Frame duplication when converting ac-3/divx to svcd

[aram12]

Downloaded Vite's NTSC Adaptation Divx AC-3.

Virtual Dub to extract "wav/ac3".

Headac3 to convert "wav/ac3" to mp2.

TMPGEnc to encode.

No matter what combination of settings I use involving framerates, I can't seem to avoid frame duplication. I just went through a series of tests using a bunch of different templates, encoding just a few seconds, and its the same problem every time...every few seconds there reoccurs a pattern of frames as follows (1,2,3,3,4,5,6,6,7,8,9,9...etc.). This carries on for a few cycles then reoccurs a few seconds later...what's going on? I've never had this problem before...but then again, this is my first time working with ac-3...that can't be the problem though, can it?

***an hour later

It seems that no matter what 24 frame source is used (ac-3 or not, divx or not), when using a "film" template the same thing happens as described above...as a matter of fact, when using a "video" template (30 fps), the encode looks much better as the duplication is happening regularly as opposed to every few seconds...what in god's name is going on? I can't believe that ALL the divx film ---> whatever encodes I've done have stuttered every few seconds and I didn't notice it...and I've always used the "film" templates...you have to, right?

***two more hours later

It seems only that divx avi's are the problem, with any audio source (extracted or native). Using the standard ntsc svcd film template that comes with TMPGEnc and changing nothing, movie (24 fps) mpg's keep all frames, divx avi's (24 fps) duplicate. Again...what's going on? Is this normal? Have I just been living with this absurd jerkiness?

Please...someone do some tests so I can get some second opinions...do your converted divx avi's have duplicate frames that cause choppy video?

[aram12]

No one else has this problem?

And its not just Xvid encoded avi's, as some ppl have been discussing. It IS the same exact problem...I just can't get ANY to encode right.

[aram12]

I pulled up some old Divx movies that I haven't yet encoded and certain ones encode fine, and yet others have the frame duplication problem... again all avi's are 24 frames (23.***) and I'm using the same template. I thought it was possibly my codecs...using build 7 of Nimo...but because I actually got one to encode without duplicating frames, I nixed that idea...

[narked]

wot framerate u converting to?

Try this:
1pen divx with virtualdub, save out sound as uncompressed wave then go to audio select no audio
2:Go to edit-end, write down length of movie include milliseconds
3: Go to video direct stream copy, then video framerate and convert framerate to your desired framerate (I use PAL 25fps)
4: Save out avi with new filename
5: Open new avi, note down its length
6: work out how much youve compressed movie, example:
movie segment at 23.976fps is 3496.298 seconds long
Now at 25fps it is 3353.120 seconds long
Therefore Compressed movie by 3353.120/3496.298 *100= 95.9049%
7: open wave file with cooledit or goldweave etc and compress the wave file by 95.9049%. Save the new wave file
8: Open new avi with virtual dub, go to audio - wav select new wave file
9: check sync and frameserve or save new avi with direct stream copy on both audio and vid

If all done correctly you have avi with desired destination fps and sound still in sync, tmpg will not have to do a framerate conversion therefore no stuttering/duplication

[narked]

sorry the last message should have read:

Therefore Compressed movie to 3353.120/3496.298 *100= 95.9049% of it's original length
7: open wave file with cooledit or goldweave etc and compress the wave file to 95.9049%. Save the new wave file

Still waking up..........

[aram12]

I'm super tired right now, but I'll try that tomorrow...

But what about size conversion? I still need TMPGEnc to do that, right?

[narked]

Size conversion? lost you there..... if u mean splitting the movie to fit over more than one CD then yes it can be done in TMPG, but I prefer to split the movie using virtual dub before encoding, it's easier to sort sound sync if you have a movie with multiple corrupt data points. Basically if a movie is 90mins long then you know it wont fit on one vcd, so I split it into 2 avis both 45 mins long and then encode. Its just become a habit with me, there may be better ways.

[aram12]

Maybe I'm missing something, but after following your instrutions I still need to change the size of the video to be svcd compliant, right? I use FitCD and make sure to compensate for the overscan problem, then take that resize value and plug that into TMPGEnc for the conversion. Of course the problem being TMPGEnc is duplicating frames.

I actually successfully used virtuadub and avi2svcd with TMPGEnc and didn't get any duplicated frames using leebear's guide on this site. So that's one problem sidestepped. But how does one use this combination of programs and successfully decode ac-3 audio? I know how to use headac3 to get a usable wav file, but not how to utilize it within avi2svcd...

[narked]

Ah! the mist clears..... that's wot u mean by size, I was presuming u had prob due to framerate conversion only. To be honest don't know, generally only use vcd, the one svcd I did (chamber of secrets DVD rip) showed no problems, perfect copy through TMPG. Only ever had one prob with ac3 myself, normally take out of virtualdub, but with new 007 movie had to convert to wave using TMPG before putting to virtualdub (weird). Never used avi2svcd.........

[banjazzer]

I presume you don't have 3:2 pulldown ticked in the Advanced settings?

use FitCD and make sure to compensate for the overscan problem, then take that resize value and plug that into TMPGEnc for the conversion. Of course the problem being TMPGEnc is duplicating frames.

There is no need to use FitCD when converting DivX with TMPG. Why not try a sample encode using the SVCD NTSC(film) template, and directly loading in the avi?