ComSkip XVid batch HQ 1200 bitrate

[Apap]

I havent done much batch file work since the DOS days(yes I'm that old) but I am still looking through your file. A little more learning is required before I start modifying anything though.

[roxy99]

And on the subject of HD, you''ll need to preprocess your TS file with HDtoMpeg2 (http://www.topdrawerdownloads.com/download/104621).

This program also removes commercials for HD streams so you don't need comskip.

Then run the batch file on the new Mpeg2 HD file. Converting a 1080i source to 624 x 352 resoltion looks much crisper than converting a 720x480 SD to 624x462. The Xvid codec has a much easier time analyzing a high resolution HD and producting a very goo 624x462.

In fact a 624x464 Xvid sourced from 1080i looks better than an original unprocessed SD 720x480 source.

The problem I have with AC3 is that the batch file uses virtualdub which doesn't support AC3. VirtualdubMod does but It is not command line based so it can't be used in the batch file. However it can launch in script mode so that's ok.

For me HD and AC3 go together and SD and MP3 go together. If I want to archive a HD movie for instance I would want perfect cuts at the commercial breaks and I would want a reasonable 3gb or so 720p file.

The objective of SD is generally to cram as many mpeg2 for casual viewing and I settle for higher compression and lower bitrates.

Given the completely diffenent nature and objectives I would rather start from scratch with a HD conversion. The first step is to manually perfect Avisynth scripts and Virtualdubmod to try and do a few conversions. Only cnce the receipe is perfected will I be able to start thinking about of batch automation. Since I don't capture HD on my system I am unable to continue further on HD.

For SD, the need for AC3 is not as great so I haven't bothered with it.

[roxy99]

This one allows you to choose between 1 and 2 pass conversions by presenting a menu for selection.

Modify SET commands in HQprocessmpg.bat to the locations on your system

Set CUTDIR=c:\Project\Converted
set CAPDIR=c:\Project\misc
set VDir=c:\VirtualDub
SET WORKDIR=c:\PROJECT
set SDIR=c:\Project\source

[davephan]

Originally Posted by roxy99

Three things you should do:

1) Set the Sage service as an above normal process prioirity
In the windows task manager, right-click the Sage Service and bump its prioirity up. By default now, Sage should use more cpu cycles. You only need to do that once while Sage is always running.


2) Follow Technaz's advice. Look for all lines in the batch file with %VDUB% and use
Start /low /wait

IE: %VDUB% /r
Change to
Start /low /wait %VDUB% /r

You can do the same for Lame and besweet processes but they're less important.

3)Launch VirtualDub.exe and update its processing prioirity to below normal or low. See prefereneces menu option. In Dub Defaults.





That should work for you. Please post back with your results.

Roxy99

I tried replacing

%VDUB%

with

Start /low /wait %VDUB%

to set the priority of virtual dub to low, but it did not work.

The following error occurs:

c:\Project\misc> del c:\project\misc\*.wav
Could not find c:\project\misc\*.mp3

Do you have any idea how I could get the virtual dub run at "low" priority? The method that is documented does not seem to work.


Dave

[roxy99]

You need to use:

start "Virtualdub" /low /wait %VDUB% /r


The title "Virtualdub" is required as Jansmith discovered earlier in the thread.

[davephan]

Originally Posted by roxy99

You need to use:

start "Virtualdub" /low /wait %VDUB% /r


The title "Virtualdub" is required as Jansmith discovered earlier in the thread.

Roxy99,

Sorry I missed that post. I tried modifying the virtualdub part of the batch file, and it works! Virtualdub now runs with low priority instead of normal. The CPU load is still about 100% continueously, but I can do other things with the computer at the same time.

Dave

[davephan]

Has anyone used Roxy99's 1200-bit high quality two-pass Xvid scripts/programs using a high-end CPU computer with a dual or quad core? If so, how long does it take to process an hour mpeg2 file? Can multiple files be processed at the same time, one on each core? If so, how is the performance?

I am thinking of upgrading to a dual or quad core soon. But most likely I'll upgrade to a dual-core because quad-cores are pretty expensive.

Dave

[xj-boonie]

I'm going to give this a try tonite, but have a question: does this work on HD recordings also?

[Apap]

Originally Posted by xj-boonie

I'm going to give this a try tonite, but have a question: does this work on HD recordings also?

It didn't work on my HD recordings. I think the problem was with sound. It works great on SD recordings though.

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by Apap

It didn't work on my HD recordings. I think the problem was with sound. It works great on SD recordings though.

Glad you got it working. Sorry HD is something else and not covered by this utility. The sound is another matter and must be analogue sound only.

[Apap]

Thanks Roxy.

I appreciate the work you put into this and your willingness to share and help.

Respectfully
Apap

[Swagger200]

Let me add my thanks for your efforts. This is an amazing utility.

I am having a problem about 50% of the time though. In this case, delaycut seems to be extracting an mpa file, instead of wav (I record in DVD quality) - the mpa extraction continues, generating a huge file, until my C drive is full. I have to kill delaycut to get control back.

Any hints on how to deal with this? Anyone else having this issue?

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by Swagger200

Let me add my thanks for your efforts. This is an amazing utility.

I am having a problem about 50% of the time though. In this case, delaycut seems to be extracting an mpa file, instead of wav (I record in DVD quality) - the mpa extraction continues, generating a huge file, until my C drive is full. I have to kill delaycut to get control back.

Any hints on how to deal with this? Anyone else having this issue?

That's strange. Is your audio capture card capturing analogue? Only analogue audio is supported.

[Flip]

Originally Posted by Swagger200

Let me add my thanks for your efforts. This is an amazing utility.

I am having a problem about 50% of the time though. In this case, delaycut seems to be extracting an mpa file, instead of wav (I record in DVD quality) - the mpa extraction continues, generating a huge file, until my C drive is full. I have to kill delaycut to get control back.

Any hints on how to deal with this? Anyone else having this issue?

I am having the same problem. I'm capturing from a Hauppauge PVR150. About 90% of my files convert great, but every once in a while I get a problem like Swagger200 describes. My hard drive will get maxed out by cutaudio.mpa, I have to close the DOS window, and end delaycut through the task manager. Most of the time I'll retry it with no success, and I end up erasing the source video.

Is there any logfile we can post to help diagnose?

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by Flip

I am having the same problem. I'm capturing from a Hauppauge PVR150. About 90% of my files convert great, but every once in a while I get a problem like Swagger200 describes. My hard drive will get maxed out by cutaudio.mpa, I have to close the DOS window, and end delaycut through the task manager. Most of the time I'll retry it with no success, and I end up erasing the source video.

Is there any logfile we can post to help diagnose?

A log file won't help me since it seems pretty evident that delaycut is the culprit and delaycut is not my work.


Lately I've gotten into Python and on my system at home I've replaced all the old style batch files for python script. So I've stopped using the delaycut component as its now redundant for my setup. Its pretty Beta but if there is enough interest I can upload it to the downloads area.

It still needs a little work to be usable for the general public but there is a little select box where you select your mpg batch to process. I find it less archiac then having a source folder.

You still need to seperately ensure that Xvid is present and you still need Virtualdub, avisynth, and comskip.

[Swagger200]

Originally Posted by roxy99

That's strange. Is your audio capture card capturing analogue? Only analogue audio is supported.

Yes, analogue. I am using a Sapphire Theatrix 550 and standard CATV coax connection. Maybe more like 25% cause this and I cannot see any difference between the files that work and those that don't.

[Swagger200]

Originally Posted by roxy99

A log file won't help me since it seems pretty evident that delaycut is the culprit and delaycut is not my work.


Lately I've gotten into Python and on my system at home I've replaced all the old style batch files for python script. So I've stopped using the delaycut component as its now redundant for my setup. Its pretty Beta but if there is enough interest I can upload it to the downloads area.

It still needs a little work to be usable for the general public but there is a little select box where you select your mpg batch to process. I find it less archiac then having a source folder.

You still need to seperately ensure that Xvid is present and you still need Virtualdub, avisynth, and comskip.

I would certanly be willing to try it.

[davephan]

Originally Posted by davephan

Has anyone used Roxy99's 1200-bit high quality two-pass Xvid scripts/programs using a high-end CPU computer with a dual or quad core? If so, how long does it take to process an hour mpeg2 file? Can multiple files be processed at the same time, one on each core? If so, how is the performance?

I am thinking of upgrading to a dual or quad core soon. But most likely I'll upgrade to a dual-core because quad-cores are pretty expensive.

Dave

Roxy99,

I finally got my new system built to replace my old Althlon XP+2800 that died several months ago. My new system is very fast. The old XP+2800 stayed at about 100% CPU while playing back Xvids on my MVP. The Xvids could not be played back on my older XP+2100 system without severe stuttering.

This new system plays back Xvid with very low CPU consumption. Editing files with VideoReDo is drastically faster.

I will install your Xvid compression files/programs on the new system. I will let you know how long it takes to transcode standard definition Mpeg into high quality two-pass Xvid using a 3 gig dual-core processor.


Dave

[davephan]

Roxy99,

I ran into trouble setting up the Xvid compression process setup on the new computer. No AVI file is being created. I remarked out the comskip part of the process. The first error in the script is "Could not find c:\project\misc\*.mpa"

I checked the c:\project folder for:
extractwav.vcf
pass1.vcf
pass2.vcf
msharpen.dll

and they all exist.

I attached a screenshot of the process run.


Dave

Edit: After testing additional files, I discovered the problem only occurs with 16 x 9 video. The 4 x 3 video works great.

[Flip]

Originally Posted by roxy99

A log file won't help me since it seems pretty evident that delaycut is the culprit and delaycut is not my work.


Lately I've gotten into Python and on my system at home I've replaced all the old style batch files for python script. So I've stopped using the delaycut component as its now redundant for my setup. Its pretty Beta but if there is enough interest I can upload it to the downloads area.

It still needs a little work to be usable for the general public but there is a little select box where you select your mpg batch to process. I find it less archiac then having a source folder.

You still need to seperately ensure that Xvid is present and you still need Virtualdub, avisynth, and comskip.

Regarding the delaycut massive file problem... I found that if I open the problem video files with VideoRedo, or other mpeg editor, clip out some commercial, then resave the file, the delaycut problem does not come back. Hope that helps others?

roxy99, I am very happy with the batch process you set up, and would be very interested in any future developments to the process.