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sukerman
4th February 2002, 12:13
I've been doing this a while now, and can recommend the following
as the easiest way to DVD->SVCD. I find the main hassle is DVD
to SVCD takes a long time, and a click and go solution is a godsend.
Ripping audio with DVD2AVI, then encoding with another tool, then
muxing at the end..... enough already... I want a one stage process.

Many purists are going to say audio is better with Lame or whatever, but I find the quality here is fine, it uses a frameserver that works in 2000 and XP and the CCE encoder so its fast and it all automatic.

Here goes:

Download DVDx - http://www2.labdv.com/dvdx/

Unzip, then run setup to install the video server. Windows will think new hardware is being added, just say ok.

When opening a DVD thats already ripped you to your hard disk you
get an ASPI error. Ignore this is normal.

You only have to do the following once as it saves settings apart
from clicking the 'Whole' button on loading a film.

Input Settings,

Turn off, Use ASPI, DeMacrovision - if already ripped
Set de-interlace filter to Interpolate, slower but better picture quality. This allows you to use progressive setting in CCE
which the manual says gives better quality.
I heard most UK DVD's are interlaced because they are R1 NTSC conversions but some are progressive so don't need de-interlacing.
You can view input video format in flask to check but I assume
its interlaced normally as they nearly all are and if its not
the de-interlace filter won't do any harm

Output Settings,

Set to SuperVCD, - this sets size to 480x576
Set Premiere encoder to Video server
Set Export(AVI+Premiere) to YUY2 - means export uncompressed
video to CCE seems to be faster?
Set ZOOM to Full (16:9 or 4:3 input) to pass video unfudged to CCE.
Click the 'WHOLE' button to set the amount of frames to process.
Click Plug In Settings

Plug in Settings,

Just leave all filenames as defaults, if you change drive letters, make sure they are all the same because its set to pick up the
default files produced by CCE.

Frame Server - set to Avi wrapper.
Audio - uncheck save to wav - let CCE do the audio
PostPro - Select multiplex A+V, select SVCDcut@80m
General - Select Timeout enabled, Random Access, Delete .vaf,

That's it, ok your way out and hit encode.

Now - open CCE and add the server file IPCServer.AVI that has been
produced by the frameserver. Make sure CCE is set to create
both video and audio.

In my experience, to fit 2 CD's, set audio to joint stereo 192

Set CCE to use 'very low bitrate' in the matrix sections this is
described in the manual for ~2000 bitrates. Noise filter off or
on? I don't know - I get a softer picture with it on but less
blockiness. Its also a bit slower.

Set one pass VBR
1h 20 - Q25 Min 0 Max 2500
1h 40 - Q40 Min 0 Max 2500
2h - Q70 Min 0 Max 2500 - or 3 CD's

Video Settings
Set progressive frames, better quality when source in de-interlaced
Luminance level - 16to235 - suits TV brightness not monitors.
IntraDC precision - auto
Aspect ratio : DAR 16:9 - doesn't change picture size but encodes
hidden signal to put you TV in right mode.

Worth creating a template for these settings so its piss easy next
time.

By default it will encode to IPCServer.mpa and IPCServer.mpv these
files are multiplexed by the DVDx plugin so thats why you leave filenames as defaults.

IMPORTANT - When you load the DVD into DVDx make sure you click
the 'Whole' button in the Output settings window to set the size
of the film or it uses the length of the previous film. Also
set CCE's encode range to be 100 frames less than the total to
encode or I find CCE does not exit properly to kick off the
multiplexing process.

Burn the muxed.mpg files using Nero SVCD template. I have a
Philips DVD and FF/RW doesn't work whatever I try and I've
been down the VCDimager road and it doesn't help. Simplest
to use Nero and just forget about FF/RW.

Hope this helps some of you,

J.

dvd2svcd
4th February 2002, 12:39
You obviously haven't tried DVD2SVCD, which is both easier and yields a better quality than DVDx and does all the above + much much more, all automagically.

http://dvd2svcd.doom9.net

sukerman
4th February 2002, 12:55
All I know is I clicked go and it worked for once...

I have (a while ago) tried DVD2SVCD but it didn't
work for me, maybe the latest version works properly,
this is simple. I know DVD2SVCD does a lot more
but I seem to have problems with Lame or Wav2MP
crashing when using joint stereo mode and I don't need
subtitles, or to use filters for converting NTSC
format.

What's the quality problem with DVDx?

Sukerman,

dvd2svcd
4th February 2002, 12:57
I think you should try the latest version 1.0.6 build 3, it doesn't use the programs you mention you have had problems with. For quality, make a sample with both programs and compare the result.

sukerman
4th February 2002, 13:08
I can believe that the audio may be better
and perhaps the resize could be better and
faster but dvdx isn't bad.

I have CCE 2.62, does DVD2SVCD require CCE 2.5
because AviSynth doesn't work with 2.62?

That's why I started using AVIwrapper in
the first place.

I'll give it a go.

Cheers,

Steve.

sukerman
5th February 2002, 10:49
I've got the latest dvd2svcd hooked up to CCE 2.5.

Audio ripped via Azid, and then BeSweet does sound really
good. I've gone for 2 pass VBR. Surely 4 passes is
madness? I'm looking forward to some spectacular picture
quality because this method is quite an investment in
time for somebody with a machine like mine (P3 450).
I set it off last night about 8 ish, it was still mp2'ing
the audio at 11, this morning it reports another 13 hours
of video encoding..!!

I think its fair to say that DVDx whilst not the best
quality only takes 6-7 hours, and unless the quality
of this method is outstanding I think its best reserved
for special films you really want to keep for a while.
Chaff like Evolution I did yesterday can be booted
though DVDx and at least it only takes a day.

Just out of interest, how long does 4 passes take for
most of you? and is it much better than 1 or 2?

Thanks

J.

xrv1138
5th February 2002, 11:16
1. not sure what you are trying to achieve with
Faster my arse

2. if you want to know speeds etc read more in the forum and q+a and related articles

3. your pc has a slow chip by todays standards - most speeds quoted in here seem to be for chips 800 MHz and above...

4. dvd2svcd can do good quality 1 pass vbr encodes with a cce Q factor of about 5 - read more of the forum to skill up on this

5. dvd2svcd owns

sukerman
5th February 2002, 11:27
You're right of course, I'm not achieving much, the best
thing is for me to see the results I get later today.
If its way better I need to get used to the wait or
put my hand in my pocket.

xrv1138
5th February 2002, 11:31
athlons are pretty cheap :)