Codecs, Schmodecs, I Need a Beer

[sisabet]

So I'm recutting some vids - "Last Stand" and "Without Me" specifically. LS was depressing me so I decided to start on Without Me - cause, Lilah. Not depressing.

Codec issues - yeah. That is another story. So I talked to some people and did a bit of research and drooled over "Superstar" and I decided to try the huffyuv codec - mainly because it is lossless. It is also very very huge so I have a third hard drive just for these remaster projects.

I am pleased as punch with how the codec behaves in Premiere. I couldn't ask for a sweeter behaving clip. Lum says this is because Premiere likes clips to be all loosey-gooesey and barely compressed. That makes sense to me.

My problem is clipping. I am clipping in VDub(version MPEG2-AC3) direct from Mpeg2 source downloaded to the harddrive. I am using huffyuv (with predict median best for YUY2 compression method and always select RGB for output set as the configurations), a resize filter to make the saved clips 720x480, no audio, change source to a frame rate of 30.0 fbs. And all of the VDub clips are saving at this upped clip speed. At 80% speed, they play almost normally - but jerkily.

Anybody know what I am doing wrong?

Comments

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Do you have a frame rate choice of 29.97 fps?

I know very little about the methodology you're using, but the frame rate for NTSC DV is 29.97, not 30.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Yep - it is a choice - but I saw something somewhere that mentioned 30 fps and huffyuv in the same sentence. I really could not decipher what that sentence meant - but those 2 elements were in it. So I picked that. I've saved a few at 29.97 and it still is sped up. I think maybe it is VDub - it does the same with .vob files, but when I clip those with the same configurations using MFlask, no problems at all.

See why I need a capture card? I don't know of another software program that will let me clip directly from mpeg2 source. Sigh. Heavy sigh. I'm gonna take a shower and leave the house for groceries. Lilah will move normally if it is the last thing I do. I will figure this out. Even if it means actually doing research. Which scares me.

[elz.livejournal.com]

What was the original frame rate for the files?

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

This is still just a stab in the dark, as not only am I not familiar with any of these programs, but I also don't know what codecs you've used with success in the past.

However, is it possible that huffyuv is *too* lossless for your system? What speed is your hard drive? What speed is your processor? How much RAM do you have?

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

HD is 7200 rpm (250Gb Ultra ATA/133 with 8 mb cache). My processor is Pentium 4 (I think 1.5 - not really sure) I have 512 SDRAM pc2100.

Codecs I have used in the past are a sordid and evil lot. I'm trying to use more grown-up, less patched up hacked within an inch of their lives codecs now.

I think I can work around this. I don't know - I maybe freaking out over nothing and just need a nap.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

23.976 fps for the most part.

[elz.livejournal.com]

That would be why they're playing too fast then. I don't know much, but I have used VDub a lot, and changing the frame rate by that much always affects the speed of the clip. Uh, and here ends my expertise. *g* Could you not change the frame rate?

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

or, not change the frame rate in VDub, but then bring that into another program to adjust the frame rate? Is there a program that successfully converts PAL to NTSC? You're definitely right, that's what's causing the problem.

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this will work, but it could be worth a try. I saw someone talking about it on DVDRHelp.com.

Convert the mpeg2 file to the huffyuv codec using VDub, but don't change the frame rate - leave it at 23.976. Then try using tmpgenc to convert the frame rate to 29.97.

possibly? Another person on the same thread mentioned a free tool called pulldown.exe for converting the frame rate of mpeg2 files. It can be found here: pulldown.exe download (http://www.dvdrhelp.com/tools?tool=164#comments)

It says, "PULLDOWN.exe will allow you to modify most of the relevant MPEG-2 flags, such as telecine, field order, frame rate, timecodes and frame/stream encoding type. Command line tool but PullDownBatchFE is a simple GUI front-end (FE) for PullDown.exe."

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

I'm trying it now! Whoo-Hoo - keep fingers and toes crossed.

[mrmonkeybottoms.livejournal.com]

I am using huffyuv (with predict median best for YUY2 compression method and always select RGB for output set as the configurations), a resize filter to make the saved clips 720x480, no audio, change source to a frame rate of 30.0 fbs.

*blinks*

...um...

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

You and me both baby. How goes the vids? How goes the Spander? Should we schedule a snuggle AIM time soon?

[mrmonkeybottoms.livejournal.com]

Oooh, we always need more AIM snuggles. I have to write the next chapter of the Spikebot, and then we shall Spander it up once more. The vids are waiting patiently for me to finished them...I really need to finish them. Gah.

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

Last Stand? last Stand!!!! I have been looking for that vid for ages. I had it on my HD and did a clean up and lost it and have been forlornly looking for it. Are you going to put it back up? It's Angel and Wesley and the song is by Willie Nelson?

Please tell me I'm right and that there is hope. I loved that vid - the song, the visuals, all of it.

namaste SF Nancy

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

No - Wes, Lindsey/Angel and yeah - I'm recutting it and will repost when I am done -- in about a week.

I'm glad you enjoyed it so much.