STV Import: SageMC Video Tools v3.0

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

When the Auto Encode profile is compressing HDTV it checks to see what kind of audio it has. If it's AC3 5.1 it maintains it and puts it into a mkv container, however, if its only 2 channel AC3 it converts it into a VBR mp3 and uses an avi container.

Since Idol just switched from its prerecorded episodes to live episodes it very well might have switched the type of audio they are using in the process and that would explain what you're seeing.


That time is about what I'd expect for that type of processor. Heck, i've got a Q6600 (4x2.4ghz) and I only get 4 hours to encode 1 hour of HDTV. If you really want to speed things up, you can try using 1-pass or switching to Xvid but you'll take a noticeable hit in quality.


Those are just some temp clips that I use to detect crop and telecine.

Yeah, this kind of transcoding takes a ton of time. I'm not sure if the code could be optimized more, but at least it's multithreaded. Microcenter has a special on Q6600's this week ($200 each for the boxed version), so I picked up one to rebuild by sage server, and another for my NAS upgrade when the P45's start shipping.

If you are going to do a lot of HD transcoding, a quad processor is a good investment.

[btrcp2000]

To further my transcoding knowledge, I finally have to ask. I know my reasons for transcoding (need mp4 or avi for a separate media player device, nothing to do with sage directly). But why are the rest of you pursuiing this? Is it solely to save space? I guess I am curious as to whether it's worthwhile to either have the server doing more things or have a dedicated machine for transcoding when storage space is relatively cheap. Or is there another reason? just wondering.

[Brent]

I'm transcoding to get movies and shows to the iPod and other portable media players. I'm also using this to transcode shows into DVD format and then burning select shows to DVD's.

Other than that, I might once in a great while compress a recorded show that I want to keep on the server for a long time.

[toricred]

I must be doing something wrong. I am using version k with the new version of SageMC (6.3.7a) and somehow the auto-compress isn't happening. I turned on the wait for comskip. Is that setting expecting a .txt file? I'm only generating a .edl file because of the accuracy. The .autocompress is generated. Anything else to check?

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by mikesm

If you are going to do a lot of HD transcoding, a quad processor is a good investment.

Very true, encoding scales much better over multiple processors than it does over faster clock speeds. In fact, I find that for most, if not all, HTPC tasks a slower quad-core is a much better investment than a crazy fast dual-core. I've been very happy with my choice.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by toricred

I must be doing something wrong. I am using version k with the new version of SageMC (6.3.7a) and somehow the auto-compress isn't happening. I turned on the wait for comskip. Is that setting expecting a .txt file? I'm only generating a .edl file because of the accuracy. The .autocompress is generated. Anything else to check?

It should be waiting for EDL's. Does it start working if you turn off "Wait for Comskip"?

[toricred]

I just tried that and it still doesn't work. I remember having this problem before, but I can't remember what I did to fix it. Is it possible I need to start Sage as the program on the server and import rather than importing on the server with the service running?

[toricred]

I'm shutting down the service, starting sage from the icon on the server, reloading the base stv, importing the SageMC Video Tools, and waiting to see.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by btrcp2000

To further my transcoding knowledge, I finally have to ask. I know my reasons for transcoding (need mp4 or avi for a separate media player device, nothing to do with sage directly). But why are the rest of you pursuiing this? Is it solely to save space? I guess I am curious as to whether it's worthwhile to either have the server doing more things or have a dedicated machine for transcoding when storage space is relatively cheap. Or is there another reason? just wondering.

Its all about space for me. By encoding almost everything I record I essentially stretch my 2 TB of recording space into 13 TB for free. That way I can save pretty much everything I care about from cooking shows (i've currently got ~250) to prime time shows for years to come.

Besides, if I wasn't encoding my fancy quad-core processor would just be sitting around idling all day long and that would be quite a waste

[toricred]

How long should it take to create the .autocompress file? I'm not seeing it and the .qdvd file is also not being created.

[toricred]

Maybe it is the new version of MC. I'm going to try going back to 6.3.7.

[xj-boonie]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

Very true, encoding scales much better over multiple processors than it does over faster clock speeds. In fact, I find that for most, if not all, HTPC tasks a slower quad-core is a much better investment than a crazy fast dual-core. I've been very happy with my choice.

Can you recommend a good motherboard for the Q6600 for a HTPC that would be a server/client machine? I've currently got a AMD X2 3800 and am looking to start encoding everything, so am wondering if I should shift to a Intel quad-core or the AMD quad-core.

Thanks,
Mike

[toricred]

Going back to MC version 6.3.7 resolved the problem. I wonder if it was having a problem recognizing the .edl files have been created.

[gtdave]

Originally Posted by toricred

How long should it take to create the .autocompress file? I'm not seeing it and the .qdvd file is also not being created.

I'm having the same problem--the .autocompress file is not being created, and neither is the .qdvd file. I have to go in and manually add the compression job, which works fine.

How did you fix this? I'm running SageMC 6.3.7...it seems you are too, though...

Thanks for your help!

[jphipps]

Is there an issue with the link at the top of the post for the downlaod and install instructions? I takes me to a page can't be displayed link. I found the download on sourceforge by searching, but can't find any of the docs...

Thanks,
Jeff

[Brent]

Originally Posted by jphipps

Is there an issue with the link at the top of the post for the downlaod and install instructions? I takes me to a page can't be displayed link. I found the download on sourceforge by searching, but can't find any of the docs...

Working fine for me. You're talking about this link?
http://perl2dvd.wiki.sourceforge.net...ng+SageMC+STVi

[Brent]

I think I need some help from the experts (probably evilpenguin.) I've been using the autoencode with success and now am trying to make my own "autoencode" profile that does the following:

If a recorded mpeg or mpg, transcode to ipod lores and put final mp4 file in c:\media\ipod\ folder
or if a ripped dvd folder then transcode to ipod lores and put final mp4 file in c:\media\ipod\ folder

Is there a way to do this? The goal is to make a profile called "iPod" that my wife can just select when she wants to push a show or DVD to her iPod without my help. The fewer clicks required the better in this case.

I have made a profile that does the shows - to - iPod folder that looks like this:

# Function: HandBrake iPod LowRes to iPod Folder
#
# HandBrake's low res settings for iPod. Optimized for great playback on the iPod screen, with smaller file size. 
# Places finished mp4 file in c:\media\iPod\ folder

    Encode CLI #1     =#handbrake_1#-i "%%ORIGINAL%%" -o "%%OUTPUT_MAIN%%.mp4" %%SNIP:Handbrake DVD%% -e x264b30 -b 700 -B 160 -R 48 -E faac -f mp4 -w 320 -x keyint=300:keyint-min=30:bframes=0:cabac=0:ref=1:vbv-maxrate=768:vbv-bufsize=2000:analyse=all:me=umh:subme=6:no-fast-pskip=1 ?>deNoise<:>-8<? ?>revTelecine<:>-9<? ?>!autoCrop<:>--crop 0:0:0:0<? ?>deinterlace<:>-d<? ?>!onePass<:>-2<? -m
    Encoder #1        =HandBrakeCLI.exe
    Output Mode       =PATH<:>C:\Media\iPod\Dir =

What I don't know is how to make a similar profile for DVD-to-iPod. I also am not sure on how to make a more automated profile that chooses which profile is appropriate depending on whether its a mpeg file or a dvd folder.

[jphipps]

Got It... Should have known it was a problem with going through the crappy Direcway satellite internet. I connected through CDMA, and it came up fine...

Thanks for your help...

-jeff

[Arioch5]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

Actually the custom profiles I was talking about were created by going into "SageMC Options -> Extras -> Video Tools Options -> Compression -> Create Custom Profile".

All I did was enable the advanced options, picked "Auto Encode", set the extra options I wanted, and saved it. After that your new custom profile should show up in the list just like all of the others.

Great! This is exactaly what I needed. I hadn't looked at the option to save custom profiles in a few revisions.

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by xj-boonie

Can you recommend a good motherboard for the Q6600 for a HTPC that would be a server/client machine? I've currently got a AMD X2 3800 and am looking to start encoding everything, so am wondering if I should shift to a Intel quad-core or the AMD quad-core.

Thanks,
Mike

The current AMD quadcore is a dog - stay away from it. I am just about to upgrade my sagetv server with a new Q6600 I got from microcenter (actually from fry's via a pricematch) for $200. Complete overkill for Sage, but it will make the extenders nice and fast. :-)

Anyways, I would recommend a good P35 based motherboard that can overclock well. I stuck another Q6600 into my desktop this weekend and it overclocked with minimal voltage increase to 3.5 Ghz. For the Sage server, which is currently an AMD X2 3800, I ordered this MB from newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128059
It overclocks very well, has all solid caps, and is onsale right now. It also has 3 PCI slots, which is nice for tuners and such. Some of the nice P35 boards only have 2 (like the MSI Neo2 FR).

The only thing you have to watch for is if you get a big overclock, this CPU's will suck down watts like mad when you have all 4 cores doing an encode. 350W just for the CPU is easily seen, so you need a decent PSU if you also have a video card that's a pig too.