Hi

First like to say Hi to everyone new to the forum

Im pretty new to using Mencoder with PACK-SHOT GUI,I mostly use it for AVI to DVD, But every time i use it i always get this

[mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 4190mb A-V:0.000 [4200:0]
[mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 4188mb A-V:0.000 [4201:0]
[mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 4180mb A-V:0.000 [4204:0]
[mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 4178mb A-V:0.000 [4205:0]
[mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 4175mb A-V:0.000 [4206:0]
[mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 4173mb A-V:0.000 [4207:0]
[mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 4170mb A-V:0.000 [4208:0]


Has im new to using this program i dont know what this means,Anyone have an idea what it means and is it affecting my final encoded m2v.

thanks

If you are using Packshot why do you post in MencoderME forum and not packshot one ?

BTW, all these message are due to the bad management of bitrate allocation in a librairy used by mencoder. That is this kind of problems that make mencoder a not fully reliable encoder.

The final video is affected by this but it is possible that this won't prevent you to read it on your standalone. All depend on it. Some are very sensitive to underflows problems in the mpeg, others can read that without any problem.

Also whats your selected Resolution and avg Bitrate & max Bitrate

I've tryd PAL 720x576 and PAL 704x576 Avg bitrate 4939 Max 8000,Soon as i start the encode i get this every time.

[mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 0mb A-V:0.000 [0:0]

The problem is that your avi source can't reach 4939 bitrate. From an avi source your avg bitrate must to be lower for don't see underflowings messages, but as Dialhot said, I don't have any problem whith this messages in my final SKVCDs.

This ONE line I also get ALWAYS! and as you see its indexed to 0:0 means at the very very start and one frame, .... dont worry about that

Oh i see now I've altered the bitrate to 3712 so the video will be around 3gig has the movie im converting is xvid with ac3 1.3gig,Im 23% done now and haven't had any buffer underflowin messages , But i still do get [mpeg2video @ 009B1B2C]rc buffer underflowmin 0mb A-V:0.000 [0:0] has soon has the encode starts,But this should'nt affect the movie has it's right at the start.

you answered my question while i was writing it lol :P,I got to say mencoder beats CCE hands down in quality picture is amazing,whats a good size m2v from a 700mb avi for instance 1.5gig m2v or 2gig.

Well I dont use Packshot for mpeg4 encodings to mpeg2 (as I only do generate DVDs out of DVDs and capture sources, ... no other mpeg4 sources as I dont use them.).

I everytime do put 2 Movies incl. Subs/Menues etc. and each movie gots TWO Audiotracks 5.1 AC3. If you got NTSC 704x480 and 23.976 incl ONE Audio per Movie you also can put 3 Movies on one DVD with no problem. But in my country you get VerbatimDataLifePlus DVD-Rs for about 90cent to 1Euro each and so ....

Well guys the first encode goes smoothly now, But when second pass starts i get the buffer underflowin again any idea's guys, or is it worth doing 2-pass for avi to dvd.

I nveer had underflow during first pass personally. They always been in the second pass.

And doing 2pass encodings is not an option with mencoder, it's MANDATORY !

But wont it affect the m2v file doing second pass and having buffer underflow.

Do a sample mpg, burn it and play it in your dvd standalone player.

That's not recommended because most of the buffer underflow are in the middle of a normal movie encode and with a small sample you don't get such underflows.

He can check if while sample encoding, buffer underflows does appear.

it's pretty pointles doing 2 pass if it's under flowing cause it's not doing the job it's meant to be,plus i do films for other people so even if it doesn't cause problems on my dvd player it might on there's.

In this case you can just drop mencoder !

Mencoder generates other problems in the stream than the underflow and you don't have any message for that. These are bitrate peak for instance (sometimes above 15 MB/s where DVD spec fix a max of 9.8 MB )

Mencoder is not something to use "for other people". It is an under developpement programm that has to be considered as a lab version.

Im gunna stick with mencoder,Has the picture quality is out standing compared to CCE even in a single pass encode the picture quality is better than an 5 pass with CCE,Well in avi to dvd terms it is anyways.

If you really want to use a soft on which you can't rely blindly, that's your right of course.

Be carrefull, that is absolutly wrong ! The result is good at the begining of the movie but awfull after the second third of it. Don't do anything in 1pass. Trust our experience on that point if you do not face the problem by your own.

CCE gives result A LOT bettter in Q mode. I never use it in multi pass.
But you need to use a correct avs script with CCE that you don't need with mencoder. In other words mencoder includes both the encoding and filtering jobs when other progs.