How do I convert an SVCD to DVD format?

[sidders]

I know I am not going to gain any quality, but my DVD player doesn't support SVCD, so I want to convert and author as a DVD compliant file. Is this possible? I've tried just loading the mpg file from the SVCD into TMPG but it said that it is unsupported. The file plays OK in Power DVD.
Thanks.

[jdobbs]

A couple of points that need to be considered:

1. The video has to be resized... 480x480 isn't DVD compliant.
2. The audio needs to be converted from 44100 sample rate to 48000 sample rate, and from MPEG-1 Layer 2 to AC3. AC3 or PCM is required for NTSC DVDs and recommended for PAL as well...

Since 480x480 is not compliant with DVD specs your source must be resized to either 720x480 or 352x480 (or corresponding PAL sizes). I recommend 720x480. Reducing to 352x480 results in a noticable quality drop. I've done about 20 SVCD to DVD conversions and none have failed yet.

Here's how I do it:

You need: DVD2AVI, AVISYNTH, WINAMP, SOFTENCODE, and an MPEG2 encoder (I use CCE 2.50), and PULLDOWN (when necessary)

1. Copy the AVSEQ01.MPG from the MPEG2 directory on the SVCD to a directory on your hard drive. For example, I use "d:\image\vobs"

2. Rename it (for clarity sake) to VTS_01_1.VOB

3. Do the same with your second and/or third disks of the SVCD set if you have them -- name them VTS_01_2.VOB, VTS_01_3.VOB... etc.

4. Use DVD2AVI and create a Project from the VOB set you've just created -- it will result in D2V and an MPA (audio) files. Use the standard DVD2AVI rules as outlined in Doom9's guides. If you used 2:3 pulldown (e.g. Pulldown.exe) when you created the SVCD disk -- use "Force Film" to get it back to 23.976fps.

5. Use WINAMP (or any other MPEG-1 Layer 2 player/converter that can write to disk) configured for disk output to convert your .MPA back to PCM (.WAV). Set up the disk writer so that it converts from 44100 to 48000 sample rate. This usually only takes a few minutes and gives you a .WAV file as output.

6. Use SoftEncode to convert the .WAV to .AC3 -- tell it the source is Dolby Surround if it is true (it usually is). Set the bitrate to 192Kbs (that's standard for a 2/0 track). The sound is done!

7. Use the following AVISYNTH script (changed to match your environment) -- make sure you use BicubicResize it makes a big difference when enlarging a picture:

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRAM FILES\DVD-RIP\AVISYNTH\MPEG2DEC.DLL")
mpeg2source("d:\image\vobs\MYMOVIE.d2v")
BicubicResize(720,480)
ResampleAudio(44100)

8. Encode using CCE and Robshot's guide. If you're using TMPGENC you won't need AVISynth or Step 7 -- change accordingly based upon the existing Doom9 guides. If you use Robshot's method you'll see that your required bitrates for good quality are very low -- that's because the "true" resolution (not the physical resolution) never got better than 480x480 and it doesn't take much bitrate.

9. Use PULLDOWN to set the 2:3 pulldown flags on the resulting file if the output is at 23.976fps.

10. Author using Maestro, SpruceUp, ReelDVD, or Scenarist (or any other package that supports AC3) -- remember, if you want this to work on all standalone players it MUST HAVE AC3 and/or PCM audio tracks.

I usually get 3 full-length SVCD movies on a single DVD-R with no noticable degradation. The 480x480 resolution (as the SVCD folks know) isn't discernable from DVD on most sets (unless you use component inputs!)

Hope this helps. There are a few dozen other way to do this just as well, but I can assure you this one works.

jdobbs

[jdobbs]

Oh.. one more point. For those of us who are obsessed with making all their DVDs into 16:9 format (SVCD is 4:3) use the AVISYNTH script below and then set the DAR to 16:9 in CCE (or TMPGENC) -- your resulting file will then be anamorphic widescreen.

Please note, however, that you should only do this is the source was originally widescreen and you have the black borders at the top and bottom, otherwise you'll be removing part of the picture...

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRAM FILES\DVD-RIP\AVISYNTH\MPEG2DEC.DLL")
mpeg2source("d:\image\vobs\MYFILE.d2v")
BicubicResize(720,640)
crop(0,80,720,480)
ResampleAudio(44100)

jdobbs

[aainstaller]

Jdobbs :

I have been following your instructions to convert svcd to dvd and they are great ! One of the most easy and fast method i found.
Thank you very much.
One thing i want to find out is , if i want to convert vcd to dvdr is there any major things that i need to change ? Thanks in advance.

[Antonio S.]

You don't have to convert your MPEG 1 layer2(mp2) audio to AC3. You can convert your mp2 44.1 to mp2 48. Any DVD player can decode MPEG 1 layer 2, is part of the DVD specs...

Antonio S.
http://www.antonio.owns.it

[jdobbs]

Antonio S.

That is only true if you use the analog (left and right channel) RCA jacks on the back of the player. You'll find that many (most?) players won't convert MPEG-1 Layer 2 output to a digital stream and send it out the digital connector. Also, for NTSC DVDs (per the standard) at least one channel of AC3 or PCM is REQUIRED. MPEG-1 Layer 2 is part of the spec, but is only acceptable in addition to the basic AC3 or PCM.

note: The PAL standard does accept MPEG-1 Layer 2 as its primary stream, but it isn't normally done.

jdobbs

[jdobbs]

aainstaller,

For VCD it should be even simpler. MPEG-1 352x240 (VCD) was included in the DVD NTSC standard. All you should have to do is demultiplex the audio/video and convert the audio. There also is a .DAT to MPG converter (called DAT2MPG) floating around that I've used in the past to restore the VCD .DAT file to an editable MPEG-1 format for demultiplexing. I'm not actually sure that you even have to do it with TMPGEnc...

jdobbs

[GlenC]

This method involves re-encoding the movie which results in a drop in quality, if you would rather not re-encode, then take a look at this thread

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13948&highlight=LOTR

Cheers

Glen.

[aainstaller]

Sorry to reply so late, just figure out how to get my replies!

Thank you for answering my questions. But i am still having problem converting it.

I tried a couple of vcd's using the following method, they all fail.

The vcds are pal 352x288 25fps (2 cds)
I use vcdgear to extract the dats to mpgs.
Then use Tmpge to demultiplex into two *.m1v and two *.mp2

Use Tmpge to multiplex the two .m1v and .mp2 (type : mpeg-1 system automatic)

The *.mp2 i use wimamp > wav , and then Softencode to *.ac3

The .m1v i know i need to change to ntsc so i put the video stream in Tmpge and load the ntsc video cd template and convert it.

After convertion i use DVD Maestro to create the dvd folder.(tried 16x9 and 4:3). Try to play back with power dvd , it won't play and i look at the Power DVD Show information , the Video is (blank) and the Audio say Not Available.
Then i use Ifoedit 0.9 > use Play dvd fuction and it play fine, so i do a GetVTS sectors and then write the dvd to image. Finally burn the image with PrimoDVD 2.0 .
Play the dvdr in a APEX dvd player, it will play but the screen has a lot of green dots looks like a grid on the screen.

(Also tried to combine the two mpeg and then use Tmpge to convert to ntsc dvd but it just sits there for a couple of hours not moving.)

Anything i do wrong ? Is they any other way to use CCE ? (since to me that its faster and better than tmpge)

Thanks.

[bex]

The script below is for a ntsc dvd what would the setting be for a pal dvd

Originally posted by jdobbs
Oh.. one more point. For those of us who are obsessed with making all their DVDs into 16:9 format (SVCD is 4:3) use the AVISYNTH script below and then set the DAR to 16:9 in CCE (or TMPGENC) -- your resulting file will then be anamorphic widescreen.

Please note, however, that you should only do this is the source was originally widescreen and you have the black borders at the top and bottom, otherwise you'll be removing part of the picture...

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRAM FILES\DVD-RIP\AVISYNTH\MPEG2DEC.DLL")
mpeg2source("d:\image\vobs\MYFILE.d2v")
BicubicResize(720,640)
crop(0,80,720,480)
ResampleAudio(44100)

jdobbs

[jdobbs]

bex,

PAL settings:

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRAM FILES\DVD-RIP\AVISYNTH\MPEG2DEC.DLL")
mpeg2source("d:\image\vobs\MYFILE.d2v")
BicubicResize(720,768)
crop(0,96,720,576)
ResampleAudio(44100)

jdobbs

[bex]

Thanks

:D :D

[poopity poop]

(read with sarcasm): for all those avisynth experts..

BicubicResize(720,640)
crop(0,80,720,480)

=

BicubicResize(720,640,1/3,1/3,0,80,720,480)
with an increase of speed

helps to read and understand EVERYTHING with avisynth

[jdobbs]

poopity poop,

That's pretty cool, but it doesn't work. (sarcasm avoided)

You end up with green-screen on the bottom of the result and a final output that is a non-standard 720x640. You also don't change the aspect ratio to match 16:9 -- and the video size isn't accepted into CCE.

I believe you should have applied the source-left, source-top, source-width, and source-height settings against the source video size rather than the destination. You should have then set the resize options to 720x480.

This is what you probably meant to say:

BicubicResize(720,480,1/3,1/3,0,60,720,360)

I'll leave the decision on who's the expert up to you, I really don't care. My goal was trying to help these folks get their SVCD onto DVD-R, not get into a "I can do that in one line" coding contest.

jdobbs

[poopity poop]

yeah that's what I meant.
Acctually in the html provided donald graft says that when you combine them all into bicubic resize instead of two lines it does speed things up. Worth a look see :)

[jdobbs]

Speed is a good thing.

Thanks,
jdobbs

[brywalker]

jdobbs:

I tried this and CCE would crash. Over and over. *StreamConvert()failed.

I had to go the LONG about way and frameserver through Virtualdub so I could resize and stuff.

Any thoughts??

Thanks!

Bry

[daveidmx]

probably didn't uncheck "Audio file" under CCE's "Output Files" section.


Little known fact: CCE's audio encoder was actually licensed from satan... :D