How to convert RM/RMVB to AVI or MPEG1/2

[kschang]

WORK IN PROGRESS! -- STILL BEING EDITED! -- FEEDBACK WELCOME, just post a "reply" at the end!

This guide explains how to convert RM/RMVB to AVI using AVISynth and VirtualDubMod.

This is basically a specialized version of Baldrick's Guide available here

You will need:

Real Alternative (to open RealMedia files in DirectShow players) or Gabest's Real media Splitter/Filter
AVISynth, latest version (as of 1/1/2006 it's V2.56)
VirtualDubMod (for generating AVI files)

Let's get started. I'm going to use a publicly available test clip in RM here:

http://www.fantaseum.com/downloads/search.asp?section=7

Go down and you should see LOTR Trailer. Feel free to use that as your guinea pig. Download it first. Let's call it LOTR.rm, and let's assume you saved it to the C:/ root.

Next, install Real Alternative. If you already have it installed and verified working, skip the next step.

Test your favorite DirectShow player (Windows Media Player/WMP, Media Player Classic, BSPlayer, etc.) and see if you can play LOTR.RM. If you can, perfect. If not, you have a deeper problem beyond scope of this guide. Please get some help at the newbie or software playback forum on Real Alternative before continuing in this guide.

Now install AVISynth. You can also downlaod AVSEdit as your editor, or you can stick with NOTEPAD, it doesn't really matter. We're only entering 1 line. Make sure AVISynth is the latest (it's V2.56 as of 1/1/2006)

Now install VirtualDubMod (or one of its variants) as it's quite useful as a preview tool for AVS, in addition to its ability to encode AVI files.

Opne your AVS Editor (NOTEPAD or AVSEdit) and enter the following:

DirectShowSource("C:\LOTR.RM", fps=29.97, convertfps=true)

Replace C:\LOTR.RM with your actual RM or RMVB filename and path, of course. Save this as "LOTR.avs" Substitute an actual filename, but keep the AVS extension. Save it in the same directory as the .RM or RMVB file.

This file tells AVISynth to open a DirectShow-type media file and feed it to whichever program that opened the AVS file. it also tells it to generate extra frames so the frame rate per second is kept at a constant 29.97. RMVB file's frame per second can vary depending on amount of pixels being changed on the screen, so you need to use the ConvertFPS parameter

VirtualDubMod is one of the programs that can open AVS file, so open VirtualDubMod, then open this LOTR.AVS file you created. keep in mind that this is exactly WYSIWYG. If you got an error message in red letters, you better read it and fix it. If you got the preview message, it's working! Hit INPUT PLAY (lower left corner, circled below) and see for yourself. It'll probably be very slow and skips, that's fine. Don't worry about it. This is merely a preview.



Now, we know that the AVS file is working. So let's create an AVI file. If you wish to create an MPEG or MPEG2 file, skip this section.

Creating AVI File with VirtualDubMod

Select Video // Compression, and pick a codec for the video. You don't want uncompressed as you likely won't have the hard drive space for it. Picking which codec is up to you, as I don't know what codecs are installed on your machine. Ask on the forums for some suggestions. A typical choice is MPEG2 or MPEG1, or even XVID / DIVX5. You can learn about the intricacies of encoding later.

Select Streams // Stream List, and you'll see your audio stream, which should be only one. Right-click it, and select FULL PROCESSING MODE. Right click it again, and you can now pick Compression. In the dialog box, pick an audio codec. A typical choice is MPEG LAYER-3 (i.e. MP3). Pick one of the encoding rates. Hit OK to get out of this dialog box.

Then File // Save As... then pick a filename, and go take a long break, and when it's done, you have converted your RM/RMVB to an AVI!

Creating MPEG-1/MPEG-2 files from AVS file

If you want to generate MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 files, pick an encoder that accepts AVS files (TMPGEnc or QuEnc or etc.). If the AVS loads into VirtualDubMod, then it should work with any of those encoders as well.

For the example here, we'll pick TMPGEnc, though QuEnc would be almost identical except for slightly different options.

Start up TMPGEnc, and pick the Wizard if you don't see it. Pick an encoding template. For the test, let's say VCD NTSC. On the next screen in the wizard, we get to pick the source. Select the LOTR.AVS file we created. Hit next, next, and have TMPGEnc start encoding. After a while, you'll have converted your RM/RMVB into an MPEG file!

[jds3]

Select Video // Compression, and pick a codec for the video. You don't want uncompressed as you likely won't have the hard drive space for it. Picking which codec is up to you. Ask on the forums for some suggestions. A typical choice is MPEG2 or MPEG1, or even XVID / DIVX5

Select Streams // Stream List, and you'll see your audio stream, which should be only one. Right-click it, and select FULL PROCESSING MODE. Right click it again, and you can now pick Compression. In the dialog box, pick an audio codec. A typical choice is MPEG LAYER-3 (i.e. MP3). Hit OK to get out of this dialog box.

Hi,
My VirtualDub didn't give me the option for MPEG, or XVID, how can I add it in?
Also where I can find the "Select Streams // Stream List" -- I am using VirtualDub 1.6.12

Please help.
Thanks

[kschang]

My VirtualDub didn't give me the option for MPEG, or XVID, how can I add it in?

By installing those codecs.

Also where I can find the "Select Streams // Stream List" -- I am using VirtualDub 1.6.12

Go back to the screenshot. Look right velow the title line, version number. See the word STREAMS? Click that.

[gastorgrab]

Typo? (you did say it was a work in progress)



The reason jds3 can't find the settings is because he's using VirtualDub instead of VirtualDubMod.
.

[kschang]

Never realized that VDub doesn't have that choice.

[jds3]

Thank you all for the help.
I downloaded VirtualDubMod, and Xvid codecs.
Now it is works. I converted it to .avi
the original size is 11758 KB after convert it becomes 26006KB. is that normal?
another question is about the time.
This file is about 1'30" long but it took me about 6 minutes to convert. Is there any other way or method can make it quicker? (My computer is also slow though 1GB CPU)
Thanks

[dvdragon]

Thanks for the guide but the output file has sound but no picutre. Just blackness.

Hope you can help.

[kschang]

DV... If you can see the output pane in VDUBMod, then something went wrong with the encoding process, or your codec wasn't installed right. What codec did you pick any way, and what did GSpot say about your output file?

[kschang]

Thank you all for the help.
I downloaded VirtualDubMod, and Xvid codecs.
Now it is works. I converted it to .avi
the original size is 11758 KB after convert it becomes 26006KB. is that normal?
another question is about the time.
This file is about 1'30" long but it took me about 6 minutes to convert. Is there any other way or method can make it quicker? (My computer is also slow though 1GB CPU)
Thanks

1) It's about normal. You set set a lower bitrate and the size will shrink somewhat. It's compromise between quality and size, as always.

2) Not really, doubt it'd go much faster. Usually you setup a couple jobs and leave it overnight by using the job control mode (i.e. batch mode).

[whitejremiah]

good guide.......my only real concern, at least last time i tried real alternitive, is it kept causing mozilla to crash whenever i stumbled upon a wmv file...anyone have any idea if that's been fixed yet?

[kschang]

good guide.......my only real concern, at least last time i tried real alternitive, is it kept causing mozilla to crash whenever i stumbled upon a wmv file...anyone have any idea if that's been fixed yet?

Never happened to me, and I play WMV files off the web all the time. On the other hand, I use Firefox / BSPlayer to do that.

[dvdragon]

DV... If you can see the output pane in VDUBMod, then something went wrong with the encoding process, or your codec wasn't installed right. What codec did you pick any way, and what did GSpot say about your output file?

OK, I used Xvid. But heres the deal. I was unable to play the file in VDub Mod. But there was audio but no video.

Plays fine in Windows media player classic. Audio and video

[whitejremiah]

i last used real alternitive back in the REALLY early days...like its first and maybe second public release...back then it used to do it, i just tested it out now though, and it appears its been fixed (probably quite a while back, at that.....)

Also, since most people overcompress the heck outta rm, im gonna recommend using a deblocking filter such as MSU's super deblocking filter...it can at least slightly improve the quality of your output.......

[kschang]

OK, I used Xvid. But heres the deal. I was unable to play the file in VDub Mod. But there was audio but no video.

Plays fine in Windows media player classic. Audio and video

If it plays fine in MPC or WMP I wouldn't worry about it.

[dvdragon]

If it plays fine in MPC or WMP I wouldn't worry about it. [/quote]

No let me explain. The .rm file plays fine in MPC. Audio, video fine.

I import the .avs file in VDUB Mod. Press play. Sound comes up but with no video. Just a black screen.

Encoding the file into Xvid or any other format creates a file with audio only, NO VIDEO. Just a black screen.

Thanks for any help you can provide in finding a solution.

[gastorgrab]

OK, I used Xvid. But heres the deal. I was unable to play the file in VDub Mod. But there was audio but no video.

Plays fine in Windows media player classic. Audio and video

You might try a different version of XviD (newer or older).

Another possible solution is to install a YV12 codec.
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Helix_YUV_Codecs.htm

--edit--

I import the .avs file in VDUB Mod. Press play. Sound comes up but with no video. Just a black screen.

YV12 codec then.
.

[gastorgrab]

This should also suffice;

--------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32]
"vidc.yv12"="xvidvfw.dll"
--------------------
.

[dvdragon]

No dice with the codec. I will try some more things. Thanks for the help though.

[gastorgrab]

No dice with the codec. I will try some more things. Thanks for the help though.

XviD or Helix?
.

[kschang]

The .rm file plays fine in MPC. Audio, video fine. I import the .avs file in VDUB Mod. Press play. Sound comes up but with no video. Just a black screen.

Hmmm... Try this... Load the AVS in MPC (yes, MPC will do that) and see what it does.

I suspect there's a problem wtih AVS or AVISynth...

[gastorgrab]

The .rm file plays fine in MPC. Audio, video fine. I import the .avs file in VDUB Mod. Press play. Sound comes up but with no video. Just a black screen.

Hmmm... Try this... Load the AVS in MPC (yes, MPC will do that) and see what it does.

I suspect there's a problem wtih AVS or AVISynth...

It could be a couple of different things going wrong.

If the *.AVS file will play ing MPC or WMP then DirectShow is properly decoding the YV12 colorspace. If you import the same *.AVS into VDub you must rely on a VFW codec to decode it. - No matter how the *.AVS file see's the video, VirtualDub see's the *.AVS as "Video For Windows" file.

It could be that the video he has chosen is an illegal width, or height for the YV12 colorspace (DivX and XviD dimensions are multiples of 16??). RealMedia codecs may not have the same restriction.

Trying to play the *.AVS in WMP or MPC is the next logical step.
.

[dvdragon]

No dice with the codec. I will try some more things. Thanks for the help though.

XviD or Helix?
.

Helix. I need to get the video .rm to play in Vdub Mod before I can even encode it properly.

[dvdragon]

Trying to play the *.AVS in WMP or MPC is the next logical step.
.[/quote]

The .rm plays fine in MPC but not in WMP. Sound but no picture in WMP.

.avs file plays with sound but no picture in WMP and MPC.

[gastorgrab]

What are the properties of the RealMedia clip?

In MPC do the following;



then click on the 'Details' tab


.

[dvdragon]

Audio: RealAudio COOK 44100Hz stereo
Video: RealVideo 3 640x304 23.98fps 935Kbps

640 x 304

00:01:45

11MB (12039725 bytes)

[gastorgrab]

Then your using the same file as listed in the guide?



I thought maybe there was something unusual about your source clip. It works fine on this end. This is through AviSynth and VDubMod.

--edit--

Did you install AviSynth version 2.5.6a? I just noticed that the first selection on the download page is for version 2.0.8. This guide won't work with version 2.0.8!

If you have vers 2.0.8, uninstall it, restart you maching and install vers 2.5.6a.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=57023&package_id=72557&release_id=366697
.

[dvdragon]

Using the same file as the guide. Using the lastest version of Avisynth and VDub.

Still no luck.

[gastorgrab]

Does AviSynth work at all on your system?

Create a test file. Open notepad and paste this;

Version()

....and save as "Test.avs"

Open the file with MPC or WinMedia Player.

Does it play anything?
.

[dvdragon]

Does AviSynth work at all on your system?

Create a test file. Open notepad and paste this;

Version()

....and save as "Test.avs"

Open the file with MPC or WinMedia Player.

Does it play anything?
.

AviSynth 2.56, build:Oct 28 2005 [18:44:09]

[gastorgrab]

Now try the RealMedia *.AVS file again. This time remove the path as your file is not on kschang's PC.

Edit to remove what's in red.

DirectShowSource("C:\LOTR.RM", fps=29.97, convertfps=true)

Make sure the *.AVS files resides in the same directory as the RealMedia source-file. Now what happens when you load "LOTR.avs" into VirtualDubMod?
.