How do you encode Divx4.11 with Xmpeg or Flask in XP?

[ricnews]

I've been unable to encode to Divx4.11 with either Xmpeg or Flask. I was able to do this previously, but not since I upgraded to XP Pro, so I suspect that may be the problem.

I followed the Xmpeg guide exactly but always get an error saying the it can't create the file, or something to that effect. I tried doing the same procedure in Flask 0.6 but get the same error.

Someone suggested using "AVI Output" instead of "OpenDML AVI Output" so I tried that in both Xmpeg and Flask. In Xmpeg, it seems to encode okay for about 8% of the movie then it goes to 0fps and doesn't ever continue. In Flask, everything seems to work okay using "AVI Output" however, the end product seems to be either missing the video or the audio. When I encode using either of the single pass modes, I get a large AVI file but only the audio plays when I try to play in in Media Player. Under file properties, the video codec is displayed as "unknown". Also, the audio doesn't sound very good either. Every few seconds it seems to pause or stutter for a split second.

In contrast, using the 2 pass mode, I get the video but there is no audio. The video also seems to have lots of block artifacts. I encoded at around 890bps to fit on 1 CD.

Has anyone gotten this to work in XP. If so, can you post details, please? If not, is there some other (relatively easy) program to use that will run correctly in XP?

Thanks,
Ric

[NetSoerfer]

yup, i've had that problem too... after quite much testing, i solved it by selecting paths without spaces in it, like "c:\video\video_file" instead of "c:\my videos\video file" for both the output file and the two-pass encoding parameters' log file. that worked. today, i got the new version (4.2a) and i can use every path i want to, including spaces. so try both - hope it'll solve your problem, too

soerfer

[ricnews]

This didn't help. I downloaded 4.2a and also tried using pathnames that have no spaces but still always get this error:

An error ocurred when tyring to generate the file.
Check that you're not using the output file or the program is setup correctly.

Don't know how to fix this... :(

Does the VirtualDub method work any better?

Thanks,
Ric

[Doom9]

virtualdub simply rules... it's definitely the way to go

[ricnews]

There are 2 guides with virtual dub. I'm not too clear on what the advantages of either are. Also, I've got a dual processor. Does one method take better advantage of that than the other?

Thanks,
Ric

[Doom9]

both guides have nothing to do with smp.. it's a single cpu thing only unless you manually assing certain tasks in the program chain to different CPUs

as for which guide.. you can use either.. I mentioned pros and cons of the both methods on my page. Personally.. I use gknot

[ChristianHJW]

Sorry Doom, not correct !

MPEG2DEC/AVISynth/Vdub supports SMP fine, without having assigned any application to any CPU ( in fact only the vdub.exe is present in the processes list ) !

I get 85 - 90% CPU usage on my dual PIII 800 system in Win2k Pro, resulting in 15 - 18 fps. See according thread here http://rilanparty.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9186 and here http://rilanparty.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9568 .

[ricnews]

I'm going to give the VirtualDub/AVisynth method a try, at least until there's a workable version of Xmpeg. Looks like the only advantage of VirtualDub/VFAPI is subtitles and IVTC. What's IVTC?

Anyway, thanks for the great guides!

Ric

[Doom9]

what is ivtc? what is a glossary? ;)

both guides include subs.. I already told you what I use... if that's not enough for you to decide throw a coin...

[Seven of Nine]

Originally posted by ricnews
An error ocurred when tyring to generate the file.
Check that you're not using the output file or the program is setup correctly.

Don't know how to fix this... :(
Ric

had the same problem. so i check out when not encode sound to mp3 xmpeg will start encoding. strange bug. to solve the problem deinstall all DivX and MP3 codecs. then install DivX 3.11 -> DivX 4.11 and your MP3 codec (i do not use radium again (but works). now using lame acm). worked for me.

CU

Seven.of.Nine

[ricnews]

Thanks for the tip, 7of9. Do you have to install Divx 3.11 and then 4.11 over it?

Also, where do you get lame acm?

I tried the other method but was so frustrated at how many steps you seemingly have to do just to get the audio converted and you seem to have to wait to finish the audio encoding before you can start the video encoding because you need the mp3's file size. Looks like there's a new program, ac3tomp3.exe, that will let you go directly from vob to mp3 file but I couldn't quite figure it out. The movie I was trying to convert had 4 vob files and it only did the first one so I only got 20minutes of audio. The sound quality was just horrible too, so I must have done something wrong.

If I can get Xmpeg to work again I think I'll go back to that. It may not necessarily be the best solution but it's definitely the simplest.

Ric

[Seven of Nine]

Originally posted by ricnews
Thanks for the tip, 7of9. Do you have to install Divx 3.11 and then 4.11 over it?

Also, where do you get lame acm?


yes, you're right. deinstall all DivX and MP3 codecs. then install DivX 3.11 alpha (http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/Files/divx_311alpha.exe) and then DivX 4.11 (http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/Files/DivX411Codec.exe) over it. now you can install the MP3 codec. you can use the LameACM MP3 codec v0.90d (http://members.tripod.de/Seven_of_Nine_Borg/vba/LameACM.zip) (i have uploaded it on my server :D instructions are in the ZIP-file) or Radium MP3 v1.2 codec (http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/Files/Audio/ra-codec12.zip). now the problem should be fixed.

also a tip: make the "audio player" settings for your movie before you start with encoding movie because the "audio player" has a bug and lost the settings if you make it first.... :D

hope this helps to fix your problem too.


CU

Seven.of.Nine

[ricnews]

Sadly, this didn't help at all. I had only Divx4.11 and Radium MP3 Codec installed. I uninstalled both and rebooted, then reinstalled first Divx3.11a then Divx4.11 then the Lame Codec I got from your link. I then set everything up and got the same error about being unable to create the file!

I noticed that in the choices for audio codecs now there are 2 Mpeg-3 options, one which lists all the choices with "(lame)" at the end and one that doesn't. There's also another codec choice which has no name (just an empty space in the menu) but has all the bitrate obtions.

Ric

[Seven of Nine]

hmm, bad news :(

Originally posted by ricnews
Sadly, this didn't help at all. I had only Divx4.11 and Radium MP3 Codec installed. I uninstalled both and rebooted, then reinstalled first Divx3.11a then Divx4.11 then the Lame Codec I got from your link. I then set everything up and got the same error about being unable to create the file!

have you the same problem when you select PCM (and not MP3) as audio codec? or start Xmpeg with encoding movie? if it works with PCM you can also try to install first DivX 3.11 -> Lame -> DivX 4.11 but i don't know this will work....


I noticed that in the choices for audio codecs now there are 2 Mpeg-3 options, one which lists all the choices with "(lame)" at the end and one that doesn't. There's also another codec choice which has no name (just an empty space in the menu) but has all the bitrate obtions.


yes, thats right. one of them is the lame codec and the other is the hacked MP3 codec from the original microsoft mpeg4 codec.

look like the fix for this problem won't work correkt on all machines.....bad :(


CU

Seven.of.Nine

[EuGeNiLe]

i have the exact same problem you are having.. as soon as i click start conversion this warning shows up:

An error ocurred when trying to generate the file.
Check that you're not using the output file or the program is setup correctly.

i followed the divx 4 guide from the site.. and downloaded the software that was linked there..

xmpeg 4.2a
divx codec 4.12

i will try some of the suggestions mentioned and see if any work..

[EuGeNiLe]

well i have followed what sevenofnine has suggested.. and everything works.. i uninstalled dvix 4.12 and the radium mp3 codec

then followed by downloading divx3.. installed that.. then installed divx 4.. then reinstalled the radium mp3 codec..

and now everything works.. thanks..

its just now my computer is getting cluttered.. arrgh..

[Migsan76]

Ricnews, try make video and audio separatly, and then join them (multiplexing) in Virtula Dub.

My sugestion:

Make the video with XMpeg4.2 and Codec4.12 and don´t process audio
Rip audio from the vobs with graphed
Join audio and video in virtualDub

[gregor7777]

Hello all. I'm having the sam eissues as these other folks are having. I will try what everyone here suggested with the uninstalling and re-installing of the codecs, and I'll post results.

My question is this: What is the reasoning behind the process though? Why must these codecs be installed in such a presise manner? Is it a bug with xmpeg? With the 4.12 codec?

[Alex787]

Why not everyone using Divx 4.12?

[dragoman]

Why not everyone using Divx 4.12?

Because I get better results with DivX;-) 3.11 and Smart Bitrate Control in Nandub.

dragoman

[gregor7777]

Well,

I went home on my lunch break and fired up Xmpeg 4.2a after I uninstalled the 4.12 codec and the radium codec. I then installed the 3.11, then the 4.12, then the radium codec and it started processing.

It has never gotten this far before, so I think my problem is solved. I'll see when I get home whether or not it made it past the second pass and created something good.

BTW, I also installed XP Pro last night thinking it may have been a problem from Win98 SE, but I still got the same errors. The codec process above seemed to do the trick. That is an odd little bug.

Thanks guys.

[gregor7777]

Well,

The movie looks great. Produced near DVD quality the first time. I love the ease of use with Xmpeg (now that it works) , but everyone who really knows what they're doing is using GK, so I may try that out soon.

[Migsan76]

gregor7777,


XMpeg is a easy way to get a good DivX Rip, but to maximize our rips give a try to Gordian Knot. For me, it's really the best method i ever used and give the best results... and is not complicaded like many people thought!

[EuGeNiLe]

i cant remember exactly.. but i think somewhere in one of doom's guides for xmpeg.. the listing of programs needed.. if you install divx 3.11 then install divx 4.12 you don't need to install the radium mp3 codec?

Radium MP3 codec (not needed if you have DivX3 installed on your system)

i just reformated my computer and setting everything up.. dont wanna have to install things i dont need..

and wats this with GK.. i guess im gonna have to check it out..

[gregor7777]

Gordian Knot...I'm getting fed up witht he unreliability of Xmpeg. It's a shame too, because I love the interface.

[Migsan76]

The interface os the Gordian Knot ist very good too!

[Jasbo]

I had the same problem with XP and Xmpeg "cannot create file" or whatever. I have since switched to Gordian Knot but you Xmpeg users can workaround the bug by going into the control panel and clicking "sounds and multimedia" then click the "hardware" tab, then double click the "mp3 codec" and change the priority from 11 to 4.
rotsa ruck

[Jasbo]

sorry, forgot one thing, you of course have to click the "audio codecs" before you can access the mp3 properties.. ; )