Movie Conversion Question

[soma]

I downloaded The Lion King DVD rip - on a 56k which took me about a week to do. I wanted to convert it to VCD format to watch on a stand alone DVD player, however It won't work. I have Nero and when I try to convert it I get an error message and my blank CD ejects. The cd is empty. The file was originally 719,076 kb and well over the eighty minute mark which meant I could'nt overburn. I used Virtual Dub and deleted the credits which brought it to 83 minutes and 1 second (I'm guessing this MAY fit on an 80 minute CD). The file is now 682,758 kb. I would like to fit it on 1 cd, but the conversion part in Nero won't work for this file. I will give you the specs:
The type of file says Video Clip - usually it would say Mpeg or avi but this says Video Clip.
Width = 560
Height = 288
Duration = 123:01
Bit Rate = 121 kbps
Audio Format = MPEG layer-3
Frame rate = 29 frames/second
Data Rate = 137 kbps
Video Sample Size = 24 bit
Video Compression = DivX codec
ok.... now before u say to try and convert it to a different format which is what I'm assuming is the problem I tried. I used TMPEG encoder which came with the Virtual Dub bundle thingy I downoaded to convert it to .avi. This aroused a problem. I was only at 21% and the file was already over 500,000kb which meant when it was finished it would be well over 2 million kb. That's ENTIRELY too large to fit on 1 cd or even 2. My question is how do I convert this file to a VCD format and possibly on 1 disc - if not one disc then 2, but preferably 1. Thank you for your time in reading this long, boring problem, but this is for my daughter and it took me quite a while to do.
ThanX

[danne]

Go and have a look at this page. It will definitly answer your questions better than I can ;)

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/sefy/?id=ClassicalGuide.html

[davinda]

I just went to above mentioned site to get the knowledge, bloody hell is it worth it, much rather spend a tenner at MVC and a lot easier. ;)

[Yanks0826]

Originally posted by davinda@11 February 2003 - 15:34
I just went to above mentioned site to get the knowledge, bloody hell is it worth it, much rather spend a tenner at MVC and a lot easier. ;)
No $hit, it would take 9 million days to do that or you can go to a store and buy it for 10 bucks!

[danne]

Now, where'd this world be if everyone took the easy road eh ? :P :D

[Yanks0826]

Originally posted by danne@11 February 2003 - 16:15
Now, where'd this world be if everyone took the easy road eh ? :P :D
We would be some bored people!

[vivitron 15]

Thread (http://www.klboard.ath.cx/bb/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=13342&hl=fitting)

I had this prob before...try looking at this thread :P

[Nightwolf]

Personally I like to use TMPGenc to split movies into two equal parts, then I burn them with Nero. Supposedly you can also change the bitrate and some other settings with TMPGenc to make a large file fit on one VCD, but I've never tried it.

[soma]

I checked out the thread and I even ATTEMPTED to check out the web page...however, neither would offer anything to help, at least not that I saw. Maybe I should have been a little bit more clear on my question.I have the file down to the size already to fit on 1 disc - 83:01. This should fit on an 80 min disc w/overburning. My problem is this particular file will NOT convert to VCD format in Nero so I can watch it on a stand alone DVD player. The type of file says Video Clip, but in TMPEG encoder (which I downloaded the latest version from the thread) it says .avi. Now Nero says it can convert .avi to VCD format which I've done before with music videos, but this file will not convert. Could anybody tell me what to use to convert it to VCD format to fit on 1 disc - or even 2.
PLEASE ........ much thanx

[Skillian]

Nero can convert avi files but not divx avi - which is probably what your file is.

You need virtualdub to extrat the audio and turn it into a wav file. Then use TMPGEnc, selct the original video as the video source and the wav you made in virtualdub as the audiosource.

Not too complicated step-by-step guide can be found here (http://www.dvdrhelp.com/tmpgenc.htm).

ps - overburning might make it a little hard to read on your DVD player - I would advise splitting onto 2 discs.

[Nightwolf]

You don't even need to use Virtualdub. TMPGenc can convert the entire file from .avi to .mpg as is (you might need to change some priorities in the environment settings). But I don't recommend overburning either.

[Skillian]

You don't even need to use Virtualdub. TMPGenc can convert the entire file from .avi to .mpg

That is very true and can bring good results. I do find though that sometimes this causes audio synch problems. This is prevented by saving the audio first with virtualdub, plus it only takes 5 mins to do.

[ProwL418]

step by step brother
click here (http://www.dvdrhelp.com/tmpgenc.htm)
vcd help has quirky navigation
but youll find alot of answers

[soma]

Why when I use TMPGenc the file originally is about 680,000 kb, but after converting it to mpeg it becomes over 2,000,000 kb ??? Am I doing something wrong ??? I read the vcdhelp.com and the dvdrhelp.com links but my file becomes WAY too big. Is there a way to shrink it to close to normal while still retaining most of it's visual quality. I have Nero 5.5.1.8 -something like that- and I have the newest version of TMPGenc off the website as well as virtual dub and the mp3 Freeze Virtual Dub... if any of this helps.

[ProwL418]

if the file is around 700 mbs or less, it should convert to around the same size, if your following step by step, im really not sure as to what your problem is, it sounds like your saving it as an uncompressed format....my best advice is to split the file up with tmpgenc or virtual dub and then encode, ive had so much of the same issues b4, and the results will vary from file to file...
if all else fails, cut the file up with Vdub m8
the worst that could happen is youll end up with a 4 disk high quality movie ....

[vivitron 15]

use VDub to extract the audio to a wave file. it saves probs ocuring right at the end.

still in VDub, click >file>file information. REmember the frame rate number (either 23.96 or 24, 25, 29.96 fps..its in the top box)

in TMPEGENC load the wizard. select (NTSC if the file was 29.976 fps; NTSC film if it was 23.976 or 24 fps; PAL if it was 25fps) then >next

select the video and audio files you have. >next >next

on wizard page 4/5, select CD-R 74min or CD-R 80min (depending on which size CD you use)

click Expert>system

right click on stream type, and click unlock..ignore the error msg (click yes).

the box on the right should now be usable..click on MPEG1 - Video CD-non standard

go to video tab. Right Click "frame rate">unlock (again ignore error msg)

go to audio tab. Right Click "frame rate">unlock (again ignore error msg)

go to advanced tab> video arrange method drop down box. Change this to full screen kep aspect ratio

click OK, and return to project wizard 4/5

now on this screen, it'll tel you how many % of one disk its gona fill. If this number is like 199% then its probably best to just do it how it is.

If this is anything less, then you can play with it. (Ive done films up to around 170% and they've been absolutely fine)

basically the 2 unlocked frame rates are the quality. You can reduce these till the film is 99% of the disk. If you have a lot to reduce by, then it is perfectly fine to reduce the audio bitrate to 160. this is still acceptable quality. I also usually reduce the video bitrate to around 900. This again is fine, though in the future you may want to play with these numbers.

Click >next, specify a filename and click OK.

There you go, I think I included everything :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Oh yeah, if you want to up the quality but double the encode time, in Project Wizard 4/5>Expert>video>rate control mode>change to 2 pass VBR, though im not convinced myself

EDIT: clarity

[soma]

I'll try this vivitron 15 and see if it works. I'll leave the encoding while I go to work since I'm sure it'll take a while .....

[accat13]

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/tmpgenc.htmwell here we go again find gspot http://www.headbands.com/gspot/ it is a tool to check and see if you have the right codecs installed.. no codec no sound or no video... the best mpeg encoder is tmpgenc.. the quality is great...but its best to decompress the audio first... try audio decompressor(located in avi2vcd program file in the first link) don't use avi2vcd to convert the quality is not as good the decopressed audio file will be aprox. 300mb bigger than a 700 mb avi file.. don't worry the final size after tmpgenc is smaller...http://www.dvdrhelp.com/tools after you decompress the audio view the file check for proper sound sync... another trick before converting to mpeg is to check for frozen frames with vdub i use" vdub mp3" in case the file has variable bitrate ...http://www.dvdrhelp.com/forum/userguides/142555.php... after this then comes the boring part the mpeg convert with tmpgenc.. then you split the file if it is to big into 2 (I know you can reduce the size by changing the bitrate but i find that a little too complicated)... then burn i prefer cd creator 5 but your choice.. :D :D :D boy what a mouthful.. i hope you can understand all this here is another tid bit link also/www.vcdhelp.com/forum/userguides/119019.php (http:///www.vcdhelp.com/forum/userguides/119019.php) vcdhelp.com is great...

[soma]

I got an "illegal floating decimal" error at 12 % .... what happened ???? Also I checked my fps. with VDub and it's none of the above ... it's 29.971, what do I do about that ???

[vivitron 15]

look at the link accat13 gave, to check you have the right codec installed. This might be the problem for the illegal floating point error. Or download the klite codec pack. (available from here (http://doa2.host.sk/) i think.

If your bitrate is 29.971 then use 29.976. Im not sure how accurate it should be, but I never have any problems with using stg similar, i just always use the nearest value (i.e. 24fps works ok on 23.976fps setting, so i usually leave it.) (NB, in the future, if you want to change it, right click on frame rate in expert, and click unlock. this gives you a drop down menu of settings)

anyway, it sounds to me to be a codec problem, try that, if not let me know.

PS, if you PM me the sig2dat link, ill download it, and try it for you

[soma]

I'll try that link from accat13 and c if it can fix the error. I'd really hate for any of you to try and download a big file you don't need just to help me ... it's big for me at least on a 56k - over 700,000kb. Trust me I would have bought it but I live in Udonthani Thailand and they don't have any English cartoons for my daughter which is really important to me cause shes only 25% Thai and 75% American. Anyway i'll c ....
Thanx

[DARKSHADOW]

the easy way to make vcd with tmpenc after u conv the sound with virtdub is open tmpenc close wizard open avi look at the bottom and it will tell u the frame rate cllick the load botton click templates select which vcd u want to make then click settings chosse quality and start your end file will all ways nealy double then split in 2 and burn to 2 cds

basic terms for vcd
1 templa chose ntsc for 29. fps
pal 25 fps
ntsc film anything else
2 bitrate setting to reduce the file starts 1150 standard lower u go smaller u get with reduced qual
3 there is also an unlock temp to change the bitrate etc
4 the template do all the settings for u
5 if u do change bitrate etc u must change the stream video sytem setting to vcd non stardard

[soma]

I dl the G-Spot thing and it said both my codecs were fine .. I'm beginning to wonder if it's possible to copy this particular movie to VCD format ?.!?.!

[soma]

ok I already split the file into 2 but like a moron I forgot to switch the audio to WAV so I'm gonna try and c again if it works with the audio set as WAV instead. I have no idea if this is what caused the error "illegal floating decimal" error or not cause I have NO CLUE what that means but ...

[vivitron 15]

Hey soma.

I downloaded the file from the hash you gave me.

I have encoded it with no problems. i have done a template for you to use with it.

http://www.geocities.com/trxsucks/lion.txt

Rename the file to something like lion.mcf (change the .txt to .mcf) and put it in c:\program files\tmpegenc\templates (you'll know its right cos there's a load of other .mcf files there)

so, use open VDUB, open file, wait for the error to finish whatever it does, and do file>save wav

when u use TMPEGENC, load the template Lion (at the bottom)

load the avi in first box, and the wav in the second

skip through to the penultimate screen and do expert. (make sure that "video arrange method" is in "Full, keep aspect ratio") and boom bang...should be done (in like 2 hours)


hope this works for ya

:D :) :rolleyes: :D :) :rolleyes: :D :) :rolleyes: :D :) :rolleyes:

[accat13]

hey vivitron i've never used templates let me see if I understand.. open up a text file.. copy and paste your link into it .. rename it .. put it into your tmpgenc templates folder and voila... we all learn somethig from these forums hours of trouble shooting is passed very quickly and can be used on other files thanks....accat13

[vivitron 15]

yeah accat.

basically, download it, and rename it to template.mcf and put it in templates folder.

when you start the wizard, your template name will be there...in this one, all the options are unlocked, so u can play with the size etc.
2 things

1. you need to call it .mcf and not .txt, but geocities didn't like it being called .mcf, so i changed it. so easiest is just to dload, and rename directly...don't need to open a new file or anything

2. if nero, or whatever you use asks about standard compliance, just do "turn off compliance and continue"...all this is is that it knows your file isn't in 1100 fps, or whatever the standard is, but it doesn't make a difference

[soma]

It worked !!! Thanx Vivitron - and everyone else. ...finally, i also learned a lot more about using TMPEGenc and Vdub. If you'll don't mind I'm gonna ask another quick question related to the same thing. Referring to Music Videos, some have better quality sound wise and picture, is it possible to use one of the above programs to kind of equal the quality on them - you know can you improve quality so they all sound the same at a certain volume ? Thanx again everybody, I really appreciate it. :D

[Supernatural]

You can lower a file's quality, but you can't increase it. Once that extra data is gone, nothing can bring it back.

[Oni]

Soma
An easy way (lazy :P )
if's it just for the kids to see on the TV is get a tv graphics card(cheap now days),and just plug it into your TV :D if you need to copy it to free up space on your hard drive just record it whit the video ;) or save it as a data disk you can save up 720mb on a 80min disk, hope this helps

regards

Oni :ph34r: