Any Video Stream -> (S)VCD [Advanced feat]

[genuinefafa]

Hello there.

I wish to contact you all... to notify the forum about a talk i was having with HyperCube creator. The program that allow you to convert audio from .avi ac3 files into mp2 file with almost "ac3" feel (that kind of sound is known as MPEG multichannel and is only compatible with SVCD and NOT standard VCD).

We agree the usual problem with MPEG Multichannel resides in the A/V receiver (audio decoder), and not on the standalone dvd player.

When i try to convert a downloaded to SVCD, i was used to loose the ac3 (mutlichannel data), with HyperCube i dont have that problem nomore . Anyways, this aint like ac3 (dd/dts) itself, but it is the best you can get (using standard SVCD), and that aint bad at all.
In the other hand, one can probby make a "DolbyDigital" compliant audio track, but, that aint SVCD compliant AT ALL. This is discussed here: http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=114699

According with Hypercube creator, using:
besweet + AC3ENC pluggin v0.1
http://dspguru.notrace.dk/

Hypercube generates a mp2 of 384kbps bitrate with the mpeg multichannel data, i shall say: 384kbps is DD 5.1 lower bitrate option, so, that aint bad at all... DTS in the other hand have some different bitrates. Dolby clames that DD 5.1 @384 is much better than the DTS alternative at lower bitrates, while higher bitrates in DTS bring more "brilliant" sound, according with Dolby measurement, DTS is less "similar" to the original source (DTS add some artifacts at the sound)
http://www..dolby.com/tech/mp.in.0103.DigitalVsDTS.pdf <-This is interesting stuff

(about me) I usually reconvert the downladed video, to add spanish subs and watch it on the TV (i have the TV ver far from the PC). So i usually use virtualdub and subtitler filter to add subs into the movie (i use the staff described in another "howto" guide)

Also i found that standard tmpeg audio compressor is a big shitty thing, so you probby should use an external encoder as tooLAME for mp2 enconding.

But i have encounter 2 problems:
1) I cannot make avisync to work... , i was trying with different virtualdub plugins, but i cannot use them , it just show me a "green" screen in the player with maybe 30/45 seconds of still image. I have tried a LOT of stuff, and get no results at all... It is almost impossible to do that ... Maybe i am doing seomthing wrong (for sure), but i cannot get this thing working.

1.b) Is AviSync BETTER than Virtualdub

2) I have a problem with Hypercube 2.0 (and now 1.1 too) when i open a .avi file that includes a ac3 file (one that was processed b4, so it should work), it open the file, when i press the "transcode button" it just close itself... (as simple as that, no error msg no nothing). I am using WinXP SP1 bla bla bla...

3) Can i encode files (with TMPGEnc) without audio, and l8r add the mp2 file created with Hypercube, or shall i leave the final mpg with audio, and then remove it?, what is the point of that??

Well... I am ready to receive comments.

[hypercube]

what do you mean by "standard tmpeg"
you are talking about tmpgenc mp2 audio encoding quality ?

> I have a problem with Hypercube 2.0 (and now 1.1 too) when i open
>a .avi file that includes a ac3 file (one that was processed b4, so it
>should work), it open the file, when i press the "transcode button" it just
>close itself... (as simple as that, no error msg no nothing). I am using
>WinXP SP1 bla bla bla...
is there anybody to report the same bug ?


>Can i encode files (with TMPGEnc) without audio
certainly. you will produce a .M2V
you can multiplex it with the MP2 file produced by Hypercube Transcoder.

[genuinefafa]

Well, I was making some more research, and i found that the problem was the SourceAvi, wich VDub found that the audio codec is "unknown (tag2000)" (?).

The weirdest thing is that the file works great (using ac3 decoder while playing in zoomplayer or such), and i was able to transcode it with hypercube b4 installing 2.0b, i found that the sound was not normalized (really low-volume) and download the new version.

It just stop working .

I wish it had some kind of Log to see what was is wrong... Maybe 2.0b install some new libraries?, maybe it just overwrite old libraries that isually works?...

I am a little confused.

PS: The file i am talking about is The.Bourne.Identity.Xvid.DcN (with AC3 coding)

[hypercube]

could you cut your AVI and publish it on a free FTP server ?
keep only 2 seconds for examples...

does hypercube 2.0b fail with every AVI with AC3 ?

your AVI seems to be strange...

[BJ_M]

of course dolby says dts doesnt sound as good .. they certainly wouldnt say its better on thier web site..

but it is just about considered by (almost) anyone that DTS DOES sound better ..

I know it certainly does for Film - though Film DTS (and Digital Dolby) for film are different than what is found on DVD's (different proccess and delivery) ..


maybe it would suprise you all to know that certain directors whose last names start with sp* and lu* are part owners of DTS

/me puts on leather DTS jacket and goes out for a smoke (can you say swag?)

[hypercube]

in my opinion DTS on DVD is not very usefull. DTS provide much more
dynamic, but don't forget we are not in a theater, we are in a HOME theater, with neighbourhood.

[genuinefafa]

I think DD is almost as good as DTS, but... Wherever the post-production is made (DTS post-production or DD post-production).

We must notice that quality != fidelity, maybe the director made a kind of sound, and l8r where dvd creation process start it all change, and they must "rebuild" the tape.

Well, my opinion of this is simple, if the director make the DTS track, DTS is better, if the director make the DD track, then DD is better .
But let me say something about that, I AM A DTS FAN. But I still apreciate DD technology.

Regarding HyperCube problem:

I found it....

the problem was the foder i were using... (?)
"E:\_Dump\movies\The Bourne Identify DVDRip\The.Bourne.Identity.CD1.DVDRip.XViD-DcN.avi"

I notice that, b'cause when i "extract" a part of the file with vdub (and store it on another folder), HyperCube works great (?).

Is this maybe a bug? I think this should be something really dummy to fix

I have a question for HyperCube creator (now that i can transcode my desired tracks )

1) Is the 2.0b version volume management better, or shall i "normalize" to gain the lost (with 1.1 for sure) db at the end track?

2) When you say "plugins" what do you mean? What part of the application is plugin based?

Regards...

And... I still dont know why AviSync "is better" than vdub at frameserving.

[hypercube]

>Is this maybe a bug?
I read my code, there is no bug related to directory.

1) Is the 2.0b version volume management better, or shall i "normalize" to gain the lost (with 1.1 for sure) db at the end track?
I don't understand your question. at the end track ?
1.1 have NO volume management so we can't say
2.0b is better. 1.1 does NOT work with gain.
I'am not sure there is a gain lost... peraps it is directly linked with
the MPEG 2 multichannel encoding. I mean, peraps this is normal !
I can say only one thing: I am sure there is no gain lost in AC3 decoder output because I tested it.

2) When you say "plugins" what do you mean? What part of the application is plugin based?
See Besweet web site.

[genuinefafa]

>>Is this maybe a bug?
>I read my code, there is no bug related to directory.
I see the result, and i know there is something bad with it :P
Tell me what you want me to do, and i'll do it I here to server [for testing]

> gain issue
Well, there is something simple, when i look at the other forum (where i found hypercube was out), I read comment of ppl saying something about the low-volume on the resulting mp2 file. I have test it, and the problem exist, the resulting .mp2 files sound at much lower volume than the original one. I notice that the new version of hypercube have a lot of new options related with normalization and stuff.
Now I ask (another time). Is there anything new about the transcoding routines that will help on me getting a similar resulting volume?
[anyway, i'll test it as far as i get my CRT-monitor woking again, yesterday it just stop working (?) ]

I hope to be very clear in my thoughts

[hypercube]

I will test it this week...

>Is there anything new about the transcoding routines that will help on
>me getting a similar resulting volume?
I don't think so. Use Normalization.

note that your "and stuff", is very difficult to implement. This is a
dynamic range processor. You can make a pseudo normalization
with it in only 1 pass.

[hypercube]

dear genuinefafa, thanks for your help.
I found the bug related to long directory names in the
encoder engine part.

max is set only to 81 characters !

note: this buggy portion of code came from MPEG-2 Audio Simulation Software Distribution 10 (1997), not from my code

[hypercube]

There is a bug in 48Khz => 44,100Khz resampler !
channel ordering is false.

wrong order is: l c r ls rs lfe
right order is: l r c lfe ls rs

please, use the channel reordering functionality to bypass this bug,
or use only 48Khz Mulichannel MPEG.

[genuinefafa]

Dear HYPERcube:

I like your application, and with FitCD now i am downloading all the movies i alwyas wanted to keep, but i cant get them over here (Argentina).

So, i'll continue enjoying Hypercube funtionability... And i'll keep you posted of any other bugs