ffmpeg xvid video from still image, with DTS sound

[vdgg]

Hello to all the experts.
I have a surround sound system in my car that is capable of playing DTS tracks from AVI containers (xvid video). This is a unique ability, so i'm not sure if anyone else has tried this before.
I'm not using DVD for that purpose since it's hard to navigate.

My current flow of creating these files is very complex and requires that i handle each "Track" individually.
One more input - since it's playing in my car and the image is static, i couldn't care less about image quality, frame rate or bitrate. The lower the better, as long as it plays.

So, using FFMPEG, it should be possible, at least in theory.

Now to my command line:
for %%i in (*.dts) do C:\ffmpeg.exe -i "%%i" -loop 1 -r 1 -i cover.jpg -c:v mpeg4 -q:v 31 -vtag xvid -acodec copy -shortest "%%i".avi

This results in a very large file. Huge actually (2.2GB for an 8 minutes track for example), and VLC reports the AVI is "broken".
What am i doing wrong?

My DTS files are 5.1, 48KHz, 1536kbps.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Selur]

What am i doing wrong?

wild guess: you are using an image with a high resolution

[vdgg]

Specifically i'm using a 350x350@72dpi image.
Again, as far as i care, it could be a black image. Though cover art is cooler

[bat999]

... Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Hi
Try with one track in an mkv container first, check that it plays in VLC or SMPlayer...
then think about avi container later.

ffmpeg -loop 1 -i cover.jpg -i trackname.dts -shortest -c:v mpeg4 -q:v 31 -tag:v xvid -c:a copy output.mkv

Sample is attached, muxed with MEncoder...

mencoder output.mkv -ovc copy -oac copy -ffourcc divx -o dti_sample.avi

[vdgg]

This works perfectly.
Is there any way to fix the avi container issue?

Thanks again

[bat999]

This works perfectly.
Is there any way to fix the avi container issue?

Thanks again

I've added to my previous post, re-muxed mkv to avi with MEncoder.

[Budman1]

Later versions of FFMpeg are VERY particular about where you place the filters, etc. Try putting them as bat999 suggests with -loop then all -I inputs then -shortest right afterward. The rest don't seem to be as critical on my system and latest version of FFMpeg.

If the file size is still too large, use MediaInfo to see whether the audio or video is hogging the file size/bit rate/ dimensions.

[vdgg]

Budman1 - I tried it, it's the same.

As for using MEncoder, i've never tried it. So you're suggesting making an MKV file and just changing the container with re-encoding?

Can you please quote the command?
I'll try it.

Thanks again

[bat999]

...So you're suggesting making an MKV file and just changing the container...

Yes, unless somebody else has other ideas.

Can you please quote the command?

I already added it to my first post.

[vdgg]

...So you're suggesting making an MKV file and just changing the container...

Yes, unless somebody else has other ideas.

Can you please quote the command?

I already added it to my first post.

Sorry. Had both kids jumping on me, i couldn't read it through
Thanks, i'll try it and report back!

[vdgg]

Well, i tried what you suggested. MEncoder gave many "skipping frame" errors, but eventually did create the AVI files.
VLC plays the image correctly, and shows that it contains a DTS track, but plays no sound.
Windows media player plays the sound correctly, but no image

[bat999]

... MEncoder gave many "skipping frame" errors, but eventually did create the AVI files...

That's normal.

With my avi sample above "dti_sample.avi", VLC plays it badly.
But SMPlayer plays it OK for me.

Maybe it's time to test these avi results in your car.

[vdgg]

... MEncoder gave many "skipping frame" errors, but eventually did create the AVI files...

That's normal.

With my avi sample above "dti_sample.avi", VLC plays it badly.
But SMPlayer plays it OK for me.

Maybe it's time to test these avi results in your car.

DVDRW is already burning

Thanks once again. If i managed to automate the flow with your help, it would make my life much easier (car audio related, of course.

Just to give you an example, my current flow to turn a .DTS file to xvid containing the DTS is:
1. Convert it to AC3
2. Shove it to Tsunami Authoring software, as slideshow with the image in the background (also limited to 10minutes per track)
3. Compile DVD
4. RIP DVD, VOB per chapter
5. Shove VOBs into virtualdubmod
6. Disable soundtrack, manually add the original DTS

And i cannot automate vbud, since if i do, the resulting file will have no audio. go figure

I'll update.
BTW - for future reference, my car stereo is SONY MEX-DV2000 (in case anyone is ever looking for the same solution to this problem)

[vdgg]

Sorry to report that while the car's head unit did recognize the files as divx with dts (the dts logo was lit), it did not playback the soundtrack.
Do i have any other options? maybe try a different intermediate container?


thanks again, i appreciate your help

[bat999]

Do i have any other options?

Maybe there is a better way to re-mux the mkv into avi, instead of MEncoder.
(I've sent you a PM with another sample)

[vdgg]

Just to update, i still haven't been able to figure out a way to do it (my final goal is to be able to batch-process large amount of files).
I tried creating an MKV file off a still image, then convert to AVI as suggested, but it didn't play in the car (or in VLC).
I tried creating an AC3 off of the DTS files, then create an MKV using the AC3 as soundtrack (played back great), then strip the sound off and mux in the original DTS - this failed with FFMPEG, MEncoder, tsMuxeR, and avimuxgui.
tsMuxeR gave an error saying that the stream type cannot be detected.

Is it possible that my DTS files, which were created using Surcode, are bad?
Again, i have the one flow that works, and that is muxing the DTS using virtualdubmod. And i know in theory that it can be used in command line mode, but i haven't been able to find a clear command line that does that (removes an audio and adds another).

I'm at a loss... Any ideas would be most welcome.