andy vt's tools & blog

Asadd:

It works for various file formats.  The version out now uses MEncoder to covert mpg, avi and NOW thanks to you dvr-ms into wmv for playback.  The reason I wanted DVR-MS support that you now provide is that I can use it for my original xbox instead of shelling out a min of $300 for another 360.  All I have been doing is replacing the files you provide with the ones that are used for transcode 360.  I now have DVR-MS HD support that allows me to watch recorded HD TV on my box. I can upload the script file for Transcode 360 later tonight.  I opened it up in notepad, though I know nothing about programing so the various profiles you all are creating seem foreign to me =(

I looked at the Transcode 360 web site and it looks like they are actually converting the files to MPG, not WMV.  If this is true, then I think the fps change I made to help our conversions to MPG is stepping on some of the Transcode 360 settings.  Anyway, please try this version below and let me know if this works (this is Mencoder Version 9).

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=E22Y82PG

Here is the link to a file that I believe that Transcode 360 uses to encode files with MEncoder...I uploaded it for you to look at.  Thanks for all your help.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MQ1APM1T

Update:  Version 9 didn't help with the AV out of sync.  The Video is ahead of the audio.

Asadd:

Your excellent work can rejuvenate many old Xbox's for use of streaming using the Windows Media Center.  If only we could speed up the FPS a bit while lowering the stream enough to get it to work with the original xbox in a better way.  Your version 7 seems to work the best for me.  It would be cool if someone could get MEncoder to stream a live show kinda like Webguide 4 does only its like a second or two off but that isnt a big deal...I get some slow FPS with MEncoder 7.  It's not too bad but it is noticeable but beggers and non-programers cant ......

I looked at your script and below is the command line they are using:

mencoder -delay 0.2 -oac lavc -srate 48000 -af lavcresample=48000 -of mpeg -mpegopts format=dvd -o "output.360" -ovc lavc -vf scale=368:272,expand=368:272,harddup -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg2video:vrc_buf_size=1835:keyint=15:vrc_maxrate=8000:vbitrate=4000:aspect=4/3:acodec=mp2:abitrate=192 -ofps 24000/1001 "Input File"

I don't understand why they are using "-delay 0.2", it seems like this would be causing AV sync issues with quite a few files.  However, it isn't what's causing your problem.  The problem is with the parameter "keyint=15".  This parameter tells Mencoder to make every 15th frame a key frame.  It looks like there is a bug in this function with the current Mencoder source code.  If you don't use this parameter, the AC sync will be fine.  I'll report it to the MPlayer decelopers and see if we can get it fixed (I don't understand what they are doing in the section of code, so it would take me far to long to figure it out and come up with a fix).  So, the good news is this problem doesn't have anything to do with the dvr-ms changes we made - however, since it isn't my code causing the problem, I'll have to rely on someone else to fix it.  For now if you are using Transcode 360, I recommend you stay with Version 7.

Now, above you said that Version 7 is giving you slow fps.  Can you explain what you mean a little more?  Do you mean that it's extreamly slow at converting the files?  Is this with Trancode 360, or using the profiles I created?  Mencoder is going to be highly dependant on the speed of your machine, so what type of machine do you have?  If you are refering to the fps of the encoding file is slow (like it's only encoded to 24 fps), then that has to do with the settings in Trancode 360.  Notice in the transcode 360 command line above, they forced the fps to 23.97.  Now it won't do this for all files, they have a variable system where they force the fps to be 23.97 up to 30.  Of course, that is still telling mencoder to drop quite a few frames from some ATSC shows because some ATSC shows can be 59.94 fps.  I'm sure they have to do this becuse the V1 extenders can't handle 59.94 fps.

jelwood:

Asadd:

Your excellent work can rejuvenate many old Xbox's for use of streaming using the Windows Media Center.  If only we could speed up the FPS a bit while lowering the stream enough to get it to work with the original xbox in a better way.  Your version 7 seems to work the best for me.  It would be cool if someone could get MEncoder to stream a live show kinda like Webguide 4 does only its like a second or two off but that isnt a big deal...I get some slow FPS with MEncoder 7.  It's not too bad but it is noticeable but beggers and non-programers cant ......

I looked at your script and below is the command line they are using:

mencoder -delay 0.2 -oac lavc -srate 48000 -af lavcresample=48000 -of mpeg -mpegopts format=dvd -o "output.360" -ovc lavc -vf scale=368:272,expand=368:272,harddup -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg2video:vrc_buf_size=1835:keyint=15:vrc_maxrate=8000:vbitrate=4000:aspect=4/3:acodec=mp2:abitrate=192 -ofps 24000/1001 "Input File"

I think I found the problem.  I did my best to fix the bug myself, however, please keep in mind that I don’t know this section of the code, and the Mencoder developers haven’t “blessed” this fix.  Anyway, try it and see if this works better for you.

This is the link to Mencoder Version 10.  http://babgvant.com/files/folders/misc/entry3412.aspx

Also, what version of Transcode 360 are you using for HD dvr-ms support?  I might download it and try it out.

Here is the link to the page where you can download it for WCE 2005...

http://runtime360.com/projects/transcode-360/transcode-360-download

The new file works great.  I think the quality of video is not as good as I'd like it because of what you said.  The fps seem kind of low, a couple of more frames would be nice.  A person can watch kind of "live" HD tv on a V1 extender if they add the Recorded TV directory to "Videos", then find the file that was just created by recording what they wish to watch and transcode it.  I have a HD Homerun and it works great.  This method can be used with the HD STB's too if one uses Time Moores stuff.  Find the file and transcode it.  We still wont get HBO in HD transcoded but it's a start.

Asadd,

Just getting back the encode to a size thing as far as I know there's no way that mencoder can do this.  I do know though that there is a command line switch (possibly for mplayer), that will suggest a target bitrate based on the video to achieve a given size.  I don't know how accurate it is though and I can't remember how to get to it off the top of my head.  The mplayer documentation should tell you.

Other than that manual calulation is the only other way.  It's not hard to do though and the mplayer -identify switch can be used to get the length of a clip to use in calcs etc.

Cheers,

Arkay. 

Edit:  Just found some doco of the suggested rates and it looks like it's only for DVD encoding. Looks like manual bitrate setting is the only way.

Is anyone interested in a thread dedicated to mencoder profiles?  That would help keep this thread dedicated to getting the tool to work (which it seems to do fantastically for me), but it would also help people trying to get started by collecting various profiles in one place.

onlydarksets:

Is anyone interested in a thread dedicated to mencoder profiles?  That would help keep this thread dedicated to getting the tool to work (which it seems to do fantastically for me), but it would also help people trying to get started by collecting various profiles in one place.

I think this is a great idea.  This thread is too long for users to go through and try to get information (plus, some of the information at the beginning of the thread isn't accurate anylonger).  I think it would be great if you started that thread.  Also, if there are profiles that we should add to the default distribution, please post them and I'll add them.  When creating profiles, please make sure you include two special comment lines.

Both of these comments will be used with the Dtb GUI.  The first line just tells Dtb the extension to use.  Dtb will use the second line to pass the Video Filter switch.  It will fill-in the {0} with the H-res the user configures in the GUI.

Thank you for doing this.  I've been spending all of my free time working on the ffmpeg code, so I haven't had anytime to document Mencoder.  ffmpeg is SLOWLY coming along.  When I have something that looks pretty good, I'll start a new thread for those that would like to help test it.

Arkay:

Asadd,

Just getting back the encode to a size thing as far as I know there's no way that mencoder can do this.  I do know though that there is a command line switch (possibly for mplayer), that will suggest a target bitrate based on the video to achieve a given size.  I don't know how accurate it is though and I can't remember how to get to it off the top of my head.  The mplayer documentation should tell you.

Other than that manual calulation is the only other way.  It's not hard to do though and the mplayer -identify switch can be used to get the length of a clip to use in calcs etc.

Cheers,

Arkay. 

Edit:  Just found some doco of the suggested rates and it looks like it's only for DVD encoding. Looks like manual bitrate setting is the only way.

You can find the VideoHelp Bitrate Calculator here: http://www.videohelp.com/calc.  And the basic formula from the site:

Manually calculate the bitrate
The basic bitrate formula is

(Size - (Audio x Length )) / Length = Video bitrate L = Lenght of the whole movie in seconds
S = Size you like to use in KB (note 700 MB x 1024° = 716 800 KB)
A = Audio bitrate in KB/s (note 224 kbit/s = 224 / 8° = 28 KB/s)
V = Video bitrate in KB/s, to get kbit/s multiply with 8°.

°8 bit = 1 byte.
°1024 = 1 kilo in the computer world.

Example
90 minutes video, L = 90 x 60 = 5 400 seconds
700 MB CD but be sure that if fits use a bit lower like 695 MB, S = 695 x 1024 = 711 680 KB
Audio bitrate, A = 224 kbit/s / 8 = 28 KB/s

(711 680 - (5400 x 28) ) / 5400 = 104 KB/s x 8° = 830 kbit/s.

I am having an issue - I wish I could be more specific. I record 2 shows every weekday and convert them for the morning,

Since I upgraded to version 10 - one of the shows drops about 7-8 minutes of video and sync is off. And it does it consistently.

The other show (the second one I record) is fine. Any ideas?
(I guess I should go back to version 8? - if so where can I find it?)

mencoder %1 -idx -noodml -ofps 18 -vf pp=ci,scale=320:-2,expand=:240:::1,crop=320:240,rotate=1 -ovc lavc -xvidencopts max_bframes=0:nogmc:noqpel:fixed_quant=4:threads=2:nopacked  -ffourcc XVID -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=400:vmax_b_frames=0:vhq -sws 9 -srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128:mode=0 -o %2
 

zepperdude:

I am having an issue - I wish I could be more specific. I record 2 shows every weekday and convert them for the morning,

Since I upgraded to version 10 - one of the shows drops about 7-8 minutes of video and sync is off. And it does it consistently.

The other show (the second one I record) is fine. Any ideas?
(I guess I should go back to version 8? - if so where can I find it?)

mencoder %1 -idx -noodml -ofps 18 -vf pp=ci,scale=320:-2,expand=:240:::1,crop=320:240,rotate=1 -ovc lavc -xvidencopts max_bframes=0:nogmc:noqpel:fixed_quant=4:threads=2:nopacked  -ffourcc XVID -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=400:vmax_b_frames=0:vhq -sws 9 -srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128:mode=0 -o %2

My guess is there is something in your command line that is throwing it off because you are manipulating a lot of things in this command line.  Also, there are some conflicting switches in this command line (for example you specified the video encoder to be lavc with “ –ovc lavc” but you are specifying the xvid encoder options with “–xvidenopts”).  Can you start by using one of the profiles I shipped with Version 10?  If that works, then we know it is something in your command line causing the problem and you can just add things to the command line one at a time until you see the statement causing the issue.

Also, I noticed that you are encoding to a really low quality setting - my guess is you are encoding for some portable device.  However, you also are using the –noodml option.  I highly doubt your AVI file would be over 2GB with these settings so I wouldn’t use this option (it can cause AV sync issues sometimes).

One last thing…  Why are you forcing the index to be rebuilt with the –idx switch?  Did you have a problem where the index wasn’t being built correctly?  We’ve done a lot of work in this area to overcome errors in the original dvr-ms files.  If you have a sample where we aren’t recovering from the errors and automatically adjusting the index, I’d like to see that sample so we can work on our logic to automatically adjust it.

Hope this helps…

Sorry - just took some existing command lines and merged together till it worked. Guess that was kind of silly.

Not at home now but does this one make more sense?

mencoder %1 -ofps 18 -vf pp=lb,scale=320:-2,expand=:240:::1,crop=320:240,rotate=1 -ovc xvid -xvidencopts max_bframes=0:vhq=3:nogmc:noqpel:bitrate=384:threads=2:nopacked:curve_compression_high=40 -ffourcc XVID -sws 9 -srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128:mode=0 -o %2

zepperdude:

Sorry - just took some existing command lines and merged together till it worked. Guess that was kind of silly.

Not at home now but does this one make more sense?

mencoder %1 -ofps 18 -vf pp=lb,scale=320:-2,expand=:240:::1,crop=320:240,rotate=1 -ovc xvid -xvidencopts max_bframes=0:vhq=3:nogmc:noqpel:bitrate=384:threads=2:nopacked:curve_compression_high=40 -ffourcc XVID -sws 9 -srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128:mode=0 -o %2

I don’t see any obvious errors in this command line.  Hopefully it will work better for you.  If not, try eliminating one switch at a time until you find the piece that is causing the problem.  Then let me know what switch is causing the issue and I’ll see if I can fix it.

I tried the new command line and it seems to have fixed that particular show issue. Sound sync is still hit and miss - of by like 1/2 second at the beginning of the video - then cleans up - then goes out of sync - then comes back  etc ...

 Anytime I try on small sample like I could send you sync seems fine. Too bad I couldn't upload a full 1/2 hour show ...