Tmpgenc MP3 VBR Issue

[neo_tech]

Hi all,
i was trying to convert some of my videos encoded in Xvid and MP3 vbr/cbr and as all of us know Tmpgenc couldn't handle it. tmpgenc has issues with ac3 and mp3s, i know that. but i wanted to know if there exists some kind of a plugin or codec which could merge with tmpgenc and could encode mp3s audio on-the-fly while converting the video so that i don't have to first extract it as .wav file. that is very tideous job and time consuming too.
as for ac3s i have solved the problem by installing TmpgEnc AC3 ACM Codec. now its able to handle ac3s with great ease! i hope theres some similar solution for mp3s too.

can someone pls help me out?

Thanks

[ofbarea]

As a workaround you may convert in advance the MP3 vbr/cbr to wav using VirtualDub. Then open the video portion from the Xvid file and the audio from the WAV.

[guns1inger]

Load the avi files via avisynth instead (or frameserve out of virtualdub) so that tmpgenc is only seeing uncompressed video and audio.

Or do what I do, which is convert the audio separately

[j4gg3rr]

ffdshow works rather well with TMPGEnc now. There was a time it didn't like Nov 2005.
Also a simple AVISynth script with the following should work just fine on all but the most poorely muxed AVI's.

AVISource("D:\Temp\test1.avi")
ConvertToRGB24()
EnsureVBRMP3Sync()

EDIT:
Furthermore, If you use AVISynth you can also do the resizing and add borders to you project requirements within the script. This not only allows you to use the better resize filters available to AVISynth but can also increase encoding speeds because TMPGEnc doesn't have to do it.

eg.
AVISource("D:\Temp\test1.avi")
EnsureVBRMP3Sync()
Lanczos4Resize(720,432)
AddBorders(72,72)
ConvertToRGB24()

Gives you a 720 x 576 input that you encode as FullScreen for a PAL DVD project.

You just need a Resize Calculator to know what figures to enter. Scripts for 4/3 16/9 for example would be different.

[neo_tech]

actually i have never been into frameserving job before. but i quite frquently use ffdshow so i think i should 1st try to solve using it. so what should i do so that tmpgenc and ffdshow work hand-in-hand?

[j4gg3rr]

Just make sure DirectShow MultiMedia FileReader is the highest priority VFAPI plug in in TMPGEnc's Options > Environmental Setting > VFAPI tab.
Then make sure ffdshow is set to decode MP3 in its config too.
As long as it's the highest priority MP3 decoder on your system it will be used.
You can confirm this by selecting Show tray icon in ffdshow's settings. Then in TMPGEnc load your video then navigate to the Advanced tab and double click on "source range". The ffdshow audio icon will show in taskbar if ffdshow is being used.

[j4gg3rr]

One more thing! Im prepared to let you encode MP3 to MP2 within TMPGEnc without thinking too much about it. Try to atleast use TooLame for that!
But when I saw you also encode AC3 to MP2 I just could say nothing any longer.
Your really much better off trying to get into using other tools like VirtualDub, BeSweet, ffmpeg and the list goes on, to demux your AC3 audio. Encode just the video then mux the original AC3 back with your encoded video using TMPGEnc tools.

EDIT:
Offcourse if your making VCD SVCD you can't keep AC3 in those formats.
But for DVD/MPG Storage you should always be able to end up with an AC3 audio track rather than MP2.

[neo_tech]

yes i have already tried that before and i tried it again. i set the ffdshow mp3 decoder to max. priority. in playing the video thru wmp the audio icon shows up in the tray bar but when i use tmpgenc theres no sign of that icon in the tray :/ this is so ridiculous.
so i think we r now left with the toolame option. how to use that one?

also the video which am stuck with is having mp3 audio stream. ac3 was another video which i solved by installing the ac3 compressor.

[j4gg3rr]

The icon will only show up when the encoder is running or when you are previewing the video while adding filters.

TooLame is added to TMPGEnc's Options > Audio engine > MPEG-1 Audio Layer 2 encoder > External program.

[neo_tech]

i looked up for toolame encoder. its given that its a WAV to MP2 Encoder. but my streams are in mp3...so will it work?

[j4gg3rr]

TooLame is an MP2 encoder that is better than TMPGEnc's own internal one. Not a decoder. I only recommend it because you seem set on not wanting to learn better methods.

TMPGEnc and ffdshow(or whatever MP3 decoder is being used) will do some audio conversion for TooLame before encoding begins.

[j4gg3rr]

Hey something else I just remembered about TMPGEnc.
The AC3-ACM decoder won't work if you set Directshow as the highest in the VFAPI settings... I think it only works with OpenDML higher than DirectShow VFAPI plug in.

Another good reason to learn how use AVISynth scripts or frameserve with Vdub and encode video and audio seperately.

[neo_tech]

hey j4gg3rr its not that i don't wanna learn new better methods...i was just trying to keep everything simple
as for learning new things am always supercharged!

if u can help then pls tell me how to convert using avisynth and tmpgenc so that i won't have to extract wav audio first.

thnx

[Abond]

1. Dowmload and install avisynth. Associate the scipt files with Notepad
2. Download and unpack FitCD.
3 Download ReadAVS plugin for TMPGEnc and follow the instructions how to instal it.
4. load your source file in fitcd. Select the desired output resolution (righthand). Click Save script. It has extension .avs
5. Open the script in Notepad (double click) and add as last line
ConvertToRGB24()
Save it.
6. Open the avs as video source in TMPG. Open the same script as audio source in TMPG.
7. Encode as usually.

ReadAVS link: http://avisynth.org/warpenterprises/files/readavs.zip