Heavy scaling (pixel breakup?) when converting AVI to xvcd

[berklee100]

hey, very new to this so i will get to the point.

want to convert an avi file to xvcd and i want it to play perfectly in my panasonic rp56. i want perfect audio and video. i have had problems with both. have video breakup,video freezing audio that shrieks at times i dont need any more coasters i am determined to learn as much as i can so dont be afraid to get too technical as i am a fast learner. i use vdub to analyze the file first sometimes it comes up with anachronistic audio errors can this be repaired? basically i want to know if i can repair a bad source before i burn it and tweak it while i burn it.

Step one: load avi i use TEMPGEnc using rules for non compliant vcd
Step two: change settings to 720 x 480 2500 cbr just not sure what fps to use or change to to get it right. have not de-muxed or anything as of yet. Step three: split the final mpeg with AVI MPEG ASF WMV splitter then burn it. i think my main problem is fps not sure how to set it up. i use NTSC.

thanx


tools:

TMPEGEnc
VirtualDub
VCDeasy
Nero 6
AVI MPEG ASF WMV splitter

thanx

ps i know you gus are gonna ask me more questions so go ahead i am at your service

[Tommyknocker]

Are you using any guides or just what you picked up along the way?

[berklee100]

just what i picked up along the way

just started 2 days ago

can you point me in the right direction to a guide that answers my question? its ok if you want to make me work for it. i'll understand being a newbie. justy dont have a lot of time on my hands and i am really getting into this

thanx

[ZippyP.]

A few observations:

- 720 x 480 resolution at 2500Kb/s will look like crap.
- A VCD at 720 x 480 won't play on many DVD players, if any.
- "Anachronistic audio errors" indicates VBR-MP3 audio and you need to create a wav file and use that as the audio source for TMPGEnc, try Goldwave.
- FPS of your mpeg should be matched to the FPS of your source.
- You can use the source range function in TMPGEnc so that your mpeg is sized for your disk, then batch encode to create the 2nd or 3rd file. No cutting.
- You should probably stick to creating basic VCD's and try XVCD's when you've got it down. Make sure your player can play your XVCD's, trial and error (R-W's) is the only way.
- Try using one of the avi to VCD guides (green section over there <-<-).

[berklee100]

thanx zippyp

yes my dvd player (panasonic RP56) definitely plays xvcd's you are right about 720 x 480 @ 2500 looking like crap you are also right in that i should make some good quality vcd's first its just that they all look like crap too. i am assuming that there are ways to make pristine vcd's and xvcd's i just have to keep experimenting. thank god for low cost cd-r's i exclusively use TDK's i find that they do the job better than others i've tried. for now its strictly xvcd's or vcd's no DVD burner till christmas gotta deal. i am going to try to lower the bit rate on my xvcd's maybe that will help. i also tried the header trick but nero says i have to purchace the MPEG2 dll? or plugin? after i have burned my non-compliant vcd to burn an xvcd it prompts me and i check off continue, which is cool , but when i try it w/ the trick using TMPEGEnc after muxing it says i need to purchase something about an MPEG2 to something dll? plugin?

anyway thanx for your help dude im going to get this straight i just need the time

peace

[Tommyknocker]

If you have a CD burner, there is a program called VCD Easy version 1.1.5 that is still free, but you have to look for it. And ZippyP also suggested you use CD-RWs instead of CD-Rs which is cheaper still as they are reuseable.

TMPGEnc expires after a certain time and will not load MPEG-2 files after that, requiring the plug in you should find in the Tools section, I believe. Until you pay for it, you will only be able to encode MPEG-1, although the plug in will still let you load MPEG-2 files to be encoded to MPEG-1.

[ZippyP.]

...yes my dvd player (panasonic RP56) definitely plays xvcd's...

....i am going to try to lower the bit rate on my xvcd's maybe that will help....

There are many types of XVCD's, the "X" simply means that it is outside of the VCD specification. If your DVD player supports XVCD then it does not mean that "anything goes" as far as bitrate and resolution are concerned. You need to experiment to find the bitrates and resolutions that your DVD player will play, i.e. how far out of spec you can go.

Try increasing the bitrates from standard first, a little at a time, then try changing the resolution when you are sure of the bitrates. And try 352x480 or 480x480 before jumping straight to full DVD resolution. Hopefully you will be able to find a combination that your player can handle and that looks good to you. CD-RW's come in handy for testing.

FYI, lowering the bitrate will make it worse. High resolution requires high bitrate to look good. You were attempting full DVD resolution at an SVCD bitrate. Even if your player supported it, it wouldn't look good.

[berklee100]

thanx Tommyknocker,

i know about the TMPEGEnc MPE2 deal i have 28 days left. its NERO(trial version) that says i need to purchace the MPEG2 decoder. i will see if my dvd player will play cdrw's but after looking it up on this site it says no. also i have VCDEasy but wont recognize my drive it says to force? it? am still trying to figure it out. if it can recognize my drive i'm home free on that issue.

peace

[Tommyknocker]

There is a site that tells you what to put your settings at for each type of drive.

[berklee100]

thanx zippyp and tommyknocker,


you guys have given me an enormous boost to my new found hobby special thanks to zippyp for explaining about xvcd's im sure i can make great looking Xvcd's and vcd's if you guys are around

peace