Encoding audio using GKnot

[Gazza]

I currently use a DVD to Divx methodology that uses SmartRipper, DVD2AVI, VFAPI, Lame, Waveemp followed by Virtualdub to complete the process. This seems to produce some pretty good results. However, I thought I would give Gordian Knot a go on the basis that this seems to be the preferred tool for Doom9 especially when using Xvid. To use Gordian Knot I referred to Doom9 guide.

Everything seems to work out OK until I try to encode the audio. Then I run into problems. Please review the log file below which shows that the transition to mp3 fails. I even tried unticking the 'Delete WAV' radio button as I initially thought that the process was ac3->wav->mp3 and that the wav file was being deleted prior to the last step. The problem seems to be that the encoding comes across a zero size mp3??

Hopefully someone will know what I can do. Maybe, seeing as GKnot is new to me I need the 'idiots guide' to GKnot when used with the Xvid codec?


14/03/2002 3:53:43 PM: Job "Titan AE" started.

o Transcode AC3 -> MP3: C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.ac3
End of Job 4 (Titan AE).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gordian Knot 0.23.0.17
Encoding Job Data:

Type: EncAudio
Number: 4
Name: Titan AE
Platform: Win2000 (5.0.2195).2

Audio:
mode: ac3 -> mp3
sourceFile: C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.ac3
wavFile: C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.wav
mp3File: C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.mp3
azid: "-L -3db -c normal -b1 -z1"
lame: "--alt-preset 128"
delay: -96
interval: 2
preload: 500
mux: 1
recalc: 1
deleteWav: 0

none.


3:53:43 PM: Started Transcoding Audio.

3:53:43 PM: Azid: Trying to find maximum gain value for C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.ac3
Commandline: C:\disks\GORDIA~1\azid.exe -L -3db -c normal -b1 -z1 -g 30dB -N "C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.ac3"
4:01:01 PM: Azid: Finished. Duration: 7 minutes, 18 seconds.

4:01:01 PM: Azid: Decoding C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.ac3
4:01:01 PM: Azid: Using gain -g 15.1dB
Commandline: C:\disks\GORDIA~1\azid.exe -L -3db -c normal -b1 -z1 -g 15.1dB "C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.ac3" "C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.wav"
4:09:38 PM: Finished. Duration: 8 minutes, 36 seconds.

4:09:38 PM: LAME: Encoding C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.wav
Commandline: C:\disks\GORDIA~1\lame.exe --alt-preset 128 "C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.wav" "C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.mp3"
4:09:39 PM: Finished. Duration: 0 seconds.

4:09:39 PM: Audio Done.
4:09:39 PM: ERROR: MP3-File-Size is zero! Transcoding failed.
4:09:39 PM: MP3 Audio File = C:\Disks\Videos\TITAN_AE\Titan AE AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY -96ms.mp3
Total Encoding Time: 15 minutes, 55 seconds.
14/03/2002 4:09:39 PM: Job "Titan AE" finished.

[Tuck2]

I think you didn't replace the old Lame.exe by the latest version 3.91 in the Gknot folder, did you?
Otherwise you mustn't use "--alt-preset"!

Hope I could help you ;)

[Gazza]

Thanks for your suggestion. I tried with an updated lame.exe but still got the same error whereby the encoding produces this zero mp3 file size error. I even tried taking out "-b", "-z" and "--alt-preset 128" as there wasn't much information on these in the USAGE file that comes with lame. However, I still got the same error.

Do you think that GKnot will give me better results than the the methodology I currently use?

[Gazza]

Could the problem be related to the fact that I used SmartRipper V2.41?

[Tuck2]

First, Gknot-results will definitly be better!!

And your audio problem has nothing to do with smartripper, cos otherwise Azid would have had trouble with the AC3-files and it didn't!

So I suggest to use BeSweet for your audio steams to encode them first, then just select "Just mux" in Gnot and you'll be fine ;).

[jggimi]

The updated LAME must be in the GKnot directory.

[Mechannibal]

Originally posted by Gazza
I even tried taking out "-b", "-z" and "--alt-preset 128" as there wasn't much information on these in the USAGE file that comes with lame.


Hi, I think your above post implies that you have -b and -z in the line for lame, when they really should be in the azid command line. You get the error because Lame doesnt understand -b or -z
Are you sure that you have the lines the same as in the guide? They should look like this: http://doom9.org/gknot-audio.htm

[Gazza]

I think the answer is to do with the fact that azid.dll isn't distributed with azid.exe. I had similar problems with BeSweet until I downloaded azid.dll and put it in the besweet directory.

[proh]

I've been having the same problem and I'm still trying to figure it out....has anyone been able to find the source of this problem?

[Gazza]

I used 70-219's suggestion (refer to thread ERROR: MP3 filesize is zero! Transcoding Failed??? ) and it seemed to work pretty good. Try un-installing Gknot and re-installing but do not install the version of lame that comes with Gknot. After install of Gknot, unpack and install Lame version V3.91.
Let me know how you go. Also if everything is OK please let 70-219 know as well.

Gazza