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Trying to convert dvr-ms files to ipod. Thought I followed the instructions in the 'transcoding to ipod' but I only see (1) of the (3) profiles. If I open the profiles folder I can see all (3). Posted the output. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Still trying to fingure things out.

InputFile=C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Test.dvr-ms
Processing actions, this may take some time!!
Profile = export_to_ipod_mencoder
ProcessId = 500
DvrmsToolbox Version: 1.1.0.6
Throttle DVRMStoMPEG
FWThrottle: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Test.dvr-ms
Waiting to process file
Queue file
Duration = 00:00:01.0156250
Waiting to process...
Processing now...
Get the value of Context["OutputFile"] and set the value of Context["OutputFile"]
Context["OutputFile"] = C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\test.mpg
Context["OutputFile"] = C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\test.mpg
Duration = 00:00:00.0625000
Run Mencoder
Could not locate profile: H.264/AAC MP4 for IPod - After this, use ffmpeg to re-mux into MP4
Action did not complete successfully
Total Duration = 00:00:01.2031250

This is a problem I've been running into with the profiles. If you take a profile from one version of DTb, it may or may not load in a different version. I develop the pacakage on the Vista codebase, and test them on a spare XP box to see if they load in DTb XP. The current profiles were saved from 1.2.0.9 EA, which is much newer than 1.1.0.6.  (Profiles saved from 1.2.0.7 did not load. If I recreated them in 1.1.0.6, they loaded on both. I think the 1.2.0.9 ones did, but I might be thinking of 1.2.0.8.)

In any case, I keep a snapshot of profiles created on 1.1.0.6 around: http://babgvant.com/forums/storage/5/5732/export_to_ipod_1106.zip
Put those in your profile folder. You may also need some other packages to get the profiles to work:

• The AVIVO profile requires AVIVO and ffdshow. See the wiki entry or forums for links to them.
• The mencoder profile requires the right mencoder.conf and ffmpeg.conf files. 1.2.0.8 and 1.2.0.9 have them, but 1.1.0.6 apparently doesn't. I removed them from the package .zip because any newer version of DTb will have them, and I'd like to avoid overwriting newer versions of those files. You'll find them attached to this post.
  
• The ffmpeg profile should just work, as long as it can be loaded by your version of DTb. Again, try the 1.1.0.6 profiles if you don't see it, and you might need the updated ffmpeg.conf.
  

I got the ffmpeg to ipod working but when I tried the mencoder this is what I got. Secondly, could you attatch the AVIVIO to ipod profile? I have AVIVO and ffdshow installed, but maybe I installed something in the wrong place.

 -----------------------------------------------------
InputFile=C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Test.dvr-ms
Processing actions, this may take some time!!
Profile = export_to_ipod_mencoder
ProcessId = 3668
DvrmsToolbox Version: 1.1.0.6
Throttle DVRMStoMPEG
FWThrottle: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Test.dvr-ms
Waiting to process file
Queue file
Duration = 00:00:01.0156250
Waiting to process...
Processing now...
Get the value of Context["OutputFile"] and set the value of Context["OutputFile"]
Context["OutputFile"] = C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Finished\mencoder.mpg
Context["OutputFile"] = C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Finished\mencoder.mpg
Duration = 00:00:00
Run Mencoder
Could not locate profile: H.264/AAC MP4
Action did not complete successfully
Total Duration = 00:00:01.0468750

Oops. The AVIVO profile isn't in the 1.1.0.6 zip because the machine I saved them from doesn't have AVIVO and the profile can't be created without it. Stick with ffmpeg, it seems to be the most reliable by far.

I personally use AVIVO, because it makes good use of quad-core, but to get it working properly on all content types requires very careful filter configuration.

I see others have gotten the AVIVO profile to load in 1.1.0.6. It could be that the profile saved from 1.2.0.8 would load on 1.1.0.6, but the 1.2.0.9 saved profile will not. I can't do much about incompatibility between the XP and Vista builds. The real solution to that would be a transition to something interchangeable like XML-based profiles vs. the binary format used currently.

Okay, what are your thoughts on the above mencoder output? Is ffmpeg still better than trying to configure the mencoder output?

Crap. The mencoder profile is failing because the mencoder.conf must have changed at some point. Go into the DTb settings app and edit the "Export to Ipod using Mencoder" profile. Edit the mencoder step and pick "x264/AAC" (I can't remember exactly what it's called, but there's only one) for 1st pass, and "None" for 2nd pass. That should fix it. While you're there, check the "Convert with ffmpeg" action in the profile and make sure it has "Remux to MP4" selected. If it's blank or incorrect, you might need an updated ffmpeg.conf (see the Wiki page for the link)

I still recommend ffmpeg over AVIVO or mencoder. AVIVO is great if you can get your Directshow filters to play nice. If you can't, or if there's file corruption, it will fail randomly. Mencoder is a great idea that needs some work. It eliminates the splicing step by using EDL, but the output needs to be remuxed by ffmpeg before the iPod will like it, so that adds a step.

In terms of speed: AVIVO by far. Mencoder should be faster than ffmpeg, because remuxing MP4 is much faster than splicing DVRMS. However, this may vary based on CPU and disk speed. If you can do the splice from one physical disk to another it really speeds things up. (Especially when the temp disk is a Raptor ;-) )

For ease of use: ffmpeg, no comparison.

For reliability: ffmpeg wins again. Mencoder is probably as reliable (provided the profile isn't broken!), but AVIVO definitely has some quirks.

maybe...

mencoder.conf should have this:

[x264IPod]
profile-desc="H.264/AAC MP4 for IPod - After this, use ffmpeg to re-mux into MP4"
lavdopts=threads=2
vf=pp=md,scale=320:-10,harddup
ovc=x264=yes
x264encopts=turbo=1:bitrate=384:vbv_maxrate=768:vbv_bufsize=244:nocabac:level_idc=13:threads=2
oac=faac=yes
faacopts=br=128:object=2:mpeg=4:raw=yes
of=lavf=yes
lavfopts=format=mp4
#DtbExtension=mp4
#dtbhres="-vf pp=md,scale={0}:-10,harddup"

I know the ipod profile in ffmpeg is good, but ffmepg.should also have this for mencoder output remuxing:

<profile>
   <name>Remux to MP4</name>
   <description>Remux into MP4 Container</description>
   <extension>mp4</extension>
   <video>-vcodec copy</video>
   <audio>-acodec copy</audio>
   <addswitch>-v 0</addswitch>
 </profile>

 maybe the settings in the DTb profile were wrong for menconder, i think i renamed the mencoder.conf profile at some point. I'll re-upload the export_to_ipod.zip with a profile I know works.

It is strange, I am having the same problems now.  I have upgraded to 1.1.0.7 and now can only see one of the profiles.  I have followed all of the steps listed above and no go. 

Any ideas?