Arksofts Crunchie Release (v1.1)

[schleppel]

Originally Posted by natrat

On that note, how can I get crunchie/mencode to use more than 50% CPU? All my encoding takes twice as long as it could.

If you're using Crunchie, then I assume you're using DVRMSToolbox. Not entirely sure which settings it's using etc... but I know that int he GUI for DVRMSToolbox, you can allocate how much CPU to use...

See how you go with that...

Schlep.

[natrat]

Good suggestion Schlep, but didn't seem to do anything...the process that is doing the converting at only 50% is mencoder.exe, which is included with crunchie, not DVRMStoolbox, and there's no ini file options that leap out in the crunchie directory. Just to be sure though I also changed the priority in the DVRMStoMPEGGUI.exe settings but that doesn't seem to write them for global use, seems to be just for the session you load. Wonder if it has anything to do with hyperthreading?

[arkay]

That's exactly what it has to do with. Mencoder is not thread awar and as such only gets to use half of the available CPU on a hyperthreaded CPU. If/When mplayer v2 is released this should get resolved.

Cheers,
Arkay.

[eisaiasjr]

I have tested it now on 3 different machines... they all stay there any do nothing... 0% CPU util, either way... the files are only 20 and 15 seconds long... so it should not take more than a few minutes on my 2.4ghz machine... I have waitted ALOT longer than that (2 hours) I also tested it on my FX-55 machine and it does the same thing just like my Pentium M 2.0ghz...

anyone have any ideas? pls help!

[arkay]

Hiya,

Sounds like you've got corrupted dvr-ms files.

To find out for sure go to the folder where you installed dvrmstoolbox and run the dvrmstompeggui program. When it comes up load your dvr-ms file and set the output file and try a straight convert dvr-ms to mpeg. The gui should give you some info on what is going on. The conversion is definately failing on this step. There's only really two possible reasons for this. Either a codec conflict (which shouldn't happen as dvrmstoolbox registeres it's own), or corrupt dvr-ms files.

Perhaps try recording some new files to test with. I've seen some instances where other programs (such as nero recode) can upset the default behaviour of DVRMSToolbox. If you have any other conversion tools installed you may need to remove them (shouldn't have to but it's the nature of the beast with Windows).

Let me know how it goes.

Cheers,
Arkay.

[arkay]

Originally Posted by frenzz

Be interested in your thoughts and whether you have undertaken any of your own testing...

Oh - and great job on the new Crunchie! Makes it all a lot easier for us!

Thanks,

frenzz.

Hi Frenz,

I've actually been in contact with the author and supplied him a few dvr-ms test clips. Not sure where it will lead yet but once I'm able to I'll be looking into proper ad cutting.

Cheers,
Arkay.

[arkay]

Originally Posted by natrat

Arkay, when you're back...

Is there any way that the Create subfolders and Rename functions can be extended to support mpeg files that have been previously converted from dvr-ms files? Obviously not if it uses the dvr-ms header for the info but all that info is also contained in the filename.


Also, is there a big difference between 1 and 2 pass encoding? I find the second pass takes up to double the length of time - sometimes an hour for a less than 30 minute show. Is that normal? (p3 1gb ram but mencode only ever runs at 50% cpu)

nat

Natrat,

Hadn't considered that you may want to rename an mpeg file that was previously a dvr-ms file. Yes I can do it, not sure when but I'll add it to the list of things to do. It only uses the file name to establish the information it needs.

As far as 1 and 2 pass goes the 2 pass is only really necessay if you want the absolute best quality output files. If you're happy with the quality you're getting on single pass then just use that. It's all relative and open to each individual perceptions.

Cheers,
Arkay.

[spacecat]

WOW!!!!!

Thanks for an absolute brilliant APP! Not only does it work great on my MCE machine, the conversion to AVI means I can now convert the files so I can watch them in superb detail on my PSP on the way to work.

I have spent 2 days (well evenings) trying to figure this out and your app has made it not only easy to do (most of my other attempts were out of sync) but the picture quality on my PSP is outstanding!!

Im so happy I dont even mind if you lot retain the ashes

A Pom

Well im more of a football fan anyway!!

[arkay]

Originally Posted by spacecat

Im so happy I dont even mind if you lot retain the ashes

A Pom

Well im more of a football fan anyway!!

Hehe... Now that's funny... Though you know our footballs aren't round and/or black and white right!!

[natrat]

Originally Posted by arkay

Natrat,

Hadn't considered that you may want to rename an mpeg file that was previously a dvr-ms file. Yes I can do it, not sure when but I'll add it to the list of things to do. It only uses the file name to establish the information it needs.

No worries, ta Arkay. It's not a big thing, and i wouldn't even ask for it at all if the app I needed existed. At the moment I use video-redo to cut out the commercials as I find it's the only thing that works well for that. But it loses sync if i haven't run it through autodvrconvert first. Which then negates crunchies nice subfolder and renaming function. I've found DVREdit is great for cutting the start and end of a film and doesnt lose sync, but i can't figure out how to cut out chunks (ads) within the dvr-ms with it, and it doesn't do automatic ad detection.

DVRedit with automatic ad detection would be my perfect tool, then its all i need to use before running crunchie. I'm sure it or a similar all-in-one tool will be out shortly. I looked at show analyser but couldnt make head nor tail of it.

nat