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  • setarip
    Retired
    • Dec 2001
    • 24955

    To KlingoAgent

    Didn't want this crumbling cookie's response to you to get lost in the other thread."using the built-in BBMpeg plugin."

    Something tells me that this would seem to be the only place that your problem could be arising. I say this because I too continue to use Flask v.0.594(PX3) for file conversion - and in and of itself, it has never created any problems for me. However, (on those few occasions that I decided in advance that I wanted VCDs only and no AVIs) I've given up all hope of using the BBMPEG plugin as a means of creating MPEG1-VCD files because it is sooooooooooo slooooooow.

    For the sake of experiment:

    1) Why don't you create a DivX .AVI file with Flask and convert that, via TMPGEnc to an MPEG1-Video CD format - and then try the cutting.

    2) Try the LSX plugin with Flask
    " I will let you know of any success ". ;>}
    I'm counting on that ;>}
    Last edited by setarip; 20 Jan 2002, 06:09 PM.
  • KlingonAgent
    Junior Member
    Junior Member
    • Jan 2002
    • 14

    #2
    WoW!

    So little time to spend; so many software possibilities; so many options/versions/plugins/addons; so much to learn; so many tests to make..... "L-a-w-d Have Mercy!"

    I have to be careful, setarip, in what I do here - Flask is currently scrunching-up a Rolling Stones concert for me in the background (it's at 76% as I type this, and I don't want to 'blow-it' so-to-speak by running too much other stuff on my Pokey Lil' P-III-450).

    My only problem (which you have correctly identified) is that :

    a)I can't seem to produce an mpeg-1 vcd compliant file that will allow itself to be chopped-in half or otherwise edited in TMPEGEnc's merge/edit menu (my primary, and really, only concern), and ...

    b) allowing me to scan through it in WMP 6.4 (using the slider bar), without either program freezing.

    The vcd files I get, although perfectly burnable and playable on my standalone dvd player, force both programs to Stall (freeze) the moment I try to scan through them.

    I can *Play* them fine (using either program) so long as I don't touch any slider bars. It seems as though the .mpegs are acting like .avi files without any keyframes.

    (All I want/need to do is cut the buggers up so that I can fit them onto blank cds). I can, as I explained in that (other) post, DO this, but I have to let TMP play the file in real-time (a real pain) in order to mark the start/end points and make the necessary cuts.

    (WheW)

    Ok, as to the options you suggest.....

    a) Why [not] create a Divx.avi file with Flask and convert that via TMPEGEnc to [the] Mpeg-1 video cd format, and then try cutting.

    For two reasons my friend - it would take forever and completely negate any time saved over chopping them up in the presently-handicapped way I must, and also, I expect the resulting video quality would suffer with two seperate encoding processes.

    (These are just my guesses).

    Converting the original mpeg-2 to avi as you suggest, would (naturally) reduce image quality to the mpeg-4 level. (Still much better than standard vcd, sure), but then we're going to re-encode it again to an mpeg-1 anyway, right? Turning the .avi mpeg-4 into the required vcd mpeg-1 would create another (necessary) quality-loss.

    Analogy: It would kind-of be like taking an original music-cd audio.wav file, compressing it to an .mp3 file, then re-encoding the .mp3 into an .mp2 or .wma file. (Too much quality loss).

    Much better, I think, to go directly from mpeg-2 to mpeg-1 without the intervening mpeg-4 step.

    And as I mention, it would take *twice* as long to complete the two seperate processes. It's still much faster to chop up my files in the (slow) way I currently have to.

    And ....

    2) Try the LSX plugin with Flask.

    Now there's a thought. Perhaps LSX would give me a vcd file that wouldn't make TMP or WMP stall when trying to scan through it.

    I'm a poor (impoverished) tax-driver, setarip - really I can't afford any new software (right now at least). And demos of retail software are either handicapped or run out in 30 days. I just visited the Ligos website and looked at their LSX encoders, but didn't download anything.

    But I poked around for a bit elsewhere......

    From Mr. Doom9, I saw a new entry for my warhorse bbmpeg plugin - a *new* bbmpeg Flask-Plug-In-Able, version 1.24 beta 18. The "built-in bbmpeg plugin" I refer to seems to be the one that comes by default with Flask ver 0.594 (I don't know what the (PX3) version of Flask means), and when I use it, it doesn't report a version number. So I took a chance on the newer bbmpeg, which Doomy describes as the "latest beta, free MPEG-1/2 encoder".

    I put it in the Flask folder, renamed it to (i_forget_just_now).cm.flask, then fired up a second copy OF Flask. (Tricky to do - I'm already using a copy of Flask as I type this to compress that Stones' concert I mentioned earlier), and made a test mpeg-2 conversion with the new bbmpeg plugin. (Unlike the old "built-in" one, the new plugin *does* identify itself as version 1.24beta18).

    The new test mpeg looked *super!* (I just burned it), but alas, it *still* freezes up TMP if I try to edit/chop it up. And yes, WMP freezes too, if I touch it's slider bar.

    Oh poo, I'm still getting nice-looking vcd files that still stall TMP and WMP.

    And of course, there's another 1000 options I could try. (Who has the time?) I just downloaded 'Xmpeg 4.2a' from Doomy, who describes it as "Lastest FlaskMPEG derivitive, much faster than the original", but I don't dare install it right now while Flask is still busy with my Stone's concert. (You know? - I've actually had *four* concurrent copies of Flask running at the same time? Nothing crashed either - Yowser!)

    How many versions of Flask *are* there anyway? I never tried the 0.6 preview. Then, there's that 0.594 version which is apparently optimized for Intel computers (like my ol' P3-450) - haven't tried that one either, and now there seems to be yet another latest-&-greatest version coming out soon.

    As I've mentioned earlier, I also tried an alternative method - frameserving to TMP via dvd2avi, but I couldn't see any improvement in either speed or final video quality, and the vcd files produced still gagged TMP & WMP anyway.

    "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind" ...... (Bob Dylan)



    I know what has to be done, setarip. I must wait until *a-f-f-o-r-d-a-b-l-e * dvd-recordable drives come out, then just make straight mpeg-2 to mpeg-2 transfers. This'll piss the MPAA off to no end of course. (y-a-w-n).

    It'll be nice if the MPAA doesn't manage to force manufacturers to cripple the abilities of up-&-coming dvd-r drives to the point where they become almost useless to you & I.

    Much obliged for the chit-chat. Having finished my taxi-chores for the evening, I shall now go sob into a few (lots) of cold beers. (I'll save you some).

    Did you know? The more beer you drink, the better the vcd format looks?
    Last edited by KlingonAgent; 21 Jan 2002, 05:56 PM.

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    • setarip
      Retired
      • Dec 2001
      • 24955

      #3
      And that chicken with lips (Jagger) sounds even better ;>}

      Comment

      • KlingonAgent
        Junior Member
        Junior Member
        • Jan 2002
        • 14

        #4
        Mick's Lips

        Yeah, you could park a truck in between them, couldn't ya?

        Too bad they only allow small pictures in here, or else I'd send you the orig 1-1/2 meg bitmap, but I actually got f-i-v-e copies of Flask to run at the same time! .... (see file attachment).

        On that Rolling Stone's concert dvd, there are 5 short clips in the "bonus" section. I was able to process all 5 at the same time without crashing!

        (Have you *really* posted 1048 messages in here since registering last month ???) Awesome.

        Ta.
        Attached Files

        Comment

        • setarip
          Retired
          • Dec 2001
          • 24955

          #5
          Man, he gets uglier as he gets older (unlike some of us - sure)!

          "(Have you *really* posted 1048 messages in here since registering last month ???) Awesome."

          It's just so damned interesting... (Now it's 1,053)

          What are the specs of the box running 5 Flasks concurrently?

          Comment

          • KlingonAgent
            Junior Member
            Junior Member
            • Jan 2002
            • 14

            #6
            (???)

            "What are the specs of the box?"

            Heck, I dunno. <gg> What specs do you mean?

            Truly boring things:

            What I do : (Region 1 - NTSC)

            1) Smartripper - File Mode - Rip all chapters/vobs. Choose only the English audio track (usually marked 'AC3-6') - No Subs.

            2) Flask - Regardless of framerate reported, I choose 29.97 fps. Whether source is interlaced or not, doesn't seem to matter - I don't check the 'deinterlace' box. (saves time). Seems vcds are played back in interlaced mode anyway. Must specify total # of frames to encode (pain in ass) Example: 1 hour = 60 Mins = 3600 seconds x 30 (29.97 rounded off) = 108,000 frames to encode. Letterbox/no crop. Bi-Cubic resizing (bi-linear=blurrier picture).

            3) bbMPEG - only two settings necessary: choose 'VideoCD', and do not check either 'multiplex audio' or 'multiplex video'. I process the audio seperately, because Flask is notorius for weak (low volume) sound. Output will thus be "movie.m1v" and "movie.mp2"

            4) MMWave 2K - convert .mp2 file to .wav file.

            5) AudioGrabber - advanced audio processing - compress 100% (adjusting output to 98% of peak value just isn't enough). If needed, re-re-compress another 100%. Often, Flask outputs a sound file so weak it is (originally) only something like 34% of max volume). Final result: Same overall sound level as you would normally get from a standard, prerecorded vhs videocassette.

            6) tooLAME - (version something-or-other) - convert .wav back to .mp2.

            7) TMPEnc - Simple a/v multiplex - VideoCD setting.

            Voila! - One standard white-book vcd-compliant mpeg-1 file.

            8) - TMPEnc - sweat bullets trying to cut file in two. Many tears. Much frustration. Lotsa freezups. Finally get job done in 2 hours or so.

            9) Sony CDExtreme - Burn VCDs.

            10) Sanyo 7201 dvd player - Watch vcds.

            11) Labatts Blue - Celebrate. Drink beers. (Yay!)

            Does anyone out there use burning software other than Nero or Adaptec/Roxio ?

            Here's a screenshot of Sony CDExtreme burning the 2nd disc of that Stone's concert. (Which turned out perfectly, btw). The last 5 tracks are those short out-takes from the last screenshot in above message. 6 tracks in all - each will be individually accessible with the Sanyo's remote control - *much* more convienent than clicking a mouse at the desktop.

            Bye 4 now.
            Attached Files

            Comment

            • setarip
              Retired
              • Dec 2001
              • 24955

              #7
              I was referring to your computer...

              Comment

              • KlingonAgent
                Junior Member
                Junior Member
                • Jan 2002
                • 14

                #8
                Hi.

                The box is a bare-bones minimal system:

                Packard Bell Pentium III-450; 96 Megs Ram; a teensy little 10.1 Gig hard drive, 17-inch monitor, and a lot of faith.

                I'm using Win-98, but I also have Win XP Office which I'm *thinking* of trying out if either a) Win-98 crashes again, and/or b) I get a larger hard drive (which is inevitable).

                I'd have to say there's something amiss with my mpeg-1s, not TMP, that prevents them from being scannable/editable in the normal way. I don't think using another chopper (say, I-Edit) would make any difference, since not even WMP can scan them either. (Just play them).

                Odd too, that they burn just fine and play back on the standalone dvd without a hitch? Go figure, eh? [shrug]

                Hmmmm.... seems no one else uses Sony CDExtreme.

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