DVD2SVCD - Skip audio extraction?

[manolito]

Skip audio extraction if audio has already been extracted with VDub?

In AVI2DVD mode my usual workflow is to edit out commercials from my captured AVI file in VDub, then save the file in direct stream copy mode and process it with DVD2SVCD. On my slow machine (Celeron 1.1 GHz, 5400 rpm hard drive in UDMA 33 mode) saving the edited file (15GB or larger) from VDub can easily take one hour, so I was happy when I discovered DarkSoul's VCF2AVS utility. It takes VDub's range commands and translates them to AVISynth trim commands, thus eliminating the need to resave the video.

Since DVD2SVCD handles audio separately, I still have to save audio from VDub. But so far I have not found a way to tell DVD2SVCD to skip audio extraction if the extracted audio file is already present. Any ideas?

So far my workaround is to kill D2S with the task manager just after the audio extraction has started. Then I edit the .d2s project file and do a resume at the audio processing stage. It works and does save a lot of time, but I'd rather have a more elegant and automatic procedure for this problem.

Cheers
manolito

[ArchieX]

@manolito

While building D2SBatch, I too was unable to find a workaround for the Audio extraction, as its part of the process for building the D2S Project file.

Dont know if you have used D2SBatch, but if you have and it works for you, I could probably add in a skip Audio extraction option.

Archie

[manolito]

Thanx ArchieX for the offer. I did try D2SBatch a while ago, but since DVD blanks have become so cheap, I do not do SVCD conversions any more. So right now D2SBatch is not for me...

Cheers
manolito

[ArchieX]

It does do Avi2dvd mode now

[Nick]

I have not used DarkSoul's utility so forgive me if I'm way out.
Does it essentially output an Avisynth script?

If so, can you not run this through VFAPI to make a pseudo-avi and convert this with DVD2SVCD? This would remove the need to save audio out of VDub and just let DVD2SVCD handle it.

Or am I talking rubbish again?

[manolito]

I have not used DarkSoul's utility so forgive me if I'm way out.
Does it essentially output an Avisynth script?
Yes it does. It creates an AVS file with trim commands (fades are available, too) which can be copied and pasted into the AVISynth script used by D2S.

If so, can you not run this through VFAPI to make a pseudo-avi and convert this with DVD2SVCD? This would remove the need to save audio out of VDub and just let DVD2SVCD handle it.

Or am I talking rubbish again?
No rubbish! I tried this method using VFAPI, MakeAVIs and also using VDub's built in frame server. It works, but it's so slooooow that I decided it's not worth the effort. Resaving the complete AVI in VDub after editing out commercials is much faster on my machine than using an additional frame server.


Well, even if it cannot be automated, I think I got my standard procedure down pretty well:

1. Load the captured AVI into VDub and do your edits.

2. Go to the file menu, select "Save WAV" and save the audio into your D2S work folder under the name "Extracted_audio_1.wav".

3. Go to the file menu again and select "Save processing settings". Save the VCF file into the D2S work folder. Make sure that "Include selection and edit list" is checked.

4. Exit VDub. Call VCF2AVS and create the AVS file. Run Explorer, open the AVS file and copy the trim commands to the clipboard. Delete the AVS and the VCF files. Select the "Extracted_audio_1.wav" file and make it write protected.

5. Run D2S and make all your settings. Go to the Frameserver tab, edit your script and paste the trim commands from the clipboard to the end of your script. Don't forget to add a line number. Now start the conversion. After audio extraction has started, D2S will immediately quit with a file access error. Close D2S.

7. Run Explorer, go to your D2S work folder and open the D2S project file. You have to edit two entries: For "DVDAudioFileName0" the ".wav" extension must be appended to the file name. And "Project Position" has to be changed from 7 to 21. Save the file.

8. Run D2S again, under "Misc" choose Recover and continue at the audio processing stage.


Sounds much more complicated than it really is. And it saves a lot of time and hard disk space. And audio does stay in sync!


Cheers
manolito