frameserving problems

[shion]

Hi
I am using the following programs
Flask Mpeg XiS 3.0e
Nandub 1.0rc2
AVIsynth v1.0beta
Premiere Video Server Plugin v.93
I am using the above programs the frameserve to nandub
but when i start my first pass in nandub
it comes up saying
unsupported video format can
someone help me

[Enchanter]

I wouldn't recommend the use of Flask as a frameserver. It worked for me though, but was very awkward to use.

Install GordianKnot instead. You can hardly go wrong with a correct installation of GK. It is a much better framserver.

[shion]

Oh so is GK
actually just a frame server?
can u change aspect ratio in it
becuase i like the easy cropping and changing of aspect ratio
with flask thats why i was trying to frameserve with it
thanx for the costant help you have given me enchanter

[shion]

actually can you
just tell me how to frameserve
in flask (resolve my problem)
becuase i really like the
cropping and changing the
aspect ratio in it

[Enchanter]

This is the guide that I used, though you're likely to have read it as well: http://nickyguides.digital-digest.com/frameserve-flask.htm

I did not have any trouble following and carrying out the steps outlined in the guide. If your problem arises despite having followed this step, I would really have no idea on how to correct it.

Let me try to convince you to move away again. :) Using Flask as a frameserver is very much like trying to do recordings with cassette tapes. You have to 'rewind' Flask to the beginning again when you want to redo the encoding. And if Flask fails in the middle of the process, your whole procedure is up in smoke and you're back on square one. This is not the case with the other frameserve methods (vFAPI & Avisynth), where they have proven themselves stable and much faster.

To be able to play around with the cropping & aspect ratio, virtualdub filters can do the same thing and with much better versatility. With Null Transform, you can specify the croppings while also scrolling from frames to frames to see how the cropping goes. With Resizer (or Smart Resizer), you can specify the horizontal and vertical resolutions, while making sure that the horizontal to vertical ratio conforms to the aspect ratio of the specific movie you're working on.

Another BIG problem with Flask. If you're working on 3:2 pulldown material (FILM -> NTSC), Flask makes it virtually (or almost) impossible to remove the interlacing artifacts. This is not the case with the alternative frameservers.

Give GK a try and once you are familiar with it, you will find no reason to go back to Flask as a frameserver.

[shion]

thanx again
i totally agree
Flask isnt good at all
It is good to just understand the terms
and to get a vague idea of what kind of movies take up lots of space
and hard to compress
etc.
can
the link that you gave me
i looked at the exact same thing
and it dosent work
so i have no idea
I will consider moving
to GK
can you tell me where i can get filters
or information about nandub filters
thanx for the help

[Enchanter]

http://www.virtualdub.org/virtualdub_filters

Have fun! :) These things are much better to play around with than Flask.

p.s. Most of the basic filters you need (Crop & Resize) will already be included in the original installation of nandub/Virtualdub.

[shion]

thanx for all the help
i think now i can do it
over the weekend
i will finish
and come with a div-x that i will be proud of
thanx a million enchanter without you
i would be lost
and it is nice to know some one
who is into anime

[Enchanter]

Glad I can help. By the way, I am an anime freak. :evilaugh:

p.s. Have you got this Rahxephon opening song (Hemisphere)? It has some funny problems with Live! cards. :eek:

[shion]

sorry to ask you again but
i need help
1.what filter does changing aspect ratio
2. which order should i do these
cropping
subtitles
changing aspect ratio
resizing
thanx

[Enchanter]

Order:
1. Cropping (Use Null Transform -> Cropping)
2. Resizer (Input the horizontal and Vertical resolutions so that they match the aspect ratio of the movie. Most anime episodes, except Vandread and a few others, use an aspect ratio of 4:3 and hence 640x480, 512x384, etc, will work well. Just remember that they have to be multiples of16)
3. Subtitles (Vobsub does it perfectly and even better than Flask)

[shion]

thanx for da hell of the help you have given me
must try now
thanx a lot

[shion]

sorry but
how do i frameserve with GKnot
i dont have it yet
so i just want to have an idea of what i am goin 2 do

[Enchanter]

Download and install GK into a folder of your own choosing. Make sure you install the Avisynth plugin included, as this is an integral part of frameserving.

Create a DVD2AVI project file (.d2v) with DVD2AVI. Open the .d2v file in GK.

You will have to play around the GK settings to really know what to do. It's a long story to write down here, but truly, I found GK to be very easy to use and understand. You should too. Just spend some time on it.

p.s. You are basically using GK to create an .avs file, which Virtual/nandub can open and treat like a video file, which in turn can be 'encoded' into an AVI file.

[shion]

oh so you use GK to make an .avs
then use nandub open it
first pass
then second pass with all of the filters
so do u actually encode with GK
or do you use it just to get the .avs file?

[Enchanter]

Just use it to create the .avs file. If you're really adept at .avs script writing, you can forgo GK and make one on your own instead. :) A normal text editor, like Notepad, is sufficient.

[shion]

nah i am not that crazy
thanx a lot

[Enchanter]

You don't have to be crazy to do that. :) It's very simple really. Just a few lines. The problem is you need to be sure of the commands and parameters to use. It's not as easy as the WYSIWYG programs around. :)

[shion]

how the hell i am suppose to
framserve with GKnot
i have no idea
i know the setup
but
what do i do?

[Enchanter]

Eh? What exactly is the problem?

You don't frameserve with GK. It is only meant to create .avs file, with which you framserve. :)

[shion]

how do i create the .avs file
cant find it anywhere

[shion]

found it sorry
it was in an obvious place

[Enchanter]

Uhh....I did write an explanation earlier in another thread. Can't find it though. :smashead:

I'll lead you to the other framserving method instead. Use vFAPI and create a fake AVI. This file is, for our purposes, similar to the .avs file created. Open it in virtual/nandub, apply the required filters and start encoding. :)

p.s. Nothing wrong with GK. Just don't feel like retyping something long on the same day. :)

[Enchanter]

Great! I found it. :)


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Anyone know a simple guide to use Gknot?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I've not personally read any guide for GK, but it's easy enough to understand. Basically, you install GK and open up a DVD2AVI (.d2v) project file. From there, you can set the resolution & cropping of the original movie clip. In the dialog, where you can see a scene from the movie and where you can see the button Save & Encode, press the afore-mentioned button and you'll be taken into another dialog where you can set what settings go into the Avisynth script file (.avs). Save & encode to make the .avs file and start the encoding straight away. Otherwise, just use Save to create the .avs file.


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) How do you create a DivX file from a Vob using Nandub?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Open the .avs file using Nandub. I trust you can or have read the guides for nandub on your own.

[shion]

thanx
I have started encoding now
it is easy to get it
into the 70Mb bracket if i just cut out
the opening and ending
(the staff role since it is scrolling fast
takes up lots of space considering its length)

[Enchanter]

Exactly. :) The only episodes of a series that I allow to have the opening and ending are only the first and the last ones. The rest simply have the main story line. This way I can assign higher bitrate to the shorter episodes and hence gain more on quality.

##

I was thinking of this too. Keep sending in the messages for this thread and with any luck, it'll make it to a fourth page. We hardly see any threads that ever make it that way.

##

Apparently I was thinking this was the Ultimate Quality thread. Forget I mentioned it.

[shion]

becuase of all your help
i have made it
4 episodes only 280Mb (65-70Mb each)
and not bad quality at all
minor macroblocks when changing from
slow motion to fast motion
and i made the opening and ending separately
and i wanted to make it good quality
but i went a bit overboard and
made them 30Mb together
opening and ending
but who cares i can fit 9 episodes
with all codecs and div-x player
and the opening and ending on one CD
:) i am so happy
it took me so long to get here
about 2 moths actually
but when i watch it it is all worth it
Nandub is seriously the best
I mean it can make medium quality medium size
to hight quality high size
to minor qulity minor size
but sometimes
good quliaty medium size
and normal quality minor size
it is such a great program
you get so much control over the .avi files
i am so happy
thanx for all the help enchanter

[Enchanter]

Pleasure to help you, especially when it comes to working with anime. :angelgrn:

p.s. Did UncasMS change anything else with my previous post, paart from adding #s? :)

[shion]

?

[shion]

Hey Enchanter
what kind of settings did you put
on for Nandub
for the 50Mb bracket
I think my settings are a bit crazy
they do work
but i just want to know if there are better settings

[Enchanter]

I don't rip my episodes into 50MB files, as I have always preferred HQ rips. What sort of setting do you mean? The bitrate will be around 250-350 definitely and audio has to be at a lower bitrate (56 or 64kbps). However, in the case of LQ rips, I usually use 4.12 codec instead. It seems to me that this codec can handle low bitrate more comfortably, though I won't say by much. :)

What sort of settings do you use anyway?

[shion]

As I said my settings i think are a bit crazy
it is as follows
Nandub
3.11
bitrate 400 keyframe interval 1 sec
minimum allowed bitrate 0 in ternal SCD 100 Space Kf 24
antifreeze
motion based curve modulation 0%
symetric 20%
high pass 0
Low pass 400
bias
smoother 1%
span 8 frames
sensitivity 3 blocks
motion based DLL switch (full cranked to the right 300)
crispness modulation 30%
playback delay 45 sec
Gauge min 30% start 35% max 35%
hacks KFboost 2% freeze 0%
compression levels DRF min 2 max 8( other defaults)
thats about all

[Enchanter]

I see a few things worth changing and do actually need to changed:
1. Keyframe interval: set to a higher value, preferably 9999 seconds. Let nandub choose where to put keyframes.
2. Min allowed bitrate: Not so important here, but I would put at least 100 here. The same goes for High-pass.
3. Max gauge: 70-80%
4. Low-pass: Just use the default 6000. Your current setting won't allow nandub to go beyond 400 and that's probably why your fast-motion scenes look like ****.
5. Payback delay: I tend to use the maximum of 120 seconds, which is an even better idea with your low-bitrate condition.
6. The rest: The default settings look fine.

[shion]

thanx man i wil try that
would those changes
make significant changes?
and should i consider using VBR Mp3
than CBR?

[Enchanter]

Those values will give significant changes, so much that you will probably have to lower your bitrate to 250-350.

[shion]

significant changes?
is that in quality (incerase)
and size (increase)
i think you mean both goin up significanlty
but that would still give me around 50- 60 wont it?

[Enchanter]

There will be an increase in filesize (expected normally) and in quality (significantly, I'm sure), though you will have to use a lower bitrate to stay within the 50MB boundary.

[shion]

i dont really mind if it even goes into the 60-70 mb boundary
around 9-10 epsiodes a CD is good enough so i can
fit on the 3rd disc 6 episodes and the movie

[Enchanter]

Sounds good. :) Experiment around with the settings until you find which suits your needs. Good luck. :angelgrn:

[shion]

hey we have gone 2 da 3rd page
what kind of anime have you encoded?

[shion]

enchanter do u know how to
add a picture at the front of an anime?
(and keep it there for a few seconds)

[Enchanter]

I got what you mean. Hmm...I was thinking of asking that to one anime encoder, but I haven't got the chance yet. I would guess that you need to make that short clip separately using a video creator, making sure that it is compressed using the same codec (as your anime clip) and at the same resolution.

Honestly, I don't like this method of putting your name that way. I tend to cut it out before saving it permanently on CD. Putting a logo blended subtly on one corner (usually on the top right-hand corner) is a better idea. I've not tried this filter before, but you could give it a try and tell me how it goes. :) :http://sauron.mordor.net/dgraft/logo.html

[shion]

sorry enchnater
but i dont like putting in logos
it is annoying
for me and other people who watch it
i will just put a tag on it