RA3 Bonus Disc Encoding Problems

[Master Yoda]

I am backing up the bonus dvd that comes with Red Alert 3 Premier Edition, one of the video files that i want to re-encode is shown by dgindex as being 29.970fps, progressive and bottom field first.

Heres the problem after encoding when playing on my dvd player theres some line shimmering/bobbing up and down but the original doesn't do it. I have tried encoding using

29.970fps, top first, progressive
29.970fps, bottom first, progressive
23.976fps (ivtc), top first progressive

None seem to give me a result thats the same as the original. I tried using force film but when testing the script in VD it said something about force film can't be used with duped frames.

Any ideas

[neuron2]

Post a link to an unprocessed source sample.

[Master Yoda]

http://rapidshare.com/files/160021160/VIDEO.M2V.html

A section i know it happens on is when Gemma Atkinson walks from left to right, the straight edges on the left. Also just before theres a screen where another woman is speaking, the blue lines on the monitor.

Only seems to be noticeable when watching on a tv, didn't notice on the pc and its also the re-encode this happens on and not the original.

[neuron2]

The clip you linked is 29.97 progressive with a hard duplicate every four frames, which gives you 29.97 from 23.976.

You could do Decimate(5) to restore it to 23.976 but if you are coding for an NTSC you'll want to leave it at 29.97.

If your 29.97 progressive encode is causing problems, then give your script and encoding process.

One thing that doesn't make sense is that, although it's not the right thing to do here, you say Force Film gives you an error message, due to frame dups. But I don't see any in your sample and I don't get that error message.

Is this the original unprocessed source?

[Master Yoda]

When encoding to 29.97 progressive i used
import("F:\DVD Ripping Apps\DoItFast4U\new.avs\addaudio.avs")
LoadPlugin("F:\DVD Ripping Apps\ScenAid\DGDecode.dll")
Mpeg2Source("L:\DVD_Project\Scenaid\NewD2V\VTS__03_P01.16~9_1.nopull.d2v",idct=0)
AddAudio()
ConvertToYUY2(interlaced=false)

When using IVTC I used.
import("F:\DVD Ripping Apps\DoItFast4U\new.avs\addaudio.avs")
LoadPlugin("F:\DVD Ripping Apps\ScenAid\DGDecode.dll")
Mpeg2Source("L:\DVD_Project\Scenaid\NewD2V\VTS__03_P01.16~9_1.nopull.d2v",idct=0)
LoadPlugin("F:\DVD Ripping Apps\decomb523\decomb.dll")
AssumeTFF()
Telecide(guide=1)
Decimate(cycle=5)
AddAudio()
ConvertToYUY2(interlaced=false)

When setting dgindex to force film the script is the same as the first but VD throws this message back.
avisynth open failure:
mpeg2source: force film mode not supported for frame repeats.

Maybe the second script should be assumebff() although this shouldn't matter should it seen as its progressive.

Yes that clip is the unprocessed source.

[neuron2]

When encoding to 29.97 progressive i used
import("F:\DVD Ripping Apps\DoItFast4U\new.avs\addaudio.avs")
LoadPlugin("F:\DVD Ripping Apps\ScenAid\DGDecode.dll")
Mpeg2Source("L:\DVD_Project\Scenaid\NewD2V\VTS__03_P01.16~9_1.nopull.d2v",idct=0)
AddAudio()
ConvertToYUY2(interlaced=false) OK. And of course without Force Film.

When using IVTC I used. Don't even think about that, because the source is not 3:2 telecined. However, the fact that you consider this suggests that you are OK with 23.976 for your output. If that is the case, then consider decimating the duplicated frames as I mentioned above.

When setting dgindex to force film the script is the same as the first but VD throws this message back.
avisynth open failure:
mpeg2source: force film mode not supported for frame repeats. You're claiming that this happens with the sample you uploaded?! I don't see any frame repeats in there and I don't get that error message. Makes me wonder if you are telling me the whole story.

Your first script looks OK, and you say it plays fine on the PC. So what comes next? Are you authoring a DVD and playing it on a standalone? If not, how are you viewing the result on your TV?

[Master Yoda]

I am encoding to dvd, the original is 5.**GB and I am shrinking it down to 4.37GB. After using ictv I applied a 3:2 pulldown using dopulldown.

The VD error happens when i do this, I create a d2v using dgindex 1.4.9 and I then use a script that looks like the first and load this into VD 1.8.1 and I get that error. I can try it again though.

I have avisynth 2.5.7.0 installed if that helps.

Basically the problem only happens when playing on a standalone, i have tried on my Samsung dvd player upstairs which is connected to a crt and I have tried on my pioneer which is connect to a lcd via component cables and the player is set to progressive scan, problem happens on both but it doesn't happen with the original that plays fine on both.

If it comes to it I'll leave this file alone and just re-encode the two large files again but with a lower bitrate.

The original dvd isn't encode that great in the first place to be honest, the two large files are interlaced but you can clearly see some jagged edges on the blokes mouth when he is speaking. Nothing to to with it being interlaced its just been encoded that way, no actual combing lines else where.

[neuron2]

You keep changing your story so I'm going to withdraw. I don't have time to run around in circles.

[Blue_MiSfit]

I'll bite... :)

*downloading sample*

[Blue_MiSfit]

Okay. This sample is sort of hybrid. Actually, it's just crappily made by somebody who clearly wasn't paying attention to the properties of his/her clips. Utterly typical.

The actors are 24p, but the animated CG is 30p. Go figure :P

In my opinion, you can just do this:

MPEG2Source(...)
TDecimate


This seems to return clean 24p. The only side effect is the CG stuff will be slightly jerky, but the actors will remain fluid (better than the 30p source actually, since we've removed the dupe frames). In the sample you provided it didn't seem visually offensive to me, so that seems like the easiest solution.

As to your standalone player problem, I think it has something to do with how the player is trying to deinterlace this content. My guess is that it interprets this footage as 60i, and applies a bob deinterlace, which doesn't work properly.

So, try encoding with the script I provided, at 24p. Then, use DGPulldown on the resulting M2V to apply soft telecine. Finally, author a DVD and try it on your player. It should discard the pulldown flags and output clean 24p to your TV.

Let us know how it goes ;)

~MiSfit