Yet another Mpeg2 dilema

[smoki]

After trying to figure out why the scheduler function in WinDVR fails me, i have given up. I'm looking for alternatives...

I tried VirtualVcr but it can only work with external Mpeg encoders (MJpeg or Morgan's), and the quality is quite crappy compared to WinDVR. Besides i cannot find any bitrate adjustment anywhere in the codec settings.

ratio : 576x432 or 640x480
xvid bitrate : 1 pass CBR @ 2000kbps
audio: to mp3 44.1KHz, 192kbps using Radium's codec

For 7min 40sec i got a 196MB AVI file, which i convert to MPEG2 (SVCD norm) with either TMpgenc or WinDVR's transcode function. The file is normally bigger.

Questions:
- are the settings above OK for PAL environment and a 4:3 TV?
- how can the quality of the Morgan/MJPEG codecs be improved?? (i used quality 90, but as i said i have no control over bitrates)
- are there any other good options (ratios,bitrates,audio) to do this?

I have a BT878 Hauppauge card using the BtWincap WDM drivers, and i don't intend to install VFW ones.

Thanks in advance

ps. Does it make sense to capture to Xvid using the same bitrate as a mpeg svcd (2500kbps)? Then the files would be kind of identical in size, no?

pps - just noticed that when i capture, my sound goes off...when i stop recording, it's back. Also in a 200MB mpeg2 file the sound dies about 3/4 of the way!!! What's going on here?

[Gazorgan]

Sound going off is normal, it's only muting your speakers.

Try IUVCR, free 30 day trial.

Capturing to XVID is your problem, it's not really a realtime codec. Try MJPEG or Huffyuv (need lotts of space, 20+ GB). You are using all you cpu cycles to encode, and your going to drop frames or fall behind.

POWERVCR will let you capture natively to MPEG.

[smoki]

yea i'm trying iuvcr already, but it does the same thing as virtualvcr: lets u choose audio/video codecs and fill up your space.

is PowerVcr less buggy than WinDvr? I really don't understand why my scheduled tasks are simply ignored (by windvr 3)....

ok, iuVcr's quality is kind of low, it almost looks interlaced...and i can't choose a de-interlace filter (like in VirtualVcr).

[smoki]

dumb question, but why doesn't PowerVCR have PAL Mpeg2 templates?? I tried to make my own, but i can't find the place where i can choose PAL. All my Mpegs have 29FPS now

[GKar]

[smoki]

Have you tried using VirtualDub and the HuffyUV codec for compression? I used to use them before I went hardware Mpeg2, VirtualDub lets you set Pal framerates.

that wasn't exactly the answer i expected :P basically when u have a problem with something, the last thing you want to hear is "try something else instead". That is not a solution...but thx anyway.

Anyway, i got a 25FPS profile by copying the ONLY PAL template PowerVCR has, and creating my own from it...i can't believe this.

[jledhead]

I never could get winDVR to work with the scheduler, it never recognized it. which makes it worthless to me even though it had good output, if I was there then I wouldn't need to record the shows.

if you have an ati AIW card I would suggest the MMC8.5

[kextine]

Hello all,
The WINDVR 2 scheduler function worked perfectly every time for me using WINDOWS XP Home and ATHLON processor.
I upgraded to WINDVR 3 and WINDOWS XP PRO.
The WINDVR 3 scheduler function does not work for me either.
I have tried to manually schedule a recording.
I have also tried to use the EPG.
Neither works. The application opens at the schedule time, but the scheduled recording remains in a WAIT state.

I sent a message to INTERVIDEO technical support on November 6, 2003.
I received the following reply from one of their support people (Huei):

"Please download the new trial version after two weeks.
It should work better."

They obviously know that there is a problem with the scheduler function.
I hope they get it fixed soon. I am using an ATI TV Wonder tuner, and this is the only application I've found that works well with the ATI tuner. The recording quality in BEST mode is awesome. The only negative is that the scheduler functionality does not work. But that is a HUGE NEGATIVE!

Good luck... I will check back in later with results...

[kextine]

Using WINDVR3:

I tried this solution found on another board:
Doubleclick on the Windows clock to open the clock properties, go to Time Zone and deselect "automatic adjust clock for daylight savings changes".

Believe it or not, the scheduler for WINDVR3 now works for me.

However, only if I manually schedule the recording myself.
If I try to use the EPG to schedule a recording, I receive the following WinIEPG error message boxes:

"Please enter an integer between 1 and 255"
"Load data failed, please try again"

<Sigh> If it's not one thing, it's another!

If anybody has any insight into this problem, please post.

The last hurdle???
I hope...

[joball70]

Using WINDVR3:

I tried this solution found on another board:
Doubleclick on the Windows clock to open the clock properties, go to Time Zone and deselect "automatic adjust clock for daylight savings changes".

Believe it or not, the scheduler for WINDVR3 now works for me.

However, only if I manually schedule the recording myself.
If I try to use the EPG to schedule a recording, I receive the following WinIEPG error message boxes:

"Please enter an integer between 1 and 255"
"Load data failed, please try again"

<Sigh> If it's not one thing, it's another!

If anybody has any insight into this problem, please post.

The last hurdle???
I hope...

I know this post is ancient, but currently i am using titan tv listings along with intervideo home theatre software, and about trying to record and was getting the same annoying message. Here are steps to correct this, to save someone else from the trouble...

Ok,
After a couple of days trying to figure this particular error out....i finally figured it out. That is if someone else is having problems with this titanTV / winIepg error. ( "Please enter an integer between 1 and 255" ) Persistence is the key...Lol.
1) Go to windows explorer, click on tools, scroll down to folder options and click on it, click file types, scroll down to where you see both TVPI file type, and TVVI file type. Make sure they open with your correct pvr software...in my case, Intervideo WinIEPG.
2) Highlight TVPI file type, click on Advanced button, then checkmark both " confirm open after download" and "always show extension". Close out of Windows Exporer.
3) Now go to titanTV listings website. Highlight a upcoming show and click record or watch.....and that file download box will stay there and not be 1 second flash.
4) Hit the save button, not open, on the file download box. I guess you can save anywhere. On mine, it brought up my downloads folder. Once it saves, now click open.....and it brings up the WinIEPG.exe program. ....