R2 PAL DVD -> .AVI - Screeching Audio. Why? (Logfile Included)

[cxp36]

I'm trying to convert a Region 2 PAL DVD to avi. The video looks terrific, but there's an intermittent screeching noise in the audio portion - a high-pitched fingernails-across-a-chalkboard sound. I don't see anything unusual in the logfile (below).

Are there any special considerations when converting a PAL DVD? I tried using both DVDFab and AnyDVD to decrypt and remove region code limitations, and the sound is not in the original VOB files, so something is happening during conversion.

Any help is appreciated.

Logfile:

[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] AutoGK 2.55
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] OS: WinXP (5.1.2600).2
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Job started.
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Input file: C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\VTS_02_0.IFO
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Output file: C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\En Cas de Malheur.avi
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Output codec: XviD
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Audio 1: Francais AC3 1ch
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Subtitles 1: English
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Format: AVI
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Target size: 1538Mb
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Custom resolution settings: fixed width of 720 pixels
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Audio 1 settings: CBR MP3 with bitrate: 160Kbps
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Started encoding.
[3/6/2009 9:50:48 AM] Demuxing and indexing.
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Processing file: C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\VTS_02_1.vob
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Processing file: C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\VTS_02_2.vob
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Processing file: C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\VTS_02_3.vob
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Processing file: C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\VTS_02_4.vob
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Processing file: C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\VTS_02_5.vob
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Processing file: C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\VTS_02_6.vob
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Source resolution: 720x576
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Found PAL source.
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Source aspect ratio: 4:3
[3/6/2009 9:57:50 AM] Analyzing source.
[3/6/2009 10:01:46 AM] Source has percentage of interlacing in motion areas: 0.00
[3/6/2009 10:01:46 AM] Source is considered to be progressive.
[3/6/2009 10:01:46 AM] Output will contain 175161 frames
[3/6/2009 10:01:46 AM] Decoding audio.
[3/6/2009 10:03:10 AM] Normalizing audio.
[3/6/2009 10:03:13 AM] Encoding audio.
[3/6/2009 10:09:29 AM] Preparing subtitles.
[3/6/2009 10:12:00 AM] Audio1 size: 140,132,640 bytes (133.64 Mb)
[3/6/2009 10:12:03 AM] Overhead: 2,080,000 bytes (1.98 Mb)
[3/6/2009 10:12:03 AM] Video size: 1,470,497,248 bytes (1402.38 Mb)
[3/6/2009 10:12:03 AM] Running compressibility test.
[3/6/2009 10:12:03 AM] Writing the following script to C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\agk_tmp\En Cas de Malheur_comptest.avs
===========================================================
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\DGMPGDec\DGDecode.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\autocrop.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\vsfilter.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\RemoveGrainSSE3.dll")

movie = mpeg2source("C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\agk_tmp\En Cas de Malheur.d2v")
cropclip = autocrop(movie,mode=0,wmultof=4,hmultof=4,samples=10,aspect=0,threshold=34,samplestartframe=0,leftadd=0,rightadd=0,topadd=0,bottomadd=0)
fixed_aspect = 1.06666666666667
c_width = width(cropclip)
c_height = round(height(cropclip) / fixed_aspect)
input_par = float(c_width)/float(c_height)
input_par = (input_par > 1.4) || (input_par < 1.25) ? input_par : (4.0/3.0)
out_width = 720
out_height = round(float(out_width) / input_par)
hmod = out_height - (floor(out_height / 16 ) * 16)
out_height = (hmod > 4) ? (out_height + (16 - hmod)) : (out_height - hmod)
new_aspect = (float(out_width) / float(out_height)) / fixed_aspect
autocrop(movie,mode=0,wmultof=4,hmultof=4,samples=10,aspect=new_aspect,threshold=34,samplestartframe=0,leftadd=0,rightadd=0,topadd=0,bottomadd=0)
LanczosResize(out_width,out_height)
RemoveGrain(mode=2)
VobSub("C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\agk_tmp\En Cas de Malheur.idx")
SelectRangeEvery(300,15)
===========================================================
[3/6/2009 10:15:59 AM] Duration was: 3 minutes 55 seconds
[3/6/2009 10:15:59 AM] Speed was: 37.13 fps.
[3/6/2009 10:15:59 AM] Compressibility percentage is: 62.27
[3/6/2009 10:15:59 AM] Chosen resolution is: 720x544 ( AR: 1.32 )
[3/6/2009 10:15:59 AM] Predicted comptest value is: 62.27%
[3/6/2009 10:15:59 AM] Running first pass.
[3/6/2009 10:15:59 AM] Writing the following script to C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\agk_tmp\En Cas de Malheur_movie.avs
===========================================================
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\DGMPGDec\DGDecode.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\autocrop.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\vsfilter.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\RemoveGrainSSE3.dll")

movie = mpeg2source("C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\agk_tmp\En Cas de Malheur.d2v")
cropclip = autocrop(movie,mode=0,wmultof=4,hmultof=4,samples=10,aspect=0,threshold=34,samplestartframe=0,leftadd=0,rightadd=0,topadd=0,bottomadd=0)
fixed_aspect = 1.06666666666667
c_width = width(cropclip)
c_height = round(height(cropclip) / fixed_aspect)
input_par = float(c_width)/float(c_height)
input_par = (input_par > 1.4) || (input_par < 1.25) ? input_par : (4.0/3.0)
out_width = 720
out_height = round(float(out_width) / input_par)
hmod = out_height - (floor(out_height / 16 ) * 16)
out_height = (hmod > 4) ? (out_height + (16 - hmod)) : (out_height - hmod)
new_aspect = (float(out_width) / float(out_height)) / fixed_aspect
autocrop(movie,mode=0,wmultof=4,hmultof=4,samples=10,aspect=new_aspect,threshold=34,samplestartframe=0,leftadd=0,rightadd=0,topadd=0,bottomadd=0)
LanczosResize(out_width,out_height)
RemoveGrain(mode=2)
VobSub("C:\TEMP\EN_CAS_DE_MALHEUR\VIDEO_TS\agk_tmp\En Cas de Malheur.idx")
===========================================================
[3/6/2009 11:05:22 AM] Duration was: 49 minutes 22 seconds
[3/6/2009 11:05:22 AM] Speed was: 59.12 fps.
[3/6/2009 11:05:23 AM] Expected quality of first pass size: 61.54%
[3/6/2009 11:05:23 AM] Running second pass.
[3/6/2009 12:09:52 PM] Duration was: 1 hour, 4 minutes 26 seconds
[3/6/2009 12:09:52 PM] Speed was: 45.31 fps.
[3/6/2009 12:09:52 PM] Job finished. Total time: 2 hours 19 minutes 4 seconds

[BigDid]

Hi,

Yes, nothing special in the log. The DVD seems from 2002 so should not contain any particular protection.

Some possibilites:
Reauthor your decrypted movie in Dvd-shrink that often can solve audio-synch problems.
Or Use Ripit4me instead of anydvd
Or try decrypting directly with dvd-decrypter in IFO mode
Also verify that your original Mp2 or AC3 audio is good (should be in the AGK_tmp directory)
If the original audio is good but everything else fails, consider re-encoding audio separately, lame, lamexp etc..

Edit1: 61% for a 720*544 may be a little short (or not). You may want to consider an auto-width encode that will raise the quality to 67/70% at the expense of encode-width (should be 2 to 3 size less: 672/688 width).

Edit2: How comes there is no mention of VAQ in Xvid in your log? You could gain 15 to 20% size/quality using it; although I have not tested Black & white movies with it...
Did

[cxp36]

Hey BD -

> Reauthor your decrypted movie in Dvd-shrink that often can solve audio-synch problems.

The sound was in sync in the finished .avi file; that screeching sound just interrupted the audio at times.

> Or Use Ripit4me instead of anydvd

I decrypted the disc twice. Once I used DVDFab, which I usually use for decrypting, and then after I had this audio problem I decrypted again with AnyDVD. Does RipIt4me decrypt differently or better than the programs I use? I'm not familiar with it.

> Or try decrypting directly with dvd-decrypter in IFO mode

Check. I did use IFO mode with DVDFab. Seems like with AnyDVD it just does the whole disc.

> consider re-encoding audio separately, lame, lamexp etc..

Looked at the Web page for lamexp, but I'm not sure how this would work. It accepts .mp3 files, but the screeching sound would already be on the .mp3 file that AutoGK created, wouldn't it?

> You may want to consider an auto-width encode

I'm encoding again now with the audio set to Auto (it was CBR 160 before) so if it fails again I'll set video to Auto as well and see if that works.

> How comes there is no mention of VAQ in Xvid in your log?

I don't know what that means. What is VAQ?

Thanks for your suggestions. I thought this problem had something to do with the fact that the disc in question is R2 PAL format, but I guess it's just some kind of strange audio problem unrelated to that - I guess. Maybe it's in some setting that I'm unfamiliar with, like VAQ, or...?

Chris

[BigDid]

Hi,

Check. I did use IFO mode with DVDFab
No. I was suggesting using ONLY dvd-decrypter for a non-protected (or old-protected) movie.

Check. I did use IFO mode with DVDFab
If your original AC3 audio is good, you can
- use original audio (simplest)
- use an external converter that can convert from AC3 (as input) to mp3 (as output)

Concerning VAQ, it is an recent evolution (less than 1year) inside the xvid encoder, coming from one of the x.264 developper (Dark Shikari) see discussion (VAQ for xvid) in the main autogk thread or around here in doom9.
It seems that not using any Standalone setting (MTK or ESS) also disable VAQ in xvid. If so, just check (hidden options) "Enable standalone support" + "MTK" and give it a try.

Did

[cxp36]

Using the original AC3 audio track fixed the problem. I've converted literally hundreds of movies using AutoGK, and almost all of them have MP3 audio, and this is the first time I've ever come across this screeching problem. No idea what caused it.

Thanks again for the help.