Another option for encoding audio?

[Mpegger]

I've noticed on my system that DivX files with mp3 audio stream make my system unstable. It looks like its the mp3 audio in the avi file thats causing the problem. Not to mention a huge headache trying to interleave back into the finished DivX files with Virtual Dub (dont ask, I need to remove audio first, then interleave again).

Is there a better audio encoding method that wont require me to install a whole boat load of new drivers and codecs that I can use in Virtual Dub and DivX/avi files?

[setarip]

Not really. Using Uncompressed PCM (WAV) audio is really the only meaningful alternative - and that makes for huge filesize. On the upside, VirtualDub can readily handle .WAV audiostreams for interleaving.

Despite the fact that you said, "Don't ask..", I'll ask - why do you "
need to remove audio first, then interleave again"?

Which .MP3 codec do you have installed?

How have you determined that it's the .MP3 audio that's making your system unstable - and what is your definition of unstable?

[Mpegger]

I use Lame.dll file, not the codec that Virtual Dub can use. It gives me better control over the encoding process. I also run the audio through Cool Edit to reduce background noise and normalize the audio, since I capture video off tv (I dont bother with DVD to Anything conversions).

And the reason I've come to the conclusion that its the audio stream (or something thats part of it) causeing problems is cause when I playback a DivX file that has no audio, or regular uncompressed PCM audio, it plays fine (almost, but I'll leave that for another thread). But when I play one that has mp3 audio in it, it causes all kind of problems. From non-responsize windows and buttons in WMPlayer, and even the l2codecx.ax itself causes PowerDVD to crash. Also, for some strange reason, in certain DivX files if I try to start the file from a point close to the end, the audio goes WAY off sync. Yet, it plays back fine and in sync if I play the entire file through.

Maybe its the DivX codec (5.01), but other then the mp3 audio itself, I can't think of any other reason for the problems.

[Edit] Almost forgot. It sometimes causes wmp to totally freeze and only CTRL-ALT-DEL and closeing the frozen wmp will allow me to gain control of the system again.

[setarip]

"Maybe its the DivX codec (5.01)"

That's a much more likely explanation, since you're essentially a beta tester for that codec.

have you had any previous experience using the earlier codecs? I ask, because I'm quite certain that if you had previously used the v.3.11alpha codec, you didn't have any such problems...

[Enchanter]

You may want to try processing the audio into MP3 using a separate encoder, like LAME, and then interleaving the MP3 file with the video in nandub/virtualdub.

[Mpegger]

Originally posted by setarip
"Maybe its the DivX codec (5.01)"

That's a much more likely explanation, since you're essentially a beta tester for that codec.

have you had any previous experience using the earlier codecs? I ask, because I'm quite certain that if you had previously used the v.3.11alpha codec, you didn't have any such problems...

Oooooohhhh boy... did I *ever* have problems with 3.11!

3.11 would cause Windoze to crash all the time randomly. I can have the computer on for days with no problems. But if I opened a DivX movie to watch, a system crash was definite. It wasn't a question of if the system would crash, but when.

The only problem so far with 5.01 that I see is that the video randomly freezes for a couple of seconds, usually at the same point in the file. Yet, if you start playback from that point, it plays fine. Other then that, the only crash I got was from PowerDVD when it tried to play a DivX file. No system crashes or instability yet other then WMP.

Originally posted by Enchanter
You may want to try processing the audio into MP3 using a separate encoder, like LAME, and then interleaving the MP3 file with the video in nandub/virtualdub.

Thats what I do now.
But do you know of a better program to use to interleave the mp3 file with the DivX avi? I currently use mp3wav to add a wav header so VirtualDub will accept the file, but if theres an easier way (ie, a program that doesn't need a mp3 with wav header), please share the info.

[Enchanter]

Simply put, nandub.

[techno]

yes, well simply putted.

3.11alpha cannot cause Windows to crash, I have it all the time! I have got it installed on these OS's:

Windows 98SE
Windows 2000 PRO
Windows ME
Windows XP PRO
Windows XP Home edition

All work fine!

Maybe it could be some corrupted frames which WMP may crash/hang on.

Try WMA for your DIVX files, if you think MP3 make your system crash.

DIVX 4 and 5 have alot of probs, I stick to the original and best, 3.11alpha.

I use Radium MP3, I have no probs whatsoever, it is reliable for me


Or use MS MPEG4 v2 in nandub 2pass.

Techno

[Enchanter]

If you have no trouble playing back the MP3 track alone (just play it before muxing it with nandub), I don't foresee any problems. I've had a few problems where my computer wouldn't recognise any MP3 bitrate higher than 56kbit (or was it 32 kbit?) and forcing it to encode at a higher bitrate (by checking the Show All Format) did not work either. The resulting video file (with the MP3 audio) would not play everytime I play it. Separately encoding the audio and then interleaving it in nandub has worked like a charm to me.

[Mpegger]

Originally posted by techno
yes, well simply putted.

3.11alpha cannot cause Windows to crash, *snip* All work fine!

Trust me. 3.11 always caused my system to freeze. I've installed it on a fresh install of 98SE, and on an old install of 98SE. It still gave the same results. The computer would freeze within seconds of opening a DivX file, somewhere in the middle of watching a DivX file, or within 1-2 hours after I closed the DivX file, even if I was doing absolutely nothing. Because of that I had given up on using DivX at all for video encoding till I saw the newer 5.0. I figured I'd give it a try and whadda you know! No more system freezes and better quality then 3.11

Maybe it could be some corrupted frames which WMP may crash/hang on.

Yeah, that would cause WMP to crash/hang. But not the entire system to freeze.

Try WMA for your DIVX files, if you think MP3 make your system crash.

I'll give WMA a try today and see what happens. It never seemed to give me problems with WMP.

DIVX 4 and 5 have alot of probs, I stick to the original and best, 3.11alpha.

No comment.

Maybe its a combination of DivX with the mp3. Mp3 alone works fine. DivX alone works fine. But DivX and mp3 together seem to cause problems, albeit small problems. I dunno. I really want to give DivX a try, but it seems it doesn't like my system.