Can't convert a A3 recorded video to avi

[nivlacbot]

I recorded the champions league final via my A3. the last section for example is a 630 MB .asf file (40 min video recorded at 640x480 @ 2Mbps)

VirtualDub doesn't want to have anything to do with .asf - a proprietary MS MPEG4 format.

Did a google.. first result suggested installing a MS codec + using an older version of VirtualDub. Bombed! Had to reinstall codecs to remedy the MS codec.

Next got something called asftools as suggested here [http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/asf2avi.htm] Ran the .asf through it to get a 624MB avi. Ran that through virtualDub to encode as a divX. After 2 hours, the 270MB divX is like a bad version of Tron - garbage. Turns out the intermediate avi is unplayable as well. Should've checked that [cursing][cursing]

the .asf format is known to be a troublesome format - Has anyone had some luck with this ? Attached the recorded video specs

[random-2001]

Well if its a properly encoded file, mencoder should be able to decode and reencode it. A windows version (download mplayer, its part of the package) is at:

http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html


There are various manuals for using mencoder scattered across the internet. The other option is to use avisynth in conjunction with a video encoder to try and reecode it. I've used Xvid4PSP and it works okay for the files i've tried, but i've never tried an ASF. If you are going to do it this way, make sure that you have the proper dshow codec and can play the file, if it can't then the file itself may be corrupt.

[nivlacbot]

mencoder crashed out at 33%. Does it do that ? I'll set it off again when I go to sleep..
Any way to suppress/correct these errors or is Asf toying with me again?


mencoder VIDEO_080522_004.asf -ovc xvid -oac mp3lame -xvidencopts bitrate=800 fixed_quant=4 -o ManUtdWin.avi

Pos: 798.6s 19967f (33%) 6.50fps Trem: 101min 124mb A-V:-0.001 [243:127]
39 duplicate frame(s)!
[mpeg4 @ 00D299C0]Error at MB: 1227Trem: 101min 124mb A-V:-0.001 [243:127]
[mpeg4 @ 00D299C0]concealing 51 DC, 51 AC, 51 MV errors

Update:
mencoder VIDEO_080522_004.asf -ovc lavc -oac lavc -o MUWin.avi
Also bombed at the same spot at 33% - frame 19967f
Is this one off or is the A3 recording buggy ?
Any way to skip error frames or some error correction with mencoder ?

[random-2001]

looks like a bad encode, sorry dude, but your recorded file is broken

[nivlacbot]

I've been fighting this thing tooth and nail... Why o Why did Cowon have to deal with this devil of a codec

file:///g:/MPlayer-1.0rc2/docs/video-formats.html#asf-wmv
ASF (Active Streaming Format) comes from Microsoft. They developed two variants of ASF, v1.0 and v2.0. v1.0 is used by their media tools (Windows Media Player and Windows Media Encoder) and is very secret. v2.0 is published and patented :). Of course they differ, there is no compatibility at all (it is just another legal game). MPlayer supports only v1.0, as nobody has ever seen v2.0 files :). Note that ASF files nowadays come with the extension .WMA or .WMV.

Anyways I found asftools had this repair option.. which didn't work. It created an avi that mplayer couldn't play.. No point in running mencoder on it.

Found asfbin from "radioactivepages.com/index.php?section=software&docid=asfbin". It too has a repair option - Running that led to a repaired.asf that has 50 MB less than the source. However this file plays via mplayer.

Can't figure out the mencoder options to get a normal divX / xVid out of this thing. mencoder is one configure-yourself-to-death kinda app... and the fact that each encode robs me of 2 hours of my life doesn't make things better.

Does anyone have a simple tutorial that has a high probab of just working ? [confused]

[nivlacbot]

Tried another video that I recorded

>mencoder -ovc lavc -oac lavc -lavcopts acodec=libmp3lame:vcodec=mpeg4:mbd=2:trell:v4mv:la st_pred=2:dia=-1:vmax_b_frames=2:vb_strategy=1:cmp=3:su
bcmp=3:precmp=0:vqcomp=0.6:turbo -o pp.avi VIDEO_080522_001.asf

Mencoder crashes again.
Pos:1588.2s 39707f (53%) 3.52fps Trem: 166min 199mb A-V:-0.001 [269:223]
39 duplicate frame(s)!
[mpeg4 @ 00D299C0]ac-tex damaged at 39 29166min 199mb A-V:0.000 [269:223]
[mpeg4 @ 00D299C0]Error at MB: 1228
[mpeg4 @ 00D299C0]concealing 50 DC, 50 AC, 50 MV errors

Firmware version was 1.24P
Can someone try converting any one of their recorded videos to xvid or divx and post results?

[O.J. Simpson]

Tried another video that I recorded

>mencoder -ovc lavc -oac lavc -lavcopts acodec=libmp3lame:vcodec=mpeg4:mbd=2:trell:v4mv:la st_pred=2:dia=-1:vmax_b_frames=2:vb_strategy=1:cmp=3:su
bcmp=3:precmp=0:vqcomp=0.6:turbo -o pp.avi VIDEO_080522_001.asf

Mencoder crashes again.
Pos:1588.2s 39707f (53%) 3.52fps Trem: 166min 199mb A-V:-0.001 [269:223]
39 duplicate frame(s)!
[mpeg4 @ 00D299C0]ac-tex damaged at 39 29166min 199mb A-V:0.000 [269:223]
[mpeg4 @ 00D299C0]Error at MB: 1228
[mpeg4 @ 00D299C0]concealing 50 DC, 50 AC, 50 MV errors

Firmware version was 1.24P
Can someone try converting any one of their recorded videos to xvid or divx and post results?

I use Mediacoder for a3 recorded files and it works flawlessly.

[O.J. Simpson]

Strange, I just tried converting a Simpsons episode and mediacoder crashed halfway through the second pass. I've never had this happen before. This episode was recorded with firmware 1.24 which is very buggy. I think this may have something to do with it. What firmware version are you using?

[nivlacbot]

What firmware version are you using?
Firmware v1.24P during recording.. I've downgraded to 1.23 now.
Could be due to the 'beta' ness, will retry soon with 1.23.

[O.J. Simpson]

I just finished converting a video recorded with v1.23a using mediacoder without any problems. It seems mencoder doesn't like v1.24. I was also able to convert a video file recorded with v1.24 using avidemux without a problem. This same file crashes with mediacoder. you might want to try avidemux for your champions league match.

[nivlacbot]

I tried JetAudio media centre (sheepish... i was outta options)

It didn't crash, which is an improvement over mencoder
It produced a 29 min video (source 39 min video)
plays well, however the encoding process seems to have eaten up chunks of my video.. the video ends in an infinite loop, where a 4 sec sections plays over and over again till you kill it.


Next I tried AviDemux as suggested above

It didn't crash [thumbsup]
I used Xvid + Mp3 as the codecs, produced a 732 MB file (source 630 MB) which kinda killed my buzz coz the entire point of all this pain was to get a 200-300 MB compressed file.
I say what the heck atleast its not asf anymore, play it on the A3. The audio stutters and runs around the video. The entire video is there though unlike JetAudio media center. The asf source version thumps it royally.


Now this makes me wonder,
where's the compression with XVid (after 2.5 hrs of encoding) ?
Is the A3 recording at such high stds that asf is the logical choice. Could asf be the right choice by Cowon after all ... inspite of being MS and all ?

PS: Of course it is still 1.24 Beta recorded video and it could all be a temporary glitch

[otterpopjunkie]

i encode with SUPER (using mencoder), and I just saved my encoding settings once I found a nice combination of settings. I think the asf recording is inferior to divx at same resolution and bitrate so I recode to slightly smaller resolution and lower bitrates, and the filesize is smaller and looks about the same.

[nivlacbot]

Care to share ?[help] 'the divine settings' that is..
I have knocked myself out trying to create the magic avi potion

[quatermass]

Although earlier versions of VirtualDub do still exist that support .asf, I use the free Bink - 'RAD Video Tools' to convert .asf to AVI.

It handles a huge variety of codecs.

See http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm

My A3 does have V1.23 in it. Though I did record one video with V1.24 and RAD Tools converted it fine.

Just run the Rad tool, select a video file and click on 'Convert it'.
If you don't want to tinker with it, just click on 'convert video' and 'convert audio' and then 'Convert'.

I think because it's used primarily by Computer Game professionals to convert video that hardly anyone seems to know about this little Gem?

[otterpopjunkie]

well in SUPER the settings I use are something like this, basically same settings as asf file but lower bitrate/resolution: 384x288, divx 6, 30fps, 1500kbps

But it's all up to your preference, a lot of what I recorded with this is from VHS so there was a lot of snow and it was bad quality to begin with.

I've downloaded in-game demos encoded in Bink before, but I didn't know they had a free tool like this. I'll check it out though!

[nivlacbot]

[thumbsup]
The set of videos that just wouldn't convert... have finally been vanquished.
Here's what you do -
Take Quatermass's (you've been thanked! [laugh]) fwded converter http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm (http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm)Run your asf through it
My ~600MB asf turns into a ~1500MB avi
Now run this via mediacoder to a H264-MP4 ~250MB or a Xvid-avi 300MB
Took a while but it plays flawlessly and I can lay down my weapons. :D

[abyss x]

Best thing: I have the 1.27P FW and i recorded a 20 secs (test drive) movie via the TV IN feature as ASF of course.. converted it to AVI during the Cowon media player (AKA - Jet Audio). comes flawlessly! I guess u have that prog from the black CD Cowon gave u, rite?

The original ASF was about 4MB, the AVI was about 5MB.. not bad ratio.. even for 20 secs test movie.. lol

If u want me to send the movie, b4 and after conversion, tell me. =-)