Automated Cutting and Transcoding Guide Using Mencoder

[-stattik-]

You an always use the cutandcopy profile(option 9) to recreate the timestamps, then transcode the file to x264. Or just stick with singlepass-x264-quality mode. It's much faster than twopass and the quality is comparable, you can change the CRF number to get somewhat close to the time you want.

[DrDDT]

You an always use the cutandcopy profile(option 9) to recreate the timestamps, then transcode the file to x264. Or just stick with singlepass-x264-quality mode. It's much faster than twopass and the quality is comparable, you can change the CRF number to get somewhat close to the time you want.

I tried cut and copy, followed by 2pass, still a no-go.
I'll stick with singlepass.

Another question: I selected pillarbox, but the resulting video size seems to be the same. How can I check if pillarbox is working?
(I'm not even sure I need pillarbox. It's a 16:9 broadcast, but I think de PVR150 always records 4:3. How do I cut this correctly?)

[-stattik-]

I tried cut and copy, followed by 2pass, still a no-go.
I'll stick with singlepass.

Another question: I selected pillarbox, but the resulting video size seems to be the same. How can I check if pillarbox is working?
(I'm not even sure I need pillarbox. It's a 16:9 broadcast, but I think de PVR150 always records 4:3. How do I cut this correctly?)

If you're using a PVR150, all shows are 4:3. Widescreen shows are letterboxed. You will only get pillarboxed shows if you record HDTV's that have the vertical black bars. There's a letterbox profile that will remove the horizontal black bars.

If all your shows have the time stamp issue, perhaps you could set one to record for about 30 seconds so I could test it? Usually I go into the web app and start a recording, wait a few seconds and then stop the recording.

Good Luck.

[camdecoster]

I just started using version 0.5.1a of your script but I can't get auto transcoding working. I see that target_extension is set to edl, meaning that a conversion will only be started when an edl file is found. But I don't have any edl files anywhere. What can I change this to to get things to work? As programs are recording, they just have the extension .mpg or .ts. In other words, the filenames after the recording are the same as during the recording. Any help would be appreciated.

PS: I know the script works as I've dragged a file onto it with success.

[-stattik-]

Set the following variable to the extension that you want to trip the script off with.

Code:

SET target_extension=

If you set it to ts or mpg then you need to set the source file to get deleted after transcode otherwise the script will keep "finding" the same file over and over.

Typically, comskip is run which creates the txt and edl files.

[camdecoster]

If I turn comskip mode on and set the target_extension = edl, will that take care of my problem?

[-stattik-]

If I turn comskip mode on and set the target_extension = edl, will that take care of my problem?

Yes it will. Just make sure that the path to comskip is correct. Also make sure that comskip is finding commercials correctly.

[camdecoster]

That sounds good. But one more question: is there a way to have the script run comskip without cutting out the "commericals" from the video?

[-stattik-]

The best I can come up with is this:

Goto your gbpvr directory and create a blank file called temp.edl.
Then add the following lines to your postprocessing.bat:

Code:

copy c:\Progra~1\devnz\gbpvr\temp.edl %~dpn1.edl

The postprocessing.bat file should be in your gbpvr directory. If it doesn't exist, then you can create it.

Please respond with any questions.

[timeless]

I am trying to use stattik_transcode_0.5.1d.bat on a standard system (not HD) and I see in the mencode window every other line says "Frame Skipped" or "Duplicate Frame" and the output is a little stuttery, not a smooth as the original.

i have output_fps=ivtc and profile=standard, not sure what else to try.

also, since i am posting anyway, i want to ask: if i want all the directories in my recordings directory to be scanned, can i leave transcode_directories blank and just put the path to my recording directory in secondary_transcode_directory? seems to be working, but just wanted to make sure that doesn't screw anything up.

thanks for any advice!

/travis