What are using to edit Sage Files

[trevorst]

I am recording at DVD Great quality and I am having trouble editing the files. In Sonic Foundry Video Factory the sound is not in sync with the video. In Ulead DVD Factory I get a sound is not compatible with this program error message.. The included MPEG editor seems to corrupt SageTV and requires reloading SageTV.

So has any one be able to edit these files to remove commercials etc. Or have you been able to use it with DVD Factory, if so what quality settings did you use ???

[SHS]

Womble MPEG2VCR

[jmeeks]

You can find it here:

http://www.womble.com/index.shtml

[-LD]

i use virtualdub with mpeg2 support

http://fcchandler.home.comcast.net/

[trevorst]

I just tried Womble and I must say I was not impressed. It took forever to render and the sound was still out of sync. I changed my recording quality to DVD Long Play and then edited in Uleads DVD Factory 2. Great results... Sound in-sync and PQ exellent. The whole process only took about 20 mins to a completed DVD for a 30 min show, with about 6 mins of that active time (editing the commercials out).

Looks like I may have answered my own question.

[Ducky]

I've just bought Pinnacle "Instant CD/DVD," which includes Pinnacle Expression, to edit out commercials. The "automatic scene detection" feature was surprisingly easy to use, and made the editing process go much, much faster. The fact that it can reencode movies into higher bitrates appealed to me, as well.

The wizard-like interface is slightly confusing, but it is pretty easy to use once you got used to it. (E.g. It "appears to" not allow encoded files from being saved -- but that is not the case -- just need to go into its temporary directory and copy the encoded file.)

Due to retail comptition, I was able to buy the $100 MSRP program from a retailer for $34 -- A local Fry's advertised it for $40, so I went to a Circuit City and got the 110% price-match discount.

For a program that costs ~$40, I'd say it's well worth it. =)

[Ralphjb]

I have been using TMPGEnc DVD Author for over a week. I have found it robust, easy to use and a great all-in-one solution for burning TV show to DVD, after editing out commercials.

Works fine with files recorded at the GREAT resolution. Here's the web site, its a 30 day trial version (which I'm still on).

http://www.pegasys-inc.com/e_product.html

[eruji]

Ive used Womble in the past for captures from my Dazzle DVC II,

its works great, if your mpg is SVCD or VCD Compliant, then there is no reencoding necessary, you can cut and paste and output a new mpg very quickly.

[padre]

I use Womble exclusively to take the output of SageTV to create DVD's. I drag the file into Womble, trim off the commercials and save. It takes a minute or so, and done. It only has to re-encode if you want to change the video bit rates or quality settings.

But it's simple, easy to use, if all you want to do is edit or trim, before pulling the files into an authoring program.

[trevorst]

After my initial post in this thread I changed from the best quality recording to a DVD compliant one and tried Womble again. Like Padre I think it is great it only takes a few minutes to trim the commercials and it does not need to encode again. I then use Uleads DVDFactory to create a DVD, I get 5, 30 minute shows on one DVD with menus. Whole process take about 30 mins active time, 60 mins total time.

[cord]

I just got a demo of womble mpeg2vcr and tried it out on an episode of _Dead Like Me_ that I recorded at the "DVD Long Play" setting. Since it's on Showtime, I only needed to clip the start and end of the show. After doing that, I had mpeg2vcr save it to a file, then played the file back using the same program. After editing, the audio is *horribly* out of sync -- by almost a minute. Does anybody have any pointers for me? I'm certainly not going to spend $119 on this, if I can't solve the sync issue.

[eruji]

After editing, the audio is *horribly* out of sync -- by almost a minute

ive never had any sync issues after editing with womble. Im doing my captures in DVD standard quality and im able to cut commercials etc with no problems.

cord, when you go to save the movie after youve done the edits what output format are you choosing? I dont have the program in front of me, but when i save it, the default radio button is correct, i think its program stream.

when you did save it, did it take a long time? if womble had to reencode an hours worth of video, it could take quite awhile. When i cut the commercials out it, only takes a few minutes to output 25-30 minutes of video because its not reencoding. I would imagine reencoding could introduce some sync issues.

[cord]

I'm using the default settings, and I'm almost certain it's not transcoding the stream, since the output only takes about 5 minutes. This is a 2.4ghz Celeron system, so it's no speed demon.

[eruji]

This is a 2.4ghz Celeron system, so it's no speed demon.

geesh, im still on an overclocked 500 ha ha, id love a 2.4 c.


have you tried playback in dvd player software? i dont think that womble makes for great playback. just for verification, try a different player.

[justme]

If you're using a PVR250/350 to capture the show Wombles is the best at keeping AV sync. There were long debates and long hours trying tons of other editting software on SHS's forum. Finally almost everyone there agreed Wombles is the best for keeping AV sync with material captured from a PVR250/350.

The PVR has a lot of issues with AV sync. SageTV and WinTV do a good job of hiding them when playing an uneditted file. Still Hauppauge has a long way to go as far as making a reliable driver, as you found out when you tried to edit a file. If you are unfamiliar with SHS's site and forum here are the links. There is a lot of advice/methods for trying to fix bad captures caused by the Hauppauge PVR card. So try what eruji sugggests and if that doesn't help then keep the file and head over to SHS's.

Best of Luck.

[cord]

eruji:
Yup, I've tried playing back with another player (zoom with Intervideo drivers), and
with SageTV. They all are out if sync by exactly the same amount, as far as I can tell.

justme:
I've spent some time reading SHS' site, and it's a great resource. I actually found out about the PVR250 and SageTV from him on the AVS Forum. Unfortunately, most of the help there is of the form: stop using tool X to edit MPEG2 and switch to Womble. I started out with Womble and I'm having sync issues. I've found nothing, as yet, to clue me in on what's going wrong.

[justme]

Hmm, Bummer.
Well since you've hung out at SHS's I guess you've tried doing a simple multiplex in TMPGenc Plus before editting in Wombles? It sometimes helped with some of my really bad files, but it's a pain having to add a step to the edit process.

I quess you've also tried the GOP tool in wombles, as well? Sorry, I'm not more help. Wombles usually does a perfect edit for me even though my captures routinely have over 1,000 PTS errors per 90 seconds of video. If I see anything that could help I'll post back.

Edit:I guess you're also running the newest version(3.14 released in Feb. 03) of Wombles ?

Best of luck,
Michael

[cord]

I think I've discovered a possible cause for the problem. The file I was editing is one that I recorded very soon after installing SageTV, before I had fully explored all the settings available. I've no way to know for sure, but I think the file was recorded on the "Great" setting, rather than any of the dvd-compliant ones. I haven't had time to try yet, but I suspect I'd have an easier time with a dvd-compliant file.

[waltc]

Riddle me this... I am using the trial version of mpeg-vcr and have problems. I cut out all the commercials from a show (set at DVD LONG PLAY on STV). 30 min show is cut to ~22min. the 1.2G file is est. to be 1G after my cuts. After saving it (from 0;0 to 22;02:13) , I look at the new file and it's ~400M. It saved my only ~12min of the 30min show. What did I do wrong? Isn't the trial version fully functional for 30 days?

[Kanati]

I use videoredo for the editing out of commercials... Then I use dvdcomposer to knock together a menu and build the dvd. Then I burn it with nero.

Videoredo is probably the quickest program I've seen for trimming out commercials. But I haven't seen this womble thing yet.