DVD to MVP SYnch Issues using mencoder

[fvfv]

In trying to solve issues with Lip Synch and Subtitles Synch using mencoder to convert a DVD Folder into mpg so that I can play it on the MVP, i found the MVPRecoder plugin that seems to give me the best mpg as far as quality and Synch. The TimeStamps are not quite perfect, but I guess I can live with that. (I press 20 Skip to try to skip 20 minutes in the future and I skip about 3 minutes). But again that is not a big issue now. What I want to do is make it run a bit faster. I am only getting 13FPS and it takes more than 5 hours to encode something that is already MPG2 (a VOB Set), only I want to show subtitles and that needs to reencode.

My Entire mencoder line is :

c:\windows\mencoder.exe -oac lavc -ovc lavc -of mpeg -mpegopts format=dvd -ofps 24000/1001 -vf softskip,harddup -af volnorm,volume=16:1 -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg2video:lmin=2.1:lmax=42.0:vqmin=2:vqmax=18:vmax_b_frames=0:vqdiff=3:vme=4:mbd=2:vbitrate=6800:vratetol=13000:vrc_maxrate=9800:vrc_buf_size=1835:vpass=1:vi_qfactor=1.00:vi_qoffset=0.00:vqblur=0.0:vqcomp=0.5:vfdct=6:idct=1:mv0:ildctcmp=2:predia=6:dia=6:trell:cbp:preme=2:nr=0:dc=10:vqmin=2:vqmax=31:vmax_b_frames=2:keyint=16:mbcmp=0:preme=2:precmp=0:cmp=0ubcmp=0:mbd=1:vb_qfactor=1.00:vb_qoffset=0.00:vi_qfactor=1.00:mbqmin=2:mbqmax=31:lmin=2.1:lmax=31:vqdiff=3:vhq:acodec=mp2:abitrate=192 -priority belownormal dvd:// -dvd-device "%1" -v -o "%2" -sid %3

Pbs. Is there anything you see there that can make it run a little closet to realtime ?

I am not intersted in doing AVI or MPEG4 encoding to save space on the hard drive. I want an MPG file that I can play reliably on the MVP, which is my primary GBPVR frontEnd. So I can live with 3.5 or 4 Gigs per movie.

[pBS]

too many options..alot of those are for archival quality encodes..
my line runs at about 45-50 fps so about 45 mins for 1 hr encode..[should be good for mvp] but i bet you'd be better converting at 352x480...the picture is great..hardly noticeable that it's half horiz. resolution...[ but up to you,it can do full res fast too]
here's my usual line...adjust the 'qscale' to fit your quality needs..[constant quality]

Code:

Mencoder.exe "input.mpg" -priority belownormal -idx -vfm ffmpeg  -noskip  -vf tfields=0,tinterlace=0,fspp  -oac lavc -ovc lavc -of mpeg -mpegopts format=dvd:tsaf -lavcopts ildct:vratetol=10000:vqscale=4.9:vcodec=mpeg2video:vqmin=4:vrc_buf_size=1835:vrc_maxrate=9800:vmax_b_frames=2:keyint=15:acodec=mp2:abitrate=128:autoaspect -o "outfile.mpg"

add "-vf scale=352:480:1" to scale to half... [try it,ya might like it!]
let me know how that works for you..

[pBS]

mostly just copy the -vf part and the -lavcopts part....keep the rest of yours as is..

[pBS]

here's a little more info on the individual options..
-idx = re-index timestamps in file
-noskip = don't skip duplicate frames, encode them as new frames
-vfm ffmpeg = use ffmpeg decoders [built in one has problems with some streams]
-cache = caching for input
-ovc & -oac = codec for video and audio compression
-vf = video filters [use sparingly,some slow down alot,some don't] also place where scaling,3:2 pulldown etc. happens
-fps = input fps
-ofps = output fps
-of = format [mpeg/avi,etc.]
-mpegopts = mpeg options.. [format= dvd/ntsc-dvd/pal, etc.]

-lavcopts = this is where most of the quality settings are..usually only thing needing changes...
including
preme=pre-motion estimation
ildct = interlaced dct
ilme=interlaced motion estimation
vcodec=[usually mpeg2video]
vqscale= constant quality level,choose this or vbitrate=XXX for quality adjustments...
vrc*= video rate control stuff
vmax_bframes= bframes ratio,
keyint= keyframe interval,
acodec=audio codec,
abitrate=duh,
autoaspect= read aspect from input file,
-af= audio filters..[i use -af volume=16 for dvd's]
any others that are puzzling you?

[fvfv]

Dude, Pbs .... That definetly needs to be a sticky.

Not even on the official mplayer/mencoder site will we find such helpful information.

I will try it later on tonight. I beleive that my problem is dropping frames. That is why, even with the -idx option, I loose Audio Symch and get really bad FF/Rew control on the mpg.

I'll let you know on my resulta with your script.

[fvfv]

Thanks Pbs. Yesterday test was pretty good, as far as Quality and ability to Rewind and Skip. It did the whole movie in about 40 minutes.

If I wanted to run this script on a PVR350 captured MPG (Captured by GBPVR), do I need to make changes ? (other than dvd://1 and -dvd-device)

I capture all my shows at Medium Quality. It would be nice to start using this on a postprocessing.bat if it is as reliable with captured mpgs as it is with DVDs.

[fvfv]

pBS. I wanted to thank you for that great insight on the Mencoder command line.

I have done now about 3 recordings and 2 dvds that I have mencoded with excellent quality, subtitles overlayed, no Synch issues and "Almost" , Good enough FW-REW skipping.

It is weird that If I play the exact same mpg using GBPVR on the PC I can skip to the second with ff/rew. But on the MVP it is about 2 minutes off. So to skip 5 minutes ahead I have to do something like 8 ->.

Other than that, you have restored my faith on mencoder.

By the way, does the "-vfm ffmpeg" option makes mencoder encode with ffmpeg instead of its own engine ? . May be this is why I am getting such good results.

Thanks again.