AC3 Audio sync problem with DVD2DVD (DVD2SVCD)

[Albion]

I,ve searched this forum fairly extensively to try and find a solution to this problem.Unfortunately to no avail.

Personally I want to maintain reasonable quality hence DVD2DVD.
I use DVD2DVD (DVD2SVCD).

What I am also trying to acheive is a reduction in Overscan so that I can show my DVD's in their FULL WIDESCREEN PANAVISION/CINEMASCOPE GLORY
on my bog standard (sony 25in) CRT TV (its all associated with nostalgia).

This is what I do.DVDFAB to reduce movie only to 2 DVD'S.
Then I decrypt the first DVD using DVD2SDVD (ok I know it's decrypted already,but does this process make a difference..who knows it might..have'nt tried it (just a thought)
Re-encode using CCE 2.50 and edit AVISYNTH (resize 672,432) (add borders 24,72,24,72).It maybe important to point out that I can get into my TV's service mode to assist with reshaping the TV image.And no! having access to service mode does NOT eliminate the Overscan problem.
I produce the mv2 and ac3 files and import them to SPRUCEUP.
Firsty on the DVD's I done so far the ac3 file will not import (I get the classic sync error your file maybe corrupt) so I pass it through AC3MACHINE,its imports the .ac3 file this time,but on playback and authorship it is either out of sync or progressively goes out of sync.

So far the 2nd DVD seems OK,and following exactly the same procedure,so far remains in sync.
Surely this should work.There should not be a problem.The original DVD backup is fine.What is going wrong?
I know there is a utility called DVD Delay,which I have downloaded,but how on earth do you use it.Firstly it talks of start delay and end delay (someone has gone to a lot of trouble to produce this program,then seems to fail about how to tell you how to use it).From what I have found out it seems this program MAY be of help with a constant sync error,but it seems, does not address an increasing sync error (ie..one which starts off in sync then goes progressively out of sync).

The only solution I,ve seen so far that might work involves buying an Authoring Software called "Sonic Scenarist".But this is impractical because of it's cost.Also there is no suggestion it can deal with the gradually increasing
"out of sync" problem.
Another suggestion is that the resultant VOB files (after authorship by Sruceup in my case) should be re-fed through SMARTRIPPER (demux).
This does not work.
Very frustrating,and it seems a common problem.Is there no simple solution,or observation that I have'nt thought of?

:thanks:

Albion

[Albion]

Wish to apologise about two points in my post above ,that sound rather blunt
or inconsiderate.It's simply frustration,as I'm beginning to think this is a problem not easily solved.I can live with the async as it seems to only affect the first disk and then noticeably only lip sync dialogue,but others would have objections to watching it (understandably).

I can feed the resultant .ac3 file through either AC3 Fix or AC3 Machine (because at first Spruceup won't import it).It then imports OK but without any
obvious improvement.

Albion

[Nick]

Ok. I've read this through but there's a couple of points I can't get to grips with.

You say you use DVDFAB to reduce to 2 DVD's Is your original movie on 2 discs? Or is it a dual layer disc that you are splitting to 2 single-layer sized chunks? If so, I cannot fathom why.

You also say you get the output files and are having difficulty importing them to SpruceUp. Could you clarify why you're authoring manually rather than letting DVD2SVCD's freeware authoring engine do this stage?

Cheers
Nick

[Albion]

Thankyou Nick.

Here goes.The original movie is as you mention on a dual layer disc,so to maintain quality and to help reduce how long I tie up my computer when encoding I convert to 2x single layer DVD's.With CCE generally speaking it only takes me about 3 hours (2 passes) to re-encode each DVD.Its good enough for my Sony 25in.

The reason for using Spruceup is because I get a sync bit rate error (I think I've said that right) reported and the mpv and ac3 file fail to fully remux ready for DVD2SVCD's authoring prgram.That's why I have to run the ac3 file through ac3fix,so that Spruceup will at least import it.The async problem remains however.

I put this error down to the fact that I have the movie split over 2 DVD's.I've also realised that I may have a similar async problem with one of my 2nd discs.One I'd previously done was in sync.Of course I could, as I think you are maybe about to point out,reduce to one DVD. This perhaps would solve the problem.Of course I would also lose some quality.But you can't have it all I suppose.

Regards Albion

[j_olson]

OK, so your use of DVD2DVD is solely because of the resize you want...

Even if you'd rather "tie your computer up" in two smaller chunks of time, I suggest that you for testing purposes should try this:
* Use DVDFabDecrypter to copy the DVD to HD, but don't split it.
* Use DVD2DVD to re-encode it to "your" size, set "CD Size" to twice that of a DVD-R
* Use DVDFab to split that to two parts and record to two DVD-RW.

I haven't had any audio sync problems with "Do not convert audio"... in AVI2DVD, don't use DVD2DVD myself.

[Albion]

Thanks for that.Its certainly worth trying as I can always use a slightly smaller dual layered disk (stripped of extras) and re-encode in accordance with your suggestions.This will give me another option to help possibly cure the async problem.

I've only very recently started to re-encode,so thus far have only concentrated on DVD2DVD (all quite confusing to the novice).
Is it possible to convert DVD2AVI and then back again to DVD whilst maintaining the quality of the original DVD source.Is it a longer process?My understanding was that DVD2AVI involved a reduction to CD's.
As there is an AVI2DVD program,one would think it's just another perhaps better encoding/filtering process.Also is'nt AVI2DVD a plug-in for
DVD2DVD.


Regards Albion

[Nick]

Most codecs used to compress video are lossy - ie quality is sacrificed. Doing DVD->AVI->DVD can only be done with the same quality as DVD->DVD if the codec used for the AVI is lossless. To do this would make the AVI HUGE! I wouldn't recommend it.

There is indeed some confusion as regards the term AVI2DVD. There is a totally separate program of this name by TrustFM but the term is also often used to describe DVD2SVCD when AVI input and DVD output modes are selected.

[j_olson]

I don't see where a Dual Layer disc comes into play, you shouldn't need any - and neither should you (need to) strip any extras...

[Albion]

That's confirmed my thoughts on AVI.Thanks Nick.
Mr O what I meant was that I would simply use a commercially bought DVD9
title to back up in the way you mentioned (as a trial) just to keep the encoding time to a minimum.If it works OK then will have to use the procedure on ALL future encodes.

Thanks to you both Albion