Xvid/DivX to DVD compliant mpeg2 using CCE

[Skynet107]

After extensive searching and reading on this and other forums, I have yet to find the solution I am looking for. I have been using TMPGEnc to encode Xvid and DivX files to DVD compliant mpeg2's with good results using the DVD template in TMPGEnc. I then import the mpeg2 into DVD-Lab and author with no problems, usually with extracted AC3 sound. The process works great but TMPGEnc is so SLOW I just can't take it anymore. I have been attempting to learn and use CCE but it is far from intuitive. CCE is very fast and gives high-quality outputs, I just can't seem to understand the correct process.
Example:
Source Video - 640x272 DivX 23.976 fps.
Desired Output: 720x480 DVD compliant (keep aspect ratio)

Problem: - DVD-Lab will not import the CCE encoded video. Error: Wrong fps. Error: Wrong size. DVD-Lab reports the video to be 23.976 fps and 640x272 size. Okay so check "DVD Compliant" and change the frame rate to 29.97. Now DVD-Lab imports the video and reports it to be 720x480 NTSC 29.97. Problem is I am afraid the video will be out of sync with the AC3 audio. Will it? Also I cannot play the encoded video properly. In WinDVD the file opens but will not play. Same for PowerDVD. Windows Media player9 plays the file but does not keep the aspect ratio. Also the file seems to have a certain amount of flicker that is not there when using TMPGEnc. I encoded a short video in CCE then authored a simple DVD and tested it in WinDVD and PowerDVD. The DVD plays okay but will not stretch to full screen in either player. This makes me suspicious that CCE did not encode the file correctly. What am I missing here? I have read about frame-serving to CCE, using AVIScript in conjunction with CCE etc. etc. but I don't understand the whole process. Any advise or help would be appreciated.

[bugster]

When using CCE, if your source avi is 23.976 fps, then encode to 23.976fps in CCE. When it is complete you should have a .m2v (video only file), this is important for the next step. Run pulldown on it. (available in the tools section). This will add the required flagss to make it play back at 29.976fps and so it will (or should) be accepted by your authoring software. Keep the audio seperate.

Hope this helps.

(BTW, for really simple use of CCE, try looking into DVD2SVCD, it handles avi's too and can output DVD format mpegs if set up correctly. There is a guide on this in the Convert section).

[Skynet107]

I tried the encoding the vid in CCE and then using pulldown to set the framerate to 29.97 but DVD-Lab refused to import the video.
Error: Wrong Frame size
If I change the frame rate to 29.97 in CCE then encode the file, the file imports into DVD-Lab, but that screws up the speed of the video.

I attempted to understand and learn DVD2SVCD but I can't figure out how to encode DVD mpeg2 videos from Xvid files to save my life!
Back to the drawing board. Thanx for the tips I'll keep trying.

[bugster]

Tak a llok at this guide: https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=111846.

It may be slightly out of date but should help in the use DVD2SVCD

[Mr Grumpy]

It looks like there were 2 things wrong with your MPEG2 file; the frame rate (which you've correctly fixed with pulldown) and the frame resolution. CCE doesn't resize (well at least versions up to 2.64 don't) so you have to frameserve from Avisynth or Virtualdub and resize to 720x480 (or other standard resolution)

Check out the guides for using AVISynth or VDub in the Guides section of this site. I use Fit2Disc (not freeware) to create the AVISynth scripts for me and it works a treat. You could try FitCD (the free version), but this only works for CDR media not DVDR media.

You can also find one of them on www.doom9.org for step-by-step using Avisynth & CCE

Guides -> Format conversion -> AVI to DVD-R

[Skynet107]

Thanx for all the tips and suggestions guys very helpful. I used FitCD to help me write an avs script I believe I got it right, CCE is encoding correctly now. Much appreciated thanx again.