bad quality under rempeg2

[Tantabootsy]

Hi,
i've tried to encode "bowfinger" two times now with rempeg2. But the second half of the movie immediately the quality goes very bad (blocks!). Can I rescue the second half, too? I already tried to limit the max bitrate, but it didn't take effect. And to all the people saying "use cce" or something: I want to edit the film with ifoedit after encoding and that would bring problems together with cce, I often heard. True?
Thanks already for help and sorry for my bad english!
Tantab.

[roman_modin]

Forget ReMPEG

Too many movies these day that have different video stream types to use ReMPEG, you have to go with CCE and Scenarist (Or other dvd authoring programm) Go to guides and read CCE IfoEdit method.

Again ReMPEG is done with, it absolete.

[p3distxii]

Originally posted by roman_modin
Forget ReMPEG

I agree. I just recently started using CCE. It took a while to get it to work for me. Lots of fiddling around, but now that I got it figured out, I'm enjoying copying movies much more. It is soooooooooo fast. Especially if you're already used to ReMPEG2 like I was. No more grief about transcoding since it takes less than an hour for me now. AND-- I've used CCE for movies like "Gladiator" where I've had to downsize the movie by a LOT and the quality is still amazing. I would really notice the reduction in quality when transcoding with ReMPEG2, but using CCE you seriously cannot tell.

Give CCE a shot. You will be glad you did. In the time it takes waiting for ReMPEG2 to transcode 1 movie, you could have already learned how to use CCE and Scenarist.

[snidely]

The beauty of ReMPEG is in the fact that it takes so little of MY time (about 2 minutes), regardless of how much computer time it occupies. What method are you guys using to encode with CCE (following which guide?), and how much of YOUR time does it require? If the CCE method produces such great results and only takes a few minutes of my time, then I will gladly switch.

[p3distxii]

well for me--

*I load up dvd2avi and create the project: 1 minute "me" time and 2 minutes to process

*Open my avisynth .txt file that I have pre-saved and type in the name of my d2v file and save as .avs: Less than 1 minute

*Start up CCE and set my options: Less than 1 minute.

*transcode: Less than an hour

---This is where I stop. I'm usually satisfied with my results at this point (I've gotten good at tinkering with the "Q" scale--but most people will do another pass. Doing a variable (3 passes) will take me almost exactly 2 hours).

This allows me to get several movies done in one day, whereas using ReMPEG2 take me a almost an entire day to do a "Full" transcode. Let's not forget the time it takes to import the cppl (or whatever) file that you start with (about 8-10 minutes).

[snidely]

Well, that sounds great! The method I read involved a whole bunch of manual chapter edits and required about an hour of my time. Once you have your final .m2v file, can you just use IfoEdit to remux? In the method that I read, I had to drop the whole thing into Scenarist or DVD Maestro, and that required another whole bunch of work, much worse than CCE. If your method is as easy as you describe, I'd love to try it out. Which guide are you using?

[snidely]

Well that sounds great! The method I had read takes a whole lot longer, as you had to do a bunch of manual chapter edits. Once you have your final .m2v file, can you just remux with IfoEdit? The method I had read required dropping the whole thing into Scenarist or DVD Maestro, and that was a lot more work than CCE. Which guide are you following that makes this operation so easy?

[snidely]

This sounds great! Now how do you remux without having to drop everything into Scenarist or DVD Maestro?

[snidely]

This sounds great! Now how do you remux without dropping everything into Scenarist or DVD Maestro?

[fazer_pile_it]

I am having simular problems with "Collateral Damage". Are you saying that rempeg will not work with some movies or that it is just not the "best tool" for the job? I need to stay with the free software right now. Looked at cce but its about $250.

I have tried several other times to post in this thread and cannot find my posts. If they show up somehow I am not trying to multi post.

thanks
Jerry

[philemon666]

Hi p3distxii

I too would like to know your method (guide or link). As a newbie to this whole thing I'm trying to find the best way of doing things. Your method sounds good on the surface and I've recently acquired CCE so this may be the way for me to go.

Cheers

[daddy_fizz]

I believe this is the guide that you guys are looking for...

_http://www.doom9.org/mpg/cce-advanced.htm

just found it

hope this helps

~fizz

[HomerJ]

I've read the guide :-

http://www.doom9.org/mpg/cce-advanced.htm

"Guide" is the right word. It does not tell the user on a "step by step" basis what to do at all.

However, it does "guide" any potential user as to what they might expect to do.

It certainly does not enable the reader to create a DVD-R disc at the end of it all.

It even admits this at the begining of the document I quote :-

"Please note that this guide is sort of hanging in the air. It will leave you with a DVD compliant MPEG-2 video file and an AC3 file but you can import these in any DVD authoring program and create a DVD-R that can be played in any DVD-R capable device"

So, please read very carefully.

HomerJ

[colebert]

HomerJ-

Yes the guide doesn't start with the ripping process and doesn't finish with the authoring process. That's the where ripping and authoring guides come in.

--

Also,

I think its only fair to note that you should add pulldown time (about 10-15 minutes cpu time) and authoring time ("10-15 minutes cpu time) to the accounting of time it takes to make a backup

-Cole

[Tantabootsy]

Well, I started a discussion here.. I didn't want to!
I think, if you're really interested in backing up dvds -like some people are here - you can fight yourself through "the jungle of "the big thing authoring"". But if you just want a copy of your dvd, without getting to deep into this theme, it's very difficult to decide.. However, I wanna try it, and I think it will cost a lot of my nerves..! I hope, that the result will pay for these killed ones!!
So far,
Tantabootsy.

..and I wished, somebody knew a "step-by-step-guide", too!!

[HomerJ]

Tantabootsy,

I have to say, you have been unlucky. To date, I have used Rempeg on 7 movies, and had problems on 2 (The Untouchables & Training Day) I'm still working on Training Day (only started yesterday). The untoucahbles was "watchable" though. (some pixelation in places)

I have found Rempeg to be very good in general.

As for CCE, well, I've read the comments, and I have started to investigate how to make use of it, but, for all that's being written here, it's not easy. Rempeg is ! (relatively)

Just getting hold of the required software is a task in itself.

So, remember you people out there, don't judge people to harshly by throwing out that old saying, "Rempeg is rubbish, use CCE", because it's not that easy to make the change.

It's a bit like saying, it's a bit a bit slow flying across the Atlantic to the USA, use Concorde instead".

Fine if you've got the money, but you might as well be aiming for the moon.

Stick with Rempeg, it will deliver good results in most cases.

HomerJ :)

[p3distxii]

I know it is hard to switch when you are already comfortable with your knowledge of the current program (same as almost everything in life)... but--the time it will take you to just LEARN it the first time is less than the time it takes for ReMPEG2 to transcode ONE MOVIE!

The guide "Getting the most out of CCE" leaves out the ripping process--the process that EVERYONE here should for the most part, be very familiar with. It also leaves out the authoring part. For this information you can go to the "IFOedit & CCE Guide" and it will get you through the final steps using Scenarist. Yes, it (Scenarist)is hard to learn, but it is the definitive DVD program so if this is your hobby, you owe it to yourself to LEARN it.

Trust us, we wouldn't toot CCE's horn so much unless it is really THAT good. The time spent learning it will reward you with top-notch quality in your home DVD collection.

Have fun

[colebert]

2 out of 7 is too high of a error rate for me.

[Tantabootsy]

HomerJ,
thanks for your suggestion, but by now I've tried rempeg2 two times and -hey!- two times it failed.. plus your 1-2 times it makes 3 'til 4.. I couldn't fix the problem so just splitted both in two dvds.. waste of money! And now IfoEdit is playing crazy with two other movies, so I think it's good to know another method copying dvds.
I hope I'll find enough information in www to get through the authoring process as easy as it`s possible..

What I'd like to know is.. people here at doom only talk about maestro and scenarist as "the authoring-programs". But I must say, I haven't got the money for these ones and I can't find them anywhere else. So I hope I'll get VideoPack5 by roxio soon but that should fit with cce and the other (many, many..) programs you need for authoring, I guess, doesn't it?

Keep your heads up!
Tantab.

[m3taPT]

assuming one can keep an exact copy of the original dvd using rempeg , even on a "5 ouf 7 success percentage", and considering that ifoedit's remux with cce m2v files is a waste, adding the fact (uuf) that authoring is a pain and might take ages, i continue to use cce for svcd, and rempeg for dvd-r. when ifoedit can remux a m2v made with cce flawlessly, then it will be a 100% sure choice...

[HomerJ]

Tantabootsy,

Sorry to read your still having problems.

One simple question.

Have you ever managed to use ReMPEG2 sucessfully ?

As for using CCE, I'm well on the path. Finally got my hands on a suitable authoring package (Spruce Up).

My view is, ReMPEG has got me started, it's enabled me to rip enough movies to give me the confidence that I think I understand what is going on, and I'm able to start recognising when this don't look right (and I don't mean just pixelation or synch problems).

BUT, as we all know, ReMPEG does have a few limitations, and if you stick to a "simple" encode process, there will be some movies that it won't encode properly.

So, if you want a single process that will work on ALL movies, you will need to look for something more sophisticated, hence CCE etc.

Now it is recognised that CCE is the way to go, but I liken it to, before you can run, you need to learn to walk. ReMPEG will enable you to walk.

In one of my earlier post here, I said I was having problems with Training Day, well ReMPEG did a pretty good job on the video, so I'm going to use this with Spruce Up, and now all I need to do is rip the AC3 file and re author. Perhaps not the most direct route, but it all helps the learning process.

If that works, I'll starting playing with CCE to produce the *.m2v file.

HomerJ :)

[HomerJ]

I've not got CCE working yet, I've cheated a bit.

I managed to get my hands on a copy of Spruce Up, so, rather than waste a day or so encoding (that's learning time, not encoding time) with CCE I decide to pay with a m2v file generated with ReMPEG, and audio .wav created by DVD2AVI.

To cut a long story short, I've ended up with a DVD file that plays great on the PC, but is to big (5.3GB) to burn.

Back to the drawing board. Look out for the next episode.

HomerJ :)

[Tantabootsy]

Well, well,
so did I.. But I've learned how to encode with CCE. There are some difficult passages in the guides (fullcopy guide and getting best out of CCE) but now I'm through.. And I must say I thought it would get harder, all that authoring stuff. Thanks to doom9, because if you have all the necessary guides from this site, it's okay learning authoring.. If you have the time, you're right..
And with CCE you can set the size of your DVD as you want it, too!
So try it out and let me know, how it's going on ;),
Tantab.

[HomerJ]

Tantabootsy,

Sounds like we're going through the pain barrier together.

I finally got CCE working this morning after trying to get it working with an AviSynth script for the past 36 hrs. (see thread on CCE section for blow by blow account)

As I write this, I am importing into Spruce Up my first encode from CCE (Training day) I'm sure the file is going to be far to large for a DVD-R disc (including audio).

But, at least I'm making sure it works. I have just gone through 24hrs of CCE crashing on start up. So this is a major breakthrough. I am extremley impressed by the speed of the overall process.

All I need to do is "tweak" a few options and I'll be encoding with the best of them.

Talking of audio, I also need to invstigate a process of reducing from *.wav to *.ac3 but I believe this is fairly easy (famous last words)

Best of luck.

HomerJ :)

[p3distxii]

Well, it's cool to see people getting better at this. It is a difficult hobby. I remember buying my DVD burner with the mindset that I would easily copy movies and build this huge collection. It sure isn't as easy as CD burning (like I imagined). Using CCE has definitely allowed me to accomplish more. I still don't have it all down yet, but I'm learning more every time I use it.

[HomerJ]

p3distxii,

I've been casting my eye over a few post, and come to the simple conclusion, it's all your'e fault !!

You goaded me into the situation of upgrading to CCE. You convinced me that ReMPEG2 was not good enough for me, and that I needed CCE.

WELL !!

I finally got it !!

You forgot to mention the pain I would suffer along the way.

Getting all those little "plugins" like AviSynth and mpeg2dec.dll (and the little script files I would need)

I have aged 10yrs these last few weeks thanks to you !!


I'm still not out of the woods yet, but I think there might light at the end of the tunnel.

CCE does encode for me, and Spruce Up seems to work as well.

All I need to do is refine the settings, (i.e. follow the guides) and I should be home and dry.

Just to end this ??

A simple "Thank you"

HomerJ :D

[p3distxii]

Glad to hear that you got it. As I mentioned above, I still have occassional setting problems with forced film in DVD2AVI. I either get choppy frames during action scenes when I use forced or I get lines through the whole movie if I don't. But that problem is with DVD2AVI not CCE.

[colebert]

LOL Homer. Wait until you get to mixed Interlaced and Progressive titles like Red Violin, American President, and TV Episode DVDs.

Thats when the shit really hits the fan. You'll think learning the basic CCE method was easy.



-Cole

[HomerJ]

I thought CCE was the end of the road.

And now you tell me there's even more to learn ???

What is it with these movie people ?? Haven't they got beds to go to ??

I think I've reached a plateau at the moment, and quite happy to take a breather.

I have just played back my first CCE / Spruce Up "production" (Training Day). I was very pleased with the end result, especially as I cheated a bit and used a .wav for the audio. The overall file size was less than 3GB.

I need to play around with chapter points a bit, but other than that, I feel as if I'm in control at present. (Famous last words)

This thread was started as "Bad Quality under ReMPEG". I think that was a bit harsh, but, having taken up the challenge, and trying CCE, I don't think I'll be going back to ReMPEG, mainly on 2 counts, and these have both been said before.

CCE / Authoring is quicker (appreciably)
The quality of the encode is at least as good, if not better.

And yes, it does take time to put all the pieces together (and do the homework.

But the rewards are worth it in the end. If you have some confidence, are computer literate, give it a try. There're are enough people willing and able to help you out to help you get through.

Ramble over.

HomerJ :)

[p3distxii]

Good job!