Please help me out here.

[Skunk]

I have been using DVD-RB 0.93 (Freeware version) to make backups of my movies and have made about 30 succesful backups sp far with no problems using Canopus Procoder 2.0. Then all hell broke loose and I've been getting a different problem every time I try to rebuild a DVD.
First I had problems with Braveheart. Lots of pixelation wich was fixed by running rebuilder again, but that time the disk had video stuttering and even freezing. I read alot of the forums and decided to set my max bitrate to 8,000 to be on the safe side. So I guess I am using Braveheart as my example.
I haven't had time to run braveheart through one more time at 8,000 framerate max. I will post the results here when I can but for now I have a few questions.

1) Can someone please post a link to a place I can get a good bitrate
viewer that works with .m2v file with video preview?

2) My Rebuilder.ini had no MAX_BITRATE line at all in it before I added one
and set it to 8,000. Is that normal?

3) Since alot of my problems show up in different spots each time I rebuild,
can I save all the temp folders and make a big mixture of all the .m2v
files that seem to work?

Right now my process works like this.

1) Use DVD Decrypter v3.5.4.0 to create an ISO
2) Mount ISO on a virtual Drive (using FantomCD v1.2.1 - Build 1810)
3) Run that image through DVD Shrink with no compression to a file output.
(I have been told this removes some of the layer breaks that can cause
pixelation or choppy video on some players)
4) Run through DVD Rebuilder using procoder 2.0
5) Burning with Nero v6.6.0.13 as a UDF/ISO with "Force DVD Compatibilty
mode" checked

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer me. If you need more info just ask. I want to get this thing running smoothly as possible so I can stop wasting DVDs :)

[robot1]

2) My Rebuilder.ini had no MAX_BITRATE line at all in it before I added one
and set it to 8,000. Is that normal?
Yes, it's normal.


3) Since alot of my problems show up in different spots each time I rebuild,
can I save all the temp folders and make a big mixture of all the .m2v
files that seem to work?


Is your PC rock stable?
Have you overclocked your processor?
Is the case overheated?

[Skunk]

Is your PC rock stable?
Have you overclocked your processor?
Is the case overheated?

I dont know what u mean exactly by rock stable, but its usually very reliable. I run spyware and virus scans all the time. One thing I noticed is that my HD was pretty fragmented. I am gonna start defragging more often, possibly every time I plan to run DVD-RB.

And no, I have not overclocked anything and I shouldnt have a problem with overheating (though Im not even sure how to check)

Still waiting for RB to finish its current rebuild. I will get Braveheart done tonight and tell you all how its coming.

[Skunk]

I thought I was in the right place, but it seems I was wrong. I find it hard to believe that not one person here can answer my questions. (besides robot).
At this point I would rather hear from people just to hear they dont know.
I ask these questions because I could not get them answered after days of readong and searching, yet people that are asking questions that have been answered many times over on the forums get a slew of responses?
PLEASE help me out here people.

[Rockas]

The main problem is that ProCoder is used by only a few people :(
I don't have it...

Have you tried that movie with another Encoder?
You should... that way we would know if the problem is just on ProCoder or it can be something else.

[Guest]

@Skunk

Please use proper titles for your threads, per forum rule 9. Thank you.
:readrule:

[jdobbs]

3) Run that image through DVD Shrink with no compression to a file output.
(I have been told this removes some of the layer breaks that can cause
pixelation or choppy video on some players) Take this step out of your process and see if your problem goes away. I think you may have gotten bad advice.

Also -- make sure you are using the latest version of ECLPro... I think there have been some improvements that may be related to this. I'm not positive, though, as I don't use ProCoder very often.

[Skunk]

Thank you for replying to me. I have donated to the DVD-RB project as I absolutely love this software. I am sorry for my whining but I was getting so frustrated. Braveheart seems to have worked although on the 3rd try.
I would still really like to know about the bitrate viewer if possible.
Rockas and Jdobbs, you guys are my heroes :)

As an afterthought : I only use procoder because i heard it it tops in the quality department (and i spent the money on it :) )
Is this true or do you have a different opinion?

[jdobbs]

That's probably true for interlaced encodes. But most movies are progressive, and in that department I don't think anything can compete with CCE.

[feedback]

I would still really like to know about the bitrate viewer if possible.
Try going Here (http://www.tecoltd.com/bitratev.htm) this BV should take care of your needs.

Regards,:)

P.S. I have to add that the HC encoder included with DVD-RB Pro. gives outstanding results, you should try it out. Also, now that you have made a donation for DVD-RB Pro. you can use the "DVD Rebuilder Matrix Editor" and try some of the different Matrix choices that are available.

Edit: added P.S.

[jdobbs]

HC is an exceptional encoder. Many report it to be as good (some even say better at low bitrates) as CCE. It is slower, though.

[Skunk]

OK. I will admit I am a total noob, so I will only ask one more small question before I leave you all alone on this one. How exactly can I tell if a DVD is progressive or interlaced?

[jdobbs]

It's complicated -- but there is really only one way to be sure.

You have to dump out the MPEG stream. When you get a SEQUENCE_START_CODE (00 00 01 B3) it will be (normally) shortly followed by an EXTENSION_START_CODE (00 00 01 B5) -- the first byte following the extension start code will identify the type of extension. When the high order 4 bits are equal to 1000 it is a PICTURE_CODING_EXTENSION. The highest order bit of the 5th byte following the header (or offset 8 from the start of the header) is set to "1" if the series is progressive.

You can get a lot of information on MPEG and DVD specifications here:

www.mpucoder.com

Just a little plug here -- I am continually in awe of MPUCODER -- and he may very well be the smartest man in the world. He's forgotten more about MPEG and DVD standards than most people will ever know...

[feedback]

He's forgotten more about MPEG and DVD standards than most people will ever know...
Compared to the trifling amount that I have an understanding of, he is all knowing.


I believe he is also quite the Digitrax and DCC enthusiast as well I might add. ;)


Regards,:)