DVD -> DivX audio out of sync using DVDx, audio volume low & lines in video in GK

[googler1]

I have been trying to convert my Finding Nemo DVD into a DivX 5 version.

First attempt with Gordian Knot was fine, except that
1) the audio volume was too low, and AVIUtl couldn't boost it up or normalize it (the audio codec was greyed out in AVIUtl)
2) the picture seems to have irritating lines in it (is this becos of 29.97 to 23.9 fps cpnversion ?)

Other attempts with DVDx were met with
1) compressing of the movie (for eg., a 29 second extract was converted into 23 seconds in DVDx 1.8)
2) Audio is out of sync in DVDx 2.2 and 2.0, but it doesn't seem compressed, although a 29 second extract does become a smaller time. I checked the audio/video sync button in all cases, and used 48 khz to 44.1 khz conversion, did it without conversion, pretty much tried all the options.

I prefer DVDx cos it's just one package, and so much simpler than Gordian Knot, but GK is ok as long as it gives good quality video (no lines) and an acceptable volume level.

Can you please help me ?

Thanks,
G

[manono]

Hi googler1, and welcome to the forum-

I'm assuming you have the NTSC R1 version.

1. What kind of audio, MP3 or AC3? If AC3, then go into the AC3 Filter configuration and in the Presets, set it to Loud. If it's MP3, then you might raise the volume with MP3 Gain (http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/).
2. I hope you used Force Film in DVD2AVI and gave a 23.976fps .d2v to GKnot. No need to IVTC. I hope your final frame rate is 23.976fps. If you Force Filmed, then any lines in there aren't because of IVTC because there was no IVTC.

1. Don't know anything about DVDx. Sorry.
2. Again, can't help with DVDx, but I wouldn't recommend downsampling to 44,100 HZ.

[googler1]

Thank you for replying manono

>>>I'm assuming you have the NTSC R1 version.

Yes, it says 29.97 input fps.


>>>1. What kind of audio, MP3 or AC3? If AC3, then go into the AC3 >>>Filter configuration and in the Presets, set it to Loud. If it's MP3,
>>>then you might raise the volume with MP3 Gain.

I used AC3, but is there any advantage to using mp3 ?
Should I change the gain outside GK and re mux ?

>>>2. I hope you used Force Film in DVD2AVI and gave a 23.976fps .d2v to
>>>GKnot. No need to IVTC. I hope your final frame rate is 23.976fps. If >>>you Force Filmed, then any lines in there aren't because of IVTC >>>because there was no IVTC.

I did use force film, but the IVTC option still showed up. So, I used that too. Maybe the lines could be improved by increasing the % which comes out of the compression check (I got 52% and stuck with it)



>>>1. Don't know anything about DVDx. Sorry.
>>>2. Again, can't help with DVDx, but I wouldn't recommend downsampling >>>to 44,100 HZ.

Can anyone help with DVDx ?

Thanks
G

[manono]

Hi-

I used AC3, but is there any advantage to using mp3 ?
Should I change the gain outside GK and re mux ?

I just asked so I could suggest how to boost the volume of each. Use whatever you like, although, of course, the AC3 is better quality, but takes up more space on the CDs. You can Normalize in DVD2AVI when extracting the audio. And like I said before, go into the AC3 Filter Configuration and boost the volume in there. If it's AC3, then GKnot has nothing to do with the volume level.

I did use force film, but the IVTC option still showed up.

Showed up where? When you were creating the .avs? Not if you Force Filmed, it didn't. What was the final framerate of the movie? It should be 23.976fps. You can open the .avi in VDubMod and go File->File Information to find out if you're not sure.

Maybe the lines could be improved by increasing the % which comes out of the compression check (I got 52% and stuck with it)

If they are interlacing lines, then the percentage won't affect that. They'll always be there. I suspect you didn't Force Film, and wound up with 29.97fps, but I'm not positive. Open the .d2v in GKnot. It should say 23.976fps in the lower left corner if you used Force Film.

[googler1]

You are right about the force film, manono. I did not use it the first time, that's why IVTC showed up. The DVD2AVI instructions said "preview movie, and if the FILM % >= 95, use force film". Well, I didn't preview enough, so the second time I did it I noticed that the % kept increasing, so I will use force film next time. ok, that is resolved :)

As for the sound volume, I prefer to use mp3, I want better video quality, I don't mind a lower audio quality, so I'll use mp3 128kpbs. But the whole process in GKnot is one proces. At which point do I amplify the mp3 using mp3gain ? It seems like I have to use an mp3 file as a source.

For AC3, I noticed that there is a normalization option in DVD2AVI, but in which software is the AC3 Filter configuration ?

As for the lines, they are basically created when there is a fast motion in the picture. Also, they show up on the edges sometimes. I am trying to go as close to 80% as possible in the Bits/(Pixel*Frame) box, but it really makes the video size small.

I did get DVDx to work ok, I used force 24Hz there too !! DVDx operation is very simple, but when there is a pan motion, like in the LOTR mountain scenes, the motion is slightly jerky compared to a GKnot rip.

Do u know if anyone can help me with that in DVDx, if I can solve that, I'll just stick with DVDx, it really is a lot less of a hassle.

Thanks again for your continued help, manono.

-G

[manono]

Hi-

If you now run a compression test with the Force Film .d2v, your compress test results will go up to about 65% or so (from the 52% you mentioned earlier). You'll be encoding 20% fewer frames when compared to 29.97fps. That should make you happy.

The DVD2AVI instructions said "preview movie, and if the FILM % >= 95, use force film".

Yes, those instructions are, if not wrong, then incomplete or misleading. You'll have to watch it for a long time to get a true idea of the Film content. For most modern Hollywood type films, you can usually Force Film. One thing you can do is to always use Force Film, and if the percentage winds up too low, then do it over again with no Force Film. It beats staring at that DVD2AVI screen.

At which point do I amplify the mp3 using mp3gain

You'd have to do it outside of GKnot. But most people consider the MP3 audio volume OK.

in which software is the AC3 Filter configuration ?

I think it gets installed along with GKnot. So go Start->Programs->AC3 Filter->AC3Filter Config. If you don't have it, then get it from the Doom9 Downloads area in the Filters section.

As for the lines, they are basically created when there is a fast motion in the picture. Also, they show up on the edges sometimes. I am trying to go as close to 80% as possible in the Bits/(Pixel*Frame) box, but it really makes the video size small.

Not if you have the R1 (American) DVD and you have Force Filmed. Then there are no interlacing lines. And you are encoding for 2 CDs, aren't you? The movie deserves it. Animation is hard to encode. Then you might even consider using the AC3 track. It's a very good one.

I used force 24Hz there too

For the audio? Heresy! Sacrilege! We aim for quality here at Doom9. Don't give it crap audio.

Do u know if anyone can help me with that in DVDx...

Not I. Maybe someone else reading can help. Good Luck, googler1.

[googler1]

I'm not sure how to extract the mp3 so that I can give it to mp3gain as input. Also, once that is done, how do I feed it back in to GKnot ?

As for the force 24Hz, I meant it for DVDx video, not the audio. I totally understand doom9's commitment to quality :)

I shall try force film, but I want to do it in one shot, so I will wait for your reply on how to add the mp3 as well.

Thanks, manono
googler1

[manono]

Hi-

You already have the MP3 from your previous attempt, right? So run it through MP3 Gain, and then when setting up GKnot for encoding, in the Bitrate Tab, Select the Audio and allow for the Overhead, and in the Audio 1 Tab of the Encoder/Add job portion, Select the Audio and tick the "Just Mux" box. Piece of cake.

Edit: If you deleted the files already, and want to get the audio back out of the earlier .avi, then Open the .avi in VDubMod, and click No when you see the message Then go Streams->Stream List->Save WAV and Save it. Then rename the extension as .mp3 when it's done.

[googler1]

Suppose I want to extract if for another movie, how do I get the mp3 out of it after the DVD Decrypter step ? Is there a way to demux it to mp3 at the DVD Decrypter step itslef ?

Thanks,
googler1

[manono]

Hi-

You can get the AC3 using DVDDecrypter, or you can use DVD2AVI after you have the VOB files on your hard drive. If you're using GKnot, you'd better do it with DVD2AVI. Then you take the AC3 and run it through BeSweet or HeadAC3he to get the MP3. Or you can use GKnot as a front end for BeSweet to do it for you, without doing any video encoding.

Is there a way to demux it to mp3 at the DVD Decrypter step itself?

None that I know of.

[googler1]

thanks for your continued support, manono. it finally worked, i have a good quality movie now !

take care,
googler1

[manono]

Good one, googler1, and thanks for reporting back. I'm glad it worked out for you. And after this one, it only gets easier, because you've learned so much now. So enjoy Finding Nemo. It's a good movie.