View Full Version : One Disc SVCD


dobber2000
28th July 2002, 22:37
I'm writing this guide as a very simple way to make a one disc svcd that plays exceptionally well in my standalone dvd player.
The player is a 3 year old wharefdale dvd 750 machine, bought from Tesco .
I,m also using a 28" widescreen tv to view these svcd's and running the sound through a SONY TA VE 150 amp with built in digital decoder.
The image quality from these svcd is comparable to the dvd from across the room...many of my friends could not tell upon first viewing that they were copies of dvd's.

I'm not saying my method is perfect or conforms to all the requirements, but it works for me..and well that's all that matters, i have learnt from the invaluable sources at doom9 and i say a big thank you guys.

Trial and error is the order of the day it has taken me some 7 months to fully understand what i am doing.
If you wish to dicuss this guide with me please feel free to do so either through doom 9 or via my e mail at blackwatch2000@aol.com.
There are some options i have missed out of here to keep it as clear as possible..i still have problems sometimes ripping the audio or multiplexing the files but i do know ways arounf these.If you need help ask it's the best way.
TOOLS NEEDED
SMART RIPPER
DVD2AVI
HEADAC3HE
TMPGEnc(uaing MPEG2 option)
BBMpeg
Chapter Xtractor
TSCV
Fireburner (Optional)

Ripping
I use Smartripper, either to rip just the movie vob's or the whole disc...it's up to you.

Open Smartripper and wait for it to read the files from the dvd, when it has choose the option, either film or backup.

If you choose backup everything on the dvd is copied to the harddrive and can be extremely large in file size.

Enter a save place (preferably one you can remember...making it easier to find in the following steps) and that you have enough room.

If Smartripper can not read the disc then try playing the disc first.

Frameserving
Open dvd2avi

click file

click open

find your vob files created with smartripper 1.if you just ripped the movie then just click on the top vob file, all the rest in that sequence will follow) 2.If you ripped the whole disc then you need to find the movie vobs , which are usually the sequence of vobs with the most numbers ie VTS_01_0.vob...VTS_01_1.vob...VTS_01_2.vob. Just a note here the first vob in this sequence VTS_01_0.vob isn't needed for frameserving so just click on the next vob in the sequence.

click add
the window will now change to a larger blank screen

press f5
the movie should begin to play (with no sound and at an increased rate)..if it does play ok and there are no odd images or unexpected problems when you press f5

press esc

click audio/track number (nearly always 1 for the main language)
channel format should be auto
dolby digiatal should be demux
mpeg audio should be demux
48-44100hz i leave off but its up to you here

click file
click save project
enter a file name
click save
dvd2avi will now frameserve the vobs..which usually takes 3-5 mins (you will see the timer counting down the remaining time...the screen will not move)
when dvd2avi has finished close it.

Audio
Open headac3he
click source file
find the ac3 file created by dvd2avi and click open
click destination format and then mp2
click destination file..enter the filename you want to give the sound and click save
click options
at the bottom click 2ch in the downmix type box
click options again for mpeg2 configuration.
There are a few things you can do here leave the setting at cbr and all other settings as they are(unless you want a lower bitrate) or you can set it to vbr and have slightly better sound, but more problems than it's worth.I leave it at cbr.
next back in the main window select resample to 44100khz. My reason for this is that my standalone player prefers it at this setting...after many bad rips using 48000hz, but you can leave the soundtrack at 48000hz if you intend using your pc as the player..this is only my personal preferences for my standalone player.
I also check the booster box.
click start and wait 30-40 mins for the audio to be converted to mp2.

Encoding
Open TMPGenc
in the video source click the browse button
find your d2v file created by dvd2avi earlier
dont bother with the audio you have already encoded and we will mux the two together later

now click on the load button
then the template button (if you cant find the template folder browse to your tmpgenc root folder and you will find it there)
open the extra folder
click the unlock.mcf file
now click setting (the panel will now be unlocked from what it was previously so we can enter our own settings
choose mpeg2 video
now a break from standard compliancy
I encode my svcd at a size of 352x288 (which is vcd compliant) my reason for this is that again this resolution plays well in my standalone dvd player.. and that is my only reason for choosing it...if you wish to use the compliant sizes then please do so and enter them here.
aspect ratio i have a widescreen tv so i use the 16:9 option..again the choice is up to you here
framerate depends on pal(europe) ntsc(usa) usually
rate control mode i get just as good reults using cbr as i do using 2 pass vbr
to set the correct bitrate i use bearsons bitrate calculator which gives me a fairly accurate bitrate every time....remember to set the cd size to 800mb and not 700mb this is important.
so enter the given bitrate in the box
change motion search precicion to highest quality
in the mpeg settings window
click the advanced tab
in the video arrange method scroll to full screen (keep aspect ratio 2)
click ok to close the window
select an output file location
then if everything is set up ok click the start button
the movie should begin encoding and will tell you how long it is going to take to do it-mine usually take 4 hours to do 100minute movie.


Muxing
when the encoding is done you will have an m2v file and an earlier mp2 sound file..we are now going to bring them together.

open bbmpeg
click start encoding button
click settings button
click input/output files tab
click the open ps button and enter the filename of the movie that is about to be created
click on the open vs button and load in the m2v file created by tmpg enc
click on the open as button and load in the mp2 file created by headac3he
click the program stream settings tab
check the svcd option
click ok
then click start
wiat for the multiplexing to take place.
when its finished you will have an mpeg 2 movie
test it by loading it into your pc's dvd player if it's ok your'e readyto either burn it or add your chapters and then burn it.

Chapters/Burning
open chapter xtractor
click on the open ifo button
then load in the ifo file from the files created when you ripped the dvd (make sure it's the .ifo file for the vobs you have used
click the raw data tab
press ctrl a (select all)
press ctrl c (copy)
then close chapter xtractor
Open tscv
check the svcd1 option
click the menu tab
click the cd icon
then click on add mpeg at the bottom...load in your mpeg movie
double click the mpeg file in the window and it will take you to the chapters screen
click on plugins on the menu
and then chapter xtractor chapter import
right click in the large white screen and press ctrl v (paste)
press the convert button and then the send to tscv button
your chapters are now loaded in the small screen
in the bottom right corner ofthe window click on create cuebin...and if your burner supports it direct burn option should be checked as well.
I use fireburner myself to burn the images created by tscv..but its up to you.

Cosmo999
29th July 2002, 17:47
I used to used Fireburner for my burning. It seemed to work great until I bought another DVD player - none of my discs would play! Just a word of warning to ya - Fireburner burns in a way that not all DVD players will recognize.

dobber2000
29th July 2002, 21:08
I believe so...but on lending the discs to several friends they al seem to play ok.
I have burnt a few with nero and also vcdeasy burning option..but just find fireburner easier...I'm a bit lazy...

dobber2000
29th July 2002, 21:40
Just an update note here..probably talking to myself though...I just ripped Enigma which was a 4:3 (PAL) format DVD and 115 minutes long to one 700mb disc.
The quality seems to deteriorate (blocks evident) at this length of movie, but it is still watchable and i would compare the quality probably to that of a rental videotape.

I therefore think the maximum time for best quality in my experience for one disc using this method is 100mins of movie.