DIVX to DVD

[Sequoyan]

Hello,

I have some DIVX content that I would like to make a DVD out of.

I have already succeeded at this using TMPGEnc but it took 49 hours of rendering the DIVX AVI (1200MB) into a MPEG-2 M2V file.

Is there a faster way then this?

I have CCE, Ligos, Canopus StormEncoder, and some other encoding software.

(I have read all related threads and the FAQs and searched widely for an answer to this seemingly obvious question)

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
The Sequoyan

[amirkhan]

what you did'nt tell us is your CPU. Also you should run as little as possible (task wise) as you can. also install linux and use mpeg2enc to encode ;-)

AK

[Sequoyan]

Thanks for the reply

It's an older system.

PIII 500
256

And I ran no other tasks during transcoding

I don't know if I am ready for another operating system right now, I'm just getting used to XP Pro.

I am considering putting Linux on another system I have laying aroud, I'll try that software when I do.

Any more ideas?

Thanks

[amirkhan]

defrag your harddisk, make sure DMA mode is enable, stop all SERVICES that you can get away with. turn off screensaver, basically your CPUI is too slow, so you must try and help it

[Sequoyan]

I just have to put up with the waiting?

I do turn everything off that I can before I start it.

Time for a new system.

I'm interested in knowing how long it takes others to turn a 690MB DIVX AVI into M2V using TMPGE and what the system speeds are...

- Tom

[Gorr]

1. Encoder. Tmpgenc is the right program to use. Only using that tool you can encode non standard fps avi files. You only have to set stream's output fps to be dvd compliant. 25 for PAL , 29,97 for NTSC or 23,97 with pulldown. The movie duration will not change and you will not have any video/audio synching problems...
When using virtualdub changing fps always leads to change of movie duration but not the audio, therefore you cannot use it as a frameserver for cce without additional editing of sound.

CCE must be faster when encoding about 2/3 times compared to tmpgenc. Considering fact that all avi have non dvd compliant DAR/resolution, they have to be preprocessed/frameserved before passing to CCE which slows the whole process down quite a bit.
For transcoding of dvd sources, it is an indespensable tool thougth.

2. Performance. It really depends on source resolution, rate control mode, search precision, filters applied and so on.
Anyways here's my setup for tmpgenc:
Compaq powered with 2 Pentium III 800 CPUs, 512 Mb of RAM, Windows NT 4 Server.
I took a part of Star Wars movie for the test.
Encoding options: 2-pass vbr, PAL, DC 8, Motion search precision normal,no filters takes about 6 hours of work.
2-pass vbr, PAL, DC 10, Motion search precision high quality,
Filters: noise reduction filter, no motion search for still picture part by halph pixel, Soften block noise both by 20 percent.
The last setup can take about 30 hours to complete.

Hope this helps

[Sequoyan]

that's very useful.

I've just started another encode and it says it will take 39 hours. Sheesh.

I need a faster computer.

I am curious, in TMPGE on the advanced tab in the settings, the source aspect ratio should be set to what for a divx avi?

Thanks,
Tom

[Gorr]

All Avi, DVD, SVCD have by nature there own DAR setup.

Avi or Divx do not have a complementary ifo file which could be used during playback to adjust the aspect ratio. So the DAR is always fixed 1:1 VGA. Therefore divx content may have whatever resolution.

DVD has two standards on resolution. The low one is 352x240 for NTSC and 352x288 for PAL. Its bad never use it. The high one 720x480, 704x480 for NTSC and 720x576, 704x576 for PAL. The resolution is fixed but the DAR can be either 4:3 or 16:9.

In SVCD land resolution is also fixed to 480x480 for NTSC and 480x576
for PAL.

Tmpgenc has two areas of video stream settings:
1 Video tab is for output stream settings
2 Advanced tab is for the input parameters

In the output field for the DVD production you have to set the DAR and the resolution both. Since most authoring tools support 4:3 or 16:9 source DAR only, there might be a need to add adjusting black bars. You cannot rely on preview window.

If you just want to view the mpeg2 output in your h+ hardware decorder card, no resolution change should be necessary, it would only increase output file size. Btw,i've found h+ fails to navigate properly over files larger than 2 gb.
Keep the DAR 1:1 VGA. Preview should be fine here.

Finally, to the input tab.
For divx sources SAR is 1:1 VGA, for DVDs choose whatever your DVD is from the dropdown.
Full screen (keep aspect ration) seems to be a solution for all life situations.

So, as ususal you have to decide on what you wanna do first.

[Sequoyan]

thanks for all the information.

so for divx source I should set the SAR (advanced tab) to 1:1 VGA.

this is what I'll be doing, if that's wrong please somebody tell me.

thanks,

tom

PS, I've just started encoding the same 690mb divx that previously said it would take 39 hours, now with the 1:1 setting it says that it should take around 9!!!

GREAT!

[catback]

Originally posted by Sequoyan
Hello,

I have some DIVX content that I would like to make a DVD out of.

I have already succeeded at this using TMPGEnc but it took 49 hours of rendering the DIVX AVI (1200MB) into a MPEG-2 M2V file.

Is there a faster way then this?

I have CCE, Ligos, Canopus StormEncoder, and some other encoding software.

(I have read all related threads and the FAQs and searched widely for an answer to this seemingly obvious question)

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
The Sequoyan


Ulead's DVD Movie Factory will convert a divx file into a DVD compliant MPEG-2 file. There is a 30 day demo of this software available at their website.