transcode questions

[zaprat]

Can u help me. I have some newbie questions regarding transcoding:

1) what muxer do I need to convert from DVR-MS to MPEG-2?

2) in attempting to set the transcode option on the PROCESSING tab, I am required to select a time. Is possible implement transcode such that it starts immediately after the recording has completed. If so, how?

3) how do I reduce the priority of the transcode activity so I can perform other tasks on my system. For example watch TV? How do I increase the priority assuming I am doing this whilst the machince would otherwise idle?

4) what is referred to as a "profile" and how do I edit it?

5) when do you need postprocessing.bat?

6) where do I find documentation/sample regarding postprocessing.bat.?

7) what is the purpose of the GBPVRconvert.exe and ffmpeg.exe.

8) I understand that mpeg-2 does not support ac-3. Is it therefore possible to transcode from DVR-MS (which includes AC-3) to MPEG-2 (with MPEG-2audio), and if so, what needs to be done to make this happen.

9) what level of debugging is available with transcoding and how do I enable it?

10) is there a log of transcoding operations including details such as names, start and finish time.

Sorry for the newbie questions, but I tried the forum and the wiki, but its like trying to keep score at a football match but being limited to viewing it through a keyhole.

[stefan]

I think I can answer the questions about postprocessing.bat. That is a file which you can create if you don't already have it. It will then always be called when a recording is finished. It will be passed the recording's file name as a parameter.

What is it used for? Well, in the early days, before you could check a checkbox in the config app for running comskip, I used it to run comskip on a file after it was finished recording. I'd say you could use it for pretty much anyting you want =) There is a utility called renamerecording in the wiki, which renames a recording. People use postProcessing.bat to run that utility.

Example, if you had these two lines in your postProcessing.bat:

comskip %1
rectracker %1 > rectracker.log

then all files recorded would first be passed to comskip, then passed to rectracker (whatever that does), and any (textual) output from rectracker would end up in the file rectracker.log.

[zaprat]

Thanks Stefan for your quick reply; very much appreciated!

[gEd]

1) what muxer do I need to convert from DVR-MS to MPEG-2?

The cyberlink muxer. Then set BDA mux to cyberlink instead of dvr-ms. Better to recording in mpeg format in the first place rather than converting it afterwards.

2) in attempting to set the transcode option on the PROCESSING tab, I am required to select a time. Is possible implement transcode such that it starts immediately after the recording has completed. If so, how?

It's kind of hidden! - keep scrolling through the times until your get to ASAP. This will do it immediately.

3) how do I reduce the priority of the transcode activity so I can perform other tasks on my system. For example watch TV? How do I increase the priority assuming I am doing this whilst the machince would otherwise idle?

According to Sub, it already IS a low priority. No need to raise it when the machine it idle. It will run when nothing else requires cpu resources.

4) what is referred to as a "profile" and how do I edit it?

from Sub:-
"No you shouldnt have to do anything. Just select a file, then hit the transcode button. It'll popup a window that lets you select the transcoding profile and start/cancel. The profiles come from the list in config.xml (You can add additional ones, or remove ones you dont need, re-order then, edit bitrate etc etc)."

The profiles are defined in the config.xml file.

7) what is the purpose of the GBPVRconvert.exe and ffmpeg.exe.

gbpvrconvert filename newfilename PROFILE
ffmpeg is the opensource transcoder used by gbpvr.

8) I understand that mpeg-2 does not support ac-3. Is it therefore possible to transcode from DVR-MS (which includes AC-3) to MPEG-2 (with MPEG-2audio), and if so, what needs to be done to make this happen.

gbpvrconvert myvid.dvr-ms myvid.mpeg MPEG2

hth

[stefan]

Thanks Stefan for your quick reply; very much appreciated!

np

[sub]

7) what is the purpose of the GBPVRconvert.exe and ffmpeg.exe.

ffmpeg is used for most transcoding. GBPVRConvert.exe is used to convert between DVR-MS -> MPG, and DVR-MS/MPG -> WMV.

9) what level of debugging is available with transcoding and how do I enable it?

Not too much, but the command line used and time it is started is listed in GBPVRRecordingService.exe.log

10) is there a log of transcoding operations including details such as names, start and finish time.

Its in GBPVRRecordingService.exe.log

[fpdave]

According to ProcExp (sysinternals), ffmpeg.exe is running at Normal priority.

Can I change this?

[sub]

Right you are. I'll run it at below normal in the next release.