Tutorial: How to Convert MKV (x264) to 360 Ready WMV-HD Options

[Stinger666]

Try skipping the step. I believe FFDSHOW will decode FLAC by default if you installed it with that option check (I know this from my multiple re-installs last night So if you've installed it to handle FLAC, you *should* be able to just load the AVS script into the encoder and use the default audio. Try that, let us know what happens

Thank you for replying so quickly!!

But if i were to skip that step what would i put for audio when i start the TMPGEnc project? I'm guessing i'd just select the movie.avs file, yeah?

EDIT - I feel well stupid, lol.. It won't let me add the MKV file or the AVS file.. :S

This post has been edited by Stinger666: Aug 10 2007, 11:40 PM

[impimpin206]

When you add the AVS, it should use the AVS for both audio/video. Normally, we use a separate audio so it gets read properly. So that won't work, just use it as it loads. If it wont recognize the audio when you load the AVS, you need to install a FLAC decoder (or reinstall your ffmpeg with FLAC support)

[Stinger666]

When you add the AVS, it should use the AVS for both audio/video. Normally, we use a separate audio so it gets read properly. So that won't work, just use it as it loads. If it wont recognize the audio when you load the AVS, you need to install a FLAC decoder (or reinstall your ffmpeg with FLAC support)

Thanks for the reply again mate, you really are a big help..

I got the AVS to load on my TMPGEnc, turns out i forgot to install AVISynth, lol.. Anyway i'm going to try and go through the process without seperate audio and see what happens...

[jacanuck]

Okay I have now installed CCCP latest, then loaded the ffdshow registry file from my last install. The encoder is now adding black bars on top/bottom again... so this is definitely ffdshow/VFW related.

I'm going to do another clean install, then compare the settings I have stored in that registry file to what comes default on the install.

I don't remember tweaking any settings when I installed my decoders, but that was all long before I wrote this tutorial so it's tough to recollect it all.

Hopefully I come up with an answer to this decoder stuff soon.

Right now, the CCCP w/ my old saved settings seem to be doing the job. Although I'm having to crop an input file that moments ago, with regular ffdshow, I did not have to crop.

Something in the CCCP is adding black/bars to my file when its being rendered. I'm not sure how this setting(s) play into the encoding... seems I'm able to get decent output with both.

However, based on the last couple days of discussion, it seems this is the optimal setup.

Although I still feel like the setup I just formatted was optimal

I'll be back in town Sunday afternoon, and will also have a look at the black bar bug. This is the last step!

[impimpin206]

I'll be back in town Sunday afternoon, and will also have a look at the black bar bug. This is the last step!

Already figured it out, as well as the speed issue Hit me up on chat and I'll fill you in

Cheers

[smokersx]

hmm... i cant get past the first step.. i open up the mkvextractgui, but the movie.mkv file doesnt show up when i click on "add".. im in the folder.. i have no idea what to do.. I wanna watch Mortal Kombat: Konquest on my TV help a brother out

[impimpin206]

hmm... i cant get past the first step.. i open up the mkvextractgui, but the movie.mkv file doesnt show up when i click on "add".. im in the folder.. i have no idea what to do.. I wanna watch Mortal Kombat: Konquest on my TV help a brother out

It's strange that the file just won't open... but just skip the step. Many movies will load the 5.1 audio track correctly without the first step. Worst case scenario, it loads as 2ch audio. But even that can be prevented.

First, load the AVS file into the encoder and see if the audio reads as 5.1 or 2 channel.

If it loads as 2ch, then go into your AC3 decoder config and set it to 'no change' or whatever makes it read as 5.1 audio.

Like I said... worst case scenario, it encodes as 2 channel audio.

If this is even important to you...

cheers

[smokersx]

It's strange that the file just won't open... but just skip the step. Many movies will load the 5.1 audio track correctly without the first step. Worst case scenario, it loads as 2ch audio. But even that can be prevented.

First, load the AVS file into the encoder and see if the audio reads as 5.1 or 2 channel.

If it loads as 2ch, then go into your AC3 decoder config and set it to 'no change' or whatever makes it read as 5.1 audio.

Like I said... worst case scenario, it encodes as 2 channel audio.

If this is even important to you...

cheers

i finally got it goin.. i am completely new to everything this involves so it took me a while.. but now its fine, not even encoded as 2 channel audio (although it doesnt matter to me).. thanks a lot.. and rep that 20Siccness.. im from 360 haha

[impimpin206]

i finally got it goin.. i am completely new to everything this involves so it took me a while.. but now its fine, not even encoded as 2 channel audio (although it doesnt matter to me).. thanks a lot.. and rep that 20Siccness.. im from 360 haha

I am too now heh, in Vancouver.

[y0y0]

i didnt understand something...
u wrote:
"Once you have all of that software installed and functioning, here's what you need to do"

i downloaded the five softwares u gave... (the 2nd one is trial ver. as u know..) (AviSynth 2.5.7 final)
i installed: AviSynth 2.5, MKVtoolnix and TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress Trial Version. (there was nothing to install on WMV-HD_tutorial).
when i pressed on 'MKVextractGUI' it wrote me this error:
http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/7011/untitledcu6.jpg

what should i do to fix it?

and than you wrote
"1. Extract the contents of the attached file. This tutorial assumes you have extracted the file to the root of your E: drive, so you'll be working from e:\wmv_working\ If this is not the case, you'll need to open the movie.avs file in Notepad and change the directory. Copy your source MKV file to your \wmv_working\ directory and rename it to movie.mkv""

what do you mean by 'attached file'? which file shold i extracted the E:\ ?? :|

thanks...

[pdxit]

Ok folks, hopefully I have a solution to those that followed this tutorial only to eventually receive the script error.

Basically follow the directions except for installing the H. Splitter , CCCP or ffdshow as codecs.

Here is what i did...

(1) Remove H. Splitter
(2) Remove FFDShow
(3) Install K-lite 3.3.0 Full codec pack located at K-Lite

** I did add x264 and VC-1 support in the settings for K-lite. I do not know if this setting actaully makes a difference.

Start over by inserting the "movie.avs" script and you should see the fimiliar Haali icons pop up and the movie will be read correctly.

This has been tested and works on XP SP2 and Vista Home Basic as well as Vista Ultimate.

Hope that helps everyone!
Pdxit

Oops!

Almost forgot.. I do believe you need to uncheck the media player classic option during setup and have VLC player installed in it's place.

[impimpin206]

Media PLayer Classic works fine- it's prefered. VLC actually plays MKV without any filters needed, all internal.

I just used ffdshow-tryout as my filter on a clean Vista install. I selected to NOT use the ffdshow AC3 / AAC decoder... installed AC3Filter and CoreAAC for those.

Either of these codec packs should work.

Also got subtitles working, and optimized encode times. So far it looks like the faster encode settings are giving equal quality output (at least perceived equal)

More on that later... still running some controlled testing.

[jacanuck]

i didnt understand something...
u wrote:
"Once you have all of that software installed and functioning, here's what you need to do"

i downloaded the five softwares u gave... (the 2nd one is trial ver. as u know..) (AviSynth 2.5.7 final)
i installed: AviSynth 2.5, MKVtoolnix and TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress Trial Version. (there was nothing to install on WMV-HD_tutorial).
when i pressed on 'MKVextractGUI' it wrote me this error:
http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/7011/untitledcu6.jpg

what should i do to fix it?

and than you wrote
"1. Extract the contents of the attached file. This tutorial assumes you have extracted the file to the root of your E: drive, so you'll be working from e:\wmv_working\ If this is not the case, you'll need to open the movie.avs file in Notepad and change the directory. Copy your source MKV file to your \wmv_working\ directory and rename it to movie.mkv""

what do you mean by 'attached file'? which file shold i extracted the E:\ ?? :|

thanks...

1) Extract mkvextractGUI to c:\program files\mkvtoolNix after you have installed MKVtoolNIX. Then when you run the extract GUI you won't get the error message from your screenshot.

2) The attached file is the WMV-HD_tutorial.rar file. Extract this to e:\ (if you have an e drive) or any other location. If you extract it to a new location, you'll need to edit the movie.avs file (open it in notepad and you'll understand why). You'll also need to keep track of where you put the files in case the tutorial references the e drive later.

[impimpin206]

So this tutorial just got better. When I re-installed Vista, my encodes started going drastically slower. I eventually figured out I'd set the performance/quality balance to it's highest setting (quality). So I thought it'd be nice to see what kind of output each one gives, and at what speed!

Now the collection of output files is currently over 445 MB RAR'd, so I haven't posted the link publicly. I've sent it to a couple of members here, so we'll hear from them. This sample clip was from Bourne Supremacy and is 5:40 in length. It's a high action clip.

Here are the encode times... insane!

These were encoded on an Intel Core 2 Duo e4400 @ 2.8 GHz with 2 GB @ 800 mhz with 7200 RPM hard drives. Encoding from one drive to the other.

For the little-to-no difference, what a huge gap in encode time.




Oh, I forgot to clarify a couple things:

1) This tutorial was written using the setting 4th down, finished in 25:39, and this is what the downloaded profile will encode at. (This may be updated soon).

2) The setting in question is under the 'Other' tab of TMPGEnc.

[gambit0608]

is there a way of removing hard coded subs from WMV's?

Thanks in advance!