Automated Cutting and Transcoding Guide Using Mencoder

[-stattik-]

Here's the new script.

What's new:

- Lots of cleaning and script organization. I also named the script and added version info.
- User Settings Area - file deletion, mencoder location, and other user-settable options
- MPEG recode profile - For those who just want a MPEG without commercials. Should be DVD compliant. I can recode a 30 min program in 15 min with a 1.5 ghz processor.
- When a file is selected for transcoding FILE.PTL(partial) is created. After the transcoding is finished FILE.PTL is deleted and FILE.DNE(done) is created and will stay there until dirmon cleans up orphans. This way you have a better chance of knowing what was being processed in case of an interruption.
- AVI files for input has been added but consider it beta. I've had mixed results with it. If you are using AVI input files and you want to test it, you need to change the following in dirmon:
- In the SOURCE EXTENSIONS box, you need to remove MPEG,MPG and add AVI.



There are a few things that all people using this script will have to change in dirmon. In order to support the multiple file input types, I had to change the way the script would inform dirmon of what files were being trancoded. Now if you have multiple PC's transcoding or multiple dirmon's running they won't select the same file to transcode. Here's the changes that need to be made.

- In the GLOBAL SETTINGS tab add ptl and dne to TARGET EXTENSIONS
- In the PROCESSOR tab the DOES NOT EXIST box should read ptl AND dne


NOTE: The HDTV profile works well for most ATSC programming but has some difficulties with some types of programming. I'm still testing this one out.


As with any other apps, I'd recommend testing this out a few times before setting the delete variable. It's working fine for me but your experience may vary.

[erik]

You can try this option
-ffourcc DIVX
to set the type of AVI header so PSP may recognize.
You may have to replace DIVX with the 4 letter word that the PSP requires.

[sbp]

Hi I'm trying your script. But I have some problems.

I have an avi file (picvideo), which I want to transcode into XVID. But because it is an avi, I cant run comskip on it (comskip only accepts mpg files - if I undestand correct).
So in your script all the references to edl and ptl files is not used - in fact they are not present.
When I try to run the bat file, a very short command promt appears and then closes (I can't even read what is listed here).

So what should I change in your script in order just to transcode a present avi file in a directory - without any edl file?

Thanks
STeen

[erik]

Suggest you read the documentation that comes with mplayer/mencoder
There are too many possible ways to do it

[-stattik-]

So what should I change in your script in order just to transcode a present avi file in a directory - without any edl file?

Thanks
STeen

Off the top of my head I have something you can try.

You'll have to change the extension of the file before it gets processed. I would suggest renaming the avi file to a mpg file. Then set up dirmon like this:

- Source extensions MPG
- Does Exist MPG
- Does not exist AVI

Add this line to the second line of the script:

move %1 "%~dpn1.mpg"

Add this line after :post

move "%~dpn1.mpg" "%~dpn1.avi"

Mencoder should read the mpg file as a avi file irreguardless of the extension.


Tell me if it works. I'm working on avi input but I'm short on time right now.

[sbp]

Hi Thanks for your suggestions.

However, I found another way.
There seems to be a bug in your avi script (i'm no programmer, but after some trial and error, it seems like this

Rem ----Is original file MPG or AVI?----

if "%~x1"==".mpg" goto mpg:
if "%~x1"==".avi" goto avi:

goto :mpg

:avi

move %1 "%~dpn1_original.avi"
set name="%~dpn1_original.avi"

will not function, no "file_original.avi" is created.

BUT IF I REPLACE THE ABOVE WITH:

if "%~x1"==".mpg" goto mpg:
if "%~x1"==".avi" goto avi:

goto :mpg

:avi

copy "%~dpn1.avi" "%~dpn1_original.avi"
del "%~dpn1.avi"
set name="%~dpn1_original.avi"

That is a simple copy to a new name, and then delete the old file, everything is OK.

Why this is so - I don't know.

Steen

[-stattik-]

Thanks for the info.

If you replaced:

copy "%~dpn1.avi" "%~dpn1_original.avi"

with

move "%~dpn1.avi" "%~dpn1_original.avi"


...will it still work? This way you don't have to copy and delete the original the file and you're still using "%~dpn1.avi" instead of %1.


If it works I'll update the script.

[sbp]

Yes it still is working with your new suggestion.

But I need to find a more robust version of the mencoder - it often closes without finishing the job. (I don't know if it is because of my processor (AMD X2 4200).

Steen

[-stattik-]

Have you tried here?

http://www.aziendeassociate.it/cd.asp?dir=/mplayer

[-stattik-]

Here's version 0.08 of the script:

Here's what's new:

- Fixed AVI input logic (Thanks Steen)
- Fix HDTV profile. Right now it's hardcoded to an input framerate of 30fps. I plan on adding a 60fps profile and the option of enabling support for 25fps in the future. If there's anyone interested in this right now, contact me. I'll get a version out earlier then. The current output for this profile is VERY nice!
- Any profile can be selected as the default. This way if you are encoding everything with the HDTV or Cartoon profile you can just specifiy it instead of adding every program to the list.
- Turbo Mode (xvid option)
----This defaults to on but can be turned off in the config. You'll get up to 12% quicker speed with very minimal loss in quality. (You probably won't notice)
- Debug Mode
---- With this turned on you can step through the script while processing to troubleshoot any problems. This doesn't work when called by dirmon or GBPVR. To use debug mode, drop a file you are testing on the script.
- Test Mode
---- When this is enabled in the script, all transcodes are processed as normal but they create a 5mb file. This way you can test quality and profile selection.
- Test Mode Deletion Protection
---- This prohibits files from being deleted if File Deletion and Test Mode are both selected.