TMPGEnc cuts off the divx when encoding!!!

[Hoopbull]

At first I was having problems maintaining the widescrene view, but I figured out that I should set the option to "Center (keep aspect ratio)." However, when I do that, all the mpgs are cut off on the left and right sides. I have tried changing the source aspect ratio, but nothing seems to help. Can someone help? I am using the movie Usual Suspects:

NTSC
352x240
23.976 fps


Thanx

[setarip]

Have you tried using "16:9" settings under both "Advanced" and "Video"?

[Hoopbull]

For some reason, under settings, all the video options are greyed out.

[setarip]

Click on the "Load" radio button and select "Unlock.mcf".

Let us know of your success ;>}

[Hoopbull]

Ok, so I loaded the unlock.mcf, and when i did that, the encoding worked perfectly, accept, it was not compliant for a vcd, and nero said that the movie needed to be encoded again. I think that when you are not running the wizard on TMPGEnc, then you need to load "VideoCD 1246kbps (NTSCFilm).mcf," which makes the mpg compliant. But then the video setting become greyed out again, and the ratio is off again. Back to square one....


Thanx

[setarip]

Once you've run "Unlock.mcf", do the following:1) Load .AVI file into TMPGEnc
2) Set to "System Video and Audio" (lower right side)
3) Click on "Setting" radio button
4) Click on "System" tab, change mode to "MPEG1-VideoCD" (from default of "MPEG1")
5) Click on "Advanced" tab, change "Video arrange method" to "Center (Custom Size"), change dimensions to 352x288 or 352x240
6) Change "Source aspect ratio" to either "4:3 525 line (NTSC 704x480)", "4:3 525 line (NTSC)", or "16:9 525 line (NTSC)" - If you're in the PAL world choose either of the two similar PAL settings instead
7) Under the "Video" tab, change the dimensions to 352x288 or 352x240 (Note: "Video" tab mode of "MPEG1" is okay) - for highest quality set "Motion Search Precision" to "Highest Quality".
8) Change "Rate Control Mode" to "Automatic VBR (CQ_VBR)
9) Press "Start"

Note that if your video runs longer than 60 minutes, you'll have to subsequently split your VCD-MPG file in two. This too can be easily and precisely accomplished using TMPGEnc. Under the "Files" dropdown menu, click on "MPEG Tools" and select the "Merge & Cut" tab. Once again, make sure to change the mode to "MPEG1-Video CD". Load your file and enter a new (.MPG) name in the "Output file" box. Then doubleclick on the ORIGINAL file's name in the window, which will bring you to the cutting area. Select your desired start and end points for the first half, click on "Okay" which will bring you back to the first window and generate (in a sequence of three automated steps) the first new file. To create the second new file, repeat the steps starting with "Then doubleclick on the ORIGINAL..." (be extra patient with the second half, as the program has to do more seeking to establish the beginning of the new file)

[Hoopbull]

Ok, so I did all that, however, I have two more questions. You didn't specify under the video tab in setting if I should change the aspect ratio from 1:1 (VGA), but I think you might have said earlyer to change it to 16:9, which I did. My second question is how do you know if to set the dimensions to 352x288 or 352x240.


Hoop,


Thanx a lot for your time. I apreciate the help.

[Hoopbull]

Oh, one more thing, when I did it the way you told me to, the result is still a little off as far as aspect ratio is concerned. Now nero accepts the file, accept it seems as if the faces are sqished in from the right and lest, so they look long. Is it just expected that this will happen, or is there a way to avoid it? The avi I used this time is 560x224. Thanx


Hoop

[setarip]

"My second question is how do you know if to set the dimensions to 352x288 or 352x240."

Technically, 352x240 is for NTSC and 352x288 is for PAL - but I have no problem viewing 352x288 VCDs in my NTSC world.

"The avi I used this time is 560x224."

That file was created with the top and bottom black bars cropped off (in order to make for a smaller file). This changes the proportion of the video when it is converted to occupy a full television screen.

[Hoopbull]

IS there anything that I can do about the fact that the bars were cut off, or is this just something that I need to deal with?


Thank you

[setarip]

You could, with a bit of effort, add them back using VirtualDub...

[Hoopbull]

OK, so I did all that you told me to do, and now when I try and burn it with nero, it says, "Stream incoding is invalid for a VCD." When I tried burning it using another program, it told me that the, "video bitrate is not acceptible." Have I done something wrong?


Thanx

[Hoopbull]

Something interesting is that nero does not seem to have a problem with the uncut mpg. Its once I cut the mpg, that it gives me the error, however the other program still gives me the error on the uncut mpg. I used TMPGEnc to cut the file,


Hoop

[Hoopbull]

OK, so I figured it out, when I cut the file, I forgot to select the VCD property. However, when I played the vcd on my dvd player, it looked pretty crappy. The dimentions were all off. I think that I need to add the black lines, so I am going to use Panasonic MPEG1 Encoder. Do you suggest against that?


Hoop

[setarip]

As I said before, You could, with a bit of effort, add them back using VirtualDub...

If you're more familiar with the Panasonic encoder and it can perform the required task, by all means go for it...