Converting 13 Anime AVI/DIVX to 1 DVD

[jupiter1972]

I know I am probably repeating this question, but I guess I just have not found those perfect search keys to find the answer to my question.

A friend of mine has a DVD someone made that has 13 anime episodes crammed on 1 DVD. Essentially, I am trying to attempt the same feat with my hack/sign and piano fansubs. My problem is that everytime I change the parameters with the DVD/NTSC template, I have not been able to successfully, get the video size to around 320MB. I keep getting around 400MB. The end result is a DVD that is over 5GB rather than something close to 4.4GB.

Currently, I am using TMPEG with the DVD/NTSC template with CQ 65%. I have dropped the compression percentage down, but that really did not help. And I did try different quality settings.

Suggestions?

[TactX]

You should try 2-pass encoding. Then you'll have the bitrate fixed and you can match the size exactly.

[DJ Bobo]

13 episodes per DVD: 340MB per episode.

Use 352x480 resolution, progressive encoding @ 23,976fps (3:2 pulldown when playback) - source must be set on "non-interlace (progressive)"

If one episode is 24 minutes, you become: (all results rounded)
(340 x1024 x1024 /1000 x8) / (24 x60) = 1980kbps
- 192kbps for audio
= 1750kbps for video

Make 2-pass VBR MPEG-2 encoding with min on 0, avg on 1750 and max on 3500

BTW, after you load the DVD (NTSC) template, load the unlock template, so you can change all necessary settings.

[jupiter1972]

Originally posted by DJ Bobo
13 episodes per DVD: 340MB per episode.

Use 352x480 resolution, progressive encoding @ 23,976fps (3:2 pulldown when playback) - source must be set on "non-interlace (progressive)"


Isn't 352x480 a bit low on quality or is this what the original encoding of anime usually is?


If one episode is 24 minutes, you become: (all results rounded)
(340 x1024 x1024 /1000 x8) / (24 x60) = 1980kbps
- 192kbps for audio
= 1750kbps for video

Make 2-pass VBR MPEG-2 encoding with min on 0, avg on 1750 and max on 3500

BTW, after you load the DVD (NTSC) template, load the unlock template, so you can change all necessary settings.


Actually, I think I found out how this person did this. Evidently, he took the intro and trailer out of the video and linked this to each episode when authoring, thus having only one copy on the DVD which allows you to cram 13 episodes on one DVD.

Only problem is that I don't have a decent authoring program to do this.

From what I can tell, I have found that I can encode the video at 720x480 29.97fps CQ 65 with 192kbps for audio and get the video to 360M roughly. If I can get a decent authoring program, I can cut the intro and trailer and author this into each other episode.

Also, the good thing about this is that I can encode with the video at 8000 kpbs with the 192 kbps audio.

I've tested this with a scene with subtitles and the results seem to be working pretty well.

[DJ Bobo]

352x480 is good for the 1750kbps we're having here.
You can always choose 720x480 and you'll see how many macroblocks you'll get in your video, it won't be even watchable!
If you want 720x480 at any cost and want reasonable quality, you can't put more than 5 episodes per DVD-R ... oh well, Hack Sign is 16:9, so 6 episodes max.

No way you put 8000kbps and you still can put 13 episodes, with 8000kbps you'll hardly get *THREE* on one disc.

Have no idea how to link openings/closings, but that's *NOT* the decisive trick that allowed that person you're talking about to put that many episodes on one disc. The bitrate is the main thing that controls that.
You should also know that every episode has its own opening/closing in reality, even if they look quite the same!
But if you still don't want them, you can always cut/edit the original AVI on direct stream copy mode in VirtualDub (so you don't have to reencode to another AVI)

No one encodes in CQ mode BTW ¬.¬
And 29,97fps is not the way to go, unless you have really 29,97fps anime, and those are very rare. The only ones I know about are "Chobits" and "Gundam Seed". Almost all others are 23,976fps.
If your Hack Sign AVI is not 23,976fps, you got a bad source, try to find a 23,976fps version

[jupiter1972]

Originally posted by DJ Bobo
352x480 is good for the 1750kbps we're having here.
You can always choose 720x480 and you'll see how many macroblocks you'll get in your video, it won't be even watchable!


Actually, I might of said it wrong. The encoding has a min 2000 and max 8000 and I have sat and watch 10 minutes and see no problem with quality and don't really see any blocks at all. Am I using wrong terminology? I mean, I am posting in the newbie section...



No way you put 8000kbps and you still can put 13 episodes, with 8000kbps you'll hardly get *THREE* on one disc.



I'm doing it somehow.



No one encodes in CQ mode BTW ¬.¬
And 29,97fps is not the way to go, unless you have really 29,97fps anime, and those are very rare. The only ones I know about are "Chobits" and "Gundam Seed". Almost all others are 23,976fps.
If your Hack Sign AVI is not 23,976fps, you got a bad source, try to find a 23,976fps version

Well CQ is working fine for me. And yes, the source is 23.976fps, but NTSC requires 29.97 for standard format. Are your options above a means of keeping 23.97fps, but meeting the DVD-NTSC standard?

[DJ Bobo]

I said the average should be on 1750, so why in the world are you keeping min on 2000? Are you even trying what I said above?! mattaku... ¬.¬

I repeat, after loading the DVD template, load unlock, change encoding mode to "3:2 pulldown when playback", put framerate on "23,976fps (internally 29,97fps)" -> fully DVD standard compatible.
Change the resolution to 352x480 -> also fully DVD standard compatible.
Change the rate control mode to 2-pass VBR and adjust min to 0, avg to 1750 and max on 3500 (max should be always 2x avg, unless it reaches 9800 already). Of course adjust the avg and max if the episode is longer or shorter than 24 minutes. I gave you the method to calculate above.

I repeat no one uses CQ because it's unpredictable!! and with a bit math you'll find out that 8000kbps will lead to about 1400MB per episode!!!

[jupiter1972]

I will try your suggestion. But, the reason I am stubborn, is because I created a MPG-2 for the video last night and it was 360M with the settings I have mentioned. I am trying your solution as I am typing and I will see how the improvement is. If I am understanding what you are saying, I will probably get better quality and stay more true to the original source.

[jupiter1972]

I tried a 15 second clip and the results look really good. I will try this method and see how the whole video comes out.

Thanks for the advice.

[DJ Bobo]

For best encoding quality, do not forget to put motion search precision on "highest quality", but I guess you figured that out already :D

[jupiter1972]

:p Well, of course. I have done videos, but this is my first time doing DIVX to DVD. New arena.

I finally have it encoding, I kept getting the parameters wrong and the aspect ratio from source and target kept getting messed up, but I got it now. :)

[jupiter1972]

Ok. I have gone through a lot of setting in tmpeg.

The first setting gives me correct conversion keeping aspect ratio in Tmpeg.

Source:
non-interlace (progressive), 16:9 525 NTSC, Center KAR

Target:
352x480, 4:3 Asp Ratio, 23.976fps (i29.97), 2 pass, NTSC, 3:2 pulldown when playback

Now this is fine and I think accurate, but the video is cropped. So then I tried this:

Source:
non-interlace (progressive), 4:3 525 NTSC, Full Screen KAR

Target:
720x480, 4:3 Asp Ratio, 23.976fps (i29.97), 2 pass, NTSC, 3:2 pulldown when playback

This one is much better in clarity, but the source is 720x414 and this produced a 720x475. Am I missing something on trying to keep the ratio same from input to output? Or am I just in a position where lose of quality will produce the 1-1 aspect I am looking for?

help...argh

[jupiter1972]

Originally posted by jupiter1972
This one is much better in clarity, but the source is 720x414 and this produced a 720x475.

The 720x475 is what is inside the 720x540 window that tmpeg create with black bars above and below...in case you are confused.

[DJ Bobo]

I think, keeping source aspect ratio on 1:1 VGA should work just fine.

[EDIT]
BTW, what resolution has the AVI?

And forget that 720x480, it's just too~ much for 1750kbps avg

[jupiter1972]

argh...beepity-bleep-bleep. I change the target to 1:1 VGA and now the conversion is perfect.

Thanks again. I wasted a whole night and now I have to start over since this is right on the money. I wish I noticed this sooner.

[jupiter1972]

Originally posted by jupiter1972
argh...beepity-bleep-bleep. I change the target to 1:1 VGA and now the conversion is perfect.

Thanks again. I wasted a whole night and now I have to start over since this is right on the money. I wish I noticed this sooner.

I mean Source to 1:1 VGA

[DJ Bobo]

Korede yosh! :D

[jupiter1972]

arigatou

now I just need to figure out how to convert 640x480 to 720x480

[jorel]

Originally posted by jupiter1972
arigatou

now I just need to figure out how to convert 640x480 to 720x480

for the first and for this post:
i don't have a dvd burner but i see many people doing what you want here:

http://www.kvcd.net/forum/index.php

read the thread:

http://www.kvcd.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=29&sid=804770e6df452c0aea0754b976ea2bf2

and you got it!

:)

[jupiter1972]

Interesting. I am still sifting through this site.

I went to the homepage in the download section and found a template section. The template section has 704x480 which is the translation of 640x480 for my situation. And from what I see, this template is .mcf files which I believe TMpeg will read. I guess I can use this to do my encoding. The funny thing is that the template claims 90 minutes on a CD. CD is max of 700M. Ok, now if I am calculating this right, 4300M DVD / 700M CD is 6 CDs on 1 DVD basically. If each CD can have 90 minutes then that is 3 episodes (lots of padding of course) which makes the total 6*3 which is 18?!?! Is THAT right?!? I can't believe I can cram that much of that quality on a DVD! Did I miss something? I need to checkout this template and see what type of setting they are using.

http://www.kvcd.net/dvd-models.html

Also, I did not know that 704x480 was a valid DVD resolution.

[jupiter1972]

Nevermind. These templates omit the audio which will lower the number to DVD. That is what I missed.

[jorel]

Originally posted by jupiter1972
Nevermind. These templates omit the audio which will lower the number to DVD. That is what I missed.

the template omit but you choose the audio that you need and mux
with the TMPGenc result...
read more there....is like here,use the search and find all possibility!

don't feel discouragement,go ahead!

:)

[jupiter1972]

Oh, I noticed how to do that. Anyway, I will have to do it on the next DVD. I spent way too much time on the one I just finished, but it turned out fairly well. I was able to put 13-episode of Hack/Sign on 1 DVD and I used movie factory 2 to put the thing together. Quality was not too shabby, but I might try the one you pointed out for the second disc and see if I get better quality with their quantizing matrix (noticed that it was different). I just need to make sure that my encoded file is still within 330M or so. Still need to fit 13 on one DVD.

Still, this other person that my friend got a copy off e-bay was able to have better quality than mine with 720x480. Clarity was pretty high standard. I wonder what that person did to get 13 episodes and get higher clarity on such a small file. Also, I noticed that his stream was ac3 and mine was just a simple mp2 audio.

Anyway, I will use the the kdvd settings and give it a try on one episode.