I am (a joker) :lol:.
And I believe you as the same has happened to me :wink: it's true too.
Cheers

That will end up in a HELLL low speed of mencoder as RDS figured EXACTLY that out! It seems theres a bug in mencoder which drops down the speed of encoding to approx. 3fps! when doing this 8O

But you get your correct film pixel area encoded, without anything else :!:

Edit: I don't see any speed loss, at least the tests I did with MencoderME, which does exactly this :roll:

-kwag

@Kwag,
But, Karl, by loosing at least 30fps and going down to something like 2 or 3fps on my new AMD Athlon XP 2400+ :roll:
I don't see that as reasonable.
There's got to be a major bug there :!:
But yes, as soon as they take care of it, I would use that method too.
Cheers

Nope. Something is wrong Rui.
With the file generated by MencoderME, which does this (first line of temp.conf) : vf=yuvcsp,scale=::0:0:60,crop=0:0:-1:-1,unsharp=l3x3:0.6,hqdn3d=3:6:2,unsharp=l3x3:-0.7:c3x3:-1.5,noise=3th,expand=704:480:-1:-1:1

I get 6 FPS on my 300Mhz AMD K6, FreeBSD server.
I just made that test. So it must be some other issue :!:

-kwag

Maybe a build issue?
I encountered that too .... so which build are you using Karl? The latest from VM or the latest offered in the CVS Snapshot Thread?

I didnt updated it to the latest till now as RDS reported probs. when using Dshow Makeavis.

Ill keep an eye on that and will do tests again. :)

Hi Inc.,
It could be a CVS issue but remember that Karl is using it under FreeBSD :!:
That couldn't have been downloaded from OUR latest CVS builds :D.
But I'll try it again tonight with older builds and I'll compile the one from today and give it a run for it's money :D.
Cheers

I'm using MEncoder dev-CVS-040430-00:00-3.3.1 (On Windows)

On FreeBSD, I have:
-kwag

Version updated to 1.02.2

- read change log

;-) Inc.

Inc, can you please change your filname strategy ?

- always have exe named packshot.exe
- name the rar according to the release

This way we can archive the different releases in a download directory and don't have to change the link 'Packshot" in the start menu of windows to point each time to the correct version :-)

makes sense! Thanks for the hint ... next release it will be like that. :)

Hi Inc.,
With so many problems with folks trying to put makeAVIS to work with mencoder I think you could add a check box named "debug" that would add a "pause" as the last argument of mencoder.
And I don't think it will be useful for anything else but at least we'll track down other guys problems with Avisynth/makeAVIS faster.
Cheers

Perfect idea, Rui :!: :D

Hi Inc,

As I posted, I'm now involved in encoding a home-made video. It's a capture, and I'm trying to keep interlaced.

I remembered then some useful settings in mencoder for interlaced sources. Here I go: you could put a check-box in PackShot (something like "interlaced source" or "keep interlaced") for those who want to keep interlaced the film. And by clicking it, there could be applied some useful parameters in mencodings:
- in lavcopts you could add :ilme:ildct: (mencoder uses a specially designed motion estimation and dct algorithm for interlaced sources).
- in filter chain, you could add il=d: at the begining of filters and :il=i to interlace it back.

Well, just in case you find it useful, as I don't think this will mean changing too much things in your GUI.

New requirement : I don't know if Purebasic allow to set the priority of child subprocess but if it does, it would be nice to have a box where to set the priority (iddle, normal, high) that the command shell will have.

@ DigiDoc

I know the iDCT filter settings.

But there are some issues when using il=d,........,........,........,il=i
Some filters do not like deinterleave function, espaecially the hq3dn filter as it does not filter only temporal but also spatial and that causes strange effects when using il=x.

As you see in PackShot a checkbox for interlaced encoding is available but still disabled. The next days Ill find the right filter allocation for settet interlaced encoding OR the Mencoder filters will be switched OFF when doing a interlaced encoding ... as Im quite shure that avisynth still offers the best methods for treating/filtering interlaced material.

@ Phil
Its not that easy, I think it will be possible via API, but Ill look around how to get that option enabled.

Thank you :-). Don't spend too much time on this, that still can be done via task manager.

It's me again :-)

I want to make a poll about something : I'd rather to have the process.bat file that is generated into the target directory rater than into the mencoder one. And perhaps having the name 'targetname.bat' insteed of always be called 'process.bat'.

I don't know if others than me will find this usefull.

:arrow: All suggestions are welcome! ;-)

I offer you the following two options where a) is the most incomplicated, Ill explain you why:

a) The created bat file will have the specified target name, so youll have a collection of bats according to your done encodings in a new folder like "jobs" instead of generating it in the "engines" folder ... and from this "jobs" folder also then the bat files will be processed. :arrow: would be my choice as by this you will get by the time a collection of all your encoding settings in one "jobs" folder ;-) :!:

b) Its possible to put the encode.bat file into the target folder to where youll encode to, BUT (and here comes the problem) you would have to set the mencoder path in your system variables OR we do put generally mencoder in the Win sys32 folder from where everything can be processed by just putting the name of the engine in fron of the commandline instead of pointing the whole path. As every user gots his own path where he gots his mencoder folder ... the systemvariables or win sys32 folder solution would be the only solution if we would go for option b)

I think a) is more sexy, isn't it? :)
(In case of avs I have been doing that already for a long time, collecting ALL my avs scripts in a special "avs done encoding scripts collection" folder from the encodings I have done)

hum... not for "average" people. The idea isn't to have a collect of all bat files we used to generate, but to have any files needed for a given job in a same directory.

For instance, in my working directory I have : AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS directories, the d2v project, the avs script, the ac3 files demuxed by DVD2AVI, the sub/idx files. I generate the m2v and mp2 in this directory. I have ANY file involved in the process except the .bat :-(

Let say I open a text editor. I open the avs script, and want to see also the bat. Menu -> File -> Open... Oh sh!t I have to navigate till the engine directory...

Very annoying on the end. No ?

Note: I'm sure Purebasic allows to find the current working directory (cwd in PERL) that you can add in front of mencoder command into the bat file.

But you can make a direct access like:

Notepad.exe path to encode.bat

Read again my post and you will see that this doesn't cover my need. The problem isn't to access quicly to a file (I can do that with a right click on the filename then 'open with'). The problem is that it's boring to have to browse accross the directories when you are already in a text editor and you want to open an other file.

Note : drop Notepad and use some real text editor like textpad for instance ;-)

I got an idea how this can be working ... simply getting the systempath of mencoders.exe installation and applying that "whole" mencode.exe path at the beginning of the TargetName.bat file, then the Target can be safed by the GUI to the target directory and you can run that .bat from wherever you want on your System :idea:

.... added to ToDo list. :wink:

:ole:

Two points:

1 - Weren't you going to add the ability to save a bat file rather than encode right away (I can't find anything to save the bat file, nor can I find a bat file after packshot starts mencoder.. Got the 102.2 version).

2 - If this is meant to be a generic mencoder front end, can you add the switch/drop down for mpeg1video (and associated keyint, etc, settings). Please.

3 - It's very nice so far, I like the ability to setup audio and video at same time. Needs a litle more tuning tho (#2 above).

Thanks, mate, looking forwards to more P'Shots

encode.bat is safed in the engines folder.

Till we dont know how to get best out of mpeg1 and mencoder it doesnt make sense to offer it as many tests did end up in problems and btw. mpeg2 is still better at low bitrates - Kwag confirmed that.

Keyint is called "GOP" in Packshot ... as Keyint defines the GOP length and as you see there 15,18,24,25 ... you can imagine ;-)

More tuning?? Well This is its first state after a long programming time, and only the sky according to options is the limit.

I will add more and more things!, even muxing ... but I do think the GUI in This state delivers a lot of settings and that in a non-complex interface - and this was the purpose .... sorry but I gotta say that.

Theres much on my ToDo list and this GUI will grow up more and more :wink:

Oh hey, don't take my words 'more tuning' as a critisism, it wasn't.

I'd never look a gift pie in the mouth (mixed metaphors - I love 'em!!), I either eat it up (use it)or leave it for someone else to eat. :lol: :lol: :lol: And I definitely ate this one all up, and licked the plate clean - I like PackShot a LOT. You've got the idea perfect - a lean, clean tick-box/dropdown/textbox interface without lots of tab pages and stuff.

My comments were in no way meant to be (or sound) nasty.. sorry if that's how they came across.

(Actually, I've had excellent results from mencoder and mpg1 - 115 min with 128kbps audio in 770Mb, and very good quality (good quality on pc, VGood on standalone dvd player).

Thanks for telling me where the bat files are (I actually did a dos dir /s *.bat, trying to find it.. LOL!! :lol: :lol:

Im coooool I understood everything clear and well and didnt misinterprete your purpose :D

OK Inc, that's a good aproximation to the question, leave avisynth do the job (I hope we'll be able soon to use mencoderAVS smoothly :roll: ).
Anyway, if you leave mencoder do the interlaced encoding, remember the option to add ilme:ildct (it's supposed to do better, I used it and looked well, but didn't test an interlaced encoding without to compare)

Coool - I'm a NICE pussycat!!! <purrrrrrrr>

Hi Inc.,
Soon you will find yourself with lack of room for the enhancements we have been asking for Packshot.
That is: Packshot window will be out of bounds on 800x600 to accomodate all the options, and we know that 800x600 is still the average.
Also with the new mencalculator. If it gets inside Packshot less room again.
I wonder if you could remake the GUI :roll: .
- a tab for sources (audio+video) and targets (audio+video) paths.
- another tab for video encoding options, filters and mencalc button with copy pate into packshot command line :wink:
- and yet another tab for audio encoding options
And don't say you have to do it now.
Just think about it for near future, will you :?: :lol:
Cheers

Well 800x600 is nothing :lol:
But as there have been NO problems when using VMs MencodeME, I can easy go to that wondow height also.
My problem is ... I hate tabs ;-) And Ill try to avoid them as I can.
As I know 1024x768 is more the standard now, as many are already using a 17inch display, and even on a 15inch one that resolution is easy for viewing.

Well I will look how that will be applied,
a) as a called self window (like in CQmatic when you call Calcumatic there)
b) implementated in Packshot window, but you wont see all these little info screens ... and if you are in doubt, you can check using the mencalc standalone prg for comparing ;-)

The "problem" is ... I want to enjoy also a bit of the sun which is shining here in cologne ... and I did spend 2-3 days now for that size calculator where its main purpose was it to be implementated in packshot.

And I do agree that more an more and more option will shout for a complete window reprogramming.

I wanted to keep packshot as simple to use as its possible, and the main problem is now, to find a way how this still can be done without presenting noobs a hell complex programm so they run away. :lol:

As you see by the size calculator ... new packshot is in progress!

Inc.

Hi Inc. :D
Do enjoy as much as possible these sunny/hot days :D
All in all, I was just talking about the future.
We just present a list of bugs (if any :lol:) and a wish list.
You decide what is better to use, of course.
In fact both Packshot and MencodeMe are plain working tools at this very moment and they ease a lot the pain of applying options in the command line.
So no need to change any of those immediatly.
Cheers pal.

o.k. It's a lil bit Off Topic... but I'd love to see mpeg4 encoding support in your great application...

It can use the same commandline afaik besides the mpeg4 switch
(it can use some extra params... but resizing and filtering stay the same :D)

wrong forum my friend ( :lol: )

Well seriuosly ... I first have to get everything fine working in this mpeg2 state and for shure it will be bigger and bigger by this more complex.

Maybe I could release sometime if all that is done a special mpeg4 version?! :idea:

:wink:

I told you it was off-topic :D
A special MPEG4 Version would be great :D
But I am already satisfied with the ability to edit the commandline per hand... 8) :D :roll:

-log file
-process priority
-image postprocessing preview (for adjusts before encode)
-tiny progressbar (blinking ?)<--(irrelevant but is beautiful, better than cm32 "dos window")
-special PackShot icon (for desktop link) <--(irrelevant but is beautiful)
:wink:

ink, i forgot to ask (can't find a better place)
in the "resizing" --> "target", the options with ovsc are overscan 1, 2 or 3? :?

@ All

Status Quo of actual Packshot Developement:

1. ...
As wanted I'll integrate the possibiliy of individual mpeg4/Avi inputs and therefore auto resizing to KsVCD/kDVD compilant resolutions for encoding will be supported. :arrow: That was the intention of coding the routine of MenClac which mainly was purposed for Packshot internal use ;-) But I provided it also as a Standlanoe App. before as many users also like to go into manual commandline processing.

The supported AVI inputs have to have a PC Screen "Pixel Aspect Ratio" of 1:1, which is standard at mpeg4.
Captured avis do have ONLY a PAR of 1:1 if captured in PAL 768x576 or 384x288! A capture of 352x576 for example gots a PAR of 1:2 as its squeezed in its width, so do remember that!
In NTSC a capture at PAR 1:1 is 640x480 or 320x240.

BUT as in case of captures we have to postprocess our stream by using multiple Trim's to cut out commercials which is not supported by Mencoder (now) we anyway have to do that in Avisynth before.
Resumeé: Do feed your captures in future Packshot versions by the MakeAvis AVI way!

2. ...
A Bitratecalculator will be integrated so you can calculate your avg bitrate which is needed for 1, 2 or 3 Movies on one DVD-R -- individual bitrate determined multiple audio tracks for each movie will be respected in the calculation.

3. ...
As many users still want to tweak the generated Commandline before starting the encoding, a "Commandline Only" option will be available.

4. ...
The "encoding.bat" will include the whole paths of the called engines and so the geneated bat file will have the target file name in its File name included and will be safed to the same folder/path where the target streams will be encoded. Means: In the .bat file the call of "mencoder" and "besweet" will have the whole path to these executables so you can process them later from everywhere you want on your disk as an internal routine of packshot will recognise where mencoder and besweet are stored on your hd.

5. ...
All DVD/Svcd and therefor KsVCD target resolutions will be supported so encodings for 1CD is possible at mpeg2 (I dont see the advantage of mpeg1 in case of mencoder)

6. ...
A "Debug" Button will be integrated beside the "start encoding" one.
That will generate a "Pause" command at the end of the commandline in the .bat file, ... so if a problem exists the console window will stay active and by this you easely can see whats going wrong in the process.

7. ...
Multiplex will be supported:
- for one CD targets
- And for DVD IF you want to go into DVDauthor (linux win32builds/GUI for windows) as that one needs ready muxed streams. In case of other Windows DVD Athoring Apps. do choose NO muxing as it will be done in these Apps. when generating the VOBs.

(8. ...)
(Implementating a "Cut Credits" input field, which tells the encoder untill which sec. he should encode - also that must be told to the besweet encoding as if not your audio will be longer afterwards --- so I have to find out these options in mencoder and besweet.
Unfortunately Mencoder ONLY accepts for that (encode until ...) command a value in seconds and NOT frames, so this option will also be available in packshot but it needs "deeper" programming.

(9. ...)
(First I have to find out "how" a console start comand can be done where I can set Process priority! ... But in case of MencodeME that wasnt suggested by the users, so why here??? )

----------------

So all this is in coding progress and as Im employed I only can do that evening by evening ... ;-)

Greets Inc.

...mpeg4/Avi inputs ? :roll: oh my GOD, here came "problems"!
feature request (maybe too stup but sincere):---> forget mpeg4/Avi inputs :!:
let PackShot only for DVDs sources, please!
build another one for mpeg4/Avi inputs called "OhNoShoot" ! :lol: :hihi:

ink wrote:
"... But in case of MencodeME that wasnt suggested by the users, so why here??? ) "
like i told you, the pc run too heavy and if i open the win explorer the system crash!

Whats the problem about it??
As we are talking abou Avi INPUTS and not Outputs.
Why do you think I developed that Size Calculation engine incl. avi 1:1 Resizing (mpeg4) support? ;-)

I did encode a good XVID some days ago and it came out PERFECT ;-)

Why do you got that problem only with packshot and not with MencodeME as you there also CANT affect the Process priority. I also have Win2000 running and no Probs! To me it seems you can (IMHO) set the console apps in general to a process priority??? As If Im encoding I can do a lot of other things ... and that wont be possible only of a "little" better CPU (seen in relation) to a lower one. ;-)