andy vt's tools & blog

Dear Babgvant

I hope writing this message is addressing a new issue.

DVRMSToolbox 1.2.1.9 is great, btw... and it was the first version that actually loaded the DTBVideoEditor, unlike the lack of runnig in 1.2.1.8. However, I am having some trouble with converting.

I know how to edit timecodes for improper commercial spans, thanks to CommViewer. And I am familiar with working with most of the features of this application, and DVRMSToolbox in general.

So back to the subject, after corrections to the timecodes (commercials), and I am ready to convert, I have a problem. I want to convert to AVI (I think) with x264 (H.264 codec, I think) and AC3 sound (2.0 or 5.1 channels). I have all the equipment and codecs such as Comskip, SA, and a new official release of SAV1, as well as ffdshow and Anti-Pack.

Previously, I used to do this with MCEBuddy 1.0.8, with the H.264 profile... until that started giving me problems with long scans and no results... after trying to update the analyzers.

So here's my process: I record to .dvr-ms, choose an analyzer ran outside of DVRMSTB (with outputting the .edl) - currently ComSkip 0.80.26, enable SRT options (whether I correct them before or after), and at the end of the processes, I am ready to convert the video.

The real problem right now is I get an error in the application saying, "Error in Do Work: not set to an instance of an object" or related after I hit convert.

Now I haven't tried other formats yet, so maybe those will work... however I, like most, are learning to convert to AVI. And I thought you should know this, in addition to some features and profiles in the TB application does not work... and the "Value Not Set within Expected Range" message.

As an example, I take a file (long or short), to convert to the AVI: (720x480 to start with, x264 video codec, and AC3 sound) for DTBVideoEditor... and I get the message. However, processed with MCEBuddy 1.0.8 with the H.264 profile (before changes)... and it came up with an AVI file with about 1385 KBPS video bitrate, and an audio bitrate of 192 KBPS...

* That application did not have a way to produce CC or SRT ever, so the previous files are just an example of bitrate calculations for me now.

** In DTBVideoEditor, my preferred setting are similar AVI format, however I'm setting the video and audio bitrate at twice the values, for better quality (2770 video, and 384 audio bitrates)...

Like I said, I will check on other containers and update you if those work or not, after you reply. I know very little about perfect bitrates, so most of this is trial and error. However, I am now having problems with all three of my applications (Toolbox and VideoEditor; and processing problem in MCEBuddy).

So I am writing so that you can help me out with a suggested solution. I wanna make this Editor program the app I use by default after scanning, so please if you have an idea, let me know.

I also know little about codec combinations... so I'm experimenting with that too.

Altogether, I am way behind knowledge-wise compared to most of your website member's posts... but I'm catching up so I can make a DVD sometime, I hope.

Thanks,

Gregory K

babgvant:

I'll have a look.  I don't think AVI has received much testing so there are probably issues.  FWIW I use MP4 and MKV for my conversions.

Hey,

I wanted to reply again, just as an update, letting you know that I tried to convert to another format...

I set the settings towards the MP4 container, with x264 and AAC sound at the same bitrate (for both)... and I tried to convert, and I still got the same error.

For now, I'm using a version of Nero that I just got... and I hope it will work for me; it takes forever though to convert... and the minimum b.r. for MPEG-4/AVC is 4000 KBPS... so it's uh slow.

The other option I might try if I want to, is to re-install MCEBuddy. But Nero works at least for now.

Last thing you should know, is when I am freshly creating an EDL in Toolbox, it scans but no commercials are recognized anymore... however, commercials are found when I scan through a GUI of any of the 3 analyzers. And you may want to know that this happens after being Tooled once or twice...

I get a file automatically with at least one span of commercials, normally before the last segment of the show... on all automatic processing. So, I originally process the whole recording with commericals to a tooled .dvr-ms, before continuing manually (Timecode Corrections, CC extraction, etc.)

Now, that I have problems currently, I just edit the once processed file in Nero 9... and export it to a file. I am discovering this just now, so I'll update you if that completes.

I just want to convert to x264 whether in AVI or MP4, to work with later... and what I can't get out of Nero is a low, but reasonable bitrate... cause most of these videos I want to burn to DVD (up to 2 hours) or DVD-DL (up to 4 hours).

So that's my situation right now... I do have one question though, if you know a little about resolutions. I want to put my video into a widescreen presentation to start with. I don't fool with HD yet, especially because we don't get much of that, and most of my programs are movies, sometimes TV shows, on basic cable channels - TNT for the most part.

I don't know what size to pick for my output file (between 720x480 resolution in 16:9 aspect, or 1280x720 which is a pre-marked widescreen video).

If you know the answer to that, a reply is more than welcome - with the answer as like a P.S. note, in the message. Other than that, just know that VideoEditor does not work for me or my computer.

I have Windows XP MCE 2005 (with SP3) as my main O.S., cause Vista has too many irritating features in general, but especially for Multimedia.

Glad you read this,

Gregory