HDTV Wonder MPEGs

[link993]

I am trying to cut out commercials from some HD recordings with the HDTV Wonder (from ATI). I record them and then use the Library export wizard to export to HD MPEG-2. The file exported is multiplexed .mpg file with both audio and video.
Now, I try to demultiplex the file and the AC3 audio is fine. However, the video is played back with speed-ups and slow-downs. I have tried all the demultiplexers i can think of and they all yield the same effect. Anybody out there with an HDTV Wonder able to demultiplex the files correctly? (I tried TMPEncs, projectx, PVAstrumento, and MPEG2VCR)
I know you can use MPEG2VCR to cut them (without demuxing), but i get audio sync errors and really wierd audio softness very easily (after the slightest stream error). Any help is appreciated.

[Emp3r0r]

i am able to demux the files from hdtv wonder with projectX. NBC 1080i demux just fine for me. However CBS 1080i demuxes the video fine but it drops a bunch of frames out of the audio. The resulting audio file is full of stutters. I haven't found any other tools that allow me to cut commercials and demux a mpg file in one go.

[link993]

Oh, i will try projectx again. I also found mpeg2cut2 that works (but doesn't demux) for cutting commercials. Thanks for your help.

[FredThompson]

Try TyTool.

Are you forc3ed to create an MPEG2 with the HDTV Wonder card? Are there ways to same something closer to the actual transport stream?

[link993]

It forces you to record in its proprietary .vcr format, then extract it using the ATI Library. The only way to output a file in the ATI Library (without reencoding) is the HD MPEG profile. Both processes are extremely unreliable in ATI's buggy and bloated software, the MultiMedia Center. ATI's software (at least for the HDTV Wonder) sucks and is the only reason i am having trouble using files from it. I do not understand why I cannot do a simple Transport Stream dump to the hard drive, it would make things 1000 times more simpler. The only station, right now, that I can actually get a MPEG file out of is ABC. All other files i record with it crash either ATI's DTV Viewer (used to record) or the ATI Library (used to convert the recorded files to MPEG files). Even after that I cannot maintain a/v sync after any operations on it (demux, cut commercials, reencode).

Sorry it turned into more of an ati rant, but the only solution to my problems (as I see it) is that a program with TS recording capabilities and BDA Driver support be developed that can be used with the HDTV Wonder. Has anyone out their with an HDTV Wonder been able to demux HD MPEG files and keep a/v sync(without reencoding the audio)? I have tried so many times, but now given up and decided to wait for a new program that works with the HDTV Wonder.

[FredThompson]

Have you tried running OmegaDrive's drivers?

http://www.omegadrivers.net/

The card is about $150 or so through promotions. If it can be slaved properly, this might be a decent option to a $1000 HD PVR.

[link993]

I haven't tried those drivers, however, the problem is not with the display drivers/software (which is handled on the video card), but rather with the HDTV Wonders drivers and ATI's multimedia software used for recording/editing (called "MultiMedia Center").

Thanks for the link, though, I will try those out to see if they work better than ATI's Catalyst display drivers, as ATI's catalyst is very buggy also.

[Emp3r0r]

Has anyone out their with an HDTV Wonder been able to demux HD MPEG files and keep a/v sync(without reencoding the audio)? I think I have but the process is very long winded. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to test the new process thoroughly.

I just got a new HDTV that has a built in tuner and found out I can tune Discovery HD Theater, NBC, ABC, FOX, TNT, PBS, Faith, and two movie channels (HBO, MAX) using my existing cable. So the only reason I need the antennae is for CBS or to record using the HDTV Wonder. Too bad the Wonder can only tune OTA channels. I might have to get a Fusion card.

Anyway, my solution (in a nutshell) when ProjectX doesn’t work is to use PVAStramento and then MPEG2Schnitt to accomplish what ProjectX normally does. So PVAStramento fixes the errors in the streams and MPEG2Schnitt cuts the commercials.

[link993]

I have tried using PVAStrumento and ProjectX, but I always get the video played in super- high speed (like it changed the framerate or something). Do you demux them with these programs, or do something else to fix the errors? I am very willing to play around with projectx/pvastrumento, however, no matter what settings I change I simply cannot correct the super-high speed playback. They original MPEG is fine. Have you ever had this issue, Emp3r0r? Thanks for your help.

[Emp3r0r]

the video played in super- high speed Yes, I have this issue in Media Player Classic but not VideoLan

I assume it is a problem with MPC internal MPEG2 decoder. I haven't tried other decoders to see if they fix the problem.

[BlueIce]

i have the ati hdtv wonder and i have been messing with it ALOT (you might have seen my posts around here) and i finally have a perfect system for recording and encoding with the hdtv wonder... into XviD of course :)

record the tv show with dtv (i have 0 problems with the app)
as long as you have a decent signal quality from your antenna the recording should go flawlessly (as mine does :)

export to hd-mpeg (this takes only a couple of minutes) and they are closer to transport streams than most people thing btw

now use dvd2avi to end up with a d2v and an ac3

use your own avs with all your fav plugins and such to load the d2v into virtualdubmod then go to streams list and load the ac3

in the filename of the ac3 it should have a delay number like -280 or something, so remember that number then right click the ac3 and choose interleaving and enter that number where it says audio skew correction and click ok

now cut out all the commercials and whatnot with the little arrows
and when you're done go back to the streams list and demux the ac3, and delete it from the stream list after demuxed

now use all your fav xvid settings and encode, when done load the encoded avi and audio file into virtualdubmod again (ac3 you demuxed before or mp3 if you want) and remux

DONE!
btw i use virtualdubmod 1.5.4.1 for all this cause i noticed it seeks faster for painless commercial cutting and faster remuxxing :)

for SVCD and DVDR what i do is get a d2v and ac3 with dvd2avi then load it in virtualdubmod with an avs that has all my resolution and cropping settings so i can do all the post processing with good ol wdubmod and then use fast recompress with hufyuv to output to avi, and with that avi use cce or your fav encoding app to encode, have fun! and stop basing the hdtv wonder, its very good when used correctly (and if you have an ati video card :p

[link993]

Thanks, BlueIce, for those steps (and showing that it is possible to get proper encodes). I know the HDTV Wonder hardware is very good, however, I do not prefer the software! I will appreciate it much more when I get a recording system down.

[link993]

BlueIce, why do you save to huffyuv? Just to get the file to a .avi? If that is the only reason, then have you tried using vdubmods frameserver?

You can use vdubmod's frameserver to export your cut file to CCE (and other programs, but i have only tested it with CCE). If you haven't frameserved with vdubmod before, run auxsetup from the vdubmod directory and click "Install handler". Then, after cutting your file in virtual dub, go to file -> start frameserver and save it as a .vdr (for cce) or (untested) a .avi for other encoders that accept .avi. I don't know if you knew this already, or had other reasons for saving it using huffyuv. Anyways, thought i'd share that in case you didn't know.

[BlueIce]

i save to hufyuv because i use vdubmod and avisynth to do all the post processing, like cropping, bicubic resize. adding a border, deinterlacing, that way when i have the avi and encode with cce it takes very little time to encode :)

[FredThompson]

You do know that deinterlacing TV throws away half the temporal information, don't you? NTSC TV is 2 sets of interleaved 29.97 streams, not one. You'll have far higher quality if you keep the material interlaced and deinterlace during playback on a computer. Deinterlacing with a computer refresh of 60 Hz or better loses nothing, deinterlacing the file takes an effective 60 Hz franerate and turns it into 30 Hz.

If you're decombing film which was broadcast, that's one thing. If it's true video, deinterlacing really mucks it up.

[link993]

BlueIce, I use avs script, also, to process the files. Does huffyuv throw away any information? I know the homepage says lossless, however, i see compression options and such that confuses me about whether its lossless or not (yes, i will admit i am little new to this stuff, i have never used huffyuv before). Also, out of curiousity, how much speed do you average on CCE using huffyuv with a dvd encode? (your machine is very similar to mine).

[BlueIce]

you don't lose any quality when ouputting with hufyuv, and encoding the avi with cce, would takes me about 30min maybe less for a 43min tv show

[Emp3r0r]

BlueIce: are all your captures perfect?

When I capture using the HDTV Wonder I usually get a few small dropouts in reception or possibly broadcast errors. Sometimes it isn't noticable and sometimes it is just a blip on the screen. Anyway, your method of using virtualdubmod would be nice, however as soon as the stream gets slightly corrupted it falls apart and you have sync issues.

Do all your captures with the HDTV Wonder come in flawlessly? Have you tried PVAStramento to see if it reports any errors?

[BlueIce]

They all comeout flawlessly as long as the reception is decent, and no I have not checked for stream errors because after encoding to XviD I watch the video myself and see nothing wrong.

[2old2play]

I just got this card, but I dont know what any of the programs you are talking about are. Is there any other info around that can help me out? I use Pro Coder right now, but I cant get the thing to give me a LARGE enough file size. It always makes it to small.

[SZwabo]

BlueIce:

I am trying to do something similar. Can you post your Avisynth script? I too decided to go to Huffyuv first before a multi-pass CCE encode for DVD. However, this is running extremely slow. To create one Huffyuv avi via VirtualdubMod from a 42 minute show is showing an estimated time of 13-14 hours on an Atlon 2100+ with 512 MB ddr.

My source AVS is:

LoadPlugin("C:\AviSynth 2.5\plugins\Decomb521.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\AviSynth 2.5\plugins\UNDOT.dll")
MPEG2Source("Lost_Cap.d2v")
SelectEven()
Decimate(cycle=5)
undot()
LanczosResize(704,480,0,0,1280,720)
ConvertToYUY2(interlaced=false)

Source Video is 720p

[link993]

I know you asked for blueice, but I will share my experiences anyway. For 720p content I use the following script.


# 720p Script
LoadPlugin("C:\Video\AviSynth\plugins\DGDecode.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\Video\AviSynth\plugins\Decomb.dll")
mpeg2source("%f",idct=0)
crop() #if needed
SelectEven()
Decimate(cycle=5)
LanczosResize(720,480)

i load that script into vdub, cut commercials, then output to huffyuv. For a 42 min show, the output to huffyuv usually takes exactly one hour, never more than 70 minutes. I have an athlon 2500+ with 512MB DDR. Your filters are probably what is increasing the time of saving. I don't know how much more time Undot() takes, but i don't find it useful. Also converting to YUY2, i dont think is necessary. I am by no means an expert, and I am just telling you what I think and what I have had success with.

[SZwabo]

link993:

You have my undying gratitude. After going through your script line by line, I got no improvement. So then I decided to try the DGDecode you were using.

Originally, I used ProjectX to demux the .ts, and checked the option for it to create a d2v as it demuxed. Then I just loaded that d2v using the native AVISynth MPEG2Source.

After reading your script, I download DGDECODE, and used DGIndex to create a new d2v file on the .mpv I had demuxed with ProjectX. Then I load DGDEcode to AVISynth, and frame served using the new d2v file with my original script. My speed shot up from 0-4 fps to 10-12 fps. Estimated time now under 2 hours.

Man Thanks !!