MCEBuddy

A half answer to try! 

Not sure what the original audio format is (assuming AC3) but you could just leave the 5.1 channel audio as is and mux this with the H.264 encoded video.

Mencoder has an option to retain the original AC3 stream so you can adjust the relevant profile line in the "mencoder.config" file to do this. This probably isn't that ideal as you are not gaining any compression on the audio but maybe this is not an issue to you. I have not had much experience with this and H.264 encoding, synch issues could be a problem -save a copy before trying!

Other than the above you could re-encode the AC3 to a lower bitrate but this is moving away from the current capabilities of MCEBuddy.

Oxen:

I have been experimenting with MCEBuddy (v1.0.8). The tool is great and I have almost managed to remove all the adverts with Comskip. I just have one issue remaining: the programmes were recorded in Dolby Digital 5.1 but regenerated by MCEBuddy in stereo. I can check this by looking at my AV amp which tells me “Dolby Digital” for the original recordings and “PCM” for the regenerated files. I am regenerating as H.264. So, how can I retain the 5.1 channels?  I am using ffdshow v1723.

Thanks 

-Ox.

Adding to the above.  You can add 5.1 support to your conversions by adding "channels=6" to your profile (there's a few posts around on the site relating to this).  However, this des stuff up any conversions of 2 channel recordings.  In MCEBuddy 2.0 we're working on doing this automatically, though it is a rough thing to do.  In all cases (under MCEBuddy) ONLY H.264 will provide 5.1 audio support.

Derek

Thanks guys. Stark, I have been experimenting with your suggestion.

I have changed the memcoder.conf file to:

[x264-Default]
profile-desc="H.264 Recommended"
vf=pullup,softskip,pp=fd,scale=720:-2,hqdn3d,harddup
lavdopts=threads=2
ovc=x264=yes
x264encopts=threads=auto:subq=5:frameref=4:me=umh:partitions=all:b-pyramid=yes:qcomp=0.8:trellis=1:8x8dct=yes:bframes=3:weightb=yes:bitrate=1200
#oac=faac=yes
oac=copy=yes
faacopts=br=192:raw=yes:mpeg=4:tns=yes
af=volnorm=2
#FileExtension=avi

Specifically, I commented out oac=faac=yes and added oac=copy=yes

My movies are now not being converted propertly. They either don't get created at all or only a few minutes get created. I believe that when it encounters an AC3 track it stops generating. Evidence is: in the former case, the recording started a little into the movie so it was AC3 from the start; in the latter case, the recording started early and as soon as the programme started the conversion stopped.

Any further help would be appreciated.

-Oxen.

Oxen:

Thanks guys. Stark, I have been experimenting with your suggestion.

I have changed the memcoder.conf file to:

[x264-Default]
profile-desc="H.264 Recommended"
vf=pullup,softskip,pp=fd,scale=720:-2,hqdn3d,harddup
lavdopts=threads=2
ovc=x264=yes
x264encopts=threads=auto:subq=5:frameref=4:me=umh:partitions=all:b-pyramid=yes:qcomp=0.8:trellis=1:8x8dct=yes:bframes=3:weightb=yes:bitrate=1200
#oac=faac=yes
oac=copy=yes
faacopts=br=192:raw=yes:mpeg=4:tns=yes
af=volnorm=2
#FileExtension=avi

Specifically, I commented out oac=faac=yes and added oac=copy=yes

My movies are now not being converted propertly. They either don't get created at all or only a few minutes get created. I believe that when it encounters an AC3 track it stops generating. Evidence is: in the former case, the recording started a little into the movie so it was AC3 from the start; in the latter case, the recording started early and as soon as the programme started the conversion stopped.

Any further help would be appreciated.

-Oxen.

Oxen,

I've found this only works (copy AC3) if you are convertng to XVid or DivX and AVI.  You could try Channels=6 added to the profile for H.264, but this means that if your recording is actually 2 channels then the sound for *that* recording will be screwed up.  Which is why in 2.0 we're doing all the autodetection and dynamic changes.  That said, in 2.0 we'll only provide the option to retain AC3 for DivX and AVI.  I can post a fixed XVid/AC3 profile derived from a dynamic 2.0 one if that will help.  Note that XVid/DivX quality isn't as good as H.264, though you could throw more bits at it.

Derek

Derek,

I tried DivX with oac=copy=yes :

[DivX-Default]
profile-desc="DivX Compatibility"
vf=pullup,softskip,pp=fd,scale=720:-2,hqdn3d,harddup
lavdopts=threads=2
ovc=xvid=yes
xvidencopts=bitrate=1400:threads=2:chroma_opt=yes:trellis=yes:max_bframes=0:vhq=4:noqpel=yes:nogmc=yes:autoaspect=yes
ffourcc=DX50
oac=copy=yes
#oac=mp3lame=yes
lameopts=cbr=yes:br=192
af=volnorm=2
#FileExtension=avi
#Seperator=yes

and got a huge sync delay and it didn't finish the generation. So yes, if you could post a better XVid or DivX / AC3 profile, that would be great. I don't know which format is a higher quality and I'm not sure how to throw more bits at it so your guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks 

-Ox.

Oxen:

Derek,

I tried DivX with oac=copy=yes :

[DivX-Default]
profile-desc="DivX Compatibility"
vf=pullup,softskip,pp=fd,scale=720:-2,hqdn3d,harddup
lavdopts=threads=2
ovc=xvid=yes
xvidencopts=bitrate=1400:threads=2:chroma_opt=yes:trellis=yes:max_bframes=0:vhq=4:noqpel=yes:nogmc=yes:autoaspect=yes
ffourcc=DX50
oac=copy=yes
#oac=mp3lame=yes
lameopts=cbr=yes:br=192
af=volnorm=2
#FileExtension=avi
#Seperator=yes

and got a huge sync delay and it didn't finish the generation. So yes, if you could post a better XVid or DivX / AC3 profile, that would be great. I don't know which format is a higher quality and I'm not sure how to throw more bits at it so your guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks 

-Ox.

Ox, there are two major things that are being done in MCEBuddy 2.0 to reduce audio sync issues that simply do not exist in MCEBuddy 1.x.

However, you can try the following munged 2.0 profile:

[XvidAVI]
profile-desc="Xvid AVI"
vf=pullup,softskip,pp=fd,scale=720:-10,hqdn3d,harddup
lavdopts=threads=2
ovc=xvid=yes
xvidencopts=bitrate=1400:threads=2:chroma_opt=yes:trellis=yes:vhq=4:quant_type=mpeg:gmc=yes
oac=copy=yes
ofps=24000/1001
srate=48000

You can also drop the ofps line as an option