Need info about Virtaldub > MPEG2 encoder > all standalone DVD players

[Groami Geistalt]

Hi
I'm not finding specific information about what I am trying to do:

I want to use VirtualDub to capture video from digital camcorder as MPEG2 which will be used to make DVD-compliant video.
I don't want to make AVI or MP4 or MKV or any other compressed video. My videos will be playable on any DVD player no matter how old.

Apparently VirtualDub can use an external codec method. I'm unclear whether the "VirtualDub MPEG-2" codec can be used this way.

How do I tell VirtualDub to use an external codec to create MPEG2 (whatever the demuxed video suffix is; m2v or whatever).
Once I know how to write that instructive script and can get that type of video file created, I can probably carry on from there.

I'm going to use "HC Encoder" for the video and an AAC encoder for the audio.
If you can spare a minute or two to provide me with a few lines of walk-through, thanks very much.

[sanlyn]

You might get more "specific information" if you could give more "specific information" of your own. To wit:

1-Where do you live? (i.e., are you working with PAL? NTSC?). Your user name suggests you're in PAL country.
2-what is your video source (analog tape? DV recodings made on your camcorder?)
3-What digital camcorder are you using? What are its available output connections?
4-What is your capture device (Firewire? Capture card? USB?)
5-What is your operating system?

I'm going to use "HC Encoder" for the video and an AAC encoder for the audio.

A very good MPEG encoder, but AAC/MP3 audio is not DVD compliant. Go with Dolby AC3.

You might want to look up some specific info about standard DVD file and disc structure before you start:
https://www.videohelp.com/dvd#tech

[Groami Geistalt]

Hi.
Yeah, you're right. I should've thought about adding more information. But this gives me a chance to talk to a dancing singing frog.

Location NTSC.
I'm using a digital camcorder (TRV460) connected via Firewire to Windows 7 Pro 32-bit.


But my question's after that. It's about VirtualDub saving the captured video in MPEG-2 format. It doesn't, internally, but I've read that it can by calling an external MPEG2 codec.
Is VirtualDubMPEG2 that codec? Or does that just decode video so that VirtualDub can process it?

I might go the Frameserve route using something like AVISynth but I'm first going to try to keep it simpler than that. I'm trying to see more clearly the steps involved where VirtualDub calls that external MPEG2 codec.

Cheers

[sanlyn]

You can't use VirtualDub to capture from a DV camera through Firewire. DV isn't captured, it's transferred (i.e., copied losslessly) using software designed for that purpose, such as the free WinDV, which works with Win7. The copy is saved as DV-AVI, which is the original format recorded by your camera.

http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/capture-dv.htm

You can re-encode to MPEG2 using Avisynth and/or any number of free tools designed for doing it. Even if you could "capture" DV, HCenc is inappropriate for real-time encoding during capture, and on its own will not accept DV as input.

[usually_quiet]

Hi.
Yeah, you're right. I should've thought about adding more information. But this gives me a chance to talk to a dancing singing frog.

Location NTSC.
I'm using a digital camcorder (TRV460) connected via Firewire to Windows 7 Pro 32-bit.


But my question's after that. It's about VirtualDub saving the captured video in MPEG-2 format. It doesn't, internally, but I've read that it can by calling an external MPEG2 codec.
Is VirtualDubMPEG2 that codec? Or does that just decode video so that VirtualDub can process it?

I might go the Frameserve route using something like AVISynth but I'm first going to try to keep it simpler than that. I'm trying to see more clearly the steps involved where VirtualDub calls that external MPEG2 codec.

Cheers

A different workflow might be easier if you are new to DVD. Capture and edit the DV video with whatever tools you like, save to back to DV-AVI, and then use AVStoDVD to encode to DVD-compatible MPEG-2 with AC3 audio.

AVStoDVD can be set up to encode with HCEnc, and will automatically output DVD compatible video and audio of the right size for either DVD9 or DVD5. It can author a DVD with a no menu or a simple menu as well as output .mpg or elementary files you can import into a different authoring program.

[Groami Geistalt]

Thanks, people. I've been accustomed to equating AVI with highly compressed video and thinking that it's a format not universally accessible to stand-alone DVD players. I'm coming to appreciate that in some cases video in "AVI" format can be used to make DVD-compliant video without sacrificing image quality. Thanks again both for the explanations and the advice about what tools to use.

[jagabo]

Is VirtualDubMPEG2 that codec? Or does that just decode video so that VirtualDub can process it?

VirtualDub MPEG2 is just a version of VirtualDub with an MPEG2 decoder built in. It doesn't export MPG files. It is no longer maintained because VirtualDub now support source plugins, including MPEG 2.

VirtualDub also supports external encoders now. So you may be able to find an external MPEG 2 encoder that works. I know ffmpeg works but its MPEG 2 encoding isn't the best.

[_Al_]

Thanks, people. I've been accustomed to equating AVI with highly compressed video and thinking that it's a format not universally accessible to stand-alone DVD players. I'm coming to appreciate that in some cases video in "AVI" format can be used to make DVD-compliant video without sacrificing image quality. Thanks again both for the explanations and the advice about what tools to use.

Are you talking about DivX or XviD here? Not all DVD players will play DivX or XviD.

[jagabo]

I've been accustomed to equating AVI with highly compressed video and thinking that it's a format not universally accessible to stand-alone DVD players.

The only thing that's universally supported DVD players is authored DVD with MPEG 2 video.

I'm coming to appreciate that in some cases video in "AVI" format can be used to make DVD-compliant video without sacrificing image quality.

Outside of authored DVDs the most widely supported format is Divx/Xvid AVI. Quality depends on how much you compress.

[DarrellS]

Is VirtualDubMPEG2 that codec? Or does that just decode video so that VirtualDub can process it?

VirtualDub MPEG2 is just a version of VirtualDub with an MPEG2 decoder built in. It doesn't export MPG files. It is no longer maintained because VirtualDub now support source plugins, including MPEG 2.

VirtualDub also supports external encoders now. So you may be able to find an external MPEG 2 encoder that works. I know ffmpeg works but its MPEG 2 encoding isn't the best.

I've searched and searched and I can't find anything unless one of those $1000 encoders will work. I don't have the money to find out and if I did, I'm sure I'd spend it on something else.

The HCenc encoder looked promising but like most encoders, it doesn't support stdin. Most guys that build encoders think it's better to use scripts and matrixs so that you can only use them in their software. ffmpeg seems to be the only option for encoding to mpeg2 in Virtualdub with the external encoder feature. I guess your best option is still to frameserve to an mpeg2 encoder.

[jagabo]

How to frame serve from VirtualDub to HcGUI via an AviSynth script:

Open your video in VirtualDub and set everything up the way you want. Select File -> Start Frame Server. Name the two streams. Create an AviSynth script (use Notepad) that looks like:

AviSource("C:\path\to\filename.ext")
ConvertToYV12(interlaced=false)

Change "\path\to\filename.ext" to the name of the frame serve file. Set the interlaced parameter to true of flase, depending on whether your video is interlaced or not. Instead of .TXT use .AVS as the filename extension.

In HcGUI select the AviSynth script as the source video. Set up the encoder options and encode.

[_Al_]

Before using VD frame server first time, auxsetup.exe (it is in VirtualDub directory) needs to be run, then click Install handler.

[snafoo]

Is VirtualDubMPEG2 that codec? Or does that just decode video so that VirtualDub can process it?

VirtualDub MPEG2 is just a version of VirtualDub with an MPEG2 decoder built in. It doesn't export MPG files. It is no longer maintained because VirtualDub now support source plugins, including MPEG 2.

VirtualDub also supports external encoders now. So you may be able to find an external MPEG 2 encoder that works. I know ffmpeg works but its MPEG 2 encoding isn't the best.

SO how would someone export an MPEG2 file after importing it into Virtualdub and editing a video? I have a DVR and i want to record videos onto a DVD. Does the newest version of Virtualdub have the MPeg2 plugin, where we are capable of importing, and exporting, Mpeg2 video?

[jagabo]

VirtualDub2 does not have an MPEG encoder built it. But you can frameserve from VirtualDub to HCEnc via AviSynth.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/306504-Frameserve-from-virtualdub-to-HC#1977050

Or you can save to a lossless intermediate file and encode that with any MPEG 2 encoder.