Anime Encoding

[Yumi-chan]

Hi,i'm new here,and i need some help with anime encode.i have to encode an R2 japanese dvd.i read most of the guides on the net and some threads on this forum but since i'm kinda new to encoding,there is some stuff that i don't get.

this is what i did to encode it.

saved the single episodes with DGindex(on the information window DGindex says it's a 720x480 NTSC source with Top field first).i honored the pulldown flags.

then with megui i cropped it and i set the profile Interlaced source,with the decomb deinterlace.

i didn't add any filters(i don't know lot of them yet).
and i encoded the all with the AE-goodquality x264 profile.

now,the result looks good to me except few things.
1-sometimes i see the video a bit laggy,maybe slowed down.
2-the frame rate is 29 fps
now some friends of mine said that 29fps on anime is wrong,because i need to ivtc.i know the theory about ivtc,but i still new to avisynth,thus i don't have a pratical example.

now can someone explain me how can i ivtc it(maybe with some example) and if i did something wrong with my method?
thanks and sry for the long thread :)

[foxyshadis]

Assuming you've read up on IVTC and pals (http://www.doom9.org/ivtc-tut.htm), use Megui's script creator, click analyze video (make sure "source is anime") is checked. It'll let you know what you have and give you a script to work with it. If Megui can't figure it out and you don't know, reference this post (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=804197#post804197).

Decomb doesn't deinterlace, it IVTCs, so you're probably already on the right track (unless you use FieldDeinterlace). Telecide without Decimate will be jerky though.

Very, very rarely is anime 30fps. Uncommonly, it's a mix of 24 and 30, especially around the turn of the century, usually the credits or certain cg sequences will be 30 if anything. The rest of the time it's just pure 24.

If DGIndex says Film or close to 100% film, just use force film and skip IVTC/Deinterlacing all together.

[Yumi-chan]

thanks foxshaids,i worked that out:).now i came across another problem.
now that the video is done,i would like to mux the audio,but since i trimmed the video(because i encoded only 1 episode),i tried to cut the audio with megui Audio cutter tool.in addition to the input audio,it wants a .clt file too.Now,how should i make this .clt file?
i want to cut the audio around 24m25s.can someone explain to me how to cut it(or make a .clt file?).

thanks

[[P]ako]

Before you save a project with dgindex, make sure the option of "demux audio tracks" is checked. It will demux the track for the portion you are making a project of.

Question, why do you *have* to encode a Japanese R2? Were you forced to do it? Just curiosity.

[Yumi-chan]

i'm encoding it because i got some softsubs for it and i would like to mux them onto a nice dvd encode,not a crappy tv-raw :).
anyway,thanks for the tip.now i'm done.the encode looks ok.

another small tip if i can ask :P

i'm new to avisynth,so i don't know much about filters.
can you reccomend me some nice filter to use with anime dvd encoding?

thanks:)

[plonk420]

Very, very rarely is anime 30fps. Uncommonly, it's a mix of 24 and 30, especially around the turn of the century, usually the credits or certain cg sequences will be 30 if anything. The rest of the time it's just pure 24.

so is 120fps (or even 60) the best alternative, then? (60fps for compatibility with at least SOME standalones, and "good enough" for most people's eyes) and where can i find any good guides? there was one i found but it had a package of tools, one of which didn't seem to work and screwed up the whole chain of tools...

[Adub]

Yumi-chan
Which program did you to use to cut the video?

If you want to use MeGUI you can use the avs cutter tool to create a cutlist.

Or you can do as [P]ako says and use DGIndex to automatically cut the audio for you. Probably easier, as DGIndex should get it down to the dot.

[foxyshadis]

so is 120fps (or even 60) the best alternative, then? (60fps for compatibility with at least SOME standalones, and "good enough" for most people's eyes) and where can i find any good guides? there was one i found but it had a package of tools, one of which didn't seem to work and screwed up the whole chain of tools...

Pick your method: http://avisynth.org/mediawiki/VFR Your requirements will probably constrain your choices, if standalone/TV compatibility is a must, then leaving it interlaced is probably the best choice, imho, unless you need to do a lot of filtering.

Yumi, if you trim the video in avisynth, import the audio and run the trims over the same segments, encode the audio off the same script. Like:

Mpeg2Source("...")
Audiodub(NicAC3Source("..."))
Trim(1000,50421)

If you trimmed it in dgindex, do as [P]aco says.

[plonk420]

can i just drop every other frame from 120fps? i'll be getting a slight jerkyness (the jerkyness i'd get anyways from my 60hz display device showing 24p material), but i won't be losing unique frames, will i? my PS3 will do 4.1 AVC main or hp (60fps video) but not 5.1 which is required for 120fps material... (however my encoding for PS3 compatibility is undone by its lack of the ability to render softsubs)

[[P]ako]

i'm new to avisynth,so i don't know much about filters.
can you reccomend me some nice filter to use with anime dvd encoding?
thanks:)

Well, filters are written to fix some specific problems. In other words, the filters to use and their parameters depend on your source. So, unless we see a sample of the DVD we are unable to suggest filters.


i'm encoding it because i got some softsubs for it and i would like to mux them onto a nice dvd encode,not a crappy tv-raw .
anyway,thanks for the tip.now i'm done.the encode looks ok.


Oh, so you got the subs from a fansubbed version of said anime.

The Japanese R2 DVDs are too expensive, US$ 40-90 for one or two episodes. If you are in the US you could've waited for the R1 releases, they are cheaper and come with subtitles.

[Ranguvar]

ako;1053112']The Japanese R2 DVDs are too expensive, US$ 40-90 for one or two episodes. If you are in the US you could've waited for the R1 releases, they are cheaper and come with subtitles.English dubs a lot of times edit the video too, sadly.

Also, English commercial subs usually suck. They edit out most of the japanese culture so they don't have to explain it in the Editor's Notes fansubs have. Basically, I trust them less. While fansubs might have less translation quality, they're gonna try to get the EXACT Japanese meaning, whereas commercial subs/dubs will try to chamge the meaning to help understanding.

just had to pop in and say that - sorry :p

[foxyshadis]

can i just drop every other frame from 120fps? i'll be getting a slight jerkyness (the jerkyness i'd get anyways from my 60hz display device showing 24p material), but i won't be losing unique frames, will i? my PS3 will do 4.1 AVC main or hp (60fps video) but not 5.1 which is required for 120fps material... (however my encoding for PS3 compatibility is undone by its lack of the ability to render softsubs)

Would work fine as long as you aren't too sensitive (I'm certainly not). If you've got a high enough bitrate you could also use blending, but that's kind of lame.