Help: Converting XVID AC3 to XVID MP3 for ARCHOS 500

[lurker]

Ok. I bought the Archos 500 yesterday. I have over 1,500 XVID movies all in AC3 sound format that the Archos won't play. If you go to the ARCHOS web site: http://www.archos.com/support/faq/faq_AV500.html#category_2 It says to convert AC3 to MP3 sound in the AVI's to play on the device. This shouldn't be a problem but I want the fastest and easiest way to do it. So far, ever method I tried is either too much work or takes too long. So far, I have the time to convert down to 15 minutes. I'd like it to be shorter, easier, as well as able to do batches in asutomated mode so I can convert more movies. The methods I have tried:

1.) Using VirtualDubMod to demux the AC3, then Besweet to convert the AC3 to MP3, then Nandub to put the MP3 sound with the video. (15-20 min Non batch)

2.) Using VirtualDub to convert the AC3 sound (using LameMP3) with the video doing a direct stream (15-20 min with batch available)

3.) Using the Archos supplied MPG4 translator which uses VirtualDub. Unfortunately, it also resizes the video which i don't want to do. (15 min Non batch)

4.) Lastly, I tried this: VirtualDubMod: Open your AVI, go to Video > Direct Stream Copy, then go to Streams > Stream List, right-click on your audio stream and go to Full Processing. Right-click on your audio stream again and go to compression, select your MP3 codec and a suitable bitrate. OK your way out then go to File > Save as AVI. (25 Min with batch available)

So is there a easier way to do this? Which way is the best? And what settings would you suggest?

Thanx,
Evan

[celtic_druid]

I can't see how method 3 can be as fast as the others if it is re-encoding the video (only way to resize).

Also 2 and 4 are essentially the same, so should take the same time.

Easiest way to batch process would be to use mencoder with a for command.

mencoder command would be something like:
mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame input.avi -o output.avi

Default lame settings might not be to your liking, so you would need to use -lameopts, eg. -lameopts preset=standard.

[lurker]

Ok..I got mencoder working..takes abot 10 min...but how do I automate a batch process?

[celtic_druid]

It is cross platform and yes windows is one of the supported platforms. The speed advantage comes from being command line based. It can easily be used to batch process using a for command you can easily have it automtically process all avi's in a given directory or process an entire directory tree.

The actual speed I wouldn't expect too much since it is using the same libs. liba52 for the AC3 decoding, libmp3lame for encoding, etc. Not sure if it is possible but if you could link against a 4.x alpha lame lib you could get a speed boost, but then you could just as easily install a 4.x ACM build, etc. Real's (formally Xing) mp3 encoder would probably be a better bet since Lame 4.x is still alpha.

Still I don't see the speed as that bigger issue. Just set it to go and go do something else. Still even with the same libs I would expect mencoder to be faster than processing via ACM or directshow.

[lurker]

Yes. I got Memcoder working.. I don't understand the -a batch process... As of right now..I am doing "mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame a.avi -o b.avi". How would I do a whole directory? And u mentioned changing the lame settings... I didn't notice a difference... Do u think I should do that for a headphone device like the Archos?

[celtic_druid]

The default settings are VBR, higher bitrate than preset standard from recollection. If size isn't an issue then it would be fine, just that it could be considered overkill.

Something like:
for %%f in (*.avi) DO (mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame "%%f" -o "%%~nf-mp3.avi")

How did the speed compare? If you are running a build compiled with CPU runtime detection, then you may get a speed boost from a specific build.
http://ffdshow.faireal.net/mirror/mplayer/
lame is 3.97beta.

You might also want to check out the audio filters, for normalisation, DRC, etc.

[lurker]

Ok.. So far:
On a P4 3.2Ghz Laptop with HyperThreading and 1 GB ram:
8 minutes using mencoder to process Disk1 of Star Wars Episode 3 (700 MB) XVID with AC3 sound (5 channels) to a 584 MB file with MP3 sound (2 channels).

C:\temp\Mplayer2>mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame a.avi -o b-mp3.avi
MEncoder dev-CVS-051102-20:49-4.0.2 (C) 2000-2005 MPlayer Team
CPU: Intel Pentium 4/Celeron 4 Northwood; Pentium 4 EE/Xeon Prestonia,Gallatin (
Family: 15, Stepping: 9)
Detected cache-line size is 64 bytes
CPUflags: Type: 15 MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled for x86 CPU with extensions: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2

88 audio & 203 video codecs
success: format: 0 data: 0x0 - 0x2bb16000
AVI file format detected.
VIDEO: [XVID] 576x240 24bpp 23.976 fps 890.5 kbps (108.7 kbyte/s)
[V] filefmt:3 fourcc:0x44495658 size:576x240 fps:23.98 ftime:=0.0417
================================================== ========================
Opening audio decoder: [liba52] AC3 decoding with liba52
liba52: unable to get 16 byte aligned memory disabling usage of SSE instructions

No accelerated IMDCT transform found
AC3: 5.1 (3f+2r+lfe) 48000 Hz 448.0 kbit/s
Using MMX optimized resampler
AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 448.0 kbit/29.17% (ratio: 56000->192000)
Selected audio codec: [a52] afm: liba52 (AC3-liba52)
================================================== ========================
videocodec: framecopy (576x240 24bpp fourcc=44495658)
Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16le -> 0Hz/0ch/??...
MP3 audio selected
Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16le -> 48000Hz/2ch/s16le...
Writing AVI header...
ODML: Aspect information not (yet?) available or unspecified, not writing vprp h
eader.
ODML: Aspect information not (yet?) available or unspecified, not writing vprp h
eader.
Pos: 0.9s 22f ( 0%) 0fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.086 [0:240]
Skipping frame!
Pos:4347.7s 104241f (99%) 215fps Trem: 0min 580mb A-V:0.084 [891:224]
Skipping frame!
Pos:4348.1s 104251f (99%) 215fps Trem: 0min 580mb A-V:0.084 [891:224]
Skipping frame!
Pos:4348.4s 104261f (99%) 215fps Trem: 0min 580mb A-V:0.084 [890:224]
Skipping frame!
Pos:4348.8s 104271f (99%) 215fps Trem: 0min 580mb A-V:0.084 [890:224]
Skipping frame!
Pos:4349.3s 104285f (99%) 215fps Trem: 0min 580mb A-V:0.085 [890:224]
Skipping frame!
Pos:4350.6s 104317f (100%) 215fps Trem: 0min 577mb A-V:0.030 [890:224]
Writing AVI index...
Fixing AVI header...
ODML: Aspect information not (yet?) available or unspecified, not writing vprp h
eader.

Video stream: 890.509 kbit/s (111313 B/s) size: 484285774 bytes 4350.642 sec
s 104317 frames

Audio stream: 224.732 kbit/s (28091 B/s) size: 122215512 bytes 4350.624 secs
__________________________________________________ _________
Why am I getting a Lib52 error? Do any of the above "skipping frames" messages mean anything bad? Also, is their a command to raise the volume a percentage?

Also I tried to use the %%f format that u posted above for batch processing but it's not working. Maybe I'm not understanding. If I wanted to process all the AVIs in one folder, what is the exact *.avi command? Thanx again for all your help.

[celtic_druid]

The command that I posted is complete. For the volume you would run -af volume=vc where v = gain in dB and sc = soft clipping. so -af volume=10:1. Not really a percentage though. You might also want to check out -af volnorm=1/2 or DRC (dynamic range control), although from recollection default is full DRC.

Not sure about the liba52 error. Haven't noticed it myself. Strickly speaking SSE/SSE2 isn't supposed to be enabled for mingw32 builds anyway. Still it sounds like it is quick anyway.

Try setting the frame rate, eg. -fps 23.976.

[lurker]

Pardon my ignorance but I am confused. You have taught me how to successfully convert the video in the quickest manner, but I am lost in how to make it a batch. I don't understand the "%%f" I tried the actual command:

C:\temp\Mplayer2>mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame "%%f" -o "%%~nf-mp3.avi"
MEncoder dev-CVS-051102-20:49-4.0.2 (C) 2000-2005 MPlayer Team
CPU: Intel Pentium 4/Celeron 4 Northwood; Pentium 4 EE/Xeon Prestonia,Gallatin (
Family: 15, Stepping: 9)
Detected cache-line size is 64 bytes
CPUflags: Type: 15 MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled for x86 CPU with extensions: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2

88 audio & 203 video codecs
File not found: '%%f'
Failed to open %%f
Cannot open file/device.

Exiting...

Again..thank you soo much for helping me thus far... Can u please explain to me how to do this final step?

[celtic_druid]

You left out a whole chunk.

What I said was:

for %%f in (*.avi) DO (mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame "%%f" -o "%%~nf-mp3.avi")

[lurker]

Yes. I was just paraphrasing the above. I'm really sorry.. But I am still confused. I showed other people this and they don't understand either. We do not see how the above would work. I even tried the following:

C:\temp\Mplayer2>for %%f in (*.avi) DO (mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame "%%f
" -o "%%~nf-mp3.avi")
%%f was unexpected at this time.

All I want to do is make mencoder convert all the AVIs in one directory. I also noted that u mentioned "Easiest way to batch process would be to use mencoder with a for command." PLEASE PLEASE give me some details or even the EXACT command I would use to do "mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame *.avi -o *Mp3.avi"

Again, I appreciate all the help.

[celtic_druid]

That is the exact command. Basically you have the for command which is being told that for every avi file run what is in the brackets, substituting in the real file names.
so you run:
for %%f in (*.avi) DO (mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame "%%f" -o "%%~nf-mp3.avi")
If the first avi is 001.avi then you get:
mencoder.exe -ovc copy -oac mp3lame "001.avi" -o "001-mp3.avi"
It then repeats the process with all other avi's in the folder.

Works 100% fine here. I had to modify mencoder a little though so that "-skiplimit 0" actually stops it from skipping frames.