Stats in the red??

[sjf99]

I'm trying to encode just certain chapters from a DVD. I assume since the size will be way under the length of a CD, these numbers will not be accurate. I'm not real concerned about file size. I have about 90 seconds of video at about 13 meg.

My bitrate %-age is off the scale at about 130-300 % of 1st pass stats.

Does this matter?

[jggimi]

You're trying to compress 13MB to 700MB. Of course the numbers won't be quite right.

Why not use "calculate avi file size" and just set a bitrate?

[sjf99]

Thanks for the reply!

What would be a decent bit rate to shoot for? We basically want to use this clip in a powerpoint presentation projected through an InFocus unit.

[jggimi]

I'd go with the maximum, 6000, and test your pc output for smoothness, etc, and knock it down only if it isn't smooth enough for your tastes.

If you have an ATI laptop video card (eg. Rage Mobility) you'll probably have to set your external monitor to "primary" and your lcd screen to "secondary" -- or even disable the lcd screen -- in order to show the video output via external monitor connection. All but the most recent ATI cards can only drive video to one device at a time.

[sjf99]

Now I have a working file. But when I insert it into powerpoint and play it, it runs at about 20x speed with no sound. It plays ok in WMP. This is killing me!

Any ideas?

[jggimi]

I just tested a clip myself. The audio must be pcm, uncompressed. I found it pretty easy to convert:

Open the avi in nandub
"Save wav" from the file menu
Close nandub.

Open the avi file in virtual dub
Set video to direct stream copy
Set audio to "WAV audio" point to saved file, full stream processing
"Save As" new avi.


When I tried to do the whole thing in nandub, I didn't get good audio. I might have made a mistake. But I know this worked.

[sjf99]

jggimi,

You hit it right on the head. For some reason, PPT would only play a video correctly if the audio was PCM. It took a while but I finally got it in the correct format.

I also noticed that the trailer on this DVD is much different than the regular movie. I never was able to get the stats out of the red but was still able to make a decent clip. The clip from within the movie gave me perfect stats. Go Figure!

Thanks for the help!

Steve

One other question, when would you use NanDub over VirtualDub and vice-versa? What is the difference between the 2 programs?

[jggimi]

Nandub understands many kinds of audio, and the SBC (DivX 3.11) codec.

Virtualdub understands all the other video codecs, but only wav audio.

Nandub also has some additional ease-of-use options; such as file splitting by (approximate) size.