encoding all-in-wonder mpeg2 into avi

[annarborjb]

What is the best free program to use for encoding mpeg2 recordings made with an all-in-wonder (in dvd mode) to fit on a single cd? Dvd2avi crashes when I try and use it on these recordings.

[Guest]

Which version of DVD2AVI? Have you tried my latest DVD2AVIdg 1.1.0RC3 (available in the DVD2AVI forum). If it doesn't work I'll be happy to find out why and fix it.

[jggimi]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

Neuron2 is correct, DVD2AVI can be used to create AVI files. But it can be confusing to use, as there are a wide number of versions of that program.

Many of these versions of that program are used solely to create "Project" files for use with other encoding tools.

And for sizing to 1 CD, you'll probably want a bitrate calculator, perhaps audio conversion to convert the PCM audio or MP2 audio into MP3; in addition, the ability to choose the best resolution for the content through compressibility testing.

One popular .avi encoding suite that uses DVD2AVIdg to create project files is Gordian Knot. It has these additional capabilites. However, Doom9's step-by-step guides for GKnot are based on DVD sources, so they show the use of Robot4Rip to extract/convert audio and create the DVD2AVI project files. But one can still use the guides, but instead, connect to DVD2AVIdg from within Gknot (on the Ripping tab) and then manage audio conversion from .mpa or .wav that have been previously demuxed from the .mpg file by clicking on the "Audio 1" tab when setting up the encoding batch job.

[annarborjb]

The new version of dvd2avi works great! For the life of me, I can't figure out how to get the audio to attach to the video though, and I've gone through the tutorial in doom9. I can attach it with virtualdub after encoding, but this is a pain and does not seem to work on the 8 gb files I have. (Works fine on the 700MB file, not sure why that is.) I've tried the various options in gordian knot and no audio is ever attached. I can't seem to figure out what I'm doing wrong, though it's probably something obvious lol....

[Guest]

Glad to hear you're getting the video OK now. For the audio, you'd better head on over to the GKnot forum, or the Avisynth forum. Or at least tell us here exactly what you tried. Probably jggimi can set you straight.

[annarborjb]

I forgot to mention something really strange happened after installing the gordian knot codec pack. I have my camcorder hooked up through the composite in of the all-in-wonder, and use it on yahoo as a webcam. After installing the codec pack, the webcam screen is blank, but when viewing it with ATI's media center, it shows fine. This has happened on two of my 3 OS's, so I'm pretty sure that's what's causing the screen to be blank. Maybe "Microsoft WDM Image Capture" is being altered somehow?

[annarborjb]

Here's what I have tried so far.... I use dvd2avi, demux, which creates an MPA file (not sure what that is, another name for mpeg audio?). Next, I go to bitrate and click on select under Audio A. I have to select all files there because MPA is not listed. I click calculate frame-overhead, and select 1x vbr-mp3. I'm using XVID if that makes any difference. Next, I go to the encoder and select "Just Mux" in the audio options; the file is aready selected when I click on "Add Job." I configure for one pass or two, depending on how fast I want to test the file, and encode. I have also tried converting the MPA file to a lower quality MP3 and adding that instead, which works when I use nandub after its encoded, though with problems such as the audio stopping part way through, etc. Could someone please suggest what I'm doing wrong, if anything comes to mind based on that?

[buzzqw]

you cannot mux mpa audio (mpeg1 layer2 audio) in avi...

BHH

[jggimi]

annarborjb, here are several links that might help:

You may want to read our Capture FAQ (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32575) and our Capture Guide (http://www.doom9.org/capture.htm), and perhaps do some searching of MPEG-2 related process threads in the Capture Forum (http://forum.doom9.org/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=10)