Joining different sources (fps/resolution) to one DVD

[Buggle]

I am not new to this forum, but I was not able to find the correct forum to put this question in. Maybe a moderator can give me hint concerning that.

Now on to the question, or better put: my project.

I am going to build a DVD of 11 episodes from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (we’re having a highschool-time revival :) ). The problem is that they are almost all in different resolutions and framerates, so that’s where you guys come in. What I am concerned about is quality and sync of video/audio. I have thought about this a million times, but my knowledge (and search skills) are not that extensive to give me the answers I need.

My current plan:

1* Encoding all NTSC episodes (some 23,976fps files and one 29,970fps) to PAL resolution and framerate (compressing to Lagarith) by using this script:
AVISource("E:\TMNT\Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 01 - 001 - Turtle Tracks.avi",audio=false)
BicubicResize(704,560,1/3,1/3,0,1,512,382)
AddBorders(8,8,8,8)
AssumeFPS(25.000, true)
ConvertToYUY2()Concerning the fps change; am I overseeing something there? (like Telesync and so).
There is one burning question: I used FitCD for this, using 1 block overscan. FitCD has a slider there ("round to:") that gives different values, like MMX optimized, macro block optimized. The script above is 'not optimized'. Will that give speed or other problems?

2* Extracting the audio from each file using VirtualDubMod. Here I do not know what to use: demux or save WAV. I am unsure because of the audio sync; is there something like offset used in avi files? What I have done with the first is demux, transcode to wav with BeSweet (using 23,976->25fps conversion). Would that give me a sync a/v or am I forgetting something there?

3* Encoding all the PAL sources to PAL Lagarith.

4* Demux the audio from the PAL episodes and decode them to WAV (48kHz)

5* Join all Lagarith files and encode them with CCE (bitrate will be about 2400kbit VBR)

6* Join all wav files and encode them to AC3 with SonicFoundry. The question here is: do I loose a/v sync when I join them all? Also, maybe I better use mp2?

I am really looking forward to your suggestions, and my sincerest excuses if this is the wrong forum…

[IanB]

Watch for the integer division trap here :-
BicubicResize(704,560,1/3,1/3,0,1,512,382)
The two 1/3's will become 0, you have to express them using floating point i.e. as 1./3.

I'll leave the artistic recomendations to the experts. ;)

[Boulder]

When did this division behaviour change?

[Buggle]

Watch for the integer division trap here :-
BicubicResize(704,560,1/3,1/3,0,1,512,382)
The two 1/3's will become 0, you have to express them using floating point i.e. as 1./3.

I'll leave the artistic recomendations to the experts. ;)
Funny, that line was created by FitCD. Seems that's not a perfect program. I think I can also change it to 0.33?

When did this division behaviour change?
Division behaviour?

[Boulder]

Division behaviour IanB mentioned. 1/3 has been used in BicubicResize for ages IMO. I just wanted to know when it became zero instead of 0.333... , maybe there has been some changes in the code.

EDIT: actually the Avisynth 2.5.6 docs say "The default is b = 1/3 and c = 1/3".

[IanB]

The default has always been
MitchellNetravaliFilter(args[3].AsFloat(1./3.), args[4].AsFloat(1./3.))
And people have always been typing 1/3 into scripts and running with b=0, c=0 and not noticing because the difference is pretty subtle.

Anyway this is not answering Buggle's questions. Sorry for the asides.

[mg262]

If I remember correctly, you can have different frame rate/resolution content -- and maybe even both PAL and NTSC content -- on the same DVD by use of multiple VTSs...

[IanB]

As a hint for helping to keep the audio in sync, also run up the audio track thru your avisynth scripts, use ResampleAudio or SSRC to get the sample rate right at the end. This will give you prototype audio reclocked to match the video. Use it for a crosscheck with your externally processed audio.

[f@chance]

Been there done that here is my experience.

My DVD player plays both PAL & NTSC discs so I let the DVD plaer sort that out. So how do I author it, NOT with DVD Maestro, DVD Lab does an excellent job and couldn't care less if you have PAL & NTSC on the same disc.

I have done several DVDs like that because the best sources available were a mixture of PAL & NTSC format. Any conversion invites quality degrading or audio sync problems. Keep the video content in the original FPS.

Now the only thing you have to decide on what will the menu be. In my case I usually have done NTSC size menus 720x480. When activating the link it goes out to the PAL episode the player produces the PAL signal the Sony Screen displays the PAL signal properly, no audio sync problem or pitch change.

Job done.

[Buggle]

Been there done that here is my experience.

My DVD player plays both PAL & NTSC discs so I let the DVD plaer sort that out. So how do I author it, NOT with DVD Maestro, DVD Lab does an excellent job and couldn't care less if you have PAL & NTSC on the same disc.

I have done several DVDs like that because the best sources available were a mixture of PAL & NTSC format. Any conversion invites quality degrading or audio sync problems. Keep the video content in the original FPS.

Now the only thing you have to decide on what will the menu be. In my case I usually have done NTSC size menus 720x480. When activating the link it goes out to the PAL episode the player produces the PAL signal the Sony Screen displays the PAL signal properly, no audio sync problem or pitch change.

Job done.
Which version of DVDLab do you use or did you use for that? Standard Studio or Pro?