ComSkip XVid batch HQ 1200 bitrate

[roxy99]

FEATURES

• PMP player friendly low bitrate of 800 for very compact files with good video quality on even 46inch screen
• HQ Version for 1200 bitrate. Indistinguishable from Mpg source quality
• Actual commercial REMOVAL rather than skip for even smaller size file( using famous Comskip)
• MP3 conversion using Lame 3.96 encoder
• Correction of audio drift and audio Synch using BESWEET, Delaycut, AVI2WAV (see enclosed readme files)

I'd like to thank the author of Comskip, Erik, without whom this would have been impossible. Also, please take time to visit the individual author's sites of the various utilities to make sure you are running the latest versions. Project.zip inlcudes the latest stable versions as of Dec 3, 2006.

New version 1.6 Choose 1 pass or 2 pass & Smart crop for 4:3 content to fit 16:9 widescreen (April 6, 2007)


INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS

• Download Avisynth 2.56 and Install
• Install Xvid codec if not already on your system
• Create folder 'C:\Besweet' extract Besweet 1.4
• Create folder 'C:\VirtualDub' extract VirtualDub 1.6.17
• In root c:\ folder extract Project.zip (Ver 1.0). The zip will create its own directory tree starting with C:\Project (Includes: Lame 3.96, AVI2WAVCMD, ComSkip, Delaycut and Wavmp3 and various avisynth filters)
• Replace Convert2Pass.bat with updated Ver 1.3 attached here (This is the 512x384 low bitrate version)
• Attached High quality 640 x 480 batch filebelow Ver 1.4

LAUNCH

Copy one or several *.mpg files in C:\Project\Source making sure NO SPACES or non alphabetic characters (#$%") other than _ ( underscore) appear in filenames

Double click directly from C:\Project (or make desktop shortcut)

• Processmpg.bat (800 bitrate 512x348 version)
• HQProcessmpg.bat (for 1200 bitrate 640x480 version)

Now have supper, go to bed, go out, etc. Come back and you will find the
folder C:\Project\converted populated with Xvid Avi without commercials.

========================================
Version History:
Ver 1.0: Initial batch file and all required files uploaded to customizations
Ver 1.1: Revised Convert2Pass.bat - fixed references to CAPDIR variable
Ver 1.2: Latest versions (attached) - fixed Line too long error in Windows 2000 systems. Uses seperate Pass1.vcf and Pass2.vcf files for easier management.
Ver 1.3: MSharpen plugin added.
Ver 1.4: HQ 640x480 only- automatically sets cropping for widescreen format when detect Dominant Aspect ratio 1.9600 by comskip.

Ver 1.5 Smart crop for 4:3 content to fit 16:9 widescreen
Ver 1.6 Choose 1 pass or 2 pass & Smart crop for 4:3 content to fit 16:9 widescreen

[roxy99]

If you are using this above file in conjunction with the 1 pass method, then rename your other project folder for 1 pass to C:\Project1pass

Adjust the variables accordingly:
%CAPDIR%
%WORKDIR%
%CUTDIR%
%SDIR%

[roxy99]

Any other good troops out there willing to try this. It really works and SUPER easy to set up now.

[alon24]

is there a way to changethe file name for the recording?
because i would like to convert and then burn to a dvd to be shown on a Divx capable DVD.
so I need the file names, I think I just need a simple STVI to change the name of the file, from sage.

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by alon24

is there a way to changethe file name for the recording?
because i would like to convert and then burn to a dvd to be shown on a Divx capable DVD.
so I need the file names, I think I just need a simple STVI to change the name of the file, from sage.

I'm not sure I understand what you want to do. Do you mean to change the mpg file name BEFORE sending it to the batch conversion to XVid? Or do you mean to rename the AVI after conversion?

What do you want to rename it to? Are you saying that the file names are too long for a standalone player capable Xvid file? If that's the case then I can look into making a renaming batch file. Is that what you want?

Try this for simple rename operation: http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/ren...t/renamexp.htm

Now, download my utility and start testing some XviDs ! : D

[alon24]

my interset is to compress the file and then after i get it back in sage (like their compression does) to change the name of the file so I can burn it and give it to my "sage deprived family" - known from here on as SDF.

The SDF like to watch the shows but they do not know the file names that sage outputs, so i need a complementry addition, to change the name of files after the compresion has been done, in the sage UI.

With the current sage implementation I renme each file BEFORE but this is not a good solution,as I am lazy, and when I give the command to compress, its basically beore I go to bed, and I want a short way to rename before I burn.

Its all about WAF (sage is good for that), and SDF - thats wh compression is good.

Hope this helps understand my motivation...

[roxy99]

redundant info

[alon24]

I am sorry, let me clarify:
1. I have not yet downloaded and tried the method, its quite late right now, and I am saving this for a better time.
I like to do my homework be fore I try new stuff.

2. I record from sage not using the show+episode name, so my files are all in the following format: xx-xxxxx.mpg or sagetv-xxxx.mpg, when I view them in sage I do not care, but when I want to burn them to dvd and give tem to my sister (SDF), I need to burn comprehenable names to disk.

Now I coud go and see in the detail info, which xx-xxx.mpg coressponds to gray's anatomy se2 ep3 or (what I would like to do), is right click the show in sage, have a "Change Filenme" option and change the file name.

I tried doing that before but was unsuccsessful, I know I can make this STVI on my own (STVI so that other may use this method), but with the new house, time is a rare comoditee.

with the current v6 implementation of compression by sage, you can choose to compress a file and give it a new name, and then send it to compress.

Hope this makes it more understandable.

[roxy99]

repeat

[roxy99]

I'll be submitting a new version soon with a higher bitrate for less pixelation.
Also, the resolution is dropped a notch from 640x480 to 512x384 to help out.

The next version will encode to 640x480 using a bitrate of at least 1200. Presently the bitrate is 800 only for maximum compression.

If we get enough people using this approach, then maybe someone will write an STVi to automate this process within the Sage interface similar to Sage 6 except customizable compression and commercial removal.

[roxy99]

redundant

[lobosrul]

Reasons why I havent downloaded:

1) Evilpenguins video tool STVi looks promising; doesn't quite work for me now but he's working on it.

2) I'm confused on how to change around encode settings using this method, does it use mencoder? For one I dont want to encode audio to mp3, I want to keep AC3 sound.

Batch processing on the whole is convenient, I was using it with Dr Divx, but I had to put everything thru VideoRedo first to remove commercials.

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by lobosrul

Reasons why I havent downloaded:

1) Evilpenguins video tool STVi looks promising; doesn't quite work for me now but he's working on it.

Yes it does. I'll have to give that a try also

Originally Posted by lobosrul

2) I'm confused on how to change around encode settings using this method, does it use mencoder? For one I dont want to encode audio to mp3, I want to keep AC3 sound..

If you're already recording digital audio, then you're right- you loose the AC3 with this method. Most people receive regular sterio auio so the mp3 is not an issue- especially at 192 CBR that I am using.

It uses Avisynth. You can incorporate different resolutions use other filters, etc. But configuration is not plug-and play. Each change needs batch file changes. However, the quality vs compression you will be impressed I'm sure with the settings I've used.

Originally Posted by lobosrul

Batch processing on the whole is convenient, I was using it with Dr Divx, but I had to put everything thru VideoRedo first to remove commercials.

Well with this you have a one step process only.

[Flip]

roxy99

You're not p&ssing in the wind!

I love what you've put together here! I'm also anxious to see your other realease that will keep 640X480 @ 1200 bitrate. I personally don't mind a little larger file size.

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by Flip

roxy99

You're not p&ssing in the wind!

I love what you've put together here! I'm also anxious to see your other realease that will keep 640X480 @ 1200 bitrate. I personally don't mind a little larger file size.

You read my mind. I am just testing it now. 640x480 @1200 will be the same video quality as mpg @3000 bitrate. Plus I've used a sharpness filter in my new batch file. I'll upload soon.

[roxy99]

Update
New version:

• HQ Version attached for 1200 bitrate. Indistinguishable from Mpg source quality

Extract contents of attached zip to the C:\Project folder.

Update- Dec 30, 2006 : Vesion 1.2. Fixed Line too long error in Windows 2000 systems. Extract all contents to c:\project folder.

See first post for attachment.

[mikesm]

Very nice... Are these settings for SD video or HD video? If the source has more detail you would like to use higher bitrates than for lower res video...

Thanks,
Mike

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by mikesm

Very nice... Are these settings for SD video or HD video? If the source has more detail you would like to use higher bitrates than for lower res video...

Thanks,
Mike

SD. I don't have HD source to test. I can do an HD version if someone provides me a small mpeg HD clip to test on. The bitrate would be much higher then.

[erik]

Originally Posted by roxy99

If you've decided not to use this, please take 30 seconds to post some comments as to why

My recording PC is way to slow for transcoding

[roxy99]

I have heard complaints that transcoding is hard on the cpu. Trust me, I know. I use a 4 year old Athlon XP 3200. It is very time consuming.

There is also a 1 pass version at http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21473
The install process is more manual than this simplified install.

You will be happy to know, that the batch file can be easily modified so that it can run on a seperate PC.

You can run the batch file from a laptop or other dedicated PC. Eg: C:\Project\Source & converted directories, can instead point to X:\Source and X:\Converted. Where X: is the capture drive on the Sage server. Hence the Avisynth and Virtualdub script are processing and doing all the hard work remotely from the Sage Server.

What is needed now is a monitoring application like Steeps' comskip monitor. This can be used to monitor for new mpg files to copy and paste into X:\Source. Another monitoring application can run on the remote PC and check for contents in the Source folder and execute the batch file.

I like using the Source folder because it does its work only on a copy of the Mpg. If anything goes wrong, the damage is limited to the X:\Source copy and not the actual captured mpg file.