Command Line Compressor - AVS2AVI

[((( atom )))]

so i ran a test and everything works well now! thx.

some things/thoughts..

- in the second pass i get the resulting filesize for the actual first pass diplayed, this is actually funny..

- would it be possible (easyest with the gui) to tell the encoder about audiofiles to mux straight while encoding? this would save some time and also space.

- i compared the movie (taking screenshots in vdub) to my vdub-encode and the colors were definitely differnt. now i can't exactly reconstruct the avs-file for the vdub-encode, since i reripped the thing, but is it possible, that something infulences the colors? it might as well take actually place in virtualdub, no blaming here. i would just like to figure, since when there is a difference, one of the encodes will be closer to the orignial..

greetings

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by ((( atom )))
so i ran a test and everything works well now! thx.

some things/thoughts..

- in the second pass i get the resulting filesize for the actual first pass diplayed, this is actually funny..

- would it be possible (easyest with the gui) to tell the encoder about audiofiles to mux straight while encoding? this would save some time and also space.

- i compared the movie (taking screenshots in vdub) to my vdub-encode and the colors were definitely differnt. now i can't exactly reconstruct the avs-file for the vdub-encode, since i reripped the thing, but is it possible, that something infulences the colors? it might as well take actually place in virtualdub, no blaming here. i would just like to figure, since when there is a difference, one of the encodes will be closer to the orignial..

greetings

I assume you mean the size is not reset after the firts pass ill check that out and clean it up when i get the next version out.

As for audio avs2avi knows nothing about audio so no for the time being.

The colour changes are worrying. Can you try encoding part of you film in vitualdub and checking it against Avs2avis output with the same source if they are still different its somthing ill have to look into. virtualdub in fast recompress mode should produce exactly the same as the avs2avi picture.

DaveEL

[Beave]

It's now:

AVIFileOpen failed to create destination file with 0 test.avi Error 1 test.avi: : Das System kann die angegebene Datei nicht finden.

[DaveEL]

That should work somthing about your windows install seems broken as avifileopen fails even with the correct params Try the virtualdub file routines build above

DaveEL

[((( atom )))]

@dave
assume you mean the size is not reset after the firts pass.. actually it counts up the size while encoding. my 2nd pass came out to be 1200mb and the counter was countig up until about double of that value, so i supposed it to be somehow the size of the first pass.

about the colourspace-change i can run a small test this weekend somewhen..

@beave
have you simply tried creating the file before encoding. windows actually says "the system cant find the file specified". that sounds like it was not able to actually create it. this might have several reasons: a, you have no rights to write in that folder at all, wich i don't assume. b, for any strange reason avs2avi is not capable of creating the file right there. it might really help to create any text file there and rename it to yourvideoname.avi.

i know that issue. on my pc here i sometimes have the situation where a program can't create the file but can actually overwrite a dummy-file i give it..

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by ((( atom )))
@dave


i know that issue. on my pc here i sometimes have the situation where a program can't create the file but can actually overwrite a dummy-file i give it..

Problem here is that the file is deleted before the avifileopen is done (due to a bug in avifileopen according to the comments in the source) so it wont make any difference.

DaveEL

[Beave]

So finally I actually got one to work:
The vdub version works!!!

I tried to create the file manually, but the error messege is still the same with the nonvdub version. So this won't work either.

I have all the rights on my computer. (Win XP, Athlon TB 1400)
I tested it also on a Win XP and Win 98 SE, both Celeron 900 Computer. None of those worked. They all give this mistake. I'm just wondering, how the others get it to work, since I tried on 3 different OSs on 2 different Computers and all failed.

Anyway, are there any drawbacks on using the vdub version of avs2avi?

By the way, I discovered that the psychovisiual setting under divx 5.02 produces a very bad image of testlong.avs. Maybe I should stop using that? Can anyone confirm?

[((( atom )))]

i confirm: (actually confess)

use xvid! it is the codec of tomorrow. good thing is: you can already use it today. ;)

i changed over to it shortly and i am deeply impressed by the results. also i am pissed of having loads and loads of divx4+5 encoded movies. they could be better.

take your time and read into the xvid-forum.

make sure to check the sticky-posts first, because they will:
a, answer most of your questions in deed, and
b, point you to (most) of the software you will want to use

also for encoding-settings you should look out for iagos guide on how to set up the encoder-settings. you will get great results with it.

finding all the stuff together means a bunch of work, be warned. i can't help you with links, atm..

good luck!

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by Beave

Anyway, are there any drawbacks on using the vdub version of avs2avi?


Its based on a very old version of avs2avi ill update it to the latest version soonish and remove the avifile write routines altogether. (its not all that simple due to the resuming code as the virtualdub routines have no way to append to the file)

Im also starting to look at mp3 muxing support its probably a way off still but the virtualdub output code is a good starting point.

DaveEL

[((( atom )))]

@dave:
just returned to this thread after quite some time. it looks as if there has either nothing new happened or you have moved to another thread or something..
what's going on?

[DaveEL]

ummm... one of these

1) I have a thing against finishing projects see http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21499

2) Ive just been made a forum mod and am on a power trip ill be back to development when ive calmed down a bit.

3) I have lots of exams to not revise for.

4) My computer exploded.

5) I still cant work out how xvid stats files work see http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43372

6) Too much whisky... (same thread as above)

7) My threads are still locked.

8) trying to port avs2avi to my zaurus (http://www.sharp.co.uk/pda) so i can encode on the move :)

9) weather turned cold so im hibernating.

10) i accidentally deleted my avs2avi source code so had to start again (this one really happened).

or something...

DaveEL

[((( atom )))]

:(

[DarkNite]

That's either the funniest, or saddest post I've ever read.

:confused:

[bilu]

Well... good luck then :rolleyes:

[int 21h]

I have to apologize for really dropping the ball on development of this project, but between real life, and other new toys, I've really moved past the VFW formats this tool was designed for. And between playing with my DRU500A and developing for my embedded projects, I really don't have time to work on this.

I did however consent to GPL release of the little snippets of code I contributed, and I wish DaveEL the best of luck in continuing with this project.

Sorry again,

--int 21h

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by int 21h
I have to apologize for really dropping the ball on development of this project, but between real life, and other new toys, I've really moved past the VFW formats this tool was designed for. And between playing with my DRU500A and developing for my embedded projects, I really don't have time to work on this.

Sorry to see you go. Toff you still with me or am i on my own now?

Not gonna be able to update for a while as i have got exams (in fact i just had the worst exam of my life :( ). After i get back to work ive got to

1) Finish up the virtualdub file writer support
2) Rip out some of the virtualdub code i dont use
3) Xvid b-frames for the resuming support. (and you never know i might add external stats files processing and mv hints)
4) divx5 resuming support if i can be bothered (if anyone who uses divx5 wants to add this ill show you what you need to add)?
5) possibly add a gui so it runs just like it does now except if you dont specify parameters it prompts you for them.
6) Fix the bugs...

Anyone think of other things that are missing?
If someone wants to help with the code it should be possible to add support for other output formats like ogg media or mp4 but i dont know enough about the formats to do it myself.

DaveEL

[[Toff]]

I'm a bit bored by vfw & avi api.

But there are some good things to come in the future, like 2pass encoding support in xvid core, or the new matroska container.
My dream : a pure avs2xvidmatroska multiplatforme encoder with a port of avisynth to linux :)
(I hope that ChristianHJW is not around here ;))

I haven't much time, but if there is a lot of request I can have a look.
@avs2avi users:
What is missing in avs2avi ?

[bilu]

I'm no programmer, but I feel that you could get a lot of inspiration from the VdudMod features, mainly OGM support :)

I'm not using resume, but I like AVS2AVI a lot for batch encoding of test scripts : run batch, view clip, correct script, run batch again :)

What troubles me is that a lot of times lately (don't know if it's related to the latest XVID builds) is that sometimes it crashes after 1st pass ( it's not a 10 min delay, I've waited hours :confused: )

maybe the new Vdub routines will fix this. in the meanwhile i'm encoding 1 pass at a time.

Bilu

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by bilu
I'm no programmer, but I feel that you could get a lot of inspiration from the VdudMod features, mainly OGM support :)

I'm not using resume, but I like AVS2AVI a lot for batch encoding of test scripts : run batch, view clip, correct script, run batch again :)

What troubles me is that a lot of times lately (don't know if it's related to the latest XVID builds) is that sometimes it crashes after 1st pass ( it's not a 10 min delay, I've waited hours :confused: )

maybe the new Vdub routines will fix this. in the meanwhile i'm encoding 1 pass at a time.

Bilu

Sorry about that ive been trying to track it down but it only seems to happen with long clips (well ive never had it happen on my test scripts anyway) which makes its rather hard to test things.

Just to check can you 1) test http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~del100/avs2avi-test.zip this is my current test code and RESUMING IS BROKEN.
2) if it locks can you post here the last few lines of the output so i can try to track down exactly where it happens.

DaveEL

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by [Toff]
I'm a bit bored by vfw & avi api.

But there are some good things to come in the future, like 2pass encoding support in xvid core, or the new matroska container.
My dream : a pure avs2xvidmatroska multiplatforme encoder with a port of avisynth to linux :)
(I hope that ChristianHJW is not around here ;))

I haven't much time, but if there is a lot of request I can have a look.
@avs2avi users:
What is missing in avs2avi ?

I was thinking of interfacing with avisynth directly 1) to get that last extra speed boost 2) so i can return real error messages instead of encoding a video with the error message in. So then all the vfw stuff except the encoders is gone hmmm direct interface with xvid encore function could be done then someone just needs to port avisynth to linux :). If your looking to hack on output formats i can recode the stuff i lost which was plugins for output formats.

The one thing i would really like someone to look at is audio (at least muxing plenty of tools for encoding already) as i have no idea where to even start really.

DaveEL

[DarkNite]

Every time someone sais "avisynth for linux" it makes me tingle. :D

Anyways, back to the windoze box for encoding...

[bilu]

Originally posted by DaveEL
Sorry about that ive been trying to track it down but it only seems to happen with long clips (well ive never had it happen on my test scripts anyway) which makes its rather hard to test things.

Just to check can you 1) test http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~del100/avs2avi-test.zip this is my current test code and RESUMING IS BROKEN.
2) if it locks can you post here the last few lines of the output so i can try to track down exactly where it happens.

DaveEL


Sorry, but your link is down. :(

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by bilu
Sorry, but your link is down. :(


hmm website on my departments server is down again use this one for now
http://www.soton.ac.uk/~del100/avs2avi-test.zip

DaveEL

[REIGN_]

@mfluder: I believe there is an error in your gui because when i use your program avs2avi fails but when i write the settings on my own it succeeds

[CruNcher]

looks like Avs2Avi isn't anymore compatible to the new XviD builds it doesn't start the encoding :(

[svenrender]

Batch convert? Here two small Batchfiles:

1. Create for all AVI-Files a AVS-File.

"QuickAVScreate.bat"
----------------------------------------
cd /d "%~0"
for %%f in (*.avi) do echo AVISource("%%f")>%%f.avs
pause
----------------------------------------

2. Create for all AVS-Files one AVS2AVI-BatchFile.

"QuickAVS2AVIJobCreate.bat"
----------------------------------------
cd /d "%~0"
for %%f in (*.avs) do echo avs2avi %%f %%f_hfyu.avi -c hfyu>>avs2aviJob.bat
echo pause>>avs2aviJob.bat
----------------------------------------

Mirror to AVS2AVI v1.26: http://doom9.psydon.org/download.php?id=386
from german Thread: http://doom9.psydon.org/viewtopic.php?t=6008

[bilu]

Dave,

I know I promised you to check on full encodes a lot of time ago with your Vdub build but I've been learning and testing a lot (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47053) these days :)

I haven't done any full encodes for some months but I still use avs2avi for testing and started to look at compressibility checks with Moonwalker's XVID Analizer with DebugView.

That's why I remembered this: :D

Originally posted by DaveEL
ah i forgot about that all xvid debug info for cbr mode is directed to the console this is an xvid bug ive been meaning to report. Dont worry nothing is wrong.

DaveEL

Originally posted by Emp3r0r
can we get this data during a dual pass and possibly count the quants and make a nice chart that displays quant frequency?


I don't know if you have the time these days, but since you can get debug info just as DebugView does, and since this is a command-line tool just like Moonwalker's tool, you could have an option to output XVID debug info so we can do Batch Analysis ! :D

What do you think?

Best regards,
Bilu

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by bilu
Dave,

I know I promised you to check on full encodes a lot of time ago with your Vdub build but I've been learning and testing a lot (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47053) these days :)

I haven't done any full encodes for some months but I still use avs2avi for testing and started to look at compressibility checks with Moonwalker's XVID Analizer with DebugView.

That's why I remembered this: :D

I don't know if you have the time these days, but since you can get debug info just as DebugView does, and since this is a command-line tool just like Moonwalker's tool, you could have an option to output XVID debug info so we can do Batch Analysis ! :D

What do you think?

Best regards,
Bilu

Problem is avs2avi doesnt currently capture the xvid debug output its just a bug in xvid cbr mode that it did (might still do) put all the output to the console not to the windows debug functions this means that avs2avi has no idea what xvid is sending i could implement a silent mode where avs2avi doesnt print anything at all and then (in cbr mode at least) you could just redirect the output to a file but this would break if the xvid bug was fixed, this would be better implemented in xvid i guess a write debug info to file option could be added to xvid.

DaveEL

[Valky]

Originally posted by CruNcher
looks like Avs2Avi isn't anymore compatible to the new XviD builds it doesn't start the encoding :(

Nonsense! Everything works just great with Koepis latest builds.

[majerle]

@CruNcher

Latest build crash on pentium 4 cpu if used with vhq AND sse2 optimization. Remember also that vhq and gmc isn't fuctional.

Regards

Andres

[NiTroGen]

Originally posted by majerle
Remember also that vhq and gmc isn't functional. VHQ and GMC combination IS functional, but there is a small bitrate waste, that's why it is not recommended. Anyway, that's off-topic. ;)

[CruNcher]

@majerle

in fact i was one of the first who found that out hehe but thats not the problem in this case try koepis new build uncheck sse2 and activate some of the advanced features like refdivx lumimasking or vhq and u will see the decoding doesn't start (3frames then stops and creates a 16MB Avi with no Video data) sad but true maybe im doing something realy wrong but with older xvid releases it works
hope for a fix soon in that time have to use VdubMod with the new CVS and Koepis build.

[RathO]

@mfluder:

Just wondering if we'll have the "Shutdown when done" option in a 'next' avs2aviGUI release?

Regards

[RathO]

@mfluder:

Also a job-batch option so we can queue some jobs...

[ChristianHJW]

Hi Dave,

did you find the time to have a short look at libmatroska already ? The lib was officially released last weekend and is now available as a tarball from our project page on http://sf.net/projects/matroska .

Further to our conversation via PM here, there is some interesting code existing that can NOT be found in the official matroska CVS as of yet, as the author ( Moritz Bunkus ) prefers to keep it on his own, private CVS server until it meets with his own level of demand. This code can be used to mux matroska files from either AVIs, OGMs, Oggs and MP3/AC3 sources. Its working flawlessly, we could even create matroska files with 80 different audio tracks in it, for testing purposes. We are currently in the process of porting it from Linux to a Windows environment, but its purpose, to give you an idea how to write matroska files correctly is served already.

I have big interest in an avs2matroska program for mainly 2 reasons :

1. All video files/streams created on matroskadub ( VirtualdubMod ) are being done using VfW codecs. As you all are aware this old codec API has to use tricks to be able to handle b-frames correctly, by inserting dummy frames and the like. These video streams have to be treated using our 'VfW/AVI compatibility mode' and do not comply with matroska's native MPEG4 modes, as the latter by definition have to use coding order for frame order, dummy frames and the like are not allowed. As long as we dont have a more advanced codec API like UCI we are limited a lot here, at least until we decided to hardcode ffmpeg into matroskadub so that we can write files that will comply with our MPEG4 native modes. Your tool could be used to create such native streams, proving the x-platform strategy we had in mind when making matroska ( i just hope Nic or Milan will adapt their DShow filters then to accept the 'new' frame order, so that we can read the files on Windows :D ).

2. Using your app clearly promises a real nice speed boost :) !!

Sorry for interrupting here, but i somehow felt it was better to summon this up in public instead of writing another PM to you.

Christian

BTW : the first alpha of our DShow parser is promised to me for this weekend :D !

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by ChristianHJW
Hi Dave,

did you find the time to have a short look at libmatroska already ? The lib was officially released last weekend and is now available as a tarball from our project page on http://sf.net/projects/matroska .

I had a quick look but have been busy so i wouldn't say im familar with it. plus ive only booted into linux for the last week so i couldn't have worked on avs2??? even if i did have time. :)

Further to our conversation via PM here, there is some interesting code existing that can NOT be found in the official matroska CVS as of yet, as the author ( Moritz Bunkus ) prefers to keep it on his own, private CVS server until it meets with his own level of demand. This code can be used to mux matroska files from either AVIs, OGMs, Oggs and MP3/AC3 sources. Its working flawlessly, we could even create matroska files with 80 different audio tracks in it, for testing purposes. We are currently in the process of porting it from Linux to a Windows environment, but its purpose, to give you an idea how to write matroska files correctly is served already.

Sounds intresting... WANT :)

I have big interest in an avs2matroska program for mainly 2 reasons :

1. All video files/streams created on matroskadub ( VirtualdubMod ) are being done using VfW codecs. As you all are aware this old codec API has to use tricks to be able to handle b-frames correctly, by inserting dummy frames and the like. These video streams have to be treated using our 'VfW/AVI compatibility mode' and do not comply with matroska's native MPEG4 modes, as the latter by definition have to use coding order for frame order, dummy frames and the like are not allowed. As long as we dont have a more advanced codec API like UCI we are limited a lot here, at least until we decided to hardcode ffmpeg into matroskadub so that we can write files that will comply with our MPEG4 native modes. Your tool could be used to create such native streams, proving the x-platform strategy we had in mind when making matroska ( i just hope Nic or Milan will adapt their DShow filters then to accept the 'new' frame order, so that we can read the files on Windows :D ).

Only problem i have here is that currently im just using standard old VCM (vfw) codecs and b-frame support is minimal to just dropping the frames used for padding. That means for real mpeg4 support i would need to
1) Parse the frames to determine type/timecode and reorder them correctly.
2) Write direct xvid api support and bypass VCM.
problems with these "solutions"
1) I don't know MPEG-4 VOP format at all.
2) Needs time and im guessing lots of it.

2. Using your app clearly promises a real nice speed boost :) !!

Hmm well to me matroska will hopefully give me a nice way which to mux the audio with (one of the reasons i havn't worked on any support is that without audio your going to need somthing else to mux and so might as well use unmodified avs2avi and then mux in matroskadub, but if i find time and get to know the lib well (BTW any api documentation available? didn't seem to be any in the tarball) then ill try to code it up with audio support (mux only i guess).

BTW : the first alpha of our DShow parser is promised to me for this weekend :D !

Nice, directshow goodness.

I should really finish avs2avi in its current form before moving on to matroska support but then again not being finished never stopped me before :) (to be honest it would be finished if it wasn't for the fact resuming is broken with the virtualdub avi output routines (which i only need as the avifile output routines are broken for some users).

Anyway looks like i should go grab the xvid source and start reading :).

DaveEL

[[Toff]]

Hi DaveEL,

I have started an xvid encoder to make some test some time ago (I work on it when i'm depressed :D ).
Maybe you will find interesting things in it :
- use avilib (come from linux ;) )
- direct access to avisynth without VFW
- direct encoding with Xvid
- direct connection of avisynth YUV plane to the XVid encoder (doesn't bring mutch speed :( )
- very little embryon of matroska support (quite old now)

Xvid encoding settings are hardcoded ATM.

(Source only)
http://christophe.paris.free.fr/temp/axenc000.zip

You can do what you want with this code.

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by [Toff]
Hi DaveEL,

I have started an xvid encoder to make some test some time ago (I work on it when i'm depressed :D ).
Maybe you will find interesting things in it :
- use avilib (come from linux ;) )
- direct access to avisynth without VFW
- direct encoding with Xvid
- direct connection of avisynth YUV plane to the XVid encoder (doesn't bring mutch speed :( )
- very little embryon of matroska support (quite old now)

Xvid encoding settings are hardcoded ATM.

(Source only)
http://christophe.paris.free.fr/temp/axenc000.zip

You can do what you want with this code.

And just when i decided it wouldn't take me long to get to grips with the xvid api (its really nice and simple). Doesn't look like much needs doing it does most of whats needed except it really needs 2 pass support to be ripped from the vfw module in xvid (at least until dev-api-4 is working).

DaveEL

[bilu]

Any news on this magnific project? ;)

Bilu

[DaveEL]

The news is... no news.
Sorry i have no time (and i havn't run windows for a while so its hard to test it :) ) I have a few ideas to tweak a little more speed from it when i get some time.

are you having a specific problem with the current code or do you just like new versions?

DaveEL

[Valky]

Actually there isn't any problems, althought I dont know what's the point in ticking Xvid on? It doesn't do 2-pass xvid anyway.

And I have noticed that everytimue I start encoding my avs-file the command window says something about 3ivx processing..? Any idea what does that mean, since I have it only installed, but I dont encode or decode using that codec?

If you dont mean what I ment, I can take screenshot as shoon as I return home.

[bilu]

@DaveEL

Well, I've been able to use 2-pass (haven't tested on clips larger than 7 minutes yet). The average FPS reported at the end of each pass is wrong but that's not really a problem.

But I do have a question: I'm using XVID and would like to change the setting through a batch file. I know I can change XVID settings on the registry but I suspect that the codec dumpfile does keep more than just the codec selection ( else we couldn't use 2-pass at all ).

Which way would you recommend to change settings on-the-fly ?

Bilu

I think I found it :) It's this option:

-c <4cc> : Use codec having <4cc> with default settings

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by Valky

And I have noticed that everytimue I start encoding my avs-file the command window says something about 3ivx processing..? Any idea what does that mean, since I have it only installed, but I dont encode or decode using that codec?


Bug in the 3ivx codec i reported it to them and they assured me it would be fixed in the next version so check you have got the latest build of 3ivx.

DaveEL

[Valky]

I have the latest build of 3ivx. This bug doesn't affect to my encodings with other codecs I hope?

[DaveEL]

nope the codec just outputs some text its safe to ignore just annoying.

Anyway seems its time to bother the 3ivx ppl again.

DaveEL

[Stux]

If this is related to an ICM_GET/SETSTATE bug, we're currently working on a maintenance release which fixes this (among other things) to be released in the very near future

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by Stux
If this is related to an ICM_GET/SETSTATE bug, we're currently working on a maintenance release which fixes this (among other things) to be released in the very near future

(Assuming its the same problem as before) Everytime you show the vfw compressor choose dialog it prints some stuff to the console not noticable in virtualdub etc but a little annoying when working on the command line.

DaveEL

[Stux]

Okay, yes, that's been fixed too :)

[DaveEL]

Originally posted by Stux
Okay, yes, that's been fixed too :)

Thanx

DaveEL

[TaZ4hvn]

I just wanted to know if there is a way to totally disable the resume support as it has a strange behaviour on my box (kicking in even for ended conversions sometimes) why is a really a pain :)