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I tried the "-edl" flag on a few different files, and I was never able to get a playable output file.  I haven't had time to do a lot of testing, though.

Hecks:

In SA, you need to enable mplayer output, IIRC (don't have it installed right now).  In Comskip.ini (DVRMSToolbox\Applications folder), set output_edl=1.

-Hecks 

Yep, found that part. There is a section in ShowAnalayerConfiguration that pertains to mplayer. Unless I don't get how SA works I think those sections go with what application is calling SA. So since dbt is that caller I didn't think that would work.

Guess I should take it to the SA forum :) 

kingtone:

Yep, found that part. There is a section in ShowAnalayerConfiguration that pertains to mplayer. Unless I don't get how SA works I think those sections go with what application is calling SA. So since dbt is that caller I didn't think that would work.

Actually, if you turn this on it will also produce the edl output.  It doesn't matter what application is calling it.

Sorry everyone.  I forgot to test the edl functionality before I posted the last version.  It is definetly broken.  I'll work on it.

Other than the edl problem, is it at least converting the shows correctly now?

jelwood:

Sorry everyone.  I forgot to test the edl functionality before I posted the last version.  It is definetly broken.  I'll work on it.

Other than the edl problem, is it at least converting the shows correctly now?

So for, so good for me. I'm planning on throwing some more shows at it tonight and testing with my Archos portable player.

I'll report back 

Hey, great job, fellas!  :)

I downloaded the latest and installed, and the command line I used below works great from command line.

______________________________________

mencoder "Inputfile.dvr-ms" -vf expand=:::::4/3,scale=720:480 -ofps 29.97 -ovc lavc  -lavcopts vcodec=xvid:vqscale=4:threads=2 -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=128 -o "outputfile.avi"

Like I said, using this, naming my DVRMS file "Input file.dvr-ms" worked great, but I'd love to do this from DVR-MS Toolbox so I can process a bunch of shows in batch...

When I try creating a profile that simply uses RunExternal for this app, and put in these args, this is what the output gives me.

Setting Priority = BelowNormal
FileName = E:\Mencoder\Scrubs - His Story II.dvr-ms
InputFile=E:\Mencoder\Scrubs - His Story II.dvr-ms
Processing actions, this may take some time!!
Testing "renamd"
Testing "r2"
"r2" is a match.
Profile = mencoderstuff
ProcessId = 3016
Run V:\Users\Williams\Desktop\Mencoder\mencoder.exe "Inputfile.dvr-ms" -vf expand=:::::4/3,scale=720:480 -ofps 29.97 -ovc lavc  -lavcopts vcodec=xvid:vqscale=4:threads=2 -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=128 -o "outputfile.avi"
MEncoder dev-SVN-r22280-3.4.4 (C) 2000-2006 MPlayer Team
CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz (Family: 15, Model: 2, Stepping: 9)
CPUflags: Type: 15 MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled with runtime CPU detection.

Exiting...

Duration = 00:00:05.1295545
Total Duration = 00:00:05.1354135

 ___________________________________________

Anyway, that's what it is giving me. Do I need to set up something different? I appreciate any advice y'all can give me, you guys rock.

Jake

Anyway, that's what it is giving me. Do I need to set up something different? I appreciate any advice y'all can give me, you guys rock.

Jake

 

It's actually a lot easier if you create a batch file (call it, say, "C:\encode.bat") that just contains the following:

@echo off 

V:\Users\Williams\Desktop\Mencoder\mencoder.exe "%1" -vf expand=:::::4/3,scale=720:480 -ofps 29.97 -ovc lavc  -lavcopts vcodec=xvid:vqscale=4:threads=2 -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=128 -o "%2"

Then make a DTb profile that runs C:\encode.bat with these parameters (strictly in this order):

"%InputFile%" "%OutputFile%" >C:\encodelog.txt 2>&1

This way, you can easily edit your encode.bat file when you need to change your encode settings, and you'll have a log file to check later for errors.  You can pass different parameters to it to change your settings (up to 10 parameters can be passed to a batch file).  This is very helpful for 2-pass encoding (which is a must with mencoder, I feel).  Finally, it's helpful to set profiles in the mencoder folder itself, and call these with the -profile parameter (look this up in the documentation) from DTb.

(Btw, the log file is optional)

-Hecks 

jakewill:

When I try creating a profile that simply uses RunExternal for this app, and put in these args, this is what the output gives me.

Hecks has some good advice.  You could also use the -quiet switch in the command line and it will work with RunExternal.

My tests so far are on standard def. content. I have a profile that is based on some of the original ones to cut the commercials. It still has an intermediary dvr-ms file but at least you don't have to go through mpg.

The outline is:

Cut commercials is set to skip the last section just so I'm not stuck somewhere with out the end of a show. However, the recent versions of SA seem to be pretty accurate in my tests so far. 

The run line reads: -quiet -lavdopts threads=2 "%CutDvrmsFile%" -vf expand=:::::4/3,scale=320:240 -ofps 29.97 -ovc lavc  -lavcopts vcodec=xvid:vqscale=4:threads=2 -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=128 -ffourcc DX50 -o "%OutputFile%.avi"

I've put the profile online here if anyone wants to try it: http://www.techlifeweb.com/download/cutcommmakexvid.zip

I have been testing the output on my Archos Gmini and so far no issues.
 

-Scott 

kingtone:

My tests so far are on standard def. content. I have a profile that is based on some of the original ones to cut the commercials. It still has an intermediary dvr-ms file but at least you don't have to go through mpg.

The outline is:

Cut commercials is set to skip the last section just so I'm not stuck somewhere with out the end of a show. However, the recent versions of SA seem to be pretty accurate in my tests so far. 

The run line reads: -quiet -lavdopts threads=2 "%CutDvrmsFile%" -vf expand=:::::4/3,scale=320:240 -ofps 29.97 -ovc lavc  -lavcopts vcodec=xvid:vqscale=4:threads=2 -oac mp3lame -lameopts abr:br=128 -ffourcc DX50 -o "%OutputFile%.avi"

I've put the profile online here if anyone wants to try it: http://www.techlifeweb.com/download/cutcommmakexvid.zip

I have been testing the output on my Archos Gmini and so far no issues.
 

-Scott 

This information is great!  Thanks you for sharing, I think it will really help others.

I'm still working on the -edl support for the next revision.  When it's complete we'll be able to remove the action "Cut Commercials out of DVR-MS file".

Thanks again

Hecks:

Finally, it's helpful to set profiles in the mencoder folder itself, and call these with the -profile parameter (look this up in the documentation) from DTb.

Would anyone be willing to publish a little information about the Mencoder -profile switch (other than what's in the man page)?  Maybe some examples that you are using today?  I think this is a powerful feature of Mencoder and it should really benifit others if we put together some nice examples.

jelwood:

Would anyone be willing to publish a little information about the Mencoder -profile switch (other than what's in the man page)?  Maybe some examples that you are using today?  I think this is a powerful feature of Mencoder and it should really benifit others if we put together some nice examples.

This page on the gentoo wiki is high on my bookmark list. It is a nice intro to Mencoder and has a nice summary of Profiles.

http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Mencoder_Introduction_Guide#Profiles 

I hadn't really though of using a mencoder profile before but that is a nice idea. 

jelwood:

Would anyone be willing to publish a little information about the Mencoder -profile switch (other than what's in the man page)?  Maybe some examples that you are using today?  I think this is a powerful feature of Mencoder and it should really benifit others if we put together some nice examples.

To summarise briefly, the mencoder profile information should be entered in a file named "mencoder.conf", and stored in the "mplayer" subfolder of the mencoder.exe folder, e.g. "C:\Program Files\mplayer\mplayer\mencoder.conf".  Profiles are defined by labels wiithin square brackets, e.g [profile1], switches are placed on a line each, use # to comment out lines.  Profiles can also be nested within profiles using the 'profile=' switch (helps to avoid duplication).

Here's an example of how the contents of mencoder.conf may look, with an audio profile nested within a profile for single-pass encoding of dvr-ms to XviD:

-----------------

#MENCODER configuration

[lameaudio]
profile-desc="Lame Audio"
oac=mp3lame=yes
srate=48000
lameopts=abr=yes:br=128

[dvrms2xvid]
profile-desc="Convert DVRMS to XviD"
profile=lameaudio
quiet=yes
demuxer=35
sws=2
vfm=ffmpeg
vf=pp=md,scale=624:352
ovc=xvid=yes
xvidencopts=threads=2:bitrate=900:vhq=1:max_bframes=2
lavdopts=threads=2
noodml=yes
# forceidx=yes
ffourcc=DX50

----------------------------

This profile can be called from DTb with the following RunExternal parameters:

"%InputFile%" -profile drvms2xvid -o "%OutputFile%"

It's really that easy. Only a couple of extra steps, and you can have proper 2-pass encoding: set up profiles for the first and second (or Nth) passes (using the vpass=1/2/3 switch), then call each in turn from DTb.  For best first pass vs second pass settings, it's best to read the mencoder documentation, and experiment (basically, the first can be quicker). :)

-Hecks

Edit: when you're experimenting, the -endpos and -ss switches are your friends:  '-endpos 60' will just encode the first minute of the file, '-ss 10:00 -endpos 60' will encode from from the 10 min mark to the 11 min mark, '-ss 1:00:00 -endpos 10mb' will encode only 10 MB from the 1hr mark.