aspect ratio

[Matryx]

I'm trying to convert my avi to dvd format using mainconcept encoder. I don't fully understand this since I'm pretty new to the encoding scene so bear with me.

Here is info I get with AVIcodec for the avi I want to convert to DVD format.

Quote:
1360 Kbps, 25.0 fps, 640*272 (2.21:1), XVID = XVID Mpeg-4, Supported
448 Kbps, 48000 Hz, 5 channels, 0x2000 = AC-3 ACM Decompressor, Supported


So the resolution is 640/272=2.35 Aspect Ratio. I would have to convert this to 4:3 Aspect Ratio.
the avi is in Pal format so I use 576*1.78 the aspect ratio that I want and it result to 1025 then I divide it with the avi's AR. 1025/2.35= 436

so 436 should be the height I used to put in Mainconcept Encoder in the Crop and Scale section right or am I getting it all wrong?

[guns1inger]

Firstly, do you want to preserve the full 2.35:1 aspect ratio of the original avi ? Or are you happy to crop off the ends ?

If you want to preserve the original AR, then for

4:3 720 x 334 (with borders to fill out to 576)
16:9 720 x 446 (again, add borders to fill out to 576)

If you are going to do lots of these, make your own life easier by installing avisynth and downloading FitCD. Let FitCD do the math for you, then save the avisynth script it creates. Load this into Mainconcept to encode. No more cropping issues.

[Matryx]

No I wanted to convert it to 1.78 AR. Unless if you think it's better that I leave it at 2.35 AR.

Hmm avisynth...I'll give it a try.

[mats.hogberg]

...or use the brilliantly simple ARCT.

/Mats

[guns1inger]

Persoanlly, I'm a big believer in OAR - Original Aspect Ratio. If it was shot 2.35:1, or 2.40:1, or even 4:3, that's how I want to see it. Ever seen The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly on TV. Compare this to the DVD version. Cropped down you never get to see all three in the same shot. But in it's original supre wide glory, it is one of the greatest showdowns ever filmed.

ARCT may be brilliantly simple, but it is also suspiciously incorrect, at least in it's PAL DVD calculations. It's numbers don't tally with either FitCD or my own calculator in this instance. I'll test it against other numbers, but it seems to produce undersized results.

[Matryx]

hmm well when I first encoded the movie I didn't touch any of the crop and scale section, but after I burned it and played it on my dvd player it didn't look right. I'm guessing because my tv display it as 4:3 AR?

I also got a problem with my audio file. I demuxed my video files with PVAStrumento after I converted it with Mainconcept Encoder and imported it to DVDLab PRO to burn. When I played it on my DVD player the audio is very low. I had to put my stereo speakers up pretty high to hear it, but the intro music I had for the menu was perfectly fine. What you think happened here? Check below for my audio stats with avicodec.

I was checking out the ARCT program you guys suggested. I'm not sure if I'm using it right my avi movie file is

Video : 1.02 GB, 1360 Kbps, 25.0 fps, 640*272 (2.21:1), XVID = XVID Mpeg-4, Supported

Audio : 346 MB, 448 Kbps, 48000 Hz, 5 channels, 0x2000 = AC-3 ACM Decompressor, Supported

So I input my information as follow

X=640 Y=272 Source= PC normal (1:1)
I'm not sure what I'm support to put in Output width.

So when I press calculate which section would I use for Mainconcept Encoder? the NTSC letterbox (4:3) or NTSC anamorphic (16:9) my avi file is in PAl format btw. I live in Canada and I hear most tvs here play only in NTSC format? I don't know correct me if I'm wrong.


[/quote]

[Matryx]

bump

[mistycat]

Here is how I arrive at AR in Mainconcept. Use this resolution calculator: www.tomzavodny.cz/program/bitcalc/index_en.php. On the right, input your source resolution, select your target resolution (ntsc/pal) DVD = 720 (480/576). This will give you a resize resolution which you can use in MainConcept's "crop and scale". Untick "keep proportions" and encode as 4.3. If you would like anamorphic widescreen, follow above steps , increase height by 1.33 and encode as 16.9. Remember to untick "keep proportions". Btw, Canada is NTSC. I can't help with the audio, I always convert to wav first and have never seen any problems.

[mistycat]

If the link doesn't work, just enter it in your browser.

[Matryx]

which resize resolution do I use? The

"resize (in VirutalDub)"

resolution or

"the expand fram and letterbox to:

" resolution

[mistycat]

Under "resize in virtualdub" is the only resolution you'll need. The value will be 720 x ?. In Mainconcept, open "crop and scale", untick "keep proportions" and set the size to whatever the calculator showed and close "crop and scale". Set AR in MC to 4.3 or add 1.33 to the result given in the calculator, enter that in "crop and scale" as above and encode as 16.9. Nothing else in the calculator is relevant.

[Matryx]

Ok heres my settings can you check if it all looks right. My avi is in PAL (25fps) I heard somewhere to set my Search method to 11 and Search range to 15. Is this correct? Also I heard something about the GOP structure that I should change, but can't remeber. Something about the I frames and the P frames

[/url]

[mistycat]

Okay, here goes. Your file is 720 x 272 for 4.3 or 720 x 362 for 16.9. After entering your file in MC, you want NTSC for North America and PAL for Europe, so in Canada, you're NTSC (basically,PAL won't play in Canada ). PAL has a framerate of 25 fps and NTSC is 23.9 or 29.9. MC will change your PAL to NTSC if so set. Set video mode to NTSC and also your file size is far too large to fit on a DVD. You want under 4400 in MC and you should get a Bitrate Calculator (excellent one available through this site) or experiment a lot. Your "copy and scale" setting is partially ok. I don't know what 288 Center is, mine shows 240 Center. must be a PAL default. A 720 x 272 will letterbox almost half your video. I would adjust to 720 x 362 and encode as 16.9. There is a preview in options so you can see it as its encoding. 2 pass VBR is good for quality and click Advanced. On Video Settings, set AR to either 4.3 or 16.9, I Frames in GOP structure to 18 (I believe this is NTSC, 15 for PAL), maximum kbps to 9000, average to 0 and click on minimum. This will open Constant Quantization. Set CQ to 5 ( this enlarges file size but I've not seen much and increases quality) and then, set minimum to 2000 and average to whatever (average will adjust your file size). On Advanced Video set NS to 1 and NR to 30 (click on NS or NR to switch), Search Mode TO 11 ( will set Search Method to 11), enable 1/2 pel search user quantization and RGB16-235 (fixed a color issue I had), Motion Search Pixel Movement (both to 12). Now, open Picture Coding extension>intra-dc precision and set o 0 (8) for average kbps to 5000, 1 (9) to 6000 and 2 (10) for 6000+. Clicking ok and returning to Detailed Settings, Search Method will be 11 and you can set Search Range to 31. Click ok and encode. I think this is all, just ignore anything already known. Experiment with settings, I still am and still learning about MC.

[mistycat]

How did that smiley get there, I didn't add it? Anyway, set intra- dc precision to 0 (8) for average kbps to 5000

[Matryx]

lol thanks for the guide mistycat. Theres the smiley again lol

[Matryx]

I was wondering where you get the 720 x 362 resize from since you said the 720 x 272 would almost letterbox half my video

[mistycat]

The 720 x 272 is for 4.3, the 720 x 362 is for 16.9 ( 272 x 1.33)( 4.3 value x 1.33 = 16.9). Also, you can ignore the bit about Constant Quantization (Quality) as I am just getting into it and am not sure about its activation yet. I am still experimenting with that setting. All else applies and you should be very satisfied with the quality and speed, I am, after trying several other encoders.

[Matryx]

yeah I heard this encoder is pretty good. CCE is the best I think, but it's for really advanced users. I can hardly understand some of MC settings.

I still got an audio problem if you can help me with.
After I convert with MC to dvd format. The audio when I play it is substanially lowered. I can hardly hear it. I have to put my volume almost to max to hear it when usually I only put it to about 1/4.

[mistycat]

I don't know much about audio, the only problem I ever had was with TMPGEnc Plus and that was no audio at all. That was when I was advised to get Goldwave (shareware) or Virtualdub (freeware), convert audio to wav and enter separately into the encoder. I still do and have only seen one file fail in quite some time. Great guides for each on this site; you could try that but I don't know. Btw, I tried CCE a while ago unless you mean the $2000.00 version. MC is pretty complicated but very good, even out of the box. Saying one encoder is the best will get you into a heated debate here (at least); people tend to be very loyal to their AV and Encoders.

[Matryx]

When I set Noise reduction to 30 it also sets the Noise sensitivity to 30 and vice versa

[mistycat]

Yes, it does. I have seen questions regarding this issue but never an answer and the manual is no help. I assume that NS and NR values stay set as you wish unless you go back and open either again.

[Matryx]

you know how you say if I want 16:9 just x by 1.33 I did that with a 720x480 video and it came out to 720x427 for 4:3 but when I multiply it by 1.33 and went to 568. I can't put this value in for some reason in MC. I'm thinking it is too large for the height.