Frame sizing -- Avisynth & CCE SP 2.5

[FullBreeze]

256MB SDRAM
AMD Athlon
Win2k
Avisynth--latest version
CCE SP 2.5

This is the script I'm using:

AVISource("1.avi", False)
LanczosResize(720,480)
AddAudio()
ConvertToYUY2(interlaced=true/false)

I am having a problem with the frame "matting" of the output file when checking "DVD Compliant" in the set-up in CCE. It creates an output file where the frame is cropped in height and width as to the original source. If I don't check "DVD Compliant" the output file's frame is true to the source, but the format is irregular non NTSC DVD compatible. Is there a command line I can add to my script to force NTSC compatiblity? Are there any other work arounds for this issue? I appreciate your feedback.

[manono]

Hello and welcome to the forum-

No one I know checks that DVD Compliant box. If your AviSynth script is set up correctly and your CCE settings are OK, it'll come out compliant (although you may have to run pulldown later on).

but the format is irregular non NTSC DVD compatible.

I didn't understand that. What do you mean? Is the source a 23.976fps AVI? And did you run Pulldown either in CCE or afterwards using either Pulldown.exe or DGPulldown to make it output 29.97fps? If not, you'll have to as most authoring apps won't accept a pure 23.976fps MPV.

Although you may have done it correctly, just resizing to 720x480 will often lead to aspect ratio problems. What's the original AVI resolution, and did you encode for 4:3 or 16:9?

[FullBreeze]

Manono --thanks for the reply

the source is avi 29.97fps, aspect ratio 512x384 (1.33:1) [=4:3]

I ran several encodes at 4:3 and the final result is not full screen 720X480, I don't know what step or procedure I'm missing. If I don't check the dvd compliant box the output isn't accepted by TMPGenc Author. If I do select dvd compliant I get a mpv that is cropped. Is my script correct to get a standard NTSC 720X480 mpv fullscreen output?

[manono]

Hi-

I ran several encodes at 4:3 and the final result is not full screen 720X480,

How do you know that? If you're using a decent player it'll resize it to 640x480, or 720x540. One way to find the real resolution is to open it in VDubMod or VDubMPEG2 and go File->File Information.

If I don't check the dvd compliant box the output isn't accepted by TMPGenc Author.

And what is the error message? TDA is quirky, and might complain about max bitrate being violated, among other things, but it should accept it, unless you really did screw something up. But I don't use it, so I can't really help there. Try and open it in Muxman to see if it accepts it. Unfortunately, if it doesn't, it doesn't give an error message.

And you're correct, a straight 512x384 AVI can be resized to 720x480 with good aspect ratio for 4:3 encoding. If you do a lot of these AVI2DVD conversions, you should use FitCD to do the crop/resize/addborders for you.

[FullBreeze]

I get the following error from TDA:

The Video resolution 512x384 cannot be used for a standard DVD

The Video Framrate 29.97fps cannot be used with the resolution 512x384

When checking final cce output with Virtual Dub it is:

Video 512x384x32, 29.97fps

[manono]

Hehe, yes, that'll be a problem, all right. And it's that script you gave at the beginning? And that's the script you fed into CCE, and not the AVI itself? You can check the ECL file to see what the source is.

[FullBreeze]

How do check the ECL? What do I use to open it?

[FullBreeze]

As you surmised I was dropping the avi file directly into CCE. I had to adjust my script for cce to accept it. When I eliminated "interlaced=true/false" from the last line it took. Thanks again Manono

[manono]

Oh, my fault. I should have noticed that interlaced=true/false line at the beginning. It's usually a good idea to have one or the other, especially for AVI of unknown origins. They're usually progressive, so it should read:

ConvertToYUY2()

Progressive (i. e., non-interlaced) is the default. If you're feeding CCE an .avs from an interlaced source, such as from an interlaced DVD, then you put:

ConvertToYUY2(Interlaced=True)

And, as I guess you found out, you open an ECL file with Notepad, and you'll see the source at both the top and the bottom. I guess you discovered it was the AVI and not the .avs.

Edit: Oh, and it's always a good idea to test your scripts in VDubMod before encoding with CCE. VDubMod will give you an informative error message, whereas CCE either doesn't say anything at all, or the message is too cryptic to make any sense.