NuMenu4u RC4 Build 1.1 Now with Format Conversion

[Zeul]

An update build is now available. Instead of releasing a final I have decided to include a couple of new features first

Enhancements:

Format Conversion (under avisynth tab) - NTSC -> PAL and vice versa
Recovery Console - this new build creates a 2nd log file that is designed specifically to redo the same menu again, from a designated starting position. This could be to reencode for example. You can also start from any VTS. NB make sure that the ISO is still mounted on the same drive.
Under Encode tab, the option now exists to set the number of assets to be included in each ECL file (Default = 50). This is for where CCE drops certain encodes.
In Default options there is now an option to set the duration of multiple subs per cell. This is because of a scenairst restriction. This was primarily designed to stop Spiderman R1 failing due to 200+ subs per cell! Use this only if necessary.
Slight alteration to Automate

Bug Fixes:
Alteration to the code to allow Pulldown to run with spaces in the folder names.
Change to the IFO scan routine to allow vobids out of sequence.
Other internal fixes.

Known Issues:
The format conversion is still in its infancy , but in my tests everything works as it should. Your main decision is whether to drop frames so that the video length is the same, or use every frame and alter the audio length. Because Besweet produces non-compilant AC3 my recommendation is : IF you have softencode then keep every frame, else drop some (this will then use the original audio). The subs and buttons are automatically resized BUT if the sub is a layer of writing that should superimpose over the video/still exactly sometimes this is displaced by a couple of pixels. Using the avs script AssumeFPS(xx) will keep every frame. Kerneldeint has been added to the install package for the creation/deletion of frames.
The script is under avisynth tab.

Because of the changes a complete install is required.

http://www.numenu4u.com/NuMenu4u.exe

As usual give all feedback.
Zeul

[Zeul]

oops, left the script generation in design mode - only 1 track would be created.
Above link for a full d/load or below for the executable only. Make sure that RC4 Build 1 has been previously installed!

http://www.numenu4u.com/NuMenu4u.zip

[jswalker2]

Thanks for the NTSC -> PAL and vice versa conversion, this feature will help me greatly.

[McDo0m]

Thanks for the NTSC -> PAL and vice versa conversion, this feature will help me greatly.

Me 2!!

Much appreciated. Thanks Zeul.

[Zeul]

McDo0m & jswalker2. Please try the conversion and let me know the results

[McDo0m]

Using Gareth Gates Music DVD R2(PAL) with angles, 2 vob sets, VIDEO_TS containing FBI etc. No VTS_02_0.VOB.

All NM4U options default except format conversion
Using Softencode for aud length adj.

RESULT: All OK, imports in Scenarist fine, then
Automate_Scenarist just freezes. Log saysSee Attachment)

edit by influenza: deleted double post and approved attachment

[kle500]

This is a great update Zeul, as many people (i think) was looking forward for this (as myself too).
I was making standards conversion, by modifiyng all my avs scripts and by re-scaling the bmp's.

I downloaded today, and i was anxious to try it.

First comments:
I found that it works well with cce 2.67, cause with 2.66, it doesn't change the field order (it messes up with TFF and BFF).
But i haven't found a way to re-encode in a given bitrate (ex. 5000 CBR). It allways does CBR=9000kbps.
Also it doesn't change GOP sequence in GOP settings. If i put M=3, N/M=5, in ECL it is M=3, N/M=4
It would be nice for many people i think, to be able to manually enter the maximum bitrate in VBR mode

I allways use Interlaced NTSC DVD's that i convert to PAL, and i found that using threshold=0 in Kerneldeint produces lines in video, instead i put threshold=2

You must make the program to read the flag of the video from the d2v files and according to that decision, enable the mode in Kerneldeint (mode=1 for TFF and mode=0 for BFF), cause now all interlaced videos are converted as TFF

Later comments:
I tryied an NTSC interlaced DVD where the menu is BFF (i know this cause i allready made that DVD.
In this situation, where the videos in the menu are BFF, there must be a way to automaticaly change the kerneldeint internal mode from (mode=0 to mode=1).

Further comments:
Tryied another DVD and i have the following error message:

Procedure Name: ConvertFrameTime
Module Name: CreateECL

Error Number: 13
Error Description: Type mismatch
Error Source: Project1
Error Line: 7
Call Stack:
ConvertFrameTime --> CreateECL
CompareScenes --> CreateECL
ConvertFrameDuration --> CreateECL
GetLocation --> CreateECL
MakeECL --> CreateECL
NewDVD2AVIProc --> AssetProcess
StartNuMenu4u --> ExecuteProgram
go_Click --> MainForm

Same DVD in older RC3 version, works.

Zeul, i think if someone chooses to enable Convert format under avisytnth, there is no need for both script's (original and conversion avs).

[Zeul]

I set the CBR to 9000 for the stills only. In my tests any value below this produces very blocky stills, and the difference in file sizes in negligible. The GOP setings are checked before writing to the ecl, to ensure that any NTSC encodes do not have N=3 N/M=5. However in a conversion to PAL I have ommited to bypass this step and allow N=3 N/M=5. Consider it corrected. The 'lines in the video' are because the output is pure interlaced, so this appearance is correct on a PC monitor. You are quite correct, however, with the field order in Kerneldeint, I have forgotton to do this.

I am very concerned though, with the error. Please shoot over ALL the ifo files, Frameserving folder, VTS_01_0.VOB in the subtitles folder for me to reproduce.

Both avisynth scripts are created because the .Conversion is the one actually used by CCE. The 'normal' one is used to determine the framecount and is therefore required. I am confused though whether if an NTSC source was hybrid / telecine etc, is the standard avisynth script (which would normally output a clean 29.97fps) still needed before Kerneldeint??

I look forward to your comments

[kle500]

I am quite happy with your effort to help us all Zeul, so i will do my best to help you, as far as i know.
I did quite some tests today and found that when i use CBR (wich i preffer for videos in menus) at 5000 cbr, it defaults to 9000, which in my opinion is is not needed.
If you accidently assined CBR 9000 for only the stils, there must be a mistake, cause everything in menu (videos and stils) are encoded the same CBR 9000.

However, i learned from try and error that for interlaced videos, the best encoder is Procoder (hands down), and also Procoder is very capable on low bitrates.
CCE in 3500 average bitrate is unacceptable, where procoder is amazing in that bitrate whatever method you use CBR,VBR.
Notice that i am only talking for Interlaced materials and not Progressive. For progressive CCE is better.

So it would be amazing for me, to impement procoder as another encoder option in your program.
DVDrebuilder has this functionality, and i am glad for it.

As for the Gop settings, what do you mean concider it corrected?
You mean on the next update?

As for the lines i mentioned earlier, NO i don't mean the interlaced lines, i mean lines that arrise after the resize in the conversion script.
I had a discution on this subject with our old good friend Xesdeeni and he actually saw them after i send him some stills.
I assume many people dealing with NTSCi->PALi will come facing this problem, and the problem is there (especially in fades from-to black).

Anyway i am using the smoothdeinterlacer as deinterlacer, cause is the only one that with a little modification in the staticthresh and lacethresh, can overcome this problem. The bad thing with smoothdeinterlacer is that is slower than kerneldeint.

Another option that we discused with Xesdeeni, is to use blur(0,1.0) before the LanczosResise, but this makes the speed drop and also the video more blur.

I can suggest to people to use the old Bob, as it (strange) doesn't produce those lines, but bob is not very good in stills.

I found that by using bob, i overcome many of my problems, but notice that bob messes up the polarity of the video.

Notice again that i am working only on interlaced materials and my workaround is on that material (for watching on TV).

Tell me exactly what can i do to help you on the error.

Yes you are correct about the need of both scripts.

Another error right now:
after analysing Log & D2v files completes, Proccesing SST files error arrises:
(13) Typemismatch

Procedure Name: ProcessSST
Module Name: NewSUBS

Error Number: 13
Error Description: Type mismatch
Error Source: Project1
Error Line: 121
Call Stack:
ProcessSST --> NewSUBS
StartNuMenu4u --> ExecuteProgram
go_Click --> MainForm

I almost forgot to mention:
all subs are resized at wrong size (716x575), why? they should be 720x576.

Looking forward too

[Zeul]

can't see how an error can occur at that line but heh. The bmps are deliberatly put at the wrong size. I have found that scenarist accepts these w/out problems, and this then enables you some movement of the sub overlay. The pixel settings I script you will notice are slightly different to compensate for the sub sizes. Can you send me the relevant files to diagnose the error - ALL the ifos, frameserving folder & VTS_01_0.VOB in the subtitle folder, and the sst files. thanks

ps You were correct I had hardcoded the cbr to 9000
I can send a pre-release with some changes for you

[kle500]

Zeul, i use dvdmaestro for my authoring, and i found that there is no way to align the video with the bmp's, so i have to manually re-scale all of them as i used to do in the past.
You mean send them to your e-mail? np

What do you think about implementing procoder as encoder too?
this would be great.

If you want, send me a pre-release so i can check it.
I am sending you PM with my e-mail.

[pipieye]

Originally posted by kle500
Zeul, i use dvdmaestro for my authoring, and i found that there is no way to align the video with the bmp's, so i have to manually re-scale all of them as i used to do in the past.
You mean send them to your e-mail? np

What do you think about implementing procoder as encoder too?
this would be great.

If you want, send me a pre-release so i can check it.
I am sending you PM with my e-mail.

Hi kle500,
I too am using dvdmaestro and found that if you drop a PAL size bmp into an NTSC project, click <no> to ignore when the alert pops up and dvdmaestro will nicely resize the bmp for you.

Kudos to Zeul for this new long awaited feature

[kle500]

I will try to do that, but instead of PAL to NTSC project, i use the opposite.

I am also glad to see Zeul's effort to help as many people as possible.

I wish, if he could implement Procoder as an encoder, cause Procoder handles low bitrates (and especially on Interlaced materials), excellent. No comparizon between Procoder and CCE when it comes to Interlaced videos.
Procoder in 3000-3500 bitrate is untouchable by any other encoder in the market to date.

[Zenak]

I am getting the same error as McDoom. I have a screen shot to post/mail of it if needed.

Basically it works great, but after Scenarist opens and imports the file it freezes. I'm using Scenarist 3.0 if that helps, if you need any more info, or any of the log files just let me know!

I can finish the process manually, and all is well afterwards....

[shoarthing]

Zeul - Hi - thank you for this new feature [testing now]: would also add my plea to those above for Procoder support . . . .

[Zeul]

Please try this updated automate build:

http://www.numenu4u.com/Automate_Scenarist.zip

[Zeul]

To answer the various requests for Procoder support. Unfortunately at this time this is an impossibility, because as far as i can tell there is no way to specify the I frame insertion points critical for correct scene placement in Scenarist & Maestro. If procoder was used the scenes would never fall exactly where they should - no problem for non bov titles (except for subs overlapping possibly), but BAD for menus and titles w/BOV. So sorry guys, until a version is released that has this ability then Procoder cannot be used.

[Zenak]

Zuel,

That new build worked great for me. Thank you for the quick and accurate response!

-Z

[Zeul]

[morgensonne]

Sorry it doesn't work for me ...always the same: Error 44 and 110, even after installing Visual Basic and Service Pack for Visual Basic.