Frames repeated on film conversion

[MarkGrigsby]

I'm trying to use CCE to simply re-encode some MPEG2 to a lower quality, from HD to DVD. The source is 23.976 fps, and so is the output. I am serving via AVISynth, and the source is 100% fine when checking using Virtualdub.

However, the output has whole sections which exhibit 'stutter'. I checked the frames closely, and during these sections there are many repeated frames. But the source is progressive and in those same sections in the source there are no repeats.

Does anyone have any idea what's up here? Maybe some setting is not correct? I would really appreciate your help!!

Thanks,
Mark.

[Matthew]

Are you encoding at a frame rate of 23.976? Standard procedure is to encode at 23.976 and then use Pulldown or DGPulldown to get to 29.97.

[MarkGrigsby]

Indeed - that's what's so strange. I am encoding at 23.976, with no pulldown at all. Then when I examine the output in Virtualdub, straight after CCE, I am seeing some repeated frames, totally unexpected...

[Video Dude]

Do you have the DVD profile box checked? If you do, uncheck it and select MPEG-2.

Having the DVD box checked will automatically change the framerate to either 29.97 (NTSC) or 25 (PAL).

[MarkGrigsby]

Thanks, but I don't have the box checked, and the settings definitely show the right framerate. Virtualdub also correctly reports the framerate as 23.976fps after processing, AND there are the same number of frames! Seems so odd....