Multiple large AVI files & Squares after converting

[DRob]

I'm just looking for a little advice as to how you would handle this situation with using the least number of CDs (or DVDs).

I have 51 .avi files that are about 180megs a piece (and around 24 minutes in length). I would really like to get these on some DVDs or CDs so I can watch them on my DVD player, but if what I understand is correct (which it probably isn't) I'd need to burn around 20 CDs or DVDs in order to do this..

Since VCDs are smaller usually(i think), is it possible to make a VCD on a blank DVD so it can hold more of these avi files than just a few? If not, how would you go about getting these 51 files burned without using too many DVDs or CDs? Or is it pretty impossible to do without using a lot of DVDs or CDs? Thank you for your time and suggestions. Any links or anything like that for trying to cram a good amount on a limited number of CDs or DVDs would be greatly appreciated.

I'm pretty new to this, but have been reading about it, and doing some burning for a while...but reading through all of the guides I hadn't read before, many of the posts, and everything else has kind of given me a overload of information and fried my brain for tonight

DR

[thecoalman]

The DVD spec allows for VCD compliant video to be used, the only thing that differs is the audio. VCD is 44khz and DVD is 48khz.

How much video you can fit on a DVD is dependant on the bitrate. Lower bitrates allow for more video, they also have a lower quality though. Anything below a standard VCD video and it essentially becomes unwatchable with a lot macroblocking. Even VCD isn't very good but you can get ?6 hours? on a DVD, I'm not sure exactly how much as I don't use VCD.

What's the specs on the video now? What format, bitrate and resolution?

[DRob]

It looks like (Looking at the file info for one of the avis in Virtual Dub) it says:
Frame Size: 640x480. 23.976fps
# of frames: 34750
Decompressor: XviD MPEG-4 Codec
Audio rate sampling stream: 48khz

If I could get close to 6 hours, or even a little less on a DVD without it becomming too bad quality (Its animation) that would be great. I'm sorry if this has all been covered elsewhere, but I'm still a little shaky on how to change the bit rate to be able to do this. Would this be something I'd have to do in VirtualDub somewhere? Also, I would have to convert it to a different file type too right? Thanks again for your help on this

[mats.hogberg]

To make it really easy: Encode AVIs to VCD specs mpg (using TMPGEnc) - There are numerous guides for AVI to VCD under convert left.
Author as DVD with TMPGEnc DVD Author. As stated, you'll be able to cram > 6 hrs of video at this setting on a DVD.

/Mats

[DRob]

Thank you for the suggestions I tried converting them to VCD files in Tmpgenc, and tried SVCD files (up to 2400kbits) and for some reason whenever there's any fast action, or anything like that, I'm getting little squares all over the screen for just a split second.

I read some other posts that suggested raising the bitrate to see if that would help, and I raised it as far as it would go in VCD and SVCD, and that didn't seem to help I even tried choosing DVD in TMPGENC with 8000kbits, and the squares were still there.

Odd thing is, when I play the original AVI files, which are much much smaller file sizes than the behemoths I'm creating, the squares aren't there. Any ideas?

[mats.hogberg]

Any reencoding will further degrade the video quality - that's inevitable.
Are you watching both the AVI and the mpg on the same monitor? I was thinking that stuff that looks fine on a monitor, often doesn't look as good on the TV.

/Mats

[DRob]

Yep, watching them both on the same monitor. I wanted to watch the MPGs to make sure they lookd good before burning them to a DVD The original AVI plays with no problems at all. The mpeg's I'm making though (seems no matter what bitrate I choose, this happens) I get the boxes when there is a lot of fast action.

Would trying some different encoding software be a good idea? Or is pretty much all of it going to do the same thing as TMPGEnc?

[Shadowmistress]

Are you using a 2-pass variable biterate or a constant biterate? You should be using variable. Are you running any other programs while encoding? Remember you are resizing and that takes a bit of cpu effort. When you say fast action scenes, what kind of action are we talking about? Is it during scene changes or just fluid fast motion?

[jimmalenko]

Is it possible your MPEG codec is corrupted ?

[guns1inger]

Are you sure the artifacts aren't in the original ? I have heard this claim often, but once you slow down the original, and resize it up, there they are.

[DRob]

I checked the original AVI file quite a few times now, even going frame by frame in media player classic. I see none of those blocks If I do the same thing in the mpg I created, I see them both when there is fast, not really fluid, but jerky movement, and when the camera changes to something else during the show (Scene change I guess).

I just tried using the 2 pass variable bitrate (I was using constant before) with TMPGEnc. I used SVCD, and set it to the max bitrate where I could set that. It ran for about 45 minutes (half of that analyzing), and the blocks are still there in the same sections. I haven't tried reinstalling the codec yet, but I am able to play other MPEGs fine, or would that also cause this while encoding the mpegs?

Here's what it shows at the bottom of TMPGEnc before I start encoding:
Super Video-CD NTSC (MPEG-2 480x480 23.976fps VBR 2520kbps, Layer-2 44100Hz 224kbps) The AVI files I'm trying to convert are a DivX & some are XviD MPEG-4 They all seem to be 23.976fps and 640x480. Not sure if that info helps any

Hm...just found something pretty interesting. I actually have two of one of the episodes. Both .avi files (one is subtitled, the other is dubbed). One (The one causing problems) is DivX, the one that is dubbed (which I just converted and its perfect) is XviD MPEG-4. The weird thing is, some of the subtitled AVIs I have, are also XviD MPEG-4, but they get the blocks... Now I'm really confused They all show 23.976fps and 640x480... Maybe I'll just live with the english dub'd ones, and just watch the subtitled ones on my computer... Still..its bugging me not being able to figure out what's causing the difference :P

DR

[jimmalenko]

Would it be possible to take some screencaps of these "blocks" and upload them ? There's a sticky at the top of this forum that might assist:
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=271697

AFAIK it's gotta be either something in your encoding settings in TMPGEnc or your codecs. You might also upload each tab of TMPEnc's settings tabs so we can see what's going on.

[thecoalman]

I even tried choosing DVD in TMPGENC with 8000kbits, and the squares were still there.

Did you use a resolution higher than the original? Try using 352x480 with 4000VBR

[DRob]

I tried the DVD NTSC (Low resolution) before too, which was 352x240 and it did the same thing on that one

Here are the pictures of my settings, and the blocks:

http://www.gonewest.net/svcd/svcd.html

Thanks again for all the help on this. Its just weird (to me anyway) that I can convert some XviD MPEG-4 files to SVCD without any problems (The english dub'd ones) but then a DivX avi file, and other XviD files (From this batch with sub titles) wont convert to any mpg without those blocks...

[thecoalman]

That's not a macroblocking issue, that's corruption of some sort. Sorry I have no advice for you.

Just to clarify on what I said above, I wasn't suggesting you use a higher resolution which it may appear is what I meant. Just asking if you did. Upscaling a video should be avoided.

[DRob]

One thing I should've mentioned (doh) is that screenshot that shows the blocks, the blocks fill in Very fast and then stuff is normal until there is very fast motion again, or the "camera" switches to a different person in the show, then I sometimes get some of those blocks (which quickly fill in) again

It kind of reminds me of when a show I'm watching on TV is getting screwed up by boxes like that and my cable is about to go out Except its not that bad in the mpg file I have since it fills in quickly....and my cable doesn't go out shortly after I get a screwed up mpg :P

Anyway, here's a short clip of the video with the weird blocks:
http://www.gonewest.net/svcd/video.mpg

You can see the blocks really well when he moves his arm. Then you can see some of the blocks when it switches off of him to the other person in that scene (Easier to see if ya sloooow it way down or go frame by frame). Thanks again everyone for trying to help me with this Hopefully I'm providing enough info to be helpable heh

DR

[jagabo]

Try setting the Max Number of Frames in a GOP to 18. And turn on Output Bitstream For Edit (Closed GOP).

What you are seeing is encoding errors, not macroblocks from overcompressing. If you look closely you'll see that the contents of the blocks are leftovers from the previous frame. Somehow the encoder "forgot" to update those blocks.

[Shadowmistress]

Here, turn "No motion search for still picture part by half pixel" OFF. Encode a portion and see if it works. If it doesn't, you can mess with the "force picture type setting" feature on the previous screen to manually set the I frame pictures.



By the way, if this is to ultimately end up as dvd, why are you encoding sound to 44100 hz? It should be 48000 hz. Also, encode audio and video seperately to use less cpu effort.

[DRob]

Thank you all for your help I feel like a dope after I saw this:

http://www.gonewest.net/svcd/doh.jpg

Weird thing is, when I slowed it down and went frame by frame in Media Player Classic, that frame looked perfectly fine. However when I went frame by frame in TMPGEnc when checking "Force picture type setting" I see the problem. Another weird thing is, when I clicked on it the first time, it showed exactly what it shows when I convert it to svcd...but when i click around a bit, then back on that picture, the messed up picture is gone :P Anyway, it appears it was something with the original avi files...which would explain why the other AVI's from a different person I converted all look fine.

Sorry again for being such a newbie on this & thank you all so much for your help with this, I learned a lot (i think) If I run into this problem again, I'll know to look through that force picture type setting and see if its messed up in there

DR