Done something wrong ?

[Pyrda]

Just installed DVRMSToolbox, Crunchie, and ffdshow (all options "on").
Crunchie runs OK, creates MPG file, then aborts with the following 2 messages :

Error executing "C:\Program Files\Arksoft\Arksofts Crunchie\mencoder.exe " -vf pp=md,crop=-704:-560:714:570,scale=640:480 -ovc xvid -xvidencopts pass=2:bitrate=5000:vhq=1:max_bframes=2 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128:mode=1 -o "C:\Documents and Settings\ etc

and :

Failed during avi conversion of file C:\Documents and Settings etc

Did I miss something in the install? Thanks fo your help.

[arkay]

Can you post a few lines of the log please...

Are you sure the mpeg converted properly? Have you watched it, fast forwarded to the end etc?

Cheers,
Arkay.

[Pyrda]

Yes, the mpeg converted properly end-to-end. avi sub-directory created, no file. Attaching the bottom part of the log.
Cheers.
Pyrda

[arkay]

Hi,

I've got a feeling that your problem might be related to path lengths. DVRMSToolbox and mencoder both run at dos level and would be subject to dos's path length limits.

This is the command that's failing:

"C:\Program Files\Arksoft\Arksofts Crunchie\mencoder.exe " -vf pp=md,crop=-704:-560:714:570,scale=640:480 -ovc xvid -xvidencopts
pass=2:bitrate=5000:vhq=1:max_bframes=2 -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=128:mode=1 -o "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\TV enregistrée\avi\Nursery Rhymes.avi" "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\TV enregistrée\mpgtmp\Nursery Rhymes.mpg"

I'm guessing if you cut and paste that into a dos box it would also fail.

As a test I'd create a new directory structue on your C: drive and set up everything to point to there instead.. Like this:

C:\conversions\dvrms
C:\conversions\avi
C:\conversions\mpgtmp


Put a test recorded TV show into the dvrms folder and re-set all the paths in the Crunchie configurator to the new folders just created.

The vast majority of people change their recorded TV folder from the default to the root of the drive.. Mine is e:\recorded TV for instance..

Give it a go and let me know.

Cheers,
Arkay

[Pyrda]

Hi.

I did just that. It works OK for a small (37Mb) dvrms file, doesn't work for a large (2Gb) one, same error messages in log.

As I had renamed the original dvrms, this time I had both with standard dvrms naming convention.

I have over 62Gb of available disk space, if that helps...

Or could it be the cold weather here in Paris ?

Cheers.
Pyrda

[arkay]

Could be the weather

I'm not sure what is going on there.. The only thing that I can think of is a corrupt recording. I know people have converted 16GB+ recordings without problems. If it works for a small file it should work for a large one (unless there is some corruption in the large one)...

The unfortunate thing in these cases is that often the dvr-ms file appears perfect, as does the converted mpeg.

The only thing I can suggest is to take the mpeg file and run it through projectx or pvastrumento before passing it through Crunchie. That should remove any problems in the mpeg file structure itself and hopefully allow it to process through Crunchie properly.

Cheers,
Arkay.

[Pyrda]

Hi.

Looks like I misled you with the size side of things : Crunchie nicely Crunches all sizes of dvrms's, a long as they are recordings of 'live' (i.e. cable) programs; fails when processing recordings of VCR tapes (acquired through MCE in the exact same way). Sheer ignorance on my part : shouldn't both result in the same digital encoding, and be Crunchable in the same chocolatey way ?

Thanks again !

Pyrda

[arkay]

You'd think so but it's not necessarily the case. Mpeg has a certain file structure that assembles the video into I, P and B frames, multiples of those are stored in what is called a group of pictures (GOP). Some programs are fussy about how all that is layed out (GOP length etc). It might be that your capture software is assebling something that mencoder doesn't like.

That's where projectx and pvastrumento come in. They can fix errors in mpeg streams. If you pre-process the recordings with one of those it should fix the errors and Crunchie should then be happy with the file.

Other than that I can't think what else would be different on VHS caps.

Cheers,
Arkay.