running out of options...

hey guys, i'm trying to encode Samurai I () to svcd and i can't seem to get acceptable quality.. the movie is fullscreen (4:3) and contains a lot of demanding scenes with lots of detail like an army marching down the road and high motion fight scenes in a forest.. even if i do a 2408 kb/s cbr encode with cce (my dvd player has a max of 2600 kb/s and i use 192 kb/s for sound) i get a lot of noise around the edges and even blocks in some scenes.. the only option i have left is encoding it in 23.976 fps i guess... i read somewhere this can't be done with dvd2svcd but i can't find where i read that.. what's the best way to do a 23.976 fps encode? a link to a guide would be great. or are there other alternatives?

Please post your dvd2svcd.ini file. (Are you using IVTC btw?)

no i have ntsc field operation on "automatic" .ini: [Settings] XPos=287 YPos=332 FirstRun=0 Resize AVS Position=1 TemporalSmoother AVS Position=2 Sharpen AVS Position=3 UsePVA2SVCD=0 UseDVD2SVCD=1 UseAVI2SVCD=0 UseMPEG1=0 UseMPEG2=1 Convert to Canopus codec=0 Convert to Divx4=0 Use Frameselection=0 New Default Folder=0 DVD2SVCD Level=0 UseDVDRip=0 UsevStrip=0 UseInternalRip=1 Eject DVD=0 iDCT=0 DVD2AVI Pause=0 Luminance Gain=0 Luminance Offset=0 Audio1Downsampling=1 Audio2Downsampling=1 Audio1BitRate=9 Audio2BitRate=7 tooLame Mode=0 Autodetect Azid Gain=1 Folder Structure Source= Folder Structure Video= Folder Structure Audio= Folder Structure Muxed= Folder Structure Subs=Subs Intra=8,16,19,22,26,27,29,34,16,16,22,24,27,29,34,37,19,22,26,27,29,34,34,38,22,22,26,27,29,34,37,40,22,26,27,29,32,35,40,48,26,27,29,32,35,40,48,58,26,27,29,34,38,46,56,69,27,29,35,38,46,56,69,83 NonIntra=16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,19,20,21,22,23,24,26,27,20,21,22,23,25,26,27,28,21,22,23,24,26,27,28,30,22,23,24,26,27,28,30,31,23,24,25,27,28,30,31,33 Matrice Preset= Use deafult Matrice=1 LFEDownmixLR6Ch=-3 LFEDownmixLFE6Ch=0 CenterDownmix6Ch=0 SurroundDownmix6Ch=0 DynamicCompression6Ch=1 StereoDownmixType6Ch=0 RearChannelFiltering6Ch=0 DialogNorm6Ch=0 LFEDownmixLR2Ch=-3 LFEDownmixLFE2Ch=0 CenterDownmix2Ch=-1 SurroundDownmix2Ch=-1 DynamicCompression2Ch=1 StereoDownmixType2Ch=0 RearChannelFiltering2Ch=0 DialogNorm2Ch=0 No Audio Conversion=0 TemporalSmoother Strength=2 TemporalSmoother Radius=1 Use TemporalSmoother=0 Use Sharpen=0 Sharpen Value=0 ResizeMethod=0 Avisynth Bicubic b Value=0 Avisynth Bicubic c Value=0.6 Flip Vertival=0 Add ResampleAudio=1 Resize To=0 Use CCE=1 Use TMPGEnc=0 CCE Safe Mode=0 NoOfpasses=4 CCE Image Quality=17 CCE Anti noise value=2 CCE Anti noise=0 CBR=0 One Pass VBR=0 Multi Pass VBR=1 CCE Field Order=2 Progressive=0 Auto Intra DC=0 DVD Compliant=0 Restrict auto I frame insertion=0 Close all GOPs=0 Intra DC=2 M GOP=3 MN GOP=5 SEQ Header=1 Constrained Parameter Set=1 TMPGEnc Rate Control Mode=2 TMPGEnc Motion search precision=4 TMPGEnc Field Order=2 Frames pr spread=50 Spread=40 OffsetFixed CQ Value=80 Use fixed CQ Value=0 DC component precision=2 Output YUV data as Basic YCbCr not CCIR601=0 Use floating point DCT=1 No motion search for still picture part by half pixel=1 Soften block noise=0 Soften Intra=35 Soften NonIntra=35 TMPGEnc GOP I Pictures=1 TMPGEnc GOP P Pictures=4 TMPGEnc GOP B Pictures=3 TMPGEnc SEQ Headers=1 TMPGEnc Max frames in GOP=0 TMPGEnc Close GOPs=0 TMPGEnc Detect Scene Change=1 Enabled Padding=0 Dont Delete Files=1 Create VAF=1 QFactor=5 Linear quantizer scale=1 Zigzag scanning order=0 Use2Streams=0 Pri1Audio1=28 Pri1Audio2=-1 Pri2Audio1=-1 Pri2Audio2=-1 Sub1=139 Sub2=-1 Sub3=-1 Sub4=-1 Sub5=-1 Sub6=-1 Sub7=-1 Sub8=-1 Azid Gain Offset=6 SubOutputPalette0=clBlack SubBlendPalette0=0 SubOutputPalette1=clWhite SubBlendPalette1=15 SubOutputPalette2=$001E1E1E SubBlendPalette2=15 SubOutputPalette3=clGray SubBlendPalette3=15 Rip subtitles=0 Min. Delay. Between Subtitles=100 Resize Subtitles=100 SVCD subtitles=0 CVD subtitles=0 Permanent subtitles=1 PAL Y-Pos=-1 NTSC Y-Pos=-1 bbMPEG MPEG1=0 bbMPEG VCD=0 bbMPEG MPEG2=0 bbMPEG SVCD=1 bbMPEG DVD=0 bbMPEG VBR=1 bbMPEG Pad VCD=0 bbMPEG Write PEC=1 bbMPEG Add Scan Offsets=1 bbMPEG Align Sequence Headers=1 bbMPEG Use Private Stream 2=0 bbMPEG Computed Bitrate=1 bbMPEG TimeStamps=0 bbMPEG Pulldown=2 bbMPEG MuxRate=0 bbMPEG Pack Size=2324 bbMPEG Packets Pack=1 bbMPEG Video Buffer=230 bbMPEG Audio 1 Buffer=4 bbMPEG Audio 2 Buffer=4 bbMPEG videoDelay Adjustment=180 bbMPEG audioDelay Adjustment=180 bbMPEG audio1Delay Adjustment=180 Use MPEGAV=0 MinsHigh1=50 MinsHigh2=76 MinsHigh3=100 MinsHigh4=125 MinsHigh5=163 NumCd1=1 NumCd2=1 NumCd3=2 NumCd4=2 NumCd5=3 NumCd6=3 CDSize 1=740 CDSize 2=800 CDSize 3=740 CDSize 4=800 CDSize 5=740 CDSize 6=800 MaxBitrate=2408 MinBitrate=300 MaxAvg=2120 MinAvg=2120 Adjust Audio Bitrate=1 Use Min. Avg.=1 Force Film=0 Movie Offset=2 CDOverlap=2 UseCDOverlap=1 FixedChapters=1 DVDChapters=0 PBCType=0 Data Preparer=dvd2svcd Use I-Author=0 Use VCDImager=0 No images=1 Use VCDXBuild=0 Length of Chapters=60 Use TitlePicture=0 Use ChangeCD Picture=0 Use ChangeCD Picture on All=0 Use EntrySVD=0 Save XML=1 Save Movie Info=1 ProcessPriority=1 SmartDeinterlace Mode=2 SmartDeinterlace Treshold=10 SmartDeinterlace Denoise=1 SmartDeinterlace Blend=0 SmartDeinterlace Fast=1 Edit Avisynth Script file=0 Use CDMage=0 RunPerCDImage=0 RunPerCDImage Params= RunFinal=0 RunFinal Params= Automatic Shutdown=0 SVCDInfo.txt: GENEREL INFO - Source: DVD (NTSC) - Movie Offset: 2 sec - CD Overlap seconds: Yes, 2 sec - Startup delays: Video: 180 ms Audio 1: 180 msAudio 2: 180 ms - Video format: NTSC - Length: 01:34:15 - CD Images: IMDB INFO: Movie title: User rating: Directed by: Writing credits: Genre: Tagline: Plot outline: VIDEO INFO: - Encoder: Cinema Craft Encoder 2.50.1.0 - Encoding mode: Multipass VBR - Passes: 4 - Max. bitrate: 2408 - Avg. bitrate: 2117 - Min. bitrate: 300 - Image Quality Prio: 17 - Antinoise filter: Yes, 2 - Linear quant. scale: Yes - Zigzag scan order: No - Upper field first: No - Progressive frames: No - iDCT Algorithm: 32-bit SSE MMX - Resize method: BicubicResize b value: 0 c value: 0 - Temporal smoother: No - Sharpen: No - NTSC Field Operation: Force Film On - Deinterlace: None - Pulldown: Yes - Width: 480 - Height: 480 - Matrix: Intra: 8 16 19 22 26 27 29 34 16 16 22 24 27 29 34 37 19 22 26 27 29 34 34 38 22 22 26 27 29 34 37 40 22 26 27 29 32 35 40 48 26 27 29 32 35 40 48 58 26 27 29 34 38 46 56 69 27 29 35 38 46 56 69 83 Non-Intra: 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 AUDIO INFO: - Audiostreams: 1 - Audio 1 Language: Japanese - Audio 1 Bitrate: 192 - Audio 1 Sample freq: 44100 - Audio 1 Mode: Stereo - Audio 1 Besweet: "E:\svcd\encoding\_apps\DVD2SVCD\BeSweet\BeSweet.exe" -core( -input "E:\svcd\encoding\samurai_I\Extracted_audio_1.ac3" -output "E:\svcd\encoding\SAMURA~1\Encoded_audio_1.mp2" -logfile "E:\svcd\encoding\SAMURA~1\Encoded_audio_1.log" ) -azid( -L -3db -c normal -g max ) -ota( -d -67 ) -ssrc( --rate 44100 ) -2lame( -e -b 192 -m s ) SUBTITLE INFO: - Subtitlestreams: 1 - Type: Permanent Subtitles - Sub. 1 Language: English - Sub. 2 Language: - Sub. 3 Language: - Sub. 4 Language: AUTHORING INFO: - CD Image program:

Also your Bicubic resize values looks wrong: Resize method: BicubicResize b value: 0 c value: 0 Try with a c value of 0.6

thnx for your reply dvd2svcd i will give it a try (: btw i unckecked progressive and zigzag because the doom9 guide says you should uncheck it when the dct type is field... i should always use progressive and zigzag? what will give the best result, force film on or ivtc? i used a bicubic c value of 0.6, don't know y it says 0 there...

Hi- It's probably not a hybrid and can be IVTC'd (definitely not Force Filmed). But you'll have to look at the individual frames to be sure. Open an .avs made with a 30fps .d2v (no Field Operation in DVD2AVI) and check it out. I should have that movie tomorrow and will let you know if you haven't figured it out by then.

manono you also getting the criterion collection r1? anyonge got a link to a general newbie faq that explains stings like interlace, telecine, progressive etc?

Hi Lev, I'm only doing PAL, so I'm no NTSC specialist, but here are some links I consider to be a good explanation of these technical terms: Hope this helps, Gerti

Hi Lev- In addition to gerti67's good links, I also like to point people to . As for the movie, although it doesn't say it's by Criterion, has the same cover as yours.

Hi Lev- You got Samurai 1 under control yet? I got it today and have found out these things. It's noisy, action packed and full screen. All of those things mean it's hard to compress. At 94 minutes long, you'll definitely have to give it 2 CDs. In addition, to make it more compressible, I used Neutral Bicubic Resizer and added both Unfilter with negative settings and TemporalSoften2. It shows as 99% Film in DVD2AVI, which also means that you can probably get away with Force Filming it. However, not wanting to take any chances on getting interlacing, I used Decomb to IVTC with Telecide(Post=false).Decimate(5) as the settings (and a 30fps .d2v). Good Luck to you.