Changing audio quality!? needed? and how?

[jimbobuk]

I am just starting to try editing captures to remove adverts.. or try to... i have been reading on shs a lot about losing sync, and some womble program reporting loads of PTS errors, as a possible cause... someone somewhere suggested that recording in program stream and with a lower bitrate 224 i think of audio seemed to help immensely...

Am i right in assuming that changes like this are required to be made in the properties file directly..!? changing them within detailed setup wont work!?

Anyone else comment on this and whether its a good idea.. I believe program stream is already selected.. i'm using dvd standard.. I assume if a standard has been agreed for best quality by folks that the defaults in Sage are already in this mode?!??

The problem seems to only really manifest itself when you author stuff onto dvd and try playing it (thru a setup player or thru a software player!?? if the latter surely you could test your dvd image on the hdd before burning)

[jimbobuk]

As you can see ;) no one replied to this... I've not had chance to check yet... i dont want to go delving into the properties file unless i have to... is that the only way to change the audio recording options!?! i just got some show that i tried cutting up and i was getting bad audio sync :(

[Omegadsl]

If you don't want to delve into the properties files yourself, you can post what changes you'd like, and i or someone else will be able to write the line for you. Then you can add it to your properties file.

[jimbobuk]

Thanks... I'm fairly confident i can alter it myself I am just not keen on doing so unless i have to... as in are the audio settings accesible within Sage's detailed setup not going to actually make any changes to whats recorded (as it will simply just consult the properties file for the encoding profile to use)

I would like the audio to be encoded to best minimise any lip sync problems when later editing or burning recordings to dvdr... as discussed on shspvr... just going to look there for the setting now

[jimbobuk]

I changed the Output Stream from DVD to Program. For now, I left the average and max video bit rate in default but changed the audio bitrate to 224. These settings made a big improvement. DVD's burned from TV programs recorded in Win TV that were previously out of sync, are now normal.

Thats from SHSforum... so thats whats needed i guess...

Program stream and audio bitrate to 224...

its bizarre anyways.. brought dvds usually have the stereo soundtracks as low as 192k... ohh thats AC3 tho mostly.. anyways 224 sounds enough for mpeg2 or mpeg1 layer II whatever it is that uses it..

I am using

seeker/recording_qualities/DVD\ Standard\ Play\ ~\ 3.25GB\ per\ hr=DVD Standard Play,384,48000,7250000

I dont see where this says if its program or not.. I assume the 384 above just needs changing to 224...

SHS you've talked on the audio sync issue.. have you setup your profiles like this?!

[Narflex]

Why don't you just not worry about the audio sync problem? From what I can tell, you're only assuming you may have this problem because of what someone suggested somewhere. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. :)

[justme]

Very good point Narflex. It is very true unless he plans to edit and then archive some of his recordings to DVD. Blank DVDs aren't cheap. I had some problems with editting and then burning a "transport" stream, even with Womble's MPEG2VCR. I only had problems with about 10% of my DVD burns. Still I hate coasters, especially expensive ones. Since using "program" stream I've had no problems with my DVD burns, I hope that statement doesn't jinx me;).

[jimbobuk]

I have no problems with sync whilst watching tv or even the files on their own.. but cut up i do seem to lose sync on some clips.. which is why i was looking.. you dont have to wait till its on dvd... chopped up mpeg clips on my hdd are out of sync... not all... and cutting the same clip in different places helps... if i can reduce this by changing the audio slightly and the recording to program stream instead of dvd then i would like to try..

[Omegadsl]

Originally posted by jimbobuk
I have no problems with sync whilst watching tv or even the files on their own.. but cut up i do seem to lose sync on some clips.. which is why i was looking.. you dont have to wait till its on dvd... chopped up mpeg clips on my hdd are out of sync... not all... and cutting the same clip in different places helps... if i can reduce this by changing the audio slightly and the recording to program stream instead of dvd then i would like to try..

I use the mpeg GOP fixer in mpeg2vcr and then cut it up with that (remove commercials, etc.). I burn with Ulead DVD Workshop (well, I usually do but I uninstalled it in an attempt to fix a problem I am having with SageTV). I have found that this results in no sync problems.

[jimbobuk]

I'm sure i've heard someone saying that the gop fixer in that thing has sometimes introduced sync problems... but thanks... this program stream audio change should also help too apparently

[justme]

MPEG2VCR is a great tool to have if you plan on editing MPEGs. I'm sure i've heard someone saying that the gop fixer in that thing has sometimes introduced sync problems
There is a weird situation that will sometimes occur with very bad capture. Some people(this group included me at one time) will see the "fixed" MPEG out of sync on their software players. Usually once you edit and save the file with MPEG2VCR, the new clip will play fine on the software player.:confused: As I said weird.

I know you have probably read the same posts as me at SHSPVR. I always use program stream to record, I use either mpeg2vcr's GOP tool or sometimes do a simple multiplex in TMPGenc, I use mpeg2vcr to edit, and Ulead DVD Workshop to burn. This process is the end result of reading every post I could and trying out the suggestions. One last thing is that I used to use WinTVCap all the time for my captures. WinTVCap not only uses program stream by default but also uses closed GOP by default. I wonder how SageTV handles this(GOP)?
EDIT:Duh, the same document on editting the qualities shows SageTV's default for GOP:bang:

I guess it doesn't matter since I haven't had any problems so far with SageTV's captures(using a modified quality list that uses program stream for all the DVD quality choices). Still it would be interesting to know how Sage handles GOP, and it might help people like you, who are having problems with sync. Best of luck.

[jimbobuk]

could you post the program stream altered dvd settings... i use dvd standard usually.. would love to just change it to program stream..

changing the audio down to 224 and using program stream .. as you've no doubt read leaves you the best chance for sync...

[justme]

I just reformatted my system's c: partition last night. I had some problems with DX9a, and the only way to get rid of it was a clean install. I should have backed up my properties file:bang:, but I thought I would use this opertunitity to start from scratch. I like to do this every 6 months or so. I will post as soon as I reedit my properties file. I used this document (http://www.freytechnologies.com/HPquality.txt) to edit it the first time. I also had some help the first time. Maybe Omegadsl can help you faster than me.

On a side note but related does anyone know how SageTV determines the order of the quality choices are listed in? I would like my most used ones first on the list. I tried a quick experiment of rearranging their order in the properties files while SageTV was shutdown. But when I restarted SageTV the order seemed of the choices seemed unchanged.