AVANTI - FFmpeg/Avisynth GUI (support thread).

[JonF]

Thanks, I sure couldn't find that. But when i copied that page and pasted into a text editor I could find it.

[Chris K]

Thanks, I sure couldn't find that. But when i copied that page and pasted into a text editor I could find it.

Do you mean the http links in the Avanti chm help? These are all in plain text because CHM help files always open links in "Internet Explorer". Many people use another default browser with their securety updates installed and it may not be safe to open in a unused IE.

It's indeed recommended to copy the links and paste them in your default browser. I updated the broken links in the help for the next Avanti version, so also thanks to you

[JonF]

No, I meant that I could not find those paragraphs, which you posted, in the help file. So I hit Ctrl-A, pasted into Notepad++, and searched for "sharpen". And found it.

Another subject, a nit that you might not be able to do anything about, is that the preview on the crop-scale-pad page appears to always show one or two black pixels at the top and bottom. So when I need to crop black bars from the top and bottom I have to open the file in AvsPMod and use its crop selection to get the numbers.

[Chris K]

No, I meant that I could not find those paragraphs, which you posted, in the help file. So I hit Ctrl-A, pasted into Notepad++, and searched for "sharpen". And found it.

Some topics are not in the index but you can always first try the context sesitive help feature. In this case put the cursor in the "Blur/Sharpen" field on the gui and the press the <F1> key.

BTW: You can also search directly in chm help files. If you press <Ctrl><F> the "Find" box is opened.

Another subject, a nit that you might not be able to do anything about, is that the preview on the crop-scale-pad page appears to always show one or two black pixels at the top and bottom. So when I need to crop black bars from the top and bottom I have to open the file in AvsPMod and use its crop selection to get the numbers.

Yes the inner size of the FFplay window can be slightly larger than the actual frame size. This is probably because of rouding errors in the calculations. It should be less if you resize the window to a larger size.

[Chris K]

Another subject, a nit that you might not be able to do anything about, is that the preview on the crop-scale-pad page appears to always show one or two black pixels at the top and bottom. So when I need to crop black bars from the top and bottom I have to open the file in AvsPMod and use its crop selection to get the numbers.

I have to take a closer look at what FFplay does when used from the command line to see if it's a error from FFplay or Avanti.

But in the mean time...

Since you use AvsPMod, I assume you have Avisynth installed. The Avisynth preview doesn't have the problem so you could temporarily use Avisynth to get the crop values and switch back to FFmpeg for the final processing.

[JonF]

Thanks, I'll try both those suggestions.

Yep, I am doing that to get exact crop values. Of course when I'm processing .vobs I have to DGIndex first, so it's a bit of a pain. I'm not doing enough to make it worthwhile to figure out batch processing.

Some day I'll try to figure out using AVISynth from Avanti. I've found a few video-audio sync problems when running Avisynth scripts in Avanti (using DGIndex video and audio files) but running Avanti directly on the .vobs seems to work well. But maybe a combination would be even better.

[Chris K]

Some day I'll try to figure out using AVISynth from Avanti. I've found a few video-audio sync problems when running Avisynth scripts in Avanti (using DGIndex video and audio files) but running Avanti directly on the .vobs seems to work well. But maybe a combination would be even better.

I always extract the main title vobs of a DVD with the concatinate option. Unfortunately this is also one of those hidden topics in the Avanti help. But if you put the cursor in the "Source 1" field and press <F1> you get info on the options for the source fields. One of them is the concatinate option.

You have to always enable the "Rewrite PTS" option, especially when you copy (remux) the vobs e.g. into a mkv container. If the vobs contain subtitles, you must add the -sn command at the FFmpeg script editor else FFmpeg reports that dvd subtitle conversion to ssa is not supported. Or you can map them in as they are by adding -codec:s copy at the FFmpeg script editor.

About the black lines with FFplay preview...

It looks like I can fix it. It has to do with width/height of the window that should always be even numbers. Basically a window can be resized to anything. Odd or even. So this has to be corrected for the aspect ratio calculations.

[JonF]

Thanks, I'll try to remember that F1 trick. Right now I am working with single vobs so concatenation isn't an issue.

Another question if I may, maybe just an ffmpeg question. I'm doing a lot of these, I'm working on five seasons at 24 per of The Muppet Show so I can stream it or view it on my tablet. I'm almost done. But today I realized that I had DAR set at "source" and some of the vobs have DAR set at 4:3 and some have 2:3. (The Disney people were lazy and/or sloppy, each episode has to be set up differently) I bet there's a way to rewrite the DAR without having to re-encode, and I see the switch for it, but can I do it from Avanti or what ffmpeg commad would do it?

[Chris K]

I bet there's a way to rewrite the DAR without having to re-encode, and I see the switch for it, but can I do it from Avanti or what ffmpeg commad would do it?

FFmpeg can't do it without re-encoding. You have to use the copy option and that doesn't alter any of these flags like SAR and DAR.

What you could try is DVDPatcher but be very careful with it. It modifies the source directly so only use it on a copy of your clip. At the bottom left of the gui you must set "Entire file" not "First header only". And of course set the 4:3 aspect ratio.

EDIT: I realized afterwards that you perhaps were going from vobs to some other format. Then you can't use this app. There may be tools that can do it for other formats like h.264 (MP4Box?).

[JonF]

Yeah, I'm going from vob to H.264 mp4. I think I have MP4Box lying around somewhere and I'll look. Otherwise I'll just have to re-encode those clips.

[GoldenMeanie]

I know this has been asked before, but I just started using an older laptop for ripping my DVDs to a more portable format. I need to use a Fat32 formatted flash drive so my files can't be larger than 4gb. That being said, what is the protocol for joining two or more VOB files to compress to MP4? Thanks.

[Chris K]

That being said, what is the protocol for joining two or more VOB files to compress to MP4? Thanks.

I knew it's in the help but I must confess it took me quite a while to find out where. It's not in the index.

The easiest way to find it is to put the cursor in the "Source 1" field and press <F1>. You then get at a section with info about the source options. There you find a link to the "Concatinate" option which how it is called by FFmpeg.

I hope to ever find the time to reorganize the help and add a index with keywords or something.

Chris

[GoldenMeanie]

Thanks Chris! As usual you're awesome!

[knez18]

Hey @Chris K you mentioned in PM that you have example template for still image and audio to encode to video. Can you please upload it?

[Chris K]

Hey @Chris K you mentioned in PM that you have example template for still image and audio to encode to video. Can you please upload it?

Here it is... UNI_STILL_IMAGE_CLIP.ZIP

You have to unzip and copy its content to the "templates" folder at your Avanti install directory. You then can load it from the main menu (top left toolbar button). Select "Load template" and at the dialog choose the UNI tab. It is named...

"STILL IMAGE with audio at minimal file size (seekable h264 + aac)"

When you load it there appears a comment at the report window. Read that for the details. Especially about MP4Box and the "moov" atom. When you start the process a message box shows up about the source1/source2 duration. You have to answer NO on that.

I have not tried it on youtube so there is no guarantee it really works.

Chris

[knez18]

THx I'll let you know if it works...

[knez18]

Gr8, it works
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3QnwQZlL6M
Would it also be possible to add multiple audio files into one (this one was created from flac single cue file, but I have some mp3 separated files for future uploads) ?

[marawuti]

Just started using Avanti and am impressed.

I'd like the library component details reported in the processing output window. Something like:

Input #0, avi, from 'D:/shared/Video/Cozumel/Paradise Gardens.avi':
Duration: 00:04:29.28, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 15428 kb/s
Stream #0:0: Video: h264 (Main) (H264 / 0x34363248), yuv420p,
1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 15216 kb/s, 59.96 fps, 59.94 tbr, 59.96 tbn,
119.88 tbc
Stream #0:1: Audio: mp3 (U[0][0][0] / 0x0055), 48000 Hz, stereo, s16p,
192 kb/s
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Output #0, mp4, to 'nul.mp4':
Stream #0:0: Video: mpeg4 (libxvid) ( [0][0][0] / 0x0020), yuv420p,
640x480 [SAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], q=2-10, pass 1, 800 kb/s, 11988 tbn, 23.98 tbc
Stream #0:1: Audio: vorbis (libvorbis) ([221][0][0][0] / 0x00DD), 22050 Hz,
stereo, fltp, 80 kb/s
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (h264 -> libxvid':'xx.nn.aa)
Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (mp3 -> libvorbis':'xx.nn.aa)


With the output detail in red above I have sufficient data to keep track of the heritage of any transformations I make.

[Chris K]

I'd like the library component details reported in the processing output window.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (h264 -> libxvid':'xx.nn.aa)
Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (mp3 -> libvorbis':'xx.nn.aa)

Don't understand exactly what you mean by library components?

What you see at the "stream mapping" section is the output from the FFmpeg console itself. It's only formatted and reordered to improve readability.

When I checked todays Zeranoe build I found however that FFmpeg started to also write encoder metadata to the individual streams. From todays FFmpeg version up Avanti displays this as...

Metadata_Write:
  ... ISFT            : Lavf55.38.100

Metadata_Write:
  ... encoder         : Lavc55.63.100 libxvid

Metadata_Write:
  ... encoder         : Lavc55.63.100 libvorbis

Formerly it only displayed the first metadata which concerns the container. Perhaps this new info could be of help?

EDIT:

I think I'm starting to get it...

http://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/

You probably mean the version numbers as can be found down below at the Zeranoe link.
Unfortunately these are not stored in a FFmpeg executable. At least not as accessable data.

[marawuti]

Don't understand exactly what you mean by library components?

.
.
.

Metadata_Write:
  ... ISFT            : Lavf55.38.100

Metadata_Write:
  ... encoder         : Lavc55.63.100 libxvid

Metadata_Write:
  ... encoder         : Lavc55.63.100 libvorbis

Formerly it only displayed the first metadata which concerns the container. Perhaps this new info could be of help?
.
.
.
You probably mean the version numbers as can be found down below at the Zeranoe link.
Unfortunately these are not stored in a FFmpeg executable. At least not as accessable data.

Sorry, I didn't have my developer's hat on. I was thinking dynamic link libraries and single layer arch'r. Of course. My desired lib<XYZ>:AA.NN.XX would be unfeasible without putting further requirements on ffmpeg. This is probably a non-starter, nice-to-have until some time in the future when there are discussions with the ffmpeg developers.

Chris, thanks for educating me with the pointer into zeranoe.

[colorstar]

Unable to initialize this FFmpeg version (unsupported build)

I just downloaded latest Avanti, latest FFmpeg. Use portable version only.

What to do? Thanks

the funny thing I got an old install which worked just fine until today it did not launch, so I downloaded the new one I am now stuck with.

[Chris K]

Unable to initialize this FFmpeg version (unsupported build)

I just downloaded latest Avanti, latest FFmpeg. Use portable version only.

What to do? Thanks

the funny thing I got an old install which worked just fine until today it did not launch, so I downloaded the new one I am now stuck with.

I assume you are on Windows 7 or 8?

Sorry! Avanti has issues on these OS' and the only thing I can do is to point to the suggestions for Win7/8 users...

http://avanti.arrozcru.org/windows7.htm

Are you sure you use a 2014 FFmpeg version?

[knez18]

how to deinterlace videos in avanti?

[Chris K]

how to deinterlace videos in avanti?

There's a check box for it at the "Destination Video settings" at tha main page. It uses Yadif for the job.



If you click on the black box, you can select TFF (top field first) and BFF (bottom field first). Most of the time AUTO will do. In general PAL is TFF and NTSC is BFF.

[knez18]

haha that "Auto" word in grey confused me, I didn't even noticed Deinterlace next to it xD
Thx, Chris K, it works fine. Avanti GUI proved to be best encoder 4 me right now... I can upscale DVDs to 720p while Handbrake couldn't do it!!

[Chris K]

@ Avanti 0.7.9

AVANTI 0.7.9 -- FFmpeg/Avisynth GUI -- Changelog 02-06-2014.
==============================================================
 1. Added native language support to FFmpeg subtitle option.
 2. Added user character set support to subtitle options.
 3. Added support for "concat muxer" text files as input.
 4. Added support for "frame rate conversion" with FFmpeg.
 5. Added "Audio Tools" support to FFmpeg and FFplay preview.	 
 6. Added "user audio filter chain" support to FFplay preview.
 7. Added "audio only" support to FFplay preview.
 8. Added "Reset to defaults" option to "Options Editor" menu.
 9. Added options menu at "Source properties/Stream mapper" page.
10. Added check for mapping orphans (after removed source clips).
11. Moved colorspace (pix format) option from AviSynth to FFmpeg.
12. Moved id3-tag and fourcc/vtag options from Avanti to FFmpeg.
13. Reworked the filter chains to reduce auto inserts.
14. Supressed insignificant log info of curves and ass filter.
15. Fixed minor bugs in the window expand/contract system.
16. Fixed minor bugs in subtitle muxing option.
17. Fixed failing input stream mapping for "audio only" output.
18. Fixed missing button picture in the chm help file.
19. Updated FFmpeg database with latest codec/format additions.	
20. Updated chm context help for changes and additions.

From this version up Avanti adds native language support to the FFmpeg subtitle option.
This are the defaults I can set from the font dialog for the "Arial" font (in alphabetical order) ...

ARABIC, BALTIC, CENTRAL-EUROPE, CYRILLIC, GREEK, HEBREW, TURKISH, VIETNAMESE, WESTERN

Other languages can be selected from a long list of by FFmpeg/libass supported character sets.
When you right-click on the wide font button at the subtitle page you'll get a dialog with this list...

https://trac.ffmpeg.org/attachment/ticket/2431/sub_charenc_parameters.txt

On top of the Avanti list is a option to reset to the defaults as available at the font dialog.
If you select a character set that is not available on your system, you'll get a error message from
FFmpeg or FFplay (when you preview).

To find out which code(s) are related to your native language character set(s), the following link can
probably be of help. On that wiki page are links that refer to many of the codes on the FFmpeg list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Windows_code_pages

I also found this about some of the ISO character sets...

ISO 8859-1 is just one part of the ISO-8859 standard, which specifies several character sets:

8859-1 Europe, Latin America, Caribbean, Canada, Africa
8859-2 Eastern Europe
8859-3 SE Europe/miscellaneous (Esperanto, Maltese, etc.)
8859-4 Scandinavia/Baltic (mostly covered by 8859-1 also)
8859-5 Cyrillic
8859-6 Arabic
8859-7 Greek (the same as ELOT928 ???)
8859-8 Hebrew
8859-9 Latin5, same as 8859-1 except for Turkish instead of Icelandic
8859-10 Latin6, for Lappish/Nordic/Eskimo languages

I hope this helps a bit to find your way in the chaos of codes.

Chris


EDIT:

Were at version 0.8.0 now. Feedback has been quite inspiring.

Think I'll take a looooooooooong break!

[CyberOtter]

Hey Chris.

Since you're gonna take a "loooooong break", I'll just put a word here :

Avanti not only is a great program itself, but its strongly detailed help/documentation provided a lot of precious informations to me : from AviSynth/ffmpeg obscure functions, to more common video processing procedures, it gave me light on numerous occasions.

And I use it almost on daily basis.

So really : Thanks !

Seeya in a few months for Avanti 0.8.1

[Kudalufi]

Is there any way to specify the container format when extracting AAC audio from a mp4 video? This is easily done on the ffmpeg command line, but Avanti seems to insist that the output file have an .aac extension and I can't find where to configure that.

Also, is there a way for Avanti to display the command line it is building?

[Chris K]

Is there any way to specify the container format when extracting AAC audio from a mp4 video? This is easily done on the ffmpeg command line, but Avanti seems to insist that the output file have an .aac extension and I can't find where to configure that.

Hi Kudalufi,

You can override the AAC file extension by adding a extra .user extension to it at the destination path e.g. ...

C:/my_audio_extractions/audio_clip.mka.user

For mka you can fill in any extension that is valid for a AAC stream. The .user addition is taken off during processing.

Also, is there a way for Avanti to display the command line it is building?

There are two ways to obtain it but Avanti doesn't use predefined command lines so you have to first run the process for a few seconds to let it compose one.

1. Right-click at the field, right from the "User VIDEO options >" to open a menu with the option to show or save the command line.

2. Double-click on the report window to expand it. On top of it is a button tool bar with the option to show or save the command line.


Chris

[agitpapa]

"no such file or directory" error



I've been using Avanti 0.8.0 intensively for over a week. I didn't pay any attention to the help file so I've used it in my 64-bit system in non-standard ways, e.g. with 64-bit ffmpeg or outside of the "program files (x86)" folder, with more or less frequent crashes but also many excellent h.264 encodings (better & faster than Handbrake). The color correction and crop/scale tools are great. Then for no reason the script editor, which used to show all the FFMPEG commands, stopped showing any except the ones I entered. The next day, FFMPEG started throwing the "no such file or directory" error. I tried switching to the recommended 32-bit ffmpeg, putting Avanti in the standard windows "program files (x86)" folder, and shortening the path, but no dice. As I see it, Avanti is just not passing the input path to ffmpeg, or any other commands except the ones I wrote, despite the fact that it passes them to FFPLAY for previews.

Any suggestions?