DVR-MS captured files to MPEG or AVI revisited

[SaSi]

I did a new search excercice on handling of DVR-MS files and didn't find anything newer than what I use. So please read what I do and if anyone has anything better to offer, PLEASE do.

The best solution I've found is to convert the dvr-ms recording to MPEG using DVR-Ripper and then import the MPG file to VirtualDUB-MOD for trimming, save to AVI using DivX CQ=2 and then re-encode to MPG using CCE.

The results I get are excellent for broadcast material with the only glitch being that DVR-Ripper introduces a 600mSec delay to the audio which I have to fix with VirtualDUB during trimming.

Another issue is that being unable to trust actual broadcast times, I have to record quite a few hours during the night, which at highest quality produces 16Gb files. DVR-Ripper takes 90 minutes or so to convert, VirtualDUB takes another 10 minutes to import the MPEG file and then another hour to save to AVI.

I would be more than happy if I was able to directly import the dvr-ms file to VirtualDUB. No luck there since the author is afraid of violating MS patents.

Considered Tmpgenc Express, which in the latest update can import DVR-MS files, however the editing capabilities are quite limited and conversion to DivX AVI is quite slow.

Is there any way I can avoid the extra DVR-MS --> MPG conversion step? It's not only a matter of time wasted, I also need to save the original recording until the MPG is done, I cannot delete both of them until I have trimmed and proof-viewed the resulting AVI and the whole thing makes the 160G of the single disk HTPC very full very fast. Copying stuff on the main machine over the Ethernet is not very productive also.

I am now considering doing the initial conversion out on a USB-2 disk and transfer the disk to the main machine for further processing - something that may prove to be a major improvement unless a kind soul has a better feat to offer.

Waiting in agony

yours truly,

Just another WinXP MCE 2005 victim

[SaSi]

bump!

[mwh99]

Take a look at this link. I to am learning to work with dvr-ms files.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/smartclient/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnxpmce/html/dvr-ms.asp

mwh99