Help please........trying to create playable files for Tivo Premiere using VirtualDub

[True Colors]

I searched through this forum but could not find anything that would help me.

I have a Tivo Premiere. There are some video files that I would like to transfer onto it and play.

I just started playing around with the video editing software called "VirtualDub." I have loaded all of the main plug ins for it that I could find in order to beef up its capabilities.

Some of the video files on my computer will not play in my Premiere(such as mkv files). So I used VirtualDub to convert these mkv files(and a few other things) into avi files.

At first, the output file sizes were GIGANTIC. VirtualDub would take something that was approximately 52MB in size and covert it into an avi output file of 1.5 gig.

I adjusted the setting in VirtualDub to "Direct Stream Copy" and that successfully reduced the output file size down to a much smaller size. These output files do play fine in my computer video players(MPCHC, VLC, etc.)

When I use Tivo Desktop to transfer these avi files onto the Tivo Premiere, it DOES play them. However, there is a TON of jitter. Severe jitter.

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions on how to correct this?

Much appreciated!

TC

p.s., in case it makes any difference, here are my PC system specs

windows 7 pro 64 bit
8 gigs of DDR2 ram
Dell - 2.8 Ghz Dual core processor
really good video card(Nvidia 440, or something)

also..... I am using the 32 bit version of VirtualDub

[ThAbtO]

Tivo mainly takes .mpg, .mp4, but will take some .avi, .mkv and others.

I have transferred .mkv onto my tivo using PyTivo, with no problems.

[steve614]

Because you're using Tivo Desktop, your safest bet is to make the video into an Mpeg 2 (.mpg) file. Audio can either be Mpeg layer 2 or AC3.

An example of HD video specs:

File: MPEG2
Size : 4.838 GB
Duration : 00:43:14.50
Mux type : PS - MPEG2
Video: Encoding : MPEG2
VideoStreamID : xE0
Frame rate : 59.94 fps
Encoding size : 1280 x 720
Aspect ratio : 16:9
Header bit rate : 38.800 Mbps
VBV buffer : 976 KBytes
Profile : Main@High
Progressive : Progressive Only
Chroma : 4:2:0
Bit rate : 13.893 Mbps
Audio Stream: 1 (Primary) Codec : AC3
Format : DVD VOB
Channels : 5.1
Sub stream id : x80
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Sampling rate : 48000
Sample size : 16 bits

Here is an example for DVD specs:

File: VOB
Size : 1.074 GB
Duration : 00:27:53.22
Mux type : PS - MPEG2
Video: Encoding : MPEG2
VideoStreamID : xE0
Frame rate : 29.97 fps
Encoding size : 720 x 480
Aspect ratio : 16:9
Header bit rate : 9.800 Mbps
VBV buffer : 224 KBytes
Profile : Main@Main
Progressive : Prog or Int
Chroma : 4:2:0
Bit rate : 4.007 Mbps
Audio Stream: 1 (Primary) Codec : AC3
Format : DVD VOB
Channels : 2.0
PID : x80
PES Stream Id : xBD
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Sampling rate : 48000
Sample size : 16 bits
Audio Stream: 2 Codec : AC3
Format : DVD VOB
Channels : 5.1
PID : x81
PES Stream Id : xBD
Bit rate : 384 Kbps
Sampling rate : 48000
Sample size : 16 bits
Audio Stream: 3 Codec : AC3
Format : DVD VOB
Channels : 2.0
PID : x82
PES Stream Id : xBD
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Sampling rate : 48000
Sample size : 16 bits
Audio Stream: 4 Codec : AC3
Format : DVD VOB
Channels : 2.0
PID : x83
PES Stream Id : xBD
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Sampling rate : 48000
Sample size : 16 bits

An example of SD video specs:

File: TiVo
Size : 0.866 GB
Duration : 00:40:33.15
Mux type : TiVo
Video: Encoding : MPEG2
VideoStreamID : xE0
Frame rate : 29.97 fps
Encoding size : 352 x 480
Display dimensions : 352 x 480
Aspect ratio : 4:3
Header bit rate : 2.600 Mbps
VBV buffer : 224 KBytes
Profile : Main@Main
Progressive : Prog or Int
Chroma : 4:2:0
Bit rate : 2.549 Mbps
Audio Stream: 1 (Primary) Codec : MPEG
MPEGLayer : Layer 2
Channels : 2.0
PES Stream Id : xC0
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Sampling rate : 48000
Sample size : 16 bits

[lpwcomp]

Count me as another vote for switching to pyTivo.

[steve614]

PyTivo has its merits, but the OP already has everything he needs to do what he wants.

Installing PyTivo and learning how to use it (not as simple as Tivo Desktop), could be more trouble than it's worth in this situation.

[lpwcomp]

Originally Posted by steve614

PyTivo has its merits, but the OP already has everything he needs to do what he wants.

Installing PyTivo and learning how to use it (not as simple as Tivo Desktop), could be more trouble than it's worth in this situation.

Having used vdub, I think that installing python and pyTivo is easier than configuring vdub to produce a file that TD likes. That plus the other advantages make it worth the trouble. Of course, this is all IMHO.

[True Colors]

Thanks for the info....

A few things.....

As the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Yes, I would love to get pyTivo up and running, but my hope is to also become proficient at VirtualDub, Handbrake, VideoRedo, Streambaby, and whatever else is out there.

Sooooo....... any extra insights that anyone can provide to help me with VirtualDub will be appreciated. What are the best settings to use in VirtualDub to make a file compatible with tivo premiere?

Regarding pyTivo...... I have tried multiple times to install this on my PC and I have failed every time. I always get lost in the installation and configuration instructions. If anyone here who is good at pyTivo happens to live in Dallas then I will gladly pay you cash to come to my house and set this up for me.

TC