Automated Cutting and Transcoding Guide Using Mencoder

[-stattik-]

Every time I run the script as two pass my files are over compressed. I am trying to trans code 1 hour shows before commercials and it keeps reading in program lengths of 16 minutes instead of the 42 minutes they come out to be after it is done converting. Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?

I'm a little confused.
Could you give me an example of how this happens? If I recall, by default, a one hour show should be around 350 MB. Are you saying it's smaller than that?

[-stattik-]

I am still having trouble getting this to cut the commercials out. attached is the script that I am using. I was unable to capture the script output from the cmd becuase the script finished just need to put a pause in there to capture it. do you have to actually install mplayer and mencoder or can you just point to the appropriate exe files which is what I have done. Thanks for the help.

You just need to point to mplayer/mencoder.

Is an EDL file created when you run the script? You have comskip enabled so when the script starts, it first runs comskip on the source file. That should create an EDL file which the script then uses for cutting.

If you want to capture the script output, just drag it into a DOS window hit the space bar and then drag the source file in after it. When the script ends, the window won't close.

When mencoder runs you should see this as indication that the EDL file was found and used.

Code:

==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [mpegpes] MPEG 1/2 Video passthrough
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred colorspace: Mpeg PES)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
Selected video codec: [ffmpeg2] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG-2)
==========================================================================
MP3 audio selected.
[B]Read 2 EDL actions.[/B]
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
SwScaler: reducing / aligning filtersize 10 -> 12

Here's the sample output from the script you sent me. The EDL setting is highlighted.

Code:

Copying temp.txt file to create PTL file.
        1 file(s) copied.

D:\DVD\Test_Files>start "Sample.mpg - stattik_transcode" /low /wait /min D:\Progra~1\mplayer\MPlayer-rtm-svn-26446\mencoder.exe D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.mpg [B]-edl "D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.edl"[/B] -sws 9      -lavdopts threads=1    -ovc xvid -xvidencopts fixed_quant=3:me_quality=6:chroma_me:noqpel:chroma_opt:vhq=4:bvhq=1:trellis:hq_ac:quant_type=mpeg:turbo:threads=1 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128-vf yadif=0,scale=512:384,hqdn3d=3:2:3:3 -fps 25 -ofps 25  -o "D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.avi"

Attach your comskip.ini file and any output you can capture. I'll take a look at it.

[-stattik-]

I see when you ran 5.6br it only selected the hidef and not the Pillarbox profile. When I run 0.5.6br it says:-

Flagged as Pillarbox
Flagged as HiDef

IF %input_aspect% EQU 3 (
SET ID_VIDEO_ASPECT=1.7778
IF DEFINED comskip_aspect IF %comskip_aspect:~2% LSS 6100 SET pillarbox_pro=yes

My values:
true_aspect 12
input_aspect 3
comskip_aspect 1.2600
comskip_aspect:~2 2600

So based on my values, it "correctly" selects Pillarbox but it is this profile that results in the avi being 4:3 file instead of 16:9. Commenting out the above code to prevent Pillarbox profile results in a perfect 16:9 avi.

So I am guessing you get different values to me, possibly because your comskip file has different values to mine.

Attached is the script I ran and my comskip files for this recording.

I think I've got this addressed now. The update is attached.

[divinehammer]

You just need to point to mplayer/mencoder.

Is an EDL file created when you run the script? You have comskip enabled so when the script starts, it first runs comskip on the source file. That should create an EDL file which the script then uses for cutting.

If you want to capture the script output, just drag it into a DOS window hit the space bar and then drag the source file in after it. When the script ends, the window won't close.

When mencoder runs you should see this as indication that the EDL file was found and used.

Code:

==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [mpegpes] MPEG 1/2 Video passthrough
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred colorspace: Mpeg PES)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
Selected video codec: [ffmpeg2] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG-2)
==========================================================================
MP3 audio selected.
[B]Read 2 EDL actions.[/B]
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
SwScaler: reducing / aligning filtersize 10 -> 12

Here's the sample output from the script you sent me. The EDL setting is highlighted.

Code:

Copying temp.txt file to create PTL file.
        1 file(s) copied.

D:\DVD\Test_Files>start "Sample.mpg - stattik_transcode" /low /wait /min D:\Progra~1\mplayer\MPlayer-rtm-svn-26446\mencoder.exe D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.mpg [B]-edl "D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.edl"[/B] -sws 9      -lavdopts threads=1    -ovc xvid -xvidencopts fixed_quant=3:me_quality=6:chroma_me:noqpel:chroma_opt:vhq=4:bvhq=1:trellis:hq_ac:quant_type=mpeg:turbo:threads=1 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128-vf yadif=0,scale=512:384,hqdn3d=3:2:3:3 -fps 25 -ofps 25  -o "D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.avi"

Attach your comskip.ini file and any output you can capture. I'll take a look at it.

Sorry about the delay evidently the subscribe did not work. I am almost positive it creates an EDL file. I will try this capture method and see what i get. Thanks.

[divinehammer]

You just need to point to mplayer/mencoder.

Is an EDL file created when you run the script? You have comskip enabled so when the script starts, it first runs comskip on the source file. That should create an EDL file which the script then uses for cutting.

If you want to capture the script output, just drag it into a DOS window hit the space bar and then drag the source file in after it. When the script ends, the window won't close.

When mencoder runs you should see this as indication that the EDL file was found and used.

Code:

==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [mpegpes] MPEG 1/2 Video passthrough
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred colorspace: Mpeg PES)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
Selected video codec: [ffmpeg2] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG-2)
==========================================================================
MP3 audio selected.
[B]Read 2 EDL actions.[/B]
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
SwScaler: reducing / aligning filtersize 10 -> 12

Here's the sample output from the script you sent me. The EDL setting is highlighted.

Code:

Copying temp.txt file to create PTL file.
        1 file(s) copied.

D:\DVD\Test_Files>start "Sample.mpg - stattik_transcode" /low /wait /min D:\Progra~1\mplayer\MPlayer-rtm-svn-26446\mencoder.exe D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.mpg [B]-edl "D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.edl"[/B] -sws 9      -lavdopts threads=1    -ovc xvid -xvidencopts fixed_quant=3:me_quality=6:chroma_me:noqpel:chroma_opt:vhq=4:bvhq=1:trellis:hq_ac:quant_type=mpeg:turbo:threads=1 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128-vf yadif=0,scale=512:384,hqdn3d=3:2:3:3 -fps 25 -ofps 25  -o "D:\DVD\Test_Files\Sample.avi"

Attach your comskip.ini file and any output you can capture. I'll take a look at it.

I was able to capture the output of the script it is below. I forgot about the other files that you wanted so I just forwarded the script output so that I could post at work. Let me know if you still need to see those other files. Looks like you were right that the EDL file was not being created.
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
© Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\brad>C:\VidHammer\stattik_transcode_0.5.6ar_Vidhammer.
bat "C:\VidHammer\Video\Modern Marvels_20080317_23000000.mpg"
stattik's Mencoder Automation Script
Version 0.5.6ar
.
Variables Loaded. Script is starting.
.
Running Comskip on source file...
.
20:20:45.27 Now Processing "C:\VidHammer\Video\Modern Marvels_20080317_23000000.
mpg"
.
Getting source file info... Ignore any errors for the next few lines
.
.
Divide by zero error.
.
Source Info: -Total: 0 min- -Show: 0 min- -Commercial: 0 min-
.
.
.
Checking to see if source file matches any transcode profiles.
.
Applying automatic encoding logic to source file.
.
The options for the current transcode are listed below.
.
.
Flagged as Standard
Flagged as Letterbox
Flagged IVTC
.
Copying temp.txt file to create PTL file.
1 file(s) copied.

C:\Documents and Settings\brad>start "Modern Marvels_20080317_23000000.mpg - sta
ttik_transcode" /low /wait /min c:\Vidhammer\mplayer\mencoder.exe "C:\VidHammer\
Video\Modern Marvels_20080317_23000000.mpg" -edl "C:\VidHammer\Video\Modern Marv
els_20080317_23000000.edl" -sws 9 -hr-edl-seek -lavdopts threads=1 -ovc x
vid -xvidencopts fixed_quant=3:me_quality=6:chroma_me:noqpel:chroma_opt:vhq=4:bv
hq=1:trellis:hq_ac:quant_type=mpeg:turbo:threads=1 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br
=128 -vf pullup,softskip,yadif=0,crop=720:360:0:60,scale=608:336,dsize=608:336,
hqdn3d=3:2:3:3 -fps 30000/1001 -ofps 24000/1001 -o "C:\VidHammer\Video\Modern M
arvels_20080317_23000000.avi"

C:\Documents and Settings\brad>ECHO off
.
Transferring metadata to destination file if it exists.
The system cannot find the file specified.
Could Not Find C:\VidHammer\Video\Modern Marvels_20080317_23000000.edl
.
Transcode is complete.
.
Copying PTL file to create DNE file.

C:\Documents and Settings\brad>

[-stattik-]

I was able to capture the output of the script it is below. I forgot about the other files that you wanted so I just forwarded the script output so that I could post at work. Let me know if you still need to see those other files. Looks like you were right that the EDL file was not being created.

You can try creating the edl file ahead of time. Drop the show on comskip and let it manually create the EDL file. Once you've verified it's there, drop the file on the script. Don't forget to disable comskip in the script:
SET comskipmode=no

[divinehammer]

thanks for the help on this the problem was that the comskip.ini was not creating the EDL file I didnt see this written anywhere that I needed to make this comskip change I probably missed it. Looks like I am getting better results now. Thanks again.

[divinehammer]

One other question how do you get the folder monitoring to work. I set mine to yes and have multiple mpg files in the folder it is pointing to. Do I just start the script by double clicking and it will batch run the ones that are there or what?

[-stattik-]

Good to see it works.
Here's what you can add for folder monitoring.

SET directory_monitoring=yes
SET recursive_transcode_directory=D:\Video\

The script looks for the edl files first. If it finds the edl file, it processes the mpg.

If you are using the script to create the EDL files, you have to change what the script looks for to begin processing.

SET target_extension=edl

If you set the target extension to mpg, you'll have to figure out what you want to do with the file after it's done. Either move it or delete it. I would suggest moving it. If the file isn't moved or deleted, the script will rediscover it and process it again.

[divinehammer]

Yep it works now at cutting the commercials but now I have a new issue. at around the 15 minute mark of all of my new converted files I lose sound. The original mpg files are in good shape so something is happening in the conversion process. Do you have any clue to point me at what might be causing that?