I think that mencoder from mplayer can do it by command line.

Some thing like:

mencoder myrecording.mpg -cache 8192 -oac mp3lame -o myencoding.avi -ovc xvid -xvidencopts bitrate=650:me_quality=6 -vop scale=480:360 -sws 2 -lameopts preset=64

DABDig creator

Squire,

I've just started playing with virtual dub.

It looks like it does have command line options:

http://www.virtualdub.org/blog/pivot/entry.php?id=20

we ought to be able to make it work in the way you did the pvas thing? i.e. make a script file up & then run it.

I'm currently running my 1st job through VirtualDub-Mpeg2 (from fcchandler - is that what you use?) - I kind of guessed what to do & I've probably got it wrong.

Have you found a good simple guide or can you give me a few pointers on what works well to convert nebula mpg?

for eg what codec do you use, what settings etc etc.

ta,

James

Hi James,

I used this guide: http://www.pctechtalk.com/?m=show&id=3123 for my basic settings.

Essentially, I have just a couple of settings that I have saved into MPEG2AVI.VCF. I have listed this file at the end of this post. Just delete the lines that start with "Begin" and "End" to get the same file.

Then I load the MPG into VirtualDub Mpeg2 (Same one as you said) then click File, Load processing settings - and load in the .VCF file,. Then I simply click "File, Save as AVI" and it seems to work fine for almost all my files. I get a decent quality XVID file out of it.

See what you think. I can post the VCF up on my website if you wish, but the cut and paste should work..

Squire.

Begin MPE2GAVI.VCF

VirtualDub.audio.SetSource(1);

VirtualDub.audio.SetMode(1);

VirtualDub.audio.SetInterleave(1,500,1,0,0);

VirtualDub.audio.SetClipMode(1,1);

VirtualDub.audio.SetConversion(0,0,0,0,0);

VirtualDub.audio.SetVolume();

VirtualDub.audio.SetCompression(85,48000,2,0,24000,1,12,"AQACAAAAQAIBAHEF");

VirtualDub.audio.EnableFilterGraph(0);

VirtualDub.video.SetDepth(24,24);

VirtualDub.video.SetMode(3);

VirtualDub.video.SetFrameRate(0,1);

VirtualDub.video.SetIVTC(0,0,-1,0);

VirtualDub.video.SetCompression(0x64697678,0,10000,0);

VirtualDub.video.SetCompData(3012,"AAAAAMQDAACQtgkAXHZpZGVvLnBhc3MALgBwAGEAcwBzAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAkQEAAEFTIEAgTDUAIABMADUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQAAAAAAAAAIERITFRcZGxESExUXGRscFBUWFxgaHB4VFhcYGhweIBYXGBocHiAjFxgaHB4gIyYZGhweICMmKRscHiAjJiktEBESExQVFhcREhMUFRYXGBITFBUWFxgZExQVFhcYGhsUFRYXGRobHBUWFxgaGxweFhcYGhscHh8XGBkbHB4fIQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAAAAIAAACWAAAAZAAAAAEAAAABAAAAAAAAAAQAAAADAAAAAQAAAAEAAAAAAAAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGQAAAD0AQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAABkAAAAZAAAAAEAAAAKAAAAAQAAABQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUAAAAFAAAABQAAACBOAAAAAAAAAQAAAAEAAAAeAAAAAAAAAAIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAEAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAsAQAAAAAAAAEAAAAfAAAAAQAAAB8AAAABAAAAHwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAAAAAAAAD3AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAA");

VirtualDub.video.filters.Clear();

VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("deinterlace");

VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[0].Config(0);

VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("resize");

VirtualDub.video.filters.instance.Config(720,404,0);

VirtualDub.audio.filters.Clear();

End MPE2GAVI.VCF

Did either of you try my command line above for mencoder?

(it is freeware - part of mplayer - get it while you can.)

DABDig creator

Squire,

Thanks for that - I'll give it a go, as my 1st attempt was not great - size shrank from 1.9gb to 1.1gb (not bad), but quality was not great - REALLY fuzzy on any camera moves, and the sound was out of sync.

Paul,

Haven't tried that yet - I'm really only just starting out with divx. I had a bit of a search under the tool you refered to - looks like it's mostly sed by linux users? I'll download that now though - you're implying it may not be free for ever!

The reason I'm trying to sort this is to get stuff burned on to discs to play in my dvd player (essentially archiving stuff). My dvd player will actually play the mpeg2 files straight from the nebula, but the sound is 30 seconds (yes 30) behind the picture!!! any ideas!?

I'm hoping divx will get me the double whammy of sound in sync and more on a disc!

time for more experimentation!

James

Thanks Squire,

I'm now sold on divx. Got the settings right & most importantly, stopped checking them in windows media player - the results were horrible in that, but in power DVD they're great.

I'm going to start looking at automating now....

James,

You should use VLC to play stuff - supports loads of codecs, and is very slick (and free!). You can stream stuff over a network as well...

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Not had chance to look any further at the automatic stuff - will try and get some time over the weekend... Do post your progress on it.

Cheers.

Squire.

Squire,

Thanks - I'll have a look at videolan.

I think I've made a bit of a discovery on video processing though I've yet to try it out & it's getting late.

I had a go with the thing you pointed me at Paul - mencoder. certainly works, though the parameters are hard to get the hang of & I can't get it to work on divx5.1.

ThenI had a poke around at the jobs files for virtual dub. this lead me to this page:

http://forums.divx.com/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/201101651/m/677102651/r/last_reply

I reckon this does everything we want? just need to adapt squire's vbscript a bit.

I'm away for the weekend,so it's going to have to wait though....

atb

James

James,

You are a star - I have taken the detail from that forum and thrown together a simple batch process that proceses one file - and I have right now got an automated XVID conversion running in the background! Cool!

The syntax of the job script is a little tricky, but I'll bolt something together in the same style as the MP2MP3 thingy I did, and perhaps you can test it?

It might be simple to have the two scripts combined into one, perhaps that's the next step.

Cheers for the link though - that's it nearly sorted now...

Squire

Squire,

Once you have it running, lob it over & I'll test it.

It should be pretty easy to wrap it in to your other script, but seperate is cool too.

I can't seem to get good quality out of xvid, but divx is just great.

anyway, as soon as you have something to test, just send it my way!

At some point I'll probably port it all into my filing program (see posts under http://www.andrewcurrey.co.uk/dabdig/forum/topic.asp?id=49)

either in VB, or in VBScript. But for now, running all the apps seperately is just fine.

cheers,

James

squire - a little postscript to my previous message.

I kept getting recordings of TV programs that would stop after around a minute. the nebula would say it was recording, but the file would stop growing. Problem was it wasn't consistant.

After lots of head scratching I finally worked it out.

The LAME mp3 compressor running from your batch file takes so much processing power on my PC that none is left for the Nebula.

If I switch yours to low priority, it all runs fine - problem is, I'm not sure how to do this for batch files.

A potential solution is to move it in to VB, where I know how to control the process priority....

James

Just to be sure - have you set DigiTV as High Priority?

Settings/General/DigiTV Application Priority

DABDig creator

Paul,

Ah - no - it didn't.... but it does now!

Thanks,

James

I was hoping to download the files that allow the automated 'pvastrumento' process. But I can't find the link anywhere.. I had it yesterday...

Thanks in advance.

Ah, found it! Don't worry.