Frameserving - Avisynth 2.5 to Vegas/other apps

[DDogg]

Frameserving - Avisynth 2.5 to Vegas and other apps - Part 1 - Installing the software and making sure all is OK

First, Install Avisynth and verify it is working correctly.

1>Download and install the latest AviSynth and plugins.
2> Goto Start/Programs/Avisynth 2.5/Example scripts and run "Version.avs"
3> Verify WMP plays a short video clip showing the version information.
4> Take a look here to familiarize yourself with scripting: Your First AviSynth Script (http://www.avisynth.org/index.php?page=YourFirstScript)

At this stage we can use Avisynth to frameserve to any application that will open AVS files natively. Virtual Dub is a good example. Try your favorite programs with the version script. Don't be discouraged if they do not open as we have a wonderful secret weapon called VFAPI to make it happen (later).

Many applications will not open an AVS file simply because the programmers incorrectly assume that if a file does not end with "AVI" they should not attempt trying to open it with VFW.

Ok, now let's deal with those pesky applications that will not open our AVS files directly.

VFAPI and READAVS installation
Install:
1> Download VFAPICodecV105EN.zip (http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/codecs_and_filters/vfapi_codec.cfm) and Readavs.zip (http://www.christian-behrens.de/video/download/tmpgenc-readavs.zip). Unzip to C:\program files\VFAPI
2> Go to that directory and double click the vifpset.bat
3> In notepad, open and change ReadAvs.reg to this path "Avisynth"="C:\\Program Files\\VFAPI\\ReadAVS.dll"
4> Double click on ReadAvs.reg and allow the information to be added to the registry

Use:

1>Run VFAPIConvEN.exe
2>click the "Add Job" button and add "version.avs" from c:\program files\avisynth 2.5\example scripts. Accept the settings and click OK on the requestor (note: audio will be grayed as this script has no audio)
3> Very important: Click "Run" and wait until the status header says "Completed"
4> You should now have a file called "Version_avs_vfapi.avi" in your Avisynth example scripts Directory. Double click on it and verify it plays in WMP, Vegas and other video applications.

That's it for this part. We will get into some example scripts later in Part 2.

/ADD:
Note: The technique above can also load a TMPG TPR jobfile. A video source can be loaded into TMPG and settings made. Save the job which creates a TPR file. Load the TPR file into the VFAPI converter just like the you would have done the AVS above. You do not need to keep TMPG running to do this.

[bb]

DDogg, just a question because I never used VFAPI together with readavs.dll: Won't the video be converted to RGB using this combo?

bb

[Bidoche]

Vegas and other apps may well be processing in RGB anyway.

[Wilbert]

DDogg, just a question because I never used VFAPI together with readavs.dll: Won't the video be converted to RGB using this combo?
How did you open avs files in VFAPI if you have never installed readavs.dll? VFAPI requires RGB24 (AVI or AVS). Like Bidoche says most editing tools (like Premiere) require RGB anyway.

[DDogg]

Yep, as said, VFAPI converts to RGB24. I don't think this should cause any problems for this particular usage (NLE),IMO.

Wilbert, us old guys used to have to load an AVS into tmpg, save a TPR and then load that into vfapi. They were not the "good old days" :) Actually this works surprisingly well and has good speed.

Add:Remember, Ben wrote readavs so VFAPI would work with his two favorite applications, AS and VDub. VFAPI was written by the author of TMPG for his stuff and I guess, only his stuff.

[bb]

Originally posted by Wilbert
How did you open avs files in VFAPI if you have never installed readavs.dll?
I didn't say I ever opened AVS files in VFAPI... I used it a few years ago in conjunction with DVD ripping. When I used AviSynth for the first time VFAPI had become obsolete for me...

(Do I have to feel old now :confused: )

bb

[Di Abolico]

Thank you guys - the way works perfect for me!
How to render FROM Vegas?
(I don't really like the way it saves)

[DDogg]

Maybe one day the Vegas people will understand what a great feature frameserving out from Vegas would be. That would be icing on the cake for sure.

UPDATE: Satish just released a frameserver (outbound) for Vegas. See http://www.debugmode.com/pluginpac/frameserver.php

[rkosh]

I was reading the post on how the frameserve an avi through vfapi to cce. I followed the steps and got everything working with the example. The avi I want to frameserve is Xvid. VFAPI only recognizes the audio. Can I make VFAPI work with the video? Is that the problem that VFAPI doesnt work with xvid?

thnx:D

[DDogg]

You would have to load your avi in Virtual Dub, select frameserving and wrap the signpost file with VFAPI. If TMPG will load the avi you can save a tpr project file and wrap that with VFAPI.

[rkosh]

Thaks DDog,

I am a little confused. The only frameserving function I see in virtualdub is under file>start frame serving. Is that the one Im supposed to use. I tried but it is in a standby mode, like it is waiting for another app to access it. I do not see where I can save the .vdr file. It saves as a file w/o an extension, and when I add the .vdr to it VFAPI says it is invalid. Ive tried while frame serve mode is running and stopped.

Thanks again, sorry for my noobness:)

[DDogg]

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47483

This link should give you all the info you need. The readavs.dll must be installed properly to allow VFAPI to read the VDR file from VirtualDub. Spend sometime and do the installation right. You will know it is correct when you open the VFAPI file requester, it will have added AVS and VDR as possible choices.

[rkosh]

Thanks for helping.

On VFAPI, the file requester does show .vdr as an option. The file created by virtualdub does not have an extension though. Example: I tell virtual dub to save as(after starting frame server mode) 'movie' and by default it adds the .vdr extension, but when I look at the 'movie' file there is no extension there. So I save as movie.vdr, and open with VFAPI = invalid. Then I rename the original file, 'movie' to movie.vdr = invalid.

Maybe Im using incompatable releases:confused:

Anyway thanks for trying

[DDogg]

Now, run VDub and load your source, apply whatever filter, resizing, etc. you desire and then goto the file menu and select "start frameserver". Accept the frameserver name (no need to change) and then save the "signpost" as whatever.vdr. You will leave the VDub frameserver running.


rkosh, do exactly as above. Then load the "whatever.vdr in vfapi. If you have followed the instructions EXACTLY in the LINK I gave you and used those versions of the software, it should load and process the vdr file. Please make a special note to accept the first filename given without change. The second filename will be whatever.vdr. THIS is the one you open in VFAPI. Also make sure you did the auxsetup mentioned in the link. After installing Vdub, go to the directory where you installed it and run the auxsetup.exe. Choose the "install handler" button and install the handler.

[rkosh]

I think that it is working now. After this "After installing Vdub, go to the directory where you installed it and run the auxsetup.exe. Choose the "install handler" button and install the handler."

But it is strange that the .vdr file that vdub makes is saved while running or not without an extension, no ???.vdr just ???. Anyway Iam able to open the VFAPI file in cce now.

Thank you for your patience DDogg!:D

[DDogg]

Glad you got it working and I am happy to have helped you. Good luck :)

[dsmith]

From what I remember when messing with this method (though using .tpr files), VFAPI had a lot of problems when dealing with multiple files at once (say, 20+). Does what you recommend avoid that problem?

--
David

[kaitsuburi]

@DDogg,

Thanks for the guide (I just saw this thread)! Very informative, as always :)

Ben R-G's site is down and with it your link to "tmpgenc-readavs.zip" in your original post. Google gave me this (http://www.christian-behrens.de/video/download/tmpgenc-readavs.zip) location for the file; I was wondering if it's the same file.

-kaitsuburi

[DDogg]

@kaitsuburi - Thanks much for that link. I was having problems finding it. I fixed the link above.

@dsmith - I don't think I understand what you are asking. Why would one have 20 files in VFAPI? Perhaps you could expand?

[dsmith]

Editing anime music videos, I generally need access to the entire series -- 26 episodes for a typical single-season series, and one file per episode, though it could potentially range from about 5 to 30 (the most I'm personally willing to deal with). Trying to open that many at once using VFAPI tended to cause sync issues, and sometimes flat out crashing.

I've been playing around with Vegas, and rather enjoying it (many advantages over Premiere), but this is a 'must have' for me for any NLE.

--
David

[DDogg]

ok, I think that could be dealt with, but we need to know what format all those segments are in. Are they converted to avi or what? Tpr? I just need more information to understand the method you are using as VFAPI and readavs can be used many ways. WHat is the source after you have segmented it? I mean what files are you loading into VFAPI 20 times.

[dsmith]

Ok, what I do is rip the DVDs one episode at a time, ending up with vts_01.vob, vts_02.vob, etc, numbered by episode. Those get run through DVD2AVI (Ep01.d2v, Ep02.d2v...). When I was doing this a couple years back I would then take those into TMPGEnc to do a semi-manual IVTC, and use that information to generate an editable MJPG file. I tried using VFAPI, but ran into problems. Currently I'm passing the .d2v through AviSynth and using Decomb to handle the IVTC-ing. I'd like to then be able to use the .avs file directly, or at worst generate a fake .avi file for the editing program to use. (still generate the MJPG file for initial editing, though)

On a related note, I found that the MakeAVIS program that comes with ffvfw that comes with AviSynth apparently does this as well - generates a fake .avi wrapper, but without any tie to a central serving program as far as I can see. I'm trying to experiment with it a bit more. It does make an .avi file that Vegas can load, at least.

--
David

[Neoze]

Thanks DDogg for your guide.
I was looking how to open a script in pinnacle studio, I got a solution in another thread (pseudo AVI with MakeAVIS)
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=490361#post490361

Unfortunatly studio can not load file created with makeavis.
Same problem with link2 the file is played with wmp but unable to open in studio

But with VFAPIConv the fake avi can be load in studio!!!

So thanks again for this very clear information :)

[DDogg]

Neoze, very happy to hear this old thread helped you. Did you select raw audio in link2 or the equivalent in the later versions of makeavis? Many applications can not read a signpost with served audio which link2 and makeavis both do, UNLESS you use the raw audio mode. In makeavis, it is "store uncompressed audio". I ask because vfapi does write the audio to the signpost as part of its process. That is why you noted the vfapi.avi was larger.