

[toadster123]

HOLY SHA-MOLY!!!!! IT WORKED MAN!!!!!!!

I did no audio and single pass , and it encoded!!!!!! Not sure which one was causing the problems, but im gonna try it this time with just the single pass (keeping the audio.,even though i think i didnt convert it with teh VAFPAI or whatever)

Then i'll extract teh .wav from the original and see what happens...

I'll report back in a moment...


Okay i just ecoded a small part again, but with teh source audio (even though there isnt any) and it worked

so it was just the multipass thing i guess... i'll always use single pass i guess... i just thought that multi-pass created a better quality image...



So, now ill extract the .wav from the original and dub it in with the movie as a mp3.....

I'll do just a lil of the movie first and let u know what happens..

[Nitemare]

Congratulations dude! I TOLD you that you'd get it eventually! Keep us posted on how the final file comes out!

Congrats!,
Nitemare

[DJRumpy]

Multipass is not that complicated. It only requires a second pass setup, which takes about 10 seconds. To do this, you need to first set up your first pass.

Select VIDEO | COMPRESSION. Find the codec you need (in your case Divx, and click the CONFIGURE buton.
Set if for 2-Pass, First pass.
Set your Parameters. Enable the Log file, and MV file.
Click OK
Select FILE | SAVE AS AVI, check off the 'Don't Run This Job Now' checkbox, type in your filename, and click oK.
Select VIDEO | COMPRESSION again.
Your video codec should already be highlighted. Click the CONFIGURE button.
Select 2-Pass, second pass
Set your parameters (if any). Generally you won't need to change anything. click OK
Select FILE | SAVE AS AVI.
Again, check the 'Don't Run This Job Now' option, and type in a filename.
Click OK
To actually kick off the process, just press F4, or select FILE | JOB CONTROL.
The rest is simple. Click START

It will run both jobs. Since it's your first time, you should probably only do a small bit of video (say a 5 minute slice), to ensure your output looks as expected.

[Nitemare]

Thanks DJRumpy! This is the first time anyone has ever explained this to me in a way that I could comprehend. Usually I hear "First you do one pass, then you do the second." Which is accurate (apparently) but incomplete.

Also... just an addendum/correction for the thread. I had told toadster123 to ignore any TMPG advice because it was separate from what he was trying to do. I know that you can use TMPG to assist in the making of divx files and do it this way myself on occasion. I only said this to him because of the confusion I believe it was causing him.

It was not my intention to minimize the value of this helpful advice. I was just trying to familiarize toadster123 with the divx process a little before taking him into the slightly more advanced stuff. I knew nothing of multi-pass myself so I steered him away from that too. Now I'll try it though thanks to DJRumpy.

[DJRumpy]

My first attempts at multipass were just as painful. It's not as easy comming from the MPEG method, to Divx/XviD multipass. MPEG is a one click setup. DivX/XviD requires you to setup each pass using a more manual method. I don't encode to XviD very often, but when I do, I always use multipass. The results on fades and scene changes look MUCH better. I use VirtualDub to create the DivX file, and NanDub to multiplex the audio with the video. I usually use MP3 audio to save space.

I never use DivX for a codec. Why pay, when the free alternative (XviD) is just as good, if not better? The only thing I don't like about XviD, is the output size setup. Although it's great for filling up something like a CD-R, or DVD-R, it's difficult to do a test clip, not knowing how large a 15 second clip should be. It's sweet putting output on burner media though. You simply tell it exactly how large you want your Video to be. Make sure you handle your audio first, so you know exactly how big the audio is. When you add the audio + video, it will add a few kb size in overhead. I try to leave an extra 10MB on an output file to handle the overages from multiplexing them together.

[toadster123]

Okay i understand the multi-pass stuff and see why it wasnt working...but i think i got a pretty good output video anyways, so i will just use single pass... i'll save ur post as a text file so i can do multi-pass later

But anyways...now im trying to get a video file with audio... So how do u think i should plan to attack this?

I tried loading the .avi that is attached to the original MPeg-2, then loading a .wav of the audio (that i rippped form the Mpeg-2) but it was mad wack when i saved it as a divx with mp3 audio(the audio was wack, not the video)

So should i try to first save just the video as a divx, then load the audio in an encode it as mp3...while the video does the direct stream copy thingy...?

BTW - DJRumpy, maybe u should try to have that 'guide' added to the HOW TO section......????? maybe??? I dont think alot of people know what mutli-pass is , and it can help resolve problems like the one i had...

[MachineMan]

Download the Dr. DivX ver1.0 encoder trail version. I have used it to encode several MPEG1 and MPEG2 files to DivX. You can do the entire conversion from a single software. See this forum post about Dr. Divx and decide if it is for you.


https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=162067&highlight=