The KVCD.net F.A.Q.
Last revision - August 6, 2003.
The KVCD Frequently Asked Questions.
Q-1a How do I save the template?
You "Right Click" and "Save As" on one of the template links.
Q-1b How do I use or install the KVCD templates?
Press the "Load" button on the TMPEGEnc main window. This button allows one to load an encoder template, which have the extension of ".mcf". Templates for most kinds of projects are normally included in a TMPGEnc distribution, and contain reasonable settings for VCD, DVD, SVCD projects, etc. After a template is loaded, one can change some of the default template settings, but the grayed-out settings can not be altered.
The template folder contains an "Extra" folder with non-standard templates. This folder also contains "unlock.mcf", which unlocks some addition settings in TMPGEnc, and allows one to change the previously unchangeable settings. Unlocking additional settings is not always a good thing because it allows the encoder to function in ways that may not produce results that are usable to most users.
Q-2 I am trying to get TMPGenc to encode an anamorphic 704x576?
The best way to get the correct output aspect ratio is to use the program "FitCD".
This program automatically handles the correct video resizing before the stream goes into TMPEG Encoder.
Get it here:
http://shh.dvdboard.de/
Q-3 Also what settings I need to use to burn it in nero.
You burn the mpegs created with KVCD templates as VCD.
But you have to un-check the box "Create standard compliant CD".
Q-4 I dont know how to find out the encoding type of my file ( MPEG-4, DIVx )
You "right click" on the file, and select "properties". Now you should see
information regarding frame rate, resolution, etc.
Q-5 My DVD player doesn't play KVCD's!
Did you Burn a sample and test it in your DVD player?
Did you check if your DVD player is listed in the models that have been tested here:
http://www.kvcd.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=13
Download one of the small test samples in the main page
and burn it with VCDEasy or Nero to test your standalone player.
Get a sample in the left panel here:
http://www.kvcd.net
Q-6 Does using the noise reduction in tmpeg make the file larger?
Using noise reduction with any encoder will usually make smaller files. What happens is that noise is blurred and sharp edges are smoothened. The result is a smaller file and a cleaner image.
Q-7 Can you use tmpeg to cut and/or add to a .mpg/.mpeg file?
Yes. Run TMPEG and under the "File" menu, go to "MPEG Tools".
There you'll find tools to Multiplex, De-Multiplex, cut and merge.
Q-8 How big of an MPEG file can you get onto a 80 minute cdr-80?
VCD's are written in what's called MODE-2. So a 74 minute CD-R can hold 740MB of video + overburn, and a 80-minute CD-R can hold 800MB of video + overburn. Overburn usually buys you around 15-20 extra megabytes. It depends on the CD-R media manufacturer.
Q-9 Can you really fit 120 minutes of video in a single CD-R?
Well of course! That's why you're here, right?
Really, it all depends on the type of video material you are trying to encode.
There have been reports of some 147+ minute videos created with KVCD templates and burned on a single 80 minute CD-R.
More information on new methods:
Download this:
http://www.kvcd.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2142
Then read this thread:
http://www.kvcd.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1729
Q-10 What about CD-R90 compatibility issues? Any results?
Some users have reported success with 90 minute CD-R.
I personally haven't tried one yet.
Q-11 Would improving the GOP structure improve quality more than upping the CQ?
It all depends on the encoder. The GOP structure currently used in the KVCD template is optimized for TMPGEnc 2.5x and TMPGEnc 2.5x Plus. As far as the CQ, the value of 70 was selected after many trial encodes, and was determined that it's about the absolute minimum for a descent quality mpeg. Below 70, quality starts to degrade rapidly. The value of 70 was
measured with a resolution of 352x480 NTSC ( 352x576 PAL ). If the target created is 352x240 NTSC ( 352x288 PAL ), the CQ value can be increased to 74 to compensate for the lower resolution.
Q-12 I searched and found AviSynth. I'm new to this. I have no clue on how to work with this!
Read about AviSynth at the author's site here:
http://www.avisynth.org
Q-13 When i'm trying to use TemporalSmoother with AviSynth script I get colors like at 16 color resolution . Why? Looks like AviSynth does not support RGB ???
You're right!. AviSynth doesn't support RGB. If you can't change your frame serving method, or your source is RGB, you can use an AviSynth function called ConvertToYUY2()
Read about this here:
http://www.avisynth.org/index.php?page=Convert
Q-14 Do you have any Optimal settings to code movies in 352x240 resolution?
You use the standard KVCD template, and change the output resolution from 352x480 to 352x240.
You can also increase the CQ value to 74 to compensate for the lower resolution.
Q-15 Can I add chapters to my mpeg files?
Yes you can!. Use VCDEasy.
Read more here:
http://www.vcdeasy.org
Q-16 How do I add sub-titles?
There are many methods for this:
Read Sefy's guides here:
http://www.kvcd.net/guides/sefy/index.htm
Q-17 Someone please tell us how to do this demux and mux with bbmpeg cause im going crazy!
Follow this guides:
http://www.spawns.dk/svcd/bbmpeg.htm
Q-18 After re-muxing, do you burn this as a VCD or SVCD??
You'd burn it as an svcd. This method is necessary for some Apex models.
Note: You only burn as SVCD files that have been muxed by this method.
If the MPEG file was created with the standard KVCD template without mux/demux, you would burn as a
non-standard VCD.
Q-19 How do I use FitCD?
Read the manual here:
http://shh.dvdboard.de/
Q-20 What is this IVTC or Inverse Telecine?
Read all about it here:
http://www.inmatrix.com/articles/ivtc.shtml
Q-21 I changed the resolution from 352x480 to x240 and set the CQ to 82. But, the file was a lot bigger than I expected.
You lower the CQ value to get smaller file sizes.
As a rule of thumb ( *** Experimental **** ) every increase or decrease of CQ in steps of +-4 creates a file +-100MB.
So if your encoded MPEG was 900MB at CQ=82, probably changing CQ=78 will bring the file down to around 800MB.
Q-22 What is your recomended setting for the capture setting ( Via composite video, S-Video )?
Note: NTSC Values shown.
Always capture at the resolution you intend to encode.
If you are capturing from a VHS tape or TV ( Satellite, etc. ), you capture at 352x480, not at 352x240.
This way you get both fields.
Even if your intention is to create a 352x240 VCD.
There is no quality gain by capturing above 352x480 if your target is 352x480 or below.
Q-23 Capture to what? AVI?, MPEG-1?, MPEG-2?
If you have to capture to MPEG because of disk space limitations, then use MPEG-2 at 4Mbit or higher.
The best quality is achieved with a lossless CODEC like the Huffy CODEC.
Q-24 Can I convert my DIVx ( MPEG-4 ) movies to MPEG-1 with the KVCD template?
Yes you can. But the result will probably be unacceptable.
The reason is that DIVx is already re-compressed from another re-compressed (DVD's, etc ) format, which already contains macro blocks, so it's another generation of material getting re-compressed again into mpeg.
The results are very poor, and most of the time, very large mpeg files. I suggest only video captures and DVD material only as source for final mpeg.
Q-25 But I still want to convert my DIVx to mpeg. What do I have to do?
You have been warned
.
If you still want to give it a try or your DIVx is excelent in quality, just open your DIVx file with TMPEG as the source material. You must have installed the DIVx CODECS so that the file will be read by TMPEG.
Then load the template and adjust the input video aspect. You will have to play with these parameters, because most DIVx files are non-standard resolutions. So you will have to encode small clips until your correct aspect displays.
Q-26 I don't understand all this about input aspect ratios in TMPEG. Will you explain exactly how to do this?
No. Read the on-line TMPEG manual
Note: Available only in the registered TMPGEnc 2.54 Plus
Or read the F.A.Q. here:
http://www.tmpgenc.net/e_faq.html
Q-27 I have problems trying to convert Spiderman or other ( Copyrighted ) movies that I've downloaded from the net. Will you help me?
NO WAY!
You better go back and read the fine print at
http://www.kvcd.net
Q-28 I am having problems with solarization,16 bit color smearing which only appears if you load an avs file into tempgenc. How do I fix this?
Read this article:
http://www.kvcd.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=438
Q-29 What is that "5823" in the GOP 
That's KVCD's signature. Look at your telephone pad
The last number in the GOP is what restricts the maximum number of frames.
Q-30 I get an unrecognized exception error trying to load an avs file with TMPGenc, using dvd2avi v1.77.3 ?
.d2v files created with dvd2avi v1.77.3 are NOT compatible with mpeg2dec.dll! Use v1.76 instead. If you still want to use v1.77.3, make sure that you have AviSynth v2.5 installed and mpeg2dec3.dll v1.07 (or a more recent version).
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