Automated Cutting and Transcoding Guide Using Mencoder

[sbp]

Hi I would like to use this script for transcoding MJPEG files to XVID to save space. I use the PicVideo MJPEG encoder and a software based TV-card. My problem is that the PicVideo saves the file in *.AVI file.

So would it be possible to develop your script to read the FourCC code for this AVI, so it can determine that this particular file is a MJPEG-AVI file and not a XVID_AVI file from a previous transcoding?

Thanks
Steen

[-stattik-]

sbp,

That shouldn't be a problem. I'll look into for the next version which should be out in a few days.

[dreamscape]

i've been using this system for a week now since i was having trouble transcoding to xvid, at first ouput quality was questionable, but the recent changes (and my switch to a newer comskip) have helped a lot.

on that note, stattik, you are a gentleman AND a scholar

keep up the good work.


--feel free to use me as a guinea pig for third party testing, i've been fiddling with your script looking for the ideal output quality, but your recent release has been great for me. (nothing like watching the colbert report commercial free w/ my coffee every morning).

[King Mob]

Can this be configured to run only on certain folders? I would only want to transcode stuff I've archived, everything else I just watch and delete.

[b00sfuk]

Just to add my support. Just starting testing this (PAL) and it works great. Still being distracted with getting Comskip to segment correctly but the transcoding part works well. Not had much time to look at the rest of the features but providing I can transcode on selective directories within a specified time window and without interfering with recordings etc. then I'll be very happy.
Mencoder seems to work well but now Sub has gone down the FFMPEG route with the built in functionality is there any views on which will be best in the long run as function is added to both solutions?
Thanks for the hard work.

[-stattik-]

It's good to hear that people are using this. I'm always open to suggestions to improve it.

dreamscape - What kind of problems were you initally having with output quality?

King Mob - Yes, this can be set to only process specific folders.


b00sfuk - I guess you would have to try out both to see what works best for you. I originally tried ffmpeg and had problems with a/v synch, probably do to the fps I was using. Mencoder seemed to work best for me. Plus, mencoder can remove commercials breaks. I'm not sure if ffmpeg has that capability yet. Interestingly enough, mencoder uses ffmpeg for a good chunk of encoding (lavopts, etc I believe) so they are closely related. Sub has talked about adding support for assigning profiles for each program in a future release. Perhaps I will be able to take advantage of that, we will see.


A new version will be out soon and it will add some new features like DVD-compliant MPEG2 output and user-defined variables for easier configuration.

[dreamscape]

initially i noticed it seeming a little "choppy" and sometimes removing frames where it shouldnt be... either it got fixed, or you tuned it better in the recent batch files.

or, my upgrade to a newer comskip, and tuning that a bit might have helped also.

[erik]

-stattik-

Both mencoder and ffmpeg use the libavcodec encoder/decoder library and both use libavformat.
The EDL processing is however implemented in the non shared part of mencoder

[wtg]

-stattik-

Thanks a bunch for sharing your batch file. I really liked the results I got with it, but I do have a question. I noticed the avi file is darker than the mpeg. Is there an option that controls this somewhere? I don't see an option for this, but I'm new mencoder too.

[-stattik-]

-stattik-

Thanks a bunch for sharing your batch file. I really liked the results I got with it, but I do have a question. I noticed the avi file is darker than the mpeg. Is there an option that controls this somewhere? I don't see an option for this, but I'm new mencoder too.

Hmm, there probably is some option in mencoder but I'm not sure what it would be. I'll look into it when I get a chance.


Erik,

Thanks for the clarification. I'm hoping that mencoder will include the psp code that ffmpeg is using, right now it looks like the mp4 header isn't created correctly.