how to make a SVCD from multiple Avi's

[student]

Hello everyone,
I captured a 50 min program from my cable tv and because my pinnacle studio 7 (with dc 10 plus) would not capture more then 11 minutes ,I had to capture five different Avi's. I want to make a SVCD of that program with DVD2SVCD. Can someone please point me to the right direction. I tried to join the Avi's together but the file size would go more then 4 gig so cant do that. Is there any way I can feed these five files one after the other to have a single continuous SVCD?
Thanks in Advance.

[markrb]

If you use NTFS in NT/2000/XP there is no 4GB file limit.
Other then this you will most likely need to do them as seperate encodes.

Mark

[DDogg]

OK, I think I have something for you to try.

First make a script in notepad like this and save it as "combine.avs":

--------------
avisource("1.avi","2.avi","3.avi")
--------------
or, if you prefer:
--------------
a=avisource("1.avi")
b=avisource("2.avi")
c=avisource("3.avi")
vclip1=a+b+c
return vclip1
--------------
Now verify you can play that script in mediaPlayer. Don't worry if it is a little jerky
Now, go to the dvd2svcd directory>Vfapi>reader and run "VFAPIConv-EN.exe"

drag and drop the avs file you created above into the window and convert it. Assuming you do it right you will end up with a file named "combine_avs-vfapi.avi" [make sure and include the audio]

Now, play that in mediaplayer. If it does NOT play go to the vfapi directory>codec and right click on vifp.inf and select install [maybe you will have to just run the install.bat there].

Now, assuming the vfapi.avi plays ok and looks like it is in sync ( might be a little jerky but seek around some and make sure audio looks like it is in sync). Now use this vfapi-file as the avi you open in Dvd2SVCD.

Let us know if it works for you. I did try this before I replied with three small DV-avi.avi files and it worked just fine using tmpg as the encoder. I'll try cce later and see if it does ok.[yup,cce worked fine]

It will be a little slow I think.[note: yeah, like half normal in CCE, well we are double frame serving I think, so no way to get around it unless you want to go to 2000 or XP and NTFS. I suggest you use TMPG CQ mode as it is just one pass so the speed drop will not be as cumlative as using CCE]

@Markrb or Gerti, would you guys try this and if it works ok for you would you clean up this post and put it in the Q&A?

[student]

Thanks for replying DDogg. I am doing it right now, will let you guys know whatever the results are. In the mean time can i please ask another question? In normal DVD2SVCD how do I choose to put SVCD on a 90 min cd. Like in DVD2SVCD the option is only 800.
Thanks in Advance.

[DDogg]

That's a easy one. Just hand change the 800 to 900 or thereabouts. Markrb is the resident expert on the exact numbers. See his thread in advanced about 90 minute media.

[Apaullo]

The CD size settings are changeable. In your Bitrate tab, just click on the number and type 900 for a 90 min CD.

[student]

Thanks for quick reply. DDogg can I use the same method for different captured Avi's of song videos. And if i can then there will be no gap between each song and also i will not be able to play a particular song? is there another method of making a SVCD for song videos.
Thanks Heapes.

[DDogg]

Try this (just guessing but it ought to work fine):

Capture a small 50 frame segment of black in the exact same format of your avi and store as "blank.avi"

Then:
a=avisource("1.avi")
b=avisource("2.avi")
c=avisource("3.avi")
x=avisource("blank.avi")
vclip1=a+x+b+x+c
return vclip1

You could then select to make no disk images in the cdimage tab. This way you just end up with an mpg file. You could then use something like vcdeasy to set a chapter point for each song point. You will have to do that on your own in another forum, though :)

[student]

Thanks again, I will try this later.
Now i let you know aout the first problem. Well your method worked just fine. Just one of the file in the middle is a bit out os sync but the rest is ok. It may be just my Avi. I used TMPGEnc with CQ.
Thanks Heapes.

[tom758]

hi,
i have test this mehtod. I have created a fake avi-file with vfapi. Then i have started DVD2SVCD. I use the CCE for encoding, because TMPgenc is to slow for this method. The result was, audio encoded was okay, but video was only black. I think, the CCE has problems with fake avi-files.
Is it not possible, to use Virtual Dub as frameserver for the input file or use a avisynth script as input file?
thx
tom

[Silvije]

Hi!

I'm successfully using VDub to open segmented AVI´s created by AVI_IO and then frame serve to CCE. I just open the *.vdr file in CCE and convert the video. Then I have to do the audio for which I use toolame in combination with TMPG. And then the last step is BBMpg to mux the video and audio.
Now, as there are several steps to make this work I’ve also tried to use AVI2SVCD. The first thing I noticed was that AVI2SVCD (DVD2SVCD) didn't recognise the *.vdr file as an AVI. So I ran the *.vdr file through VFAPI conv and then run the resulting file in AVI2SVCD. This seemed to work at first but then I noticed that just like tom758, I ended up with black video!
Then I’ve tried just to save the multiple AVI’s into one AVI with Vdub (this of course requires a lot of disc space) and run it through AVI2SVCD but the result here was that the audio was out of sync…
So I wonder, is it at all possible to make SVCD’s with AVI2SVCD? Let alone frame serving!

Any ideas?

[mkanel]

I was wondering how to do this, load segmented (or just multiple) AVIs. I tried Ddogg's method with vfapi and it worked fine but as he says it slows down the video encoding significantly. There is a way around that. Here's what worked for me.

I started as Ddogg suggests by creating a script file called combine.avs in the same directory as my AVIs, mine looked like this:

avisource("CAPTUREVDub.00.avi","CAPTUREVDub.01.avi",
"CAPTUREVDub.02.avi","CAPTUREVDub.03.avi","CAPTUREVDub.04.avi")

This script should work with any AVIs that you want to process, I have segmented AVI's, the above script worked with my files but I'm now using a cleaner command. I've replaced the script above with this:

SegmentedAVISource("CAPTUREVDub.AVI")

Take either of these scripts and run them through Vfapi as Ddogg describes above. This will produce a file called combine_avs-vfapi.avi if you have used Ddogg's file name.

Now select the frameserver tab in DVD2SVCD you will need to edit the avisynth script file, select the option "Edit as part of Video encoding"

Now start the conversion with your vfapi AVI - combine_avs-vfapi.avi

After the audio extraction and processing the Avisynth script file pops up, I no longer need Vfapi so I make some changes. The script file initially looks like this:

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\SIMPLE~1\SIMPLE~1.DLL")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\MPEG2DEC\MPEG2DEC.DLL")
AVISource("C:\COMBIN~1.AVI")
ConvertToYUY2()
SimpleResize(480,480)

My edited script looks like this:

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\SIMPLE~1\SIMPLE~1.DLL")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\MPEG2DEC\MPEG2DEC.DLL")
SegmentedAVISource("C:\CAPTUREVDub.AVI")
ConvertToYUY2()


I've changed the avisource command to segmentedavisource and changed the file to be processed from combine_avs-vfapi.avi to CAPTUREVDub.AVI, which will in turn call up all my segmented AVIs, you should not have to change the path, only the file name but you'd better check. I've also deleted the resize command because my source files are already at my desired resolution 480x480. Don't do this unless your sure you don't need to resize, this doesn't speed thing up all that much. With this edited script vfapi will only be used during audio processing, after that it's not used.

If you have multiple AVIs that are not segmented you should be able to call them individually, but I haven't tried it, the script would look something like this:

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\SIMPLE~1\SIMPLE~1.DLL")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\MPEG2DEC\MPEG2DEC.DLL")
AVISource("C:\CAPTUREVDub.00.AVI","C:\CAPTUREVDub.01.AVI")
ConvertToYUY2()



Is it worth the effort?

On my computer I see CCE processing speeds of:

Vfapi for video processing - .52
No Vfapi - .76
No Vfapi, no resize - .85

I see a nearly 40% decrease in encoding time. So far this has worked for me but I've only used it for a few short tests and only one full encode. It's a bit messy so if anyone has a better method I'd be glad to hear it.

[tivi]

Hi guys!

I do not understand that:

2 files:

avi01.avi and avi02.avi; each one playing correctly

made a script combine.avs:

avisource("avi01.avi","avi02.avi")


Then, I play combine.avs with MPlayer ----> no audio!
I tried to convert the script in VFAPIConv-EN to
combine_avs-vfapi.avi -------> audio cannot be checked!

what is my fault??

thnak you!

tivi

[markrb]

Avisynth does nothing with audio. It is a video server only.

Mark

[tivi]

Hi Mark!

Thanks for reply!


You know why I asked - I did not understand this:

BEGIN QUOTE DDogg:
-------------------

"............with a file named "combine_avs-vfapi.avi" [make sure and include the audio]....."

-------------------
END QUOTE DDogg.

BEGIN QUOTE mkanel:
-------------------

".....After the audio extraction and processing the Avisynth script file pops up, I no longer need Vfapi so I make some changes. The script file initially looks like this...."

-------------------
END QUOTE mkanel.


What I don't understand is, that DDogg wrote to "include the audio".
Mkanel wrote, that he processed the created "combine_avs-vfapi.avi"
by DVD2SVCD. He talks about "...after the audio extraction....."

So how is this possible - you see, I'm a little bit confused.....


tivi

[mkanel]

Tivi,

I'm grasping at straws here, I don't know much anything about vfapi because I've been fortunate and it worked right for me the first time. I do know that my "combine.avs" file plays fine, audio too, in Windows Media Player. Since both Vfapi and MPlayer are having trouble with the audio I would say it's the audio in the avi file, but you say that they play fine when you play them directly. Could it be something strange with audio codecs? Are you recording your avi's with compressed audio? If so you could try again with uncompressed audio. That's all I can think of. Good Luck.

P.S.
Are you using Linux? It looks like mplayer is for Linux.

[tivi]

Yeah! Hi mkanel!

That's it! In my case.....

I tried an avi-file with uncompressed audio and it worked.....

The file which does not work is a DivX-AVI. Codec is installed....


Thank you MAN!

tivi

p.s. Win98SE

[DDogg]

The above method I spoke of only works with an avi file with uncompressed audio like a DV-Avi file. If you have compressed audio, like in a Divx, you would have to use another method.

Just visiting :)

[mkanel]

Tiva,

You're welcome, I'm glad it worked. I guess all my mistakes are finally paying off.

[mkanel]

Ddogg,

Thanks for the clarification, it's nice to know why my lucky guess worked. I still like your idea about cleaning up this post for the Q&A or possibly the avi2svcd guide. A nice step by step guide would certainly be easier to follow. Better yet do you think this might be automated in a future release? Oops, hope I didn't jinx us.