ZProcess Beta with dvr-ms center cut support

[zehd]

First, if you are uninitiated with ZProcess, it should be fairly straightforward. You should not need to adjust ANYTHING, if the auto-setup works.

For the purposes of the test, we are only interested in two things...

1. On- the- fly transcoding of dvr-ms files to mpg for viewing on MVP. We will have the option of CenterCut (remove pillar box from wide screen video) and Letterbox (16:9 rectangle inside 4x3 Video)
   
   
2. Commandline use of ZProcess to Post Process dvr-ms files to MVP ready MPGs and include centercut cropping...
   

The included zip has these files:

Copy these three files into C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\ZTools
RemoveAllZProcess.reg
ZProcess2.exe
ZTranscode.exe

and Copy this file into C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr
Trans2MVP.exe

Note... Trans2MVP.exe is a replacement program for one that is installed by default by GB-PVR. If you need the old one, back it up before you copy the replacement version...

Also, you will need the special version of FFmpeg.exe that Barklet has made available to me. (Currently not available for download - hang on)

This should be installed (copied into) C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\FFmpeg

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If you have worked with ZProcess before, then you should clean house. If you double click on RemoveAllZProcess.reg it should effectively remove all registry entries for ZProcess...

Next, start ZProcess2.exe. It will ask you whether you use PAL or NTSC...

Click ZProcess settings. Click the profile dropdown and make sure Trans2MVP is selected. Next Click the template dropdown, and select *4-dvr-ms. On the right click 'reset'. Uncheck 'Hide Consoles'. Then click save.

Close ZProcess. You're done...
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Testing On the fly transcoding...

On the MVP find a dvr-ms file and click to play it. GB-PVR will call Trans2MVP.exe, which will call ZTranscode.exe, which will setup the on-the-fly transcode. After a few moments you should see your dvr-ms file, in letterbox format on your 4x3 TV...

Want CenterCut? (zoom the video so there are no horizontal black bars - you do do cut the left and rights of the video off though)

Open ZProcess2, click Settings, make sure Trans2MVP profile is selected. Check Center Cut Wide. Save. Close...

Try again...

A word about grunt.... (it's a work I've heard sub use and I like it)

DVR-MS to mpg transcoding takes much more power than previous transcode profiles. There are some test files, that I can't even transcode all the way through. The CPU just can't transcode fast enough.

If you have a fast computer, you should be able to transcode most if not all files on the fly. If you can't you may have to settle for the post processing option (discussed in a following post)

[zehd]

Quick Tweak. Added the async switch to the ffmpeg commandline. Brilliant.

[zehd]

Uploaded new beta. Tweaked command line parsing...

The Concept is to use ZProcess as a Shell, that calls ZTranscode, that calls a transcoder like ffmpeg or mencoder. There are several reasons for this. We can discuss it if you like...

[SIZE="4"]Command Line usage:[/SIZE]

ZProcess2.exe
ZTranscode.exe

Calling just the exe filenames opens the programs. Any parameters, or filespecs ZProcess receives are passed by ZProcess to ZTranscode. ZProcess will behave the same as ZTransode, regarding 'auto run' (and call ZTranscode) based on the rules before (Input and Output Filespecs, or 'Auto' switch - see below)

Input and output file specs must be surrounded by quotes. If you are passing filespecs within batch files, make sure there are quotes being passed... Optional Parameters are not to be quoted. The first quoted string is assumed the Input File, the second quoted string is assumed the Output File. Not quoted words, placed anywhere in the command line, case insensitive, are assumed to be words that may be parameters. Unrecognized parameters are ignored.


ZProcess2 {inputFile} {optional paramters} {outputFile}
When ZTranscode receive both Input and Output file specs, it will process the parameters if any and then start Transcoding immediately


ZProcess2 {inputFile} {optional paramters}
Input Filename, no parameters - starts program with txtInputFile loaded, will guess at Output file name based on the default profile, Trans2MVP

[SIZE="4"]Optional Paramters[/SIZE]

ZProcess2 {Profile name}
Any Vaild Profile name, including custom created. Will auto select that profile. If input file is present, the output filename will be based on the profile

ZProcess2 CenterCut
The 'CenterCut' Parameter, will force center cutting regardless of whether it was saved as part of the default or passed profile

ZProcess2 Auto
When only the Input file is passed, ZTranscode needs to be explicitly told to auto-run...

[SIZE="4"]Example[/SIZE]

In Batchfile:

ZProcess2 %1 Trans2MVP CenterCut Auto

(will auto start transcoding whatever is in %1, with the Trans2MVP profile, overriding the CenterCut feature in the Trans2MVP profile...)

NOTE: If you are going to transcode dvr-ms file be sure that the selected (or default) profile has been setup using the dvr-ms template (mentioned in previous post)

[zehd]

This is the version of FFmpeg that is NEEDED for the new version of ZProcess to support DVR-MS files...

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/uploads/Utility/ffmpeg-alt.zip

[Braklet]

Frank, I'm keeping an eye on your ZProcess work in the background. Thus far I am still paying most of my attention to getting my hand-conversion working well before I tackle the automation/MVP stuff. Your efforts appear really fruitful, though (thanks!).

I learned that the ffmpeg parameters will have to change depending on the source material. I recorded the video in question last night (US Fox: Simpsons and King of the Hill premieres). This material is 720p (1280x720) with AC3 5.1 audio. The previous Survivor sample was 1080i (1920x1080) with AC3 2.0 audio (straight stereo).

I found that the Fox stuff needs to use cropleft and cropright values of 150 instead of Survivor's 220. I also found that ffmpeg rejected the MP2 audio conversion due to Fox's 6 channel sound. I'll try the "-ac 2" flag to address the latter.

[Braklet]

This is the version of FFmpeg that is NEEDED for the new version of ZProcess to support DVR-MS files...

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/uploads/Utility/ffmpeg-alt.zip

BTW, this version did not crash on my Athlon 64 X2 based system. My friend is looking into your Athlon XP crashes.

[zehd]

Frank, I'm keeping an eye on your ZProcess work in the background. Thus far I am still paying most of my attention to getting my hand-conversion working well before I tackle the automation/MVP stuff. Your efforts appear really fruitful, though (thanks!).

I learned that the ffmpeg parameters will have to change depending on the source material. I recorded the video in question last night (US Fox: Simpsons and King of the Hill premieres). This material is 720p (1280x720) with AC3 5.1 audio. The previous Survivor sample was 1080i (1920x1080) with AC3 2.0 audio (straight stereo).

I found that the Fox stuff needs to use cropleft and cropright values of 150 instead of Survivor's 220. I also found that ffmpeg rejected the MP2 audio conversion due to Fox's 6 channel sound. I'll try the "-ac 2" flag to address the latter.

ZProcess is made to roll with the different sizes... It's automatic. The left and right crops are already calculated, and the audio is all handled

[zehd]

BTW, this version did not crash on my Athlon 64 X2 based system. My friend is looking into your Athlon XP crashes.

Right. This is the first version you sent me. It has a few codecs disabled.