Mini guide for DMR-E20 to KVCD conversion with FitCD
 

You must have AviSynth installed and also download decomb.dll.
These are available at http://www.videotools.net

This method is ONLY for NTSC captures.
Also remember that not all of the NTSC captures can be IVTC'ed, because IVTC can only be done if the source was originally shot on 24fps film.

Inverse Telecine is the procedure for converting 29.976fps Interlaced video into a 23.976 Progressive video.

You will also need the program FitCD available here: http://mitglied.lycos.de/fitcd/

Let's start!:

Open the .VRO file that is in the DVD-RAM with DVD2AVI and create a project. This is needed because we will be using FitCD, and FitCD can't open the .VRO directly. So we will create a project file with DVD2AVI so that FitCD can open the .d2v project file.

Don't use Forced Film , because we will use the decomb filter to automagically do Inverse Telecine.

When your project file is done, close DVD2AVI and run FitCD.

Ignore everything above the red bar that says MPEG resizing.
Now open your .d2v by pressing the Source folder icon and select 1/2 DVD as Destination Size.

Right beside the Crop: select Accurate.

Your file to be saved should look something like this:

LoadPlugin("C:\encoding\MPEG2DEC.dll")
mpeg2source("C:\project.d2v")
BilinearResize(352,480,0,0,352,480)
#TemporalSmoother(2,2)
AddBorders(0,0,0,0)
#Trim(0,1042).FadeOut(150)
#ResampleAudio(44100) # CCE 2.5 'crashfix' for Athlons
## If you want this 'fix' permanently, edit the INI-file:
## Under [AVSscript] set the CCEcrashfix-option to
## CCEcrashfix=1

Save it by clicking on the little floppy icon and save it to something like c:\film.avs

Now here's the fun part.

Open the film.avs file that you just generated in notepad or any other editor.
You can delete all the lines from #Trim all the way down to the end of the file.

Remove the # sign from the line #TemporalSmoother(2,2)


So now you have this:

LoadPlugin("C:\encoding\MPEG2DEC.dll")
mpeg2source("C:\project.d2v")
BilinearResize(352,480,0,0,352,480)
TemporalSmoother(2,2)
AddBorders(0,0,0,0)

Add the following lines to the file:

LoadPlugin("c:\encoding\decomb.dll")
Telecide(reverse=false,swap=false,firstlast=false, post=true,threshold=15,dthreshold=9,blend=true,chr oma=false,y0=0,y1=0)
Decimate(cycle=5,mode=0,threshold=0)

( Cupy+Paste is very handy, isn't it 8) )

The file will look like this:

LoadPlugin("C:\encoding\MPEG2DEC.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encoding\decomb.dll")
mpeg2source("C:\project.d2v")
Telecide(reverse=false,swap=false,firstlast=false, post=true,threshold=15,dthreshold=9,blend=true,chr oma=false,y0=0,y1=0)
Decimate(cycle=5,mode=0,threshold=0)
BilinearResize(352,480,0,0,352,480)
TemporalSmoother(2,2)
AddBorders(0,0,0,0)

Save your film.avs file.

In the above example, I assume that your MPEG2DEC.dll and decomb.dll are under c:\encoding

Now film.avs is the file you will open with TMPEG as Video source, and also open your wave file under Audio source.

Your input aspect will be correct because when you opened the .avs file, TMPEG will take the settings from the script. So in this case, you're done with all adjustments. So just start your encode process.

I have just tried this procedure as I was typing, just to be sure that the information I am giving you is correct.

So here it is. "The Mini guide for DMR-E20 to KVCD conversion with FitCD" :D

Hope this helps,
kwag

The Mini guide for DMR-E20 to KVCD conversion with FitCD
 

Can you please help me Kwag - I have (hopefully) followed your instructions - for a VHS capture (PAL) but after approx 1 minute I get following error message:- AVISource: failed to decompress frame 1452 (error -467)

This is my .avs script:
LoadPlugin("C:\Avisynth\MPEG2DEC.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\Avisynth\decomb.dll")
AviSource("F:\Capture.00.avi")
Telecide(reverse=false,swap=false,firstlast=false, post=true,threshold=15,dthreshold=9,blend=true,chr oma=false,y0=0,y1=0)
Decimate(cycle=5,mode=0,threshold=0)
BilinearResize(320,512,13,0,614,480)
TemporalSmoother(2,2)
AddBorders(0,0,0,0)

I am using Tmpgenc 2.53.

What am I doing wrong?

Re: The Mini guide for DMR-E20 to KVCD conversion with FitCD
 

Nothing Mario. My screw up for not specifying that IVTC is for NTSC. :oops:

Use your above script like this:

LoadPlugin("C:\Avisynth\MPEG2DEC.dll")
AviSource("F:\Capture.00.avi")
BilinearResize(320,512,13,0,614,480)
TemporalSmoother(2,2)
AddBorders(0,0,0,0)

You don't need to do IVTC because your capture is PAL.

I will make a note of this immediately in the mini guide.

kwag

DMR-E20 ==> VCD
 

Hi, Kwag -

I followed your directions as stated for converting a one hour video clip from my DVD-RAM disk to a VCD. It worked, but the image quality is a lot poorer than the original, which was recorded in the 6 hour mode. :?

Isn't there a better - and hopefully faster - way to do this than going through TMPGenc? What about Gordian Knot and Divx 5? I have U-Lead Video Studio 5. Would that be useful? Thanks!

Tom S

Re: DMR-E20 ==> VCD
 

Hi Tom,
In 6 hour mode, the quality is Sub-VCD 8O
I never record in 6 hour mode. Only in 1 or 2 hour mode, if I'm going to transcode to (x)VCD. Then the results are great 8)
For MPEG-1 encoding, I don't think you'll find a better encoder than TMPEG.

-kwag

Thanks for the fast response! :)

I use the 6 hour mode almost exclusively. The quality from my DVD-RAM in the 6 hour mode is pretty darn good, even on my 36" Wega XBR - which is not an HDTV set.

I don't understand why I have to lose so much, just compressing it ~2:1 or so to make an hour fit onto a CD. I've seen entire DVDs reduced to VCD that look _really_good_! That's ~5:1 compression, or so.

So. Is anybody working on software to do this, or should I just wait until newer hardware comes out? I'm just tired of storing all these _tapes_! I want to archive *everything* - including video clips, which I want to archive on regular CDs.

I would be willing to _buy_ a good package that does all that.

Tom S

IVTC in miniguide?
 

In the miniguide you wrote:

"Don't use Forced Film , because we will use the decomb filter to automagically do Inverse Telecine."

What if the source that has been captured to the DMER-20 (or similar source) was not originally FILM?

Does it make sense to eliminate the following lines from the script:

LoadPlugin("c:\Avisynth\decomb.dll")
Telecide reverse=false,swap=false,firstlast=false,post=true ,threshold=15,dthreshold=9,blend=true,chroma=false ,y0=0,y1=0)
Decimate(cycle=5,mode=0,threshold=0)

And if those lines are removed then is it correct to change the 352x480 template to 29.97 instead of 23.97?

Also... why FitCD and not MovieStacker?
Grantman

Re: IVTC in miniguide?
 

Yes to all :) If the source was not telecined, just remove the telecide and decimate and encode at 29.97fps. Remember that you must deinterlace if your target is a (K)VCD, unless your target is a SVCD.Check the date the article was posted :wink:

-kwag

Hi there,
I am thinking to get a Panasonic DMR-E60, if I use DVD-RW (not DVD-RAM) to record TV programs, what would be the file format in DVD-RW? Is it gonna be .VOBs or something else. Kwag said use DVD2AVI to open .VRO Is VRO file only applicable to DVD-RAM. I just want to make sure I can convert the TV programs into our lovely KVCDs. Thanks.

BTW, is ordinary DVD-Rom (or DVD-burner) able to read DVD-RAM disc?

Hi syk2c11,
Yes, if you record to DVD-R, you get standard VOBs. Only if you use DVD-RAM, you'll get a .VRO file.Yes :) You sure can ;) Nope :!:. You need a DVD reader/writer that can read DVD-RAM.
I have the Panasonic LF-311, and what I do is I take my DVD-RAM cartridges from the DMR and put them on my PC. Then I copy the .VRO to the hard disk for processing.
I'm not sure about the DMR-E60, but I believe it's basically the same as the E20, 30 series, but it has FireWire. It only supports DVD-R and DVD-RAM. Not DVD-RW :!:. Remember that :!:
Btw, I just got a DMR-E80H, which records to DVD-R, DVD-RAM and 106 hours to Hard Disk :mrgreen:

-kwag

Kwag,
What! DMR-E80H? Is it the newest model from Panasonic? Is there a link I can read more about it? If DMR-E60 doesn't support DVD-RW, I would rather to get a TV capture card instead then.

Here is the link: http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp...Model=DMR-E80H
The manufacturing date on the back of my unit is June 2003 :D, so I got a brand new unit :!:

-kwag

Hi Kwag,
I just bought the DRM-E60 (without hard disk), I have successfully transfer the .VRO to my PC and successfully convert to lovely KVCD :lol:
I am wondering if there is a way to import to Adobe Premiere for cutting commercials (by applying transition). Premiere doesn't like .d2v and .VRO I have tried to rename the .VRO to .MPG, video went black but audio is fine. Thanks in advance!