Fitcd help

[crashdmj]

I am trying to compensate for some nasty overscan on my TVs (standard 4:3 TV). I am converting a mkv to DVD compliance. It is an anime with hard-coded subs. The mkv is 1280x720 and very high quality. I am trying to use FitCD to add the overscan borders but cannot find a guide to save the life of me. Could anyone please explain what I should be doing or what all the options in this software mean? After creating the script I run it through CCE-SP2 version 1.00.00.15.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

[jagabo]

Start here:



The only part you really need to set up is the MPEG Resizing section. If your source isn't 23.976 or 29.97 fps you may have to fiddle with frame rate conversion.

[crashdmj]

Thank you for the reply. Couple questions.
When I first load up the video (MKV) in fitcd it gives me an error:
"Can't find the sequence-header of <file name>", however the resolution does display correctly. Should I just ignore it?

Also I load up my mkv in fitcd and I know the video is widescreen but it doesn't automatically check anamorphic (which I thought meant widescreen) though it does shows 1.7778 as the real aspect ratio. So leave anamorphic unchecked on the source side?

Why do I check anamorphic on the destination side even though it's going to be burned to a dvd and played on a stardard 4:3 TV? -this probably has to do with me defining anamorphic incorrectly.

Also when I mess around with the "blocks overscan" option the real aspect ratio changes on the destination side. At this point do I mess with the resize option so that it equals the source aspect ratio?
Thanks!

[jagabo]

I don't think FitCD can read MKV files. Just enter the values by hand. Since your file was 1280x720 I assumed it was square pixel 16:9.

The anamorphic option will use the entire 720x480 (minus the overscan blocks) 16:9 frame for the video. If you don't use it the 16:9 video will be letterboxed into a 4:3 frame. Both will look similar on a 4:3 TV (the DVD player will letterbox the anamorphic version as it's played back) but a widescreen TV will fill the 16:9 screen with the anamorphic version. Using 4:3 instead of 16:9 give you both letterbox and pillarbox bars on an HDTV.

The real aspect ratio changes because the overscan blocks are optimized to keep the image aligned to macroblock boundaries. Keeping the image on macroblock boundaries help encoder efficiency and helps keep artifacts from appearing at the edges of the image. So it trades off a little aspect ratio accuracy for better image quality.

[crashdmj]

So what about checking anamorphic on the source side if I know its widescreen 16:9? Yeah or nah?

So if I mess around with the options under the destination side do I need to go to resize options and change them until the Aspect ratio matches the source?

[manono]

So what about checking anamorphic on the source side if I know its widescreen 16:9? Yeah or nah?

No, of course, or didn't you understand jagabo's reply? It's not anamorphic. It's widescreen, yes, but not anamorphic. Those are 2 different things.

It's 1:1, so you start with 1:1 Monitor for the Source. Since you'll be encoding for 16:9 DVD, you check Anamorphic on the Destination side.

...do I need to go to resize options and change them until the Aspect ratio matches the source?

Do it just as in his pic. The destination DAR doesn't match the source DAR.

Here's the FulciLives guide to using FitCD:

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic296341.html#1487285

[crashdmj]

Sorry it's late and my head hurts...gotta learn to read things more carefully. Thanks for your help!

[FulciLives]

You should have an AviSynth AVS script that looks something like this:

DirectShowSource("C:\VIDEO\Anime.mkv", fps=23.976, convertfps=true)
LanczosResize(656,448,0,0,1280,720)
AddBorders(32,16,32,16)
ConvertToYUY2()

Personally I would demux then run the H.264 file through DGAVCDec and create a DGA index file. Doing so would give you an AviSynth AVS script that looks something like this:

LoadPlugin("C:\VIDEOTOOLS\DGAVCDec\DGAVCDecode.dll")
AVCSource("C:\VIDEO\Anime.dga")
LanczosResize(656,448,0,0,1280,720)
AddBorders(32,16,32,16)
ConvertToYUY2()

Not a huge difference or so it would seem but I dare say that using the DGAVCDec method is better than using the DirectShowSource method. I always use DGAVCDec when doing things "manually" although I do use XVID4PSP alot and it uses DirectShowSource and I've never (knock on wood) had issues with it "acting up" etc.

Remember you can always open the AviSynth AVS script in VirtualDub(Mod) to check it out before encoding.

As for your question regarding 16x9 WS for DVD ... a DVD can be widescreen and not 16x9 WS or it can be widescreen and 16x9 WS (often called anamorphic enhanced etc.) but a 16x9 WS DVD will play correctly on a 4:3 TV as well as a 16x9 TV so if you have a high quality source like you do in this case then you should always make the DVD 16x9 WS because it will look good on both types of televisions and it is only a mater of time until you one day have a 16x9 WS TV so might as well do it "right" otherwise if you make it widescreen but not 16x9 WS then it will look good on a 4:3 TV and look like shit on a 16x9 WS TV. You don't want that!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
The code in my post assumes your video 1280x720 1:1 and that it is 23.976fps but of course it might not be ... so adjust accordingly!

[crashdmj]

So demuxing will seperate the audio from the video track. Couldn't I just use CCE and not check audio, then run the mkv file through VLC wizard to get the audio in ac3 format? Then when I author the files just add the ac3 track to the video?

I should also have added that I load the AVS script into CCE, this is ok right?

[FulciLives]

So demuxing will seperate the audio from the video track. Couldn't I just use CCE and not check audio, then run the mkv file through VLC wizard to get the audio in ac3 format? Then when I author the files just add the ac3 track to the video?

I should also have added that I load the AVS script into CCE, this is ok right?

You demux the MKV using MKVExtractGUI which is a GUI for MKVtoolnix. It seems most MKV files these days use H.264 so that is where DGAVCDec comes into play.

Don't use VLC media player for anything regarding conversion. It's a media player first and foremost. If you need to re-encode the demuxed audio then use a tool made to do that such as Aften or ffmpegGUI etc.

Of course you load the AviSynth AVS script into CCE ... that's how it has always worked.

Listen ... not to be rude ... but you sound really clueless. Stop asking dumb ass questions and do what we say. If you have an issue doing something we say ... for instance you try to use DGAVCDec and aren't sure about a particular setting (and you have read the included documentation) then of course it is proper AT THAT POINT to ask a question. However we are telling you what to do and you seem to be "fighting it" and making up stuff that YOU want to do. It is counter productive. Stop it.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[crashdmj]

Sorry, I don't mean to sound like I am fighting you. I just learn by asking questions versus just taking everyone's word for it. I have been told in the past on another forum to just use a one-click encoder convertxtodvd, which I did, and I wasn't happy with the conversion for the longest time. I do appreciate your opinions and try to wrap my head around things via interaction. It may be that I am hesitant because I hate having to use so many different porgams to do something but that is life right. When in Rome....
Thank you.

[FulciLives]

Sorry, I don't mean to sound like I am fighting you. I just learn by asking questions versus just taking everyone's word for it. I have been told in the past on another forum to just use a one-click encoder convertxtodvd, which I did, and I wasn't happy with the conversion for the longest time. I do appreciate your opinions and try to wrap my head around things via interaction. It may be that I am hesitant because I hate having to use so many different porgams to do something but that is life right. When in Rome....
Thank you.

I admit I get "grumpy" at times. My apologies.

In short you have seen what a one-click wonder can do ... nothing great 8)

What you want to do is not that hard. You basically can use the DirectShowSource method for doing the video if you want and cut out the DGAVCDec part.

You do want to demux but hey it doesn't take that long and it is a GUI program and easy-to-use. Once demuxed you simply convert the audio to AC-3 using a program designed for it ... ffmpegGUI is damn simple to use in that respect.

I mean that really isn't that many steps, is it?

The good thing is you seem to be willing to do "all" this. Most shy away from AviSynth like it's the plague and yet you are using it even if your understanding is a bit low you are willing and are doing it and the understanding will come with more and more projects.

So basically you do the following:

1.) Identify what you have ... for MKV I suggest MediaInfo
2.) Demux and maybe use DGAVCDec ... or not.
3.) Convert the audio to AC-3 format using something like ffmpegGUI
4.) Use FitCD to get your resize and create your AviSynth AVS script
5.) Figure out what bitrate to use ---> https://www.videohelp.com/calc
6.) Run the AviSynth AVS script through CCE or HCenc etc.
7.) Put it all together with a DVD authoring program. I like TMPGEnc DVD Author but choices abound here.

Granted this is more rig-a-ma-roll than using say ConvertXtoDVD but all these steps don't take THAT long and you will have much better quality and a new hobby

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[manono]

...and a new hobby

Or, in other words, and a new way to waste hours and hours of your precious time.

[FulciLives]

...and a new hobby

Or, in other words, and a new way to waste hours and hours of your precious time.

Shush now ... we don't want to scare away a new convert

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[crashdmj]

Thank you very very much! Worked like a charm and looks/sounds great. Another quick question. If instead of an MKV I have a AVI and I am converting it from pal to ntsc would CCE give me good results for video and audio (I could save it as a wav after pal-ntsc conversion and then convert to aac)?

I am always up for learning new hobbies, keeps the mind preoccupied.

[FulciLives]

Thank you very very much! Worked like a charm and looks/sounds great. Another quick question. If instead of an MKV I have a AVI and I am converting it from pal to ntsc would CCE give me good results for video and audio (I could save it as a wav after pal-ntsc conversion and then convert to aac)?

I am always up for learning new hobbies, keeps the mind preoccupied.

Read the following thread:

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic316333.html

It takes me a while in that thread to finally address what you want but I say you should read the whole thread in order

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[crashdmj]

Thank you. Read the thread....couple questions.
First:

now FitCD can be a bit "tricky" at times. You will notice that in this example I checkmarked the option (on the left hand side) called "ITU-R BT.601-4" and on the right hand side I checkmarked ANAMORPHIC and 1 BLOCK OF OVERSCAN. That gives me a resize of 704x352 which I know is "correct" for a source with a resolution of 640x272 (one could argue 704x360 is more proper but whatever).

My video is source: 608x336 and using the options in the guide it becomes 672x448, how do I "know this is correct"? When I look at the video in virtualdub it looks a little bit squished when I compare it along side the original video.

Second: In your example you used HCenc, could I used CCE or do you strongly suggest HCenc for pal-ntsc conversion?
Thank you

[jagabo]

My video is source: 608x336 and using the options in the guide it becomes 672x448, how do I "know this is correct"? When I look at the video in virtualdub it looks a little bit squished when I compare it along side the original video.

Your video should look a little squashed in VirtualDub. It shows the video pixel-for-pixel without correcting for the MPEG display aspect ratio.

In your example you used HCenc, could I used CCE or do you strongly suggest HCenc for pal-ntsc conversion?

Use whatever encoder you want.

[FulciLives]

Pretty much what jagabo said.

I get this with FitCD:

LanczosResize(672,448,2,2,604,332)
AddBorders(24,16,24,16)

As for what MPEG-2 encoder you use ... you can use CCE if you have that or you can use HCenc or whatever. I like HCenc because it is freeware and works very nearly as good as CCE ... sometimes better sometimes not as good but it really is an amazing MPEG-2 encoder.

To be honest I use both ... sometimes picking one over the other by sheer whim of fancy.

CCE though does true CBR which HCenc really doesn't do. Although CCE SP can do more passes I find that HCenc is actually better with low bitrates. I tend to use it on long movies where the bitrate is lower than I would like.

Just remember that HCenc must have a YV12 source and CCE favors a YUY2 source. Most videos are probably going to be YV12 "as is" so no worries with HCenc but for CCE you would add one of these lines to the end of the AviSynth AVS script:

ConvertToYUY2()
ConvertToYUY2(interlaced=true)

You add the first one above if the source is progressive but if the source is interlaced then you use the second line above.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[crashdmj]

I now seem to be having a problem with the audio/video syncing when I convert mkv to DVD. I read from the forums that I should open up the original mkv with MediaInfo or MKVinfo and look at the blocks to find a time delay but I don't really know what exactly I am looking for. (this is in reference to the original video stuff you all helped me with).

Edit: Ok I did some tests and this is what I found.

Before converting (using MediaInfo)
video stream= 25mins 43 secs
audio stream= 25mins 44 secs

After converting
video stream= 25mins 43 secs
audio stream= 25mins 44 secs

while in DVDLab Pro
Video stream= 25mins 42 secs
audio stream= 25mins 44 secs

Now I can do an audio delay with DVD Lab pro but I am assuming these are rounded numbers I am working with. I tried 2000 miliseconds and it was still off. Each time I guess I still need to compile the project before I can check and it takes awhile. Any help would be much appreciated.

[crashdmj]

Hmmm tried VLC and Windows Media Classic Player using the delay audio feature on both but to no avail.

[FulciLives]

I've never had problems with audio sync when doing MKV to <whatever> type conversions.

I haven't a clue why you are having problems.

Perhaps the files you have aren't encoded very well to begin with *shrugs* or use a non-constant video frame rate *shrugs*

I suppose you could post the complete "text" printout of Media Info and maybe someone will spot something.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[AlanHK]

I now seem to be having a problem with the audio/video syncing when I convert mkv to DVD.

What I do with this is :

First make an AVS file like:

DirectShowSource("Whatever.mkv")
EnsureVBRMP3sync()

(The second line is not essential in the simple case when you don't have any Trims or other discontinuities, but can't hurt, and as it says, "ensures" the audio stays in sync.)

Then I use wavi to stream the audio into Aften to make AC3:

E.g.:

wavi whatever.avs whatever.wav
then run AftenGUI on the wave.


If you make a habit of it, I use the batch file following:

@echo avsaften avsfile.avs
@echo audio from avs files and convert to AC3
:LOOP
for %%I in (%1) do (
wavi %%I - | p:\aften\aften.exe -b 128 -s 1 -w 45 -dnorm 27 - %%~nI.ac3
)
SHIFT
@if %1X==X goto END
@goto LOOP