Problem with AutoGK and Xvid with Media player

[Justin9]

I backup my DVD's with AutoGK. I have the setting at 100% quality (single pass) with the sound converted to MP3 256 VBR. Every other setting is on Auto. (AutoGK 2.4 stable)

When I use my media player (Mvix HD760) it will only fast forward at max 4x, and while it should go up to 16x, if I attempt to forward at a faster rates, it bombs out (freezes). The media player use a SEM8621L (By Sigma Designs) processor.

The company that makes the player claims there must be errors in my Xvid files (made by AutoGK). Since my setup is basically auto I am unsure what to do or what to look at - in order to correct anything.

Has anyone experienced something like this before or have any suggestions as to what I could do or tell Mvix (the company that makes the player)?

[FishTank]

100% quality is a waste!

make one with 75% and try that ;)
maybe ur SAP doesnt like to high a bitrates or spikes.

[Justin9]

Just curious - how is 100% quality a waste? Is there no difference other than file size?

[FishTank]

i dont know lol, but everyone keeps saying everything over 80% is
a waste. i myself just do 1 cd rips for all my dvds. thats enough
quality for me anyway (crt tv) unless they are double sided of course.
i read that some SAP's dont like high bitrates and the higher you
go with quality %'s, the higher the bitrate, right?

i got a very very cheap scott xvid SAP and it plays everything
i ever threw at it, so i cant talk from experience, but it doesnt
hurt to try :)

[weaver4]

I have been using agk for several years. I would never recommend going above 80% in XviD mode. The data rates get so high that SAPs (even the good ones) can not keep up and the picture will go really bad very quickly.

[FishTank]

also forgot to mention, if you hit crtl+F9, theres an option for 2
different SAP chips.

[mr soft]

Hi

I have the setting at 100% quality (single pass)
I would change to two pass . check this thread below for some tips.


http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=126399

[BigDid]

... maybe ur SAP doesnt like to high a bitrates or spikes.
...
if you hit crtl+F9, theres an option for 2
different SAP chips.

Hi,

I agree with Fishtank, no SAP likes high bitrates and/or spikes (even some HD, HDMI ...).

If you could post your players specifications concerning bitrates we could help you make your choice between the 2 SAP/2 pass options.

ESS is safer but has most limitations.
For a recent/modern chipset MTK could be a good choice.

You can also make 2pass tests encodes with these SAP options to see if your FF or related problems disappear...

Did

[Justin9]

I am running a 2pass version to see what happens based on everyones comments (with support for the Sigma chip ticked) - thanks.

The other funny thing is that before everyone responded I did another 100% single pass Xvid file but made the audio encoding CBR at 256 (all my others are with VBR MP3).

Just testing the avi in my player, I had no problems in watching and fast forwarding. Either I was lucky or audio encoding might have had an impact too.

Anyone heard of this?

[FishTank]

well ive had a few sync problems in the past when using VBR, but
not related to fast forward or the SAP for that matter, so nope.

[laserfan]

Either I was lucky or audio encoding might have had an impact too.I have players with two different Sigma chips and they seem to *hate* VBR audio--I have even DL'ed one or two Xvids w/VBR audio and they have "stuttered" (talking pics not audio) until I demuxed the audio and re-did it to CBR.

I use exclusively CBR audio in my Xvids.

[Justin9]

I have players with two different Sigma chips and they seem to *hate* VBR audio-- until I demuxed the audio and re-did it to CBR.



Does that mean I could take my Xvid files, created by AutoGK and change the audio to CBR? Could this work? What do I need? Will it lower the quality of the video? Sorry for so many questions.

[BigDid]

Does that mean I could take my Xvid files, created by AutoGK and change the audio to CBR? Could this work? What do I need? Will it lower the quality of the video? Sorry for so many questions.
Hi,

You will need to
- Demux your audio,
- convert it to Cbr with Mp3Repacker: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=32379 , GUI: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=40780
or other program and
- Mux back in the AVI.
The video will not be processed so no quality change :)

For demux/mux lurk in the forum in audio, divx, xvid sections...

Or you take your original DVD and you redo your encode directly with CBR audio.


Did

[Justin9]

Ok. I spoke too soon. :confused:

I re-encoded Lord of the Rings (2nd part) using single pass 75% and Sigma Chip support with CBR MP3 sound. (2.7gig avi file)

I then re-encoded the same file but selecting a size of 2100mb with the Sigma chip support and with CBR MP3 sound.

In both instances while my player could play the movie without issue (as it had been before), it was unable to fast forward.

As I mentioned the player is the MVIX HD760 that has the SEM8621L (By Sigma Designs) CPU, and is supposedly specced to decode: HD COMPONENT Y, Pb, Pr (480p, 720p,1080) / HD DVI (480, 720,1080i, 1080p) .

What do people think? I would be interested in anyones opinions?

[laserfan]

Time to grill the manufacturer, or at least focus on other users' experiences of that box...

[Wolfman]

Possibly your mvix states ff at 16x ( on dvd vobs ) but not on mpeg4? Actually I find that my player cannot ff divx at less than 3x . Encoding quality at 100% is insane.. you are likely to get a larger file than the original . I have found even 60% qual is very high. Dont get fixated on the numbers ..60% is pretty near perfect. Single pass quality based encoding is a great time saver.
Get one (or many) 5 minute segments and encode them at 40 50 60 and 70 quality, see if you notice any difference, I bet you will start using 60 in future :)
Also old bollywood movies for instance, will require far more size than a modern clean source
formula : age of movie x quality factor = size / tuesday :confused:

[FishTank]

my SAP can FF xvid @32 :D (Scott DVX i950cs)

[Justin9]

thanks for all the feedback on encoding quality. I have adjusted my setup to reflect comments.

In regards to the Mvix - I have done some testing and found that the player currently only has the issue (fwding/reversing, etc at speed) with .avi files greater than approx. 1 gig. If the file is broken up to CD size segments the player has no issues whatsoever. So it a limitation of the player and probably something to do with its current firmware (I hope).

[Surf]

Hello,

I too am curious about the filesize:

Xvid was developed many moons ago when DVD blank media/burner was scarce or non-existent or expensive....? Now a blank DVD disk costs about 30 cent, more or less.

Recently just for fun I did a first XVID backup under AGK of a 5.5gb/100min movie, chose 4474mb custom size, the maximum width and chose the original audio track.

The resultant size came back slightly bigger than 2.5gb....quality is acceptable.

I assumed that by being liberal with providing AGK with lots of space would mean less compression which would mean quicker processing....not so.

TIA with your explanation.

[BigDid]

..
The resultant size came back slightly bigger than 2.5gb....quality is acceptable.

I assumed that by being liberal with providing AGK with lots of space would mean less compression which would mean quicker processing....not so.

TIA with your explanation.
Hi,

You may have maxxed the codec (100% or near), maxxed the AGK sharp matrix and, I suppose, AGK has rerun he 1st pass to remove B-frames.
Pasting your log could confirm these speculations.

If you want to do more encodes that way you will better use another GUI that will let you:
- choose a sharper CQM( matrix)
- sharp filter your source
- tune the xvid (or divx) codec for max quality

For xvid, Automkv can do that as can MeGui or others ....

Did

[Surf]

Thanks again for the reply. You are right about AGK re-running the 1st pass part.

I have since looked into the autoMKV and MEgui. Quite intimadating I might say for a non-techie like me. Moreover they both don't seem to have a "real-time" view of the result.

Quess the fun fun part's ahead, :p

[FishTank]

why using xvid for that in the first place?
if you want a 4gb file, then just copy the dvd without
the menu, so you get the movie only and burn that
on a blank dvd.
no encoding time either and better quality AND easier
for a non techie :P