Auto Gordian Knot: current version 2.55

[CeeJay.dk]

I've found a workaround for the bug that prevents AutoGK from finding Winrar for the external subtitles.

The problem is that the Registry key that AutoGK detects is not the path to Winrar but the path to the start-up folder.

Upon installation of Winrar the two are the same , but since Winrar remembers the last used folder and sets it to be the startup folder then this key will quickly change.

The workaround is simple .. open Winrar and browse to the Winrar folder and then close winrar.

Now the startup folder contains the winrar .exe and AutoGK will find Winrar.

You can also make this startup folder setting permanent by editing Winrar's setting , while we wait for Len0x to fix AutoGK and make it detect the correct registry key.

[GizmoDerMokwai]

hiho, using DVD Decrypter 3.1.9.0 i recognized, that i no more got the "Stream Information.txt", now it has the vob name in front of it, like "VTS_01 - Stream Information.txt". So the think is, that AutoGK doesn't recognize the folder as a dvd decrypter ripped one. don't know, if ther's a dvddecrypter option to change...

[len0x]

Originally posted by CeeJay.dk
Upon installation of Winrar the two are the same , but since Winrar remembers the last used folder and sets it to be the startup folder then this key will quickly change.


Oops :) Bummer... I'll be switching to uninstall key of winrar then (couldn't find install key so far). Thanks for pointing it out. One down then :)

[len0x]

Originally posted by GizmoDerMokwai
hiho, using DVD Decrypter 3.1.9.0 i recognized, that i no more got the "Stream Information.txt", now it has the vob name in front of it, like "VTS_01 - Stream Information.txt". So the think is, that AutoGK doesn't recognize the folder as a dvd decrypter ripped one. don't know, if ther's a dvddecrypter option to change...

File was always in the form of "VTS_?? - Stream Information.txt". But in new DVDDecrypter 3.1.8 or higher format was changed indeed (subs basically), I already changed that in AutoGK, but for the time being you have to use 3.1.7...

[Sasa]

Hi len0x,

first, thanks for this awesome tool.

One Problem I am having. I tried to encode HERO DVD to XviD with different quality settings (max, 3cd, 70%), but on my stand alone device Centrum Gemini 330 (http://www.netonnet.de/item.asp?iid=50922) I get a lot of white ripple effects in the picture. For example when there is white text running from bottom to top it looks like the letters are dragged through milk. I don't know how to better explain it. When I do the same encode in DivX it works. So far I haven't had any problems with XviD and the only thing I can conclude from the change log is that you turned on Chroma Optimization by default. I never used that before. On the PC everything looks fine.

I would much rather be using XviD ;) especially after reading doom9's new comparison this morning. The Problem with the DivX clip is that I can not forward or rewind it on my player. Also the first time that happened.

I am very much looking forward to donate for the 1.0 version. Thanks for sharing such a great app with us.

[wertert]

Hi Len0x

Happy new year !

Quick question. A weeks ago there was a question mark over the future of the 'target quality' encode option. ie 1 pass. I understood that it was going to be dropped from the xvid codec. I currently use this option for alot of my encode and go for about 67% quality+ac3 sound. I probably should start using 2 pass if it's on the way out.

wertert

[len0x]

Originally posted by wertert
I understood that it was going to be dropped from the xvid codec.

That is yet to be determined. First, XviD 1.0 final is not out yet. Second i will have to look at "zones" settings in it to see if I can fake quality mode with it in case "quality mode" will not appear in the final version.

[CeeJay.dk]

Originally posted by len0x
Oops :) Bummer... I'll be switching to uninstall key of winrar then (couldn't find install key so far). Thanks for pointing it out. One down then :)

As I understand you're reading :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\WinRAR.exe\Path

While you should be reading :
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\WinRAR.exe\@


I exported the section from my registry and it looks like this :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\WinRAR.exe]
@="C:\\Program Files\\WinRAR\\WinRAR.exe"
"Path"="C:\\Program Files\\WinRAR\\"

Previously "Path" pointed to a different path and it wouldn't work but I'm using the workaround now and so "Path" points to the folder that contains Winrar.exe

Now I have no problems encoding external subtitles .. other than that I'm currently unable to encode the subtitles from one of my DVD rips but I guess that is because I used DVDdecryptor 3.1.8.0 to rip it and as you say it has a slightly different format.

I'll wait until you release a version soon that is compatible with this new format.

External subtitles rocks btw .. Unlike subtitles that are encoded into the movie I can place theese under the moviepicture as God had intended it :)
This way they don't disturb the picture and the feature scales down gracefully as standalones simply leave them be.
I don't care about standalones anyway - I don't own one and neither do anyone I know. In fact I have never seen one and they are only sold in few places.
All the people I know watch Xvid/DivX movies on PC's , either using monitors or TVout.

Though you are going to encode the subtitles into the movie, could it be encoded like DirectVobSub renders it with the Poloygonize option turned ON ?
It looks much better this way , and I believe that this is the way that most subtitles look on the original DVD.

BTW Happy Newyears to all ! :)

Cheers !
- CeeJay :)

[CeeJay.dk]

Originally posted by me

Now I have no problems encoding external subtitles ..

Whoops .. I spoke too soon.

I have just finished a 2 CD encode of "Ciderhouse" with danish subtitles and about 1h 20m into the movie the subtitles disappears.
Up to the end at 2h 00m there are no subtitles.

This flaw is present both in a 1 CD encode I did first and in the unsplit 2 CD encode and the split version.

Shall I post some files to help diagnose the problem ?
If so .. which ?

[CapBoy]

Hi there.

First of all, congratulations for your work len0x :D

I have a problem though, I'm ripping the episodes of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer (seasons 1,2,3) which are interlaced.

I tried to rip those episodes with GordianKnot 0.28.5 with TransMoComp filter, and everything worked out just fine.

But with AutoGKNOT what happens is that the AVI created (and with gordian knot 0.28.8 transmocomp's filter this also happens) has some frame like this:

http://capboy2003.planetaclix.pt/frame2.JPG


I have GordianKnot 0.28.5 and this isn't happening, which is weird because I think TransMoComp filter is the same in both GordianKnot versions.
With AUTOGKNOT I don't have any tought.

If somebody could help me, I would apreciate.

PS: I'm Portuguese, sorry for my bad English.

[JWillE]

Feature Request: Avi input

I recently purchased a standalone player that of course doesn't accept features such as qpel and gmc. I know it isn't recommended to reencode but for a newbie like myself this seems to be the only way to achieve compatibility of some of my backups, in which case it would be nice if AutoGK would accept avi input. Since AutoGK is already tuned for standalone compatibility this would help people like myself salvage those backups. Time would not be of much concern. I don't know if there is a simplier and/or quicker way to do this but AutoGK has great for me on my DVD backups.

Thx for your efforts,

[Wolfman]

Become the first of the First.:( no party how sad

[AZEncoder]

First let me say that I am stoked. I mentioned in an earlier message that AutoGK had inspired me to learn more about the tools and get to the point where I could learn to capitalize on regular "GK". That point in time came today wooooohoooooo!!!!!!!! What a great way to close out the year. Encoded a movie today with GK, it looks great and sounds great. I know that I have a long way to go to learn all of the "deep dive" details, but it feels great to understand the basic usage of the different tools and be able to take off the training wheels of AutoGK. I plan on using AutoGK for a very long time considering it works superbly in 99% of the circumstances.

I have some additional clues in my effort to figure out what is going on with the forced subtitles in "Die Another Day". First I had to figure out what I was doing wrong with VobSub.

Here is what I discovered. If others have enlightenment please comment. manono gave me some tips (thx manono) on how to use VobSub to find forced sub's, well none of the forced sub's showed up in VobSub with the forced sub indicator, instead there was an additional sub that contained nothing but a gray block right before a cell where all of the sub's should be forced. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Is this an additional standard way of doing forced sub's?

I will be experimenting with VobSub in order to figure out how to get it encoded correctly.

Thanks for all of the hard work by len0x and all of the other "Tool Wizards"
:thanks:
I hope everyone's 2004 is a rewarding and fun year!!!

AZEncoder

[jdion81]

@len0x

I want to applaud your efforts in making a FoolProof tool for encoding Divx and Xvid videos, I have been trying to learn how to do this regular GK. AutoGK will help me to understand what I am doing with regular GK.

@AZEncoder

I have been working with the Die another Day DVD and I am seeing what you have seen with it. In AutoGK in the subtitle drop-down list I have found that the correct (English Forced Subs) subtitles to use are the third or fourth Spanish subtitles in the list. Now when I do a preview of the video in AutoGK it looks fine and plays the video and Subs fine and in sync. When I run the encode, the resulting video is great and the first few instances where the subs should be are fine. When you get about the middle of the movie the subs are out of sync. Now that I have found the right track anyone know why the subs would be out of sync with AutoGK?


I am using AutoGK version 0.8 on a 1.5 GHz AMD 512 DDR, 100gb drive with WinXP Pro.

[AZEncoder]

@jdion81

You are correct that it is the third set of Spanish subtitles that are really the English forced subtitles. Thanks for pointing that out. I missed that one (major brain cramp). I re-did the encode with AutoGK using the third set of "spanish" subtitles a.k.a. English forced subtitles and it turned out just the way it was supposed to.

Now as far as your suggestion that I might help you figure out how to get the subtitles for the rest of the movie back in synch. I am experimenting but, because of my relative inexperience and newness to the details and intricacies of VobSub and it's re-sync capabilities I don't have an answer yet. Perhaps someone else has enough knowledge that they could shorten both of our learning curves. I will continue to fiddle with it, but it may take a while to figure out.

Originally posted by jdion81
@AZEncoder

I have been working with the Die another Day DVD and I am seeing what you have seen with it. In AutoGK in the subtitle drop-down list I have found that the correct (English Forced Subs) subtitles to use are the third or fourth Spanish subtitles in the list. Now when I do a preview of the video in AutoGK it looks fine and plays the video and Subs fine and in sync. When I run the encode, the resulting video is great and the first few instances where the subs should be are fine. When you get about the middle of the movie the subs are out of sync. Now that I have found the right track anyone know why the subs would be out of sync with AutoGK?

I am using AutoGK version 0.8 on a 1.5 GHz AMD 512 DDR, 100gb drive with WinXP Pro. [/B]

[calinb]

Originally posted by len0x
And if I'm not mistaken autocrop will never leave black bars,...I just started using AutoGK to encode DVDs that I've authored from my ReplayTV mpeg2 files. The top of my video contains television blanking noise within the black bar (at least that's what I think it is.) Because of this, autocrop retains the top black bar and all the bit-robbing noise. I need to crop 16 pixels down from the top to correct this. Does anyone have any workarounds, ideas, or plans for future AutoGK features that might help me? Maybe the upcoming config file will help.

Thanks len0x! AutoGK is becoming impressively stable and refined very rapidly.

[len0x]

Originally posted by CeeJay.dk
Though you are going to encode the subtitles into the movie, could it be encoded like DirectVobSub renders it with the Poloygonize option turned ON ?
It looks much better this way , and I believe that this is the way that most subtitles look on the original DVD.


I see no option in idx file to accomplish that...

[len0x]

Originally posted by CapBoy
I have GordianKnot 0.28.5 and this isn't happening, which is weird because I think TransMoComp filter is the same in both GordianKnot versions.
With AUTOGKNOT I don't have any tought.


I assume you're using different version of avisynth for both cases?
Try manually installing 2.5.2/2.5.3.2/2.5.4 alpha and compare results...

[len0x]

Originally posted by JWillE
Feature Request: Avi input


It will take some time to get AutoGK to work on any source (I won't be doing specific AVI support, but rather generic DirectShow support). The problem with AVI-2-AVI reencoding (not conversion) that you have to deal with audio as well (i.e. demux etc). It doesn't really fit into current framework...

[len0x]

Originally posted by AZEncoder

You are correct that it is the third set of Spanish subtitles that are really the English forced subtitles.

I wonder if you can try to rip it with DVDDecrypter 3.1.9 and see if sub streams are correctly recognized ?

[len0x]

Originally posted by calinb
I just started using AutoGK to encode DVDs that I've authored from my ReplayTV mpeg2 files. The top of my video contains television blanking noise within the black bar (at least that's what I think it is.) Because of this, autocrop retains the top black bar and all the bit-robbing noise. I need to crop 16 pixels down from the top to correct this. Does anyone have any workarounds, ideas, or plans for future AutoGK features that might help me? Maybe the upcoming config file will help.


Well thats really tricky thing to do. But for a start you can experiment with threshhold parameter of autocrop plugin. Take *_movie.avs and try playing with the script - may be you can find a certain threshold parameter which allows to do perfect cropping in your case (you need to increase threshold IMO). Then when we have a config file that value can be overwritten...

P.S. is AutoGK being followed at DivX.com forums or as a direct competitor of dr.divx it's not welcome there ? :)

[zerocoolnl]

hi all!

I just ripped The Matrix as test because I get a post on the Dutch forum that there were no subtitles and that is right! I ripped with DVD Decrypter 3.1.9.0. AutoGk(0.8) says no subtitles. I think the problem was known, but I just tell it again to be sure! Hope you kan fix it.

Greetz,
Zerocoolnl

[len0x]

Originally posted by zerocoolnl
I think the problem was known, but I just tell it again to be sure! Hope you kan fix it.


It's already fixed, but I can't release anything for another 10 or so days...
Stick to 3.1.7 in the meantime...

[zerocoolnl]

OK, thnx

Zerocoolnl

[calinb]

Originally posted by len0x
P.S. is AutoGK being followed at DivX.com forums or as a direct competitor of dr.divx it's not welcome there ? :) There's been a little bit of discussion of AutoGK over at the DivX Forums and I think it's all been favorable. I certainly welcome it. I don't really see AutoGK as a direct competitor of Dr. DivX because AutoGK is for DVDs and Dr. DivX is a general purpose encoding ap -- though I realize you could easily morph AutoGK into somthing more general purposed (mpeg2 file input:)).

I view AutoGK as a direct competitor to Recode2 and I'm sure AutoGK is helping DivX stand against that competition, especially given the excellent quality vs. speed of AutoGK. (Looking at doom9's codec comparison screenshots, I think the codec comparison might help too:)

Personally, I see any software or hardware that supports the DivX format as a good thing for DivX--even if it did compete with the Doc. There have been many discussions in the forums of competing DS media players vs. the DivX player and that's been a good thing for DivX too.

Thanks for the autocrop tip. I'll try it and report back. I could use manual crop, but autocrop works very well on the sides.

[dosdan]

I know splitting is not that difficult but if you are aiming at newbies I believe it would be handy to include it as an option for both the Custom Size and Target Quality selections. Perhaps it could be an intelligent selection. As I understand it, custom sizes of 700 MB, 1400 MB & 2100 MB will split automatically. So if these values are selected the Split option is grayed out. Say I can overburn to 713 MB and select 1426 MB or 1420 MB (to allow for keyframe vageries) as a custom size to do a 2 CD job. Then the Split option would be available, defaulting to 700 MB as the initial CD capacity value.

[calinb]

Originally posted by len0x
Well thats really tricky thing to do. But for a start you can experiment with threshhold parameter of autocrop plugin.If I change the threshold to about 60, it seems to work. Thanks! I haven't figured out a way to "trick" AutoGK into using it so I'll be looking forward to a config file for such settings in the future :).

[Wolfman]

quote "IF you are converting something from mpeg1, 2, any divx codec or variant thereof, and anything other than uncompressed rgb or huffyuv in rgb mode, and not doing any filtering in vitualdub, you should use FAST RE COMPRESS mode."
unquote

Does autoGK use fast recompress or full processing mode ...as fast recompress is supposed to be much faster??

[manono]

Fast Recompress. That's been the standard for DVD conversions for some time now (couple of years, maybe?).

[menaceboy]

really terrific program(*)@!&$(*@&$(!*&$(@!*&$(*@!&$
anyway for my situation i need more options for the audio
i'm doing my first encode with autogk as we speak, and i set the audio
to 64kbps
i'm assuming its stereo
the content i'm encoding only needs mono audio... hope its not too much to ask , lower bitrates, audio output channel selection.

thanks for the amazing (and free) program

[manono]

Hi-

You have a stereo source, and you want mono output? It's not going to happen anytime soon, I don't think. Quite a few of us (including len0x) want to be able to output mono, when there's a dual channel mono source. But it's not quite that easy to do. All the tests I've done with BeSweet with a Stereo AC3 source results in garbage when I try and convert it to mono. I think it depends on BeSweet improving the mono conversion from stereo.

And I'm going to edit your post because of the language. Hope you don't mind. I know, you used it in a good way, as a compliment. :)

[len0x]

Originally posted by r6d2
But if that does not work as expected, you may try just use log mode, read the AutoCrop.log file (get top and height), and use regular crop afterwards and AddBorders to pad the bottom (or evenly spread the black bars among top and bottom) to have Mod 16 height (I do that in FACAR to support "As Seen on TV" mode).


I very much prefer to do this using AddBorders, but you complicate things a lot (log mode etc). One should be able to make AddBorders on the fly in one AVS script:

- do autocrop
- get height & width of the clip
- calculate AddBorders parameters

So the only difference to current implementation is that AddBorders replaces smartcrop. But I do belive that one should only do that when going for maximum resolution mode. There is no point in doing all this and then resize to lower resolution with black bars :)

P.S. having said all this I still think that this option should not be exposed to newbie user, so this will probably go to the config file (this is gonna be magic file I believe :D )

[menaceboy]

manono
hey your from hawaii, where at? honolulu?
i'm from k-town myself
you dabble in video ? you a a/v guy from highschool or something?
i'll keep complimenting autogk so this post wont be completely off topic

AUTOGK IS FOR XVID AND DIVX AS DVD2SVCD IS FOR SVCDS
BUT BETTER CAUSE ITS SO SEXY

[Takasho]

Hi All,

I have been successfully using Gordian Knot for a couple of years with no problems, must say I'm so pleased you picked up the development. I decided to try out AutoGK on my new machine (no existing GK install or codecs). I downloaded the lastest XVID binary and installed it along with AutoGK 0.80.

I picked my DVD folder, gave it an output filename and hit start. 1Hr later I have a 3.5Mb avi file as the output and this as the last thing in the log:

===========================================================
[31/12/2003 15:01:52] Duration was: 29 minutes 23 seconds
[31/12/2003 15:01:52] Speed was: 85.21 fps.
*************************************
EXCEPTION: Floating point division by zero
*************************************
[31/12/2003 15:01:53] Job finished.

Is this just due to the fact the I've used the new XVID codec rather than the bundled one? Or is somthing more sinister going on?

Takasho.

[len0x]

Originally posted by Takasho
Is this just due to the fact the I've used the new XVID codec rather than the bundled one?

Yes, betas of XviD 1.0 are not supported yet...

[Takasho]

Thanks, I'll remove the beta and give it a whirl.

[r6d2]

Originally posted by len0x
One should be able to make AddBorders on the fly in one AVS script
Well thought.
But I do belive that one should only do that when going for maximum resolution mode.
IMHO, it is idealy suited for quality-based archives, were you want to keep as much of the film pixel and resolution possible.

I'm doing some tests ATM with DVD2SVCD and FACAR, to generate 704x480 (crop 8 pixeles by side, keep the height) MPEG2 streams, which as you are aware, is equivalent in geometry to 640x480 with square pixels, with the advantage of being playable both on a standalone and on a PC connected to a projector. ;)
(this is gonna be magic file I believe :D )
LOL. My Harry Potter DVDs ar waiting for it :D

[BloodyRipper]

what about translations of AutoGK?

[zerocoolnl]

If you need somebody for Dutch translations, here I am:)
I gonna translate that guide too, very usefull.

Zerocoolnl

[r6d2]

Spanish in line too :)

[BloodyRipper]

yeah, i can do the polish trans, sure

[CeeJay.dk]

Originally posted by len0x
I see no option in idx file to accomplish that...

Hmm .. Neither do I.
I find it odd that DirectVobSub have the option while VobSub does not.
Maybe Gabest can clarify this ?

BTW : Any idea why I'm missing some of the subtitles in "Ciderhouse" ?

[yotsuya-san]

Nessun italiano? I'm here for italian translation.

[guspasho]

Hey I'm back for another question. I have Volume 1 of Family Guy, and I'd like to compress each episode individually so each one is a different file. Is there a better way to do this? It just seems like the most natural way to accomplish it. More pertinantly, how can I rip my DVDs so each episode is ripped (and therefore can be compressed) seperately? I don't know how to do this with DVD Decrypter, and I tried this with SmartRipper but to no avail, AutoGK kept stalling during the demuxing process starting with episode 3. (I have no idea why 1 and 2 worked when 3 and 4 didn't.)

Suggestions? TIA.

[mikeathome]

Originally posted by mikeathome
@len0x:
(...)
Could you pls. add an option to save segmented AVI with custom size setting, size 2000MB. This would perfectly overcome this limitation since the player automatically skips to the next AVI seamlessy, at least with current firmware.Originally posted by Wolfman
You can do this yourself with vdub .. ... sure I did, takes ~10min add'l useless time.(...)
plus what sort of xvid encode NEEDS more than 2gb.. surely your overdoing thigs .. average compression rate about 10:1 (xvid) your source cant be 20GB!! maybe 2gb is limit of the avi container (20bit addressing or such like?) or is 2gb maximum limit of ANY file on dvd, remember std dvd is broken into 1gb chunks (vobs)..AFAIK. ... have you ever done LOTR SE, surely not. It's 3h48min PAL 2 with 448kpbs 6ch AC3 and I WANT IT 704x288 !!!

happy new year to all of you, mike

P.S.
File Size limit of any file on DVD (UDF/ISO bridge) is 4GIG, which is played till the 2Gig size border.

[yotsuya-san]

Originally posted by manono
Hi-

You have a stereo source, and you want mono output? It's not going to happen anytime soon, I don't think. Quite a few of us (including len0x) want to be able to output mono, when there's a dual channel mono source. But it's not quite that easy to do. All the tests I've done with BeSweet with a Stereo AC3 source results in garbage when I try and convert it to mono. I think it depends on BeSweet improving the mono conversion from stereo.



Hi manono, I've seen some dvds which have a mono 1.0 ac3 audio (Allen, Kubrick, Chaplin, Laurel&Hardy, The Deer Hunter), so I think that the best solution to not waste space for audio and gain some for video is to encode, if you choose mp3, the audio in mono. If you select, let's say, 64 kbps in mp3 audio bitrate AND the ac3 is 1.0, AutoGK could output a mono mp3.
Latest versions of BeSweet (the ones included in GK >0.28.5) solved the bug in mp3 mono encodings.
I don't have a dvd of that kind now, and I don't know it AutoGk already does this!

Bye, Yotsuya.

[draGOAn]

This is a longawaited stuff!!!
Thank you very much for it! ;)

[CeeJay.dk]

@len0x:

I suggest changing the Step 3: Select output size dialog to something like this :

.--Step 3: Select output size----.
| .--Selection an option:------. |
| | [2] X [ 80min CD (700MB) ] | |
| | [ Custom Size ] | |
| | _ | |
| | (_) Target Quality [ ]% | |
| '----------------------------' |
'--------------------------------'

This way is just as easy to use as the old one but offers more options for the advanced user.
You can choose exactly how many pieces you want the movie in and how big thoose pieces should be.

I suggest some default choices like theese :

_______________________
[2] X [_1/4 CD (135MB)________]
| 1/3 CD (233MB) |
| 1/2 CD (350MB) |
| 74min CD (650MB) |
| 80min CD (700MB) |
| DVD max filesize (2GB)|
| Unlimited Size |
'-----------------------'


Perhaps the Custom size could also be entered into the dropdown menuitem so it functions as a browser locationbar would.

You could also make the Target Quality option obey the size choosen so that the final file would be split into pieces of that size.

Kind Regards
CeeJay

[G2k]

Yotsuya-san, qui ci sono anch'io che ipoteticamente potrei tradurre, but I'm too damn lazy to do anything ^_^. Gomennasai

[liteoni]

When is XviD 1.0 supporting version going to be available? 1.0 would be a lot faster than koepi's binary from june...