MPEG2Enc encoding from VirtualDub

[Computer Nerd Kev]

Hello,

I am in the process of attempting to create a VCD with Philips VCD Toolkit without the use of TMPEGEnc.

after trying ffMPEG, bbMPEG, MPEG2Enc and QuEnc I have found that the only encoder which will give me video which works for input into VCD Toolkit is MPEG2Enc.

My problem is that MPEG2Enc only accepts YUV4MPEG2 input. Now there are two issues I have with this:

Firstly, I don't have the HDD space to store uncompressed video of my required length. So I would have to break up the video and thus make the whole process much more tedious (and trust me tedium is not lacking as it is).

As for the second problem, currently the only way I know of getting YUV4MPEG video, is by converting my original captured output with another program (so far I've used ffMPEG). This adds an unwanted eighth step to my process from VHS to VCD.

If I could encode with MPEG2Enc directly from VirtualDub, this would make life much easier. So in an attempt to achieve this, I have tried encoding using MPEG2Enc within the ffvfw codec, however I have been unable to make the resulting video work with Philips VCD Toolkit.

So my question is:
What settings may I use in ffvfw to create the correct output, and are there any other codecs which will allow me to use MPEG2Enc to encode from VirtualDub?

As a compromise, I would also like to know of any way to output YUV4MPEG2 from VirtualDub.


P.S sorry if this is in under the wrong category, I spent some time if-ing and but-ing about where it should go.

[jagabo]

Try frame serving from VirtualDub to your encoder. File -> Start Frame Server...

[El Heggunte]

This the way I work:

1) create an Avisynth script for the source video

2) feed mpeg2enc through avs2yuv

[jagabo]

When frame serving from VirtualDub you may have to force the output colorspace with Video -> Color Depth...

[Computer Nerd Kev]

First things first, I didn't make it too clear that I am using VirtualDub to capture input from a video capture card (thus no frame server).

Currently my process for getting Philips VCD Toolkit (and hopefully also "White Book" standard) compatible video is the following (ignoring demuxing):

VirtualDub capture in HuffYUV -> convert in ffMPEG to uncompressed YUV4MPEG -> convert in MPEG2Enc to VCD compatible MPEG1

Now it would be great if I could output YUV4MPEG from VirtualDub and save step 2, however ideally I want to go straight to VCD compatible MPEG1 from VirtualDub by using the MPEG2Enc encoder for the initial video encode. This is what I attempted to do with ffvfw.

Now as I understand it, YUV4MPEG uses a unique header format which VirtualDub does not have built in support for, this would indicate to me that some sort of codec must be required to achieve this as well.

@El Heggunte
Thanks for sharing your method, however if I understand you correctly, you also take three steps for your output. AviSynth -> Avs2YUV -> MPEG2Enc

[jagabo]

VirtualDub capture in HuffYUV

After capturing frameserve from VirtualDub to your encoder.

Upload a small YUV4MPEG sample.

[Computer Nerd Kev]

I can't seem to get the upload function to work.

From my experience MPEG2Enc can't use uncompressed I420 video, which I think is the closest VirtualDub can get on its own to YUV4MPEG.

If you want a bit more info about the format, I've come accross the following pages:
YUV4MPEG document from MJPEG Tools Manual
MultiMedia Wiki YUV4MPEG2 Page