Compression to Divx Strategy

[jominor]

I've always wanted to compress my archived files to divx to save space. I use Dr. Divx to successfully compress more than 500 DVD for harddrive storage, but when tried using Dr. Divx to compress a Sage created mpeg2, no success.

However, by using Nero to create DVD files from the MPEGs without burning them to disk, I now have a format that is digestable by Dr. Divx.

By compressing the resulting file, and giving it the same name as the original Sage file, Sage picked up the file transparently.

A file that normally took 1.4 gig now takes 250meg and Sage didn't blink.

There's probably a better way, but I can safely say that compressing and renaming a divx .avi file to .mpeg works.

Now, my only question... The play positioning works. Is this because of what I thought was my failed attempt to install the import library that saves positions or some other previously unknown Sage ability?

A pleasant suprise nonetheless...

[mayamaniac]

Interesting, so what you are saying is that you can :

1. compress the sageTV MPEG2 into divx AVI by using Nero and Dr. Divx.
2. placed the AVI into the same directory as the original with the same name (including changing the extension from .AVI to .MPG),overwriting the original, and sageTV plays it and loads all the correct show info for it, and remember playback positions.

Did you do the file swap while SageTV is running or OFF? Does it matter? How long did it take to compress the video to divx on your system?

[jominor]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

Interesting, so what you are saying is that you can :

1. compress the sageTV MPEG2 into divx AVI by using Nero and Dr. Divx.
2. placed the AVI into the same directory as the original with the same name (including changing the extension from .AVI to .MPG),overwriting the original, and sageTV plays it and loads all the correct show info for it, and remember playback positions.

Did you do the file swap while SageTV is running or OFF? Does it matter? How long did it take to compress the video to divx on your system?

Yes. I had the both the server and client running. In fact, while the client was running, I

1. deleted a file
2. tried to play it, thus getting the missing file error
3. copied the divx file with the same name as the original into the directory
4. tried playing the new file, which played saved the playback positions.

I'm compressing some more, so I'll check the time. I know DVD->Divx was 2-4 hours per movie, but those were much larger files. I also didn't compress them on the Sage server because it is running ShowAnalyzer. I copy the files to another machine, compress them, then copy them back.
[Update]
I bounced both the Sage server and client to ensure that everything still worked. It does.

[nyplayer]

Why would you need to rename it there is no need to rename it anymore. Just simply encode to divx using the same name leave the extension as avi. And simply delete the old mpg and replace it with the divx one. As long as the file name contains the sage ID number Sage will show all the info.

This is sample file that I use. The touch.exe gets the modified date from the original file and copies it over to the AVI so that the timeline is correct.

cd "S:\Program Files\SageTV\SageTV"
S:
start /B /w /low SageTVTranscoder.exe -i "E:\sageb\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.mpg" -f avi -s 320x240 -vcodec msmpeg4v2 -b 650 -r 29.97 -g 300 -ab 128 -acodec mp3 -vol 256 -async 1 "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi"
touch.exe -r "E:\sageb\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.mpg" "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi"
if exist "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi" del "E:\sageb\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.mpg"
move "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi" "E:\sageb"

[jominor]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

Why would you need to rename it there is no need to rename it anymore. Just simply encode to divx using the same name leave the extension as avi. And simply delete the old mpg and replace it with the divx one. As long as the file name contains the sage ID number Sage will show all the info.

I renamed it because I didn't realize that the ID number is enough for Sage to keep its information. I want as seamless an experience as possible. I'll test your ID information.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[mayamaniac]

nyplayer, have you tried using DirMon2 to automate that batch of commands? If possible, then you shouldn't have to manually input those file names. Well, thats my assumption.

[jominor]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

Why would you need to rename it there is no need to rename it anymore. Just simply encode to divx using the same name leave the extension as avi. And simply delete the old mpg and replace it with the divx one. As long as the file name contains the sage ID number Sage will show all the info.

This is sample file that I use. The touch.exe gets the modified date from the original file and copies it over to the AVI so that the timeline is correct.

cd "S:\Program Files\SageTV\SageTV"
S:
start /B /w /low SageTVTranscoder.exe -i "E:\sageb\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.mpg" -f avi -s 320x240 -vcodec msmpeg4v2 -b 650 -r 29.97 -g 300 -ab 128 -acodec mp3 -vol 256 -async 1 "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi"
touch.exe -r "E:\sageb\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.mpg" "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi"
if exist "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi" del "E:\sageb\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.mpg"
move "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi" "E:\sageb"

One more question, what do you use to compress to Divx. I would prefer to streamline my procedure if possible, but for some reason Dr. Divx was choking on the mpeg files.

[nyplayer]

I do not use DIVX. I am using either XVID with is supported by sagetvtranscoder or msmpeg4v2 which is supported by all windows os's without installing any codec.

mayamaniac yes I do use DIRMON

I have a procedure that I posted in this thread.

See the last post in thread.

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...ight=msmpeg4v2

[hemicuda]

I'm currently running Dr Divx on a USB2 recorded mpg (60min). I'll edit this post w/ my results, but 1st pass encoding is progressing at about 16fps. Estimated 4hrs to complete. DVD's encode faster than this

Edit: Man these Intel M CPUs get hot at 100%... 72-78C. Think I smell plastic so I'm going to stop the app. I have better regulation on my workstation so I'll try it there later. I need to blow out the fins on this laptop anyhow

[mayamaniac]

nyplayer,

What is the performance of sagetvtranscoder? How long does it take to convert a file on your system? And just curious, will your script work on HD contents?

[nyplayer]

Using the msmpeg4v2 om my P4 2 ghz 1 gig memory it takes from 30 minutes to 45 minutes to encode a 1 hour show.

I am not sure what HD content file extension is but I am sure if you just change 1 thing the script will work.

On the sageencode.vbs where it has mpg change to what ever file extension your files are.

see line below

mp4target=replace(targetfile,".mpg","." & OuputExtension)

[hemicuda]

Helps when the heatsink is cleaned once in awhile. only 58C this time around....

Sage didn't notice the file format difference in the UI. However, the progress bar was all red when the vid played; the timer started at 1332:xx:xx; there was no position indicator; and Comskip info wasn't shown.

I renamed the file to a .mpg and things got worse: CPU went to 100%; Sage only displayed a black screen where the vid should be; OSD still worked though. I did a drive search for 'touch.exe' but it's not on this install of XP.

Ok, I deleted the compressed file and brought the original back in. for some reason it now has the same problems as the .avi when I play it: Red progress bar, etc.

Any ideas where things went wrong?

[jominor]

Originally Posted by hemicuda

Helps when the heatsink is cleaned once in awhile. only 58C this time around....

Sage didn't notice the file format difference in the UI. However, the progress bar was all red when the vid played; the timer started at 1332:xx:xx; there was no position indicator; and Comskip info wasn't shown.

I renamed the file to a .mpg and things got worse: CPU went to 100%; Sage only displayed a black screen where the vid should be; OSD still worked though. I did a drive search for 'touch.exe' but it's not on this install of XP.

Ok, I deleted the compressed file and brought the original back in. for some reason it now has the same problems as the .avi when I play it: Red progress bar, etc.

Any ideas where things went wrong?

Even my comskip shows up. Do you have an divx decoder installed? I have my decoder installed on my client system.

[hemicuda]

I probably have most of the video codecs on the "market" installed on this thing from trying to find the best compressor. I've done most of my Divx (5.2 pro) work from here while things were idle at nite.

Are there specific encoding settings one should use to make Sage play nice?

[nyplayer]

hemicuda

'touch.exe' is not part of XP I will attach it here for you that will fix your redbar problem.

As far as DIVX I do not really use it too CPU hungry.

Below is a sample of touch.exe


touch.exe -r "E:\sageb\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.mpg" "E:\sagebEncoded\CSIMiami-MoneyPlane-44923-0.avi"

[jominor]

Originally Posted by hemicuda

I probably have most of the video codecs on the "market" installed on this thing from trying to find the best compressor. I've done most of my Divx (5.2 pro) work from here while things were idle at nite.

Are there specific encoding settings one should use to make Sage play nice?

I just use the Dr. Divx defaults with the best quality compressing defaults.

[hemicuda]

thanks nyplayer

I'll use that on the next one I try. Seems the guinnea pig recording is off the mark though. Guess I messed up the timestamps on it by mistake.