SoraK05
4th September 2007, 09:38 PM
Guide for making the best videos (DPGs) for DS (played in MoonShell)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a guide to try and produce the best quality DPGs that maintain full speed, on your DS with MoonShell. It's not 100%, and isn't the truth, whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
It's how I make my DPGs, after experimenting with quite a lot of videos and time...
THE SHORT VERSION
After doing a lot of research and encoding, I believe BatchDPG is the better program to use, over DPGTools, as much as I thought otherwise. You'll find out why if you read more, and how to encode all videos to work, including the ones that the DPG encoding programs don't work with - like ones which refuse to open altogether, or ones that just do the video, or just the audio, etc.
Heads up:
Some MicroSDs like DPGs, and some don't.. even Japanese ones can sometimes be fussy, so if a DPG doesn't work, it could just be that MoonShell doesn't like that particular MicroSD...
Also wanted to mention that it takes a very long time to produce a good quality DPG...
From my experience, you'll need the following software:
(Keep in mind, I don't pirate, so can't hand out software or links, find them on your own)
Essential Software:
1) ImTOO 3GP Video Converter 3 - Best converter made (that I found.. much better than TVC <below>, but doesn't handle FLV. TRY THIS FIRST)
2) Total Video Converter - This is JUST FOR FORMATS ImToo 3GP Video Converter 3 doesn't handle, like FLV files.
2) TMPEGEnc Plus
3) BatchDPG & Avisynth
4) DPGTools
5) MoonShell
Idea for best video:
Since you'll need to convert your original video, the idea of quality loss during conversion comes into play. For this reason, I recommend the following software, and in this order:
1) ImTOO 3GP Video Converter 3 (or Total Video Converter for files it doesn't work with, like FLV)
2) TMPEGEnc Plus
Using this software, you can keep your video in it's pure original state, and convert it into a file that can be converted very easily with the program of your choice.
The idea is to keep the aspect ratio identical, and also the audio and video bitrate, so it's an identical conversion of the video in question. The idea is also to prepare a your video, through converting, to guarantee that it will convert using BatchDPG and DPGTools 100%, without any degradation or stuff missing, like audio or such.. the conversion process of your original video before using the DPG program is also to increase compatibility of the video in question, and should be done in the order recommended, as if you skip a step, may end up with a video that doesn't work.
Speed for videos:
It's important to note that when making a video, the higher quality the video, the more it would definately lag when playing in MoonShell. I found that when I make the best possible DPG, it skips and jumps, and then the only way to get it to smoothen out is if you lower the volume in MoonShell, which is sometimes straining so hard, that you have to actually pause the video with 'L' and then you can lower the volume properly.
I've tested best quality videos possible on a crappy MicroSD, and on a 1GB Nokia Made in Japan with a Random Access Time of 0.6ms.. I've never tested it on a card that comes with a NAND Flash on it.
There is a heavy video I have to benchmark with:
David Guetta - Love Is Gone
If you put the ultra highest settings, you will hardly watch 1 second before it starts lagging on some cards.. for this reason, you have to balance your settings for your software.
N.B
Unless you are watching a low quality DPG, It's recommended to keep the volume of MoonShell itself at about 68%, to reduce lagging in the videos.
Instructions for conversion:
Step 1
Part a)
Open up ImTOO 3GP Video Converter 3, then load up a video into the menu. Load up the profile 'MPEG-1 Movie'. Highlight the video you put in, so you can highlight the options on the right.
Set the options as so:
GENERAL:
Duration: Full
Start Time: 00:00:00
File name
Target
VIDEO:
Video Codec: mpeg1video
Standard: Auto
Video Size: 640x480
Bit Rate: 4000
Frame Rate: 25
Aspect: Auto
Same Quality: False
AUDIO:
Audio Codec: mp2
Bit Rate: 320
Sample Rate: 48000
Channels: 2 (Stereo)
Disable Audio: False
Now, click on SAVE AS where the profiles are and save it as "Custom DPG". That is the profile you are going to use to convert all the videos you're going to convert.
NOW. Where it says "Zoom:" at the bottom, click on "Full (Keep aspect ratio)".
Load up all the videos you want, and make sure when you highlight all of them, they are all using the Custom DPG profile.
Encode the videos.
Part b)
If you want to convert an FLV, open up Total Video Converter.
Load up the video you want, then click on the MPEG box.
ONLY USE WITH FLVS.. IF YOU HAVE OTHER TYPES, USE IMTOO 3GP CONVERTER, UNLESS IT DOESN'T OPEN IN THAT PROGRAM.
Highlight the video you are converting, then click on SETTINGS.
Set them up as follows:
--AUDIO OPTION:
Audio Channel: Auto
Audio Codec: mp2
Sampling rate:
Original Frame Rate (or System default)
Bit Rate:
Original Bit Rate (or System default)
Adjust audio volume: LEAVE OFF
--VIDEO OPTION:
Video Codec: auto
Frame Rate:
Original Frame Rate (or System default)
Bit Rate:
Original Video bit rate (or System default)
Activate high quality settings:
ON
Advanced
OFF
--VIDEO RESIZE:
Resize: Original Size
Aspect: Normal
Don't touch VIDEO CROP & PAD
N.B
Now just process the file, after double checking that the settings you put remained. Sometimes, if you deselect the file and highlight it again, the settings reset to the settings of the current highlighted preset.. It makes it difficult for making more than one video.. To do that, you'll have to open each preset, and save them all with the above setting, then you can batch process FLV files....
At this point, you have two choices - either go straight to your DPG Processing tool, or recovert this product into a 'better' MPG. In my opinion, it's better to take the extra step, for pure compatibility. The problem is, sometimes, if you convert this product into a DPG at this point, you might still not be allowed to, i.e. the DPG program won't let you, or you might still have audio/video not working, or the sorts. To guarantee that your video WILL WORK, and with NO DEGRADATION:
Step 2)
Open up TMPGENc Plus, and have a new project open.
Click on the 'setting' tab, and do the following:
--VIDEO
Stream type: MPEG-1 Video
Size: 1:1 (VGA)
Frame rate: 29.97 fps
Rate control mode: Constant bitrate (CBR)
Bitrate: 4000
Motion search precision: Highest quality (very slow)
--ADVANCED
Video source type: Non-interlace (progressive)
Field order: Bottom field first (field B)
Source aspect ratio: 1:1 (VGA)
Video arrange Method: Full screen (keep aspect ratio)
Leave the rest, in my opinion
--AUDIO
Stream type: MPEG-1 Audio Layer II
Sampling frequency: 48000
Channel mode: Stereo
Bitrate: 320
--SYSTEM
Stream type: MPEG-1 System (automatic)
With these settings, click on OK, then 'save' to save the preset. Save it as 'DPG Preset'
You're done setting it up. Now just browse to the video in the 'video source' tab, and open it up. You should see the numbers just after "MPEG-1" changing, to indicate it's matching the resolution of the video you just entered. It should do this for every video.
This should set the aspect ratios and whatnot to be just what you're looking for for this conversion - maintaing the video, and ensuring no degradation.
Now just click on "Start" on the top-right, and it will encode the video into the best format of MPG you can have - which is the easiest format for your DPG encoders to handle.
-- As a head's up, the files you are preparing are going to be VERY BIG in size. You'll need a fair amount of hard disk space...
That product is ready to be converted into a DPG now.
You could, alternatively, click on FILE in TMPGEnc Plus, and on "MPEG Tools". Find the "Merge & Cut" tab, and load your final product video into the menu, if you would like to cut the video into different segments, in case it's a video with many shows and you would like to split them. You can do that here.
Best program to use for DPG Conversion:
After extensive experimetation, I figure it's BatchDPG.. It takes a fraction of the time, and the videos will pretty much never jerk, unless you put the audio quality to 48000khz. DPGTools will frequently jerk if you try to raise quality. On top of that, the best quality DPG of DPG tools isn't *that* much better that the BatchDPG video, plus it will never jerk using BatchDPG, unless you put the audio to 48000KHZ.. and put the bitrate to the highest too.
Best settings for BatchDPG and DPGTools:
If you want to have a smooth consistent video, generally speaking, and for any format (crap/good MicroSD, or NAND) you have to set:
N.B
To get BatchDPG to install, you have to install AviSynth first...
- For BatchDPG:
Bitrate: 224 (or 192 for bad MicroSDs)
Samplerate: 32000
Normalize: On
If the Bitrate is higher, regardless of samplerate, there will be lagging, and if the samplerate is higher, there will be lagging, regardless of the opposite setting.
- For DPGTools:
Format: MP2
Bitrate: 192
Pixel format: RGB21 for quality
Video aspect ratio: Auto Detect
Video bitrate: 256 (or 192 for bad MicroSDs)
Video framerate: 24 (or 22 for bad MicroSDs)
Smooth frame blending: Off (or On for bad MicroSDs)
MEncoder: High-quality profile (slow encode)
If you can't select some of these settings, check 'advanced settings' to On.
If you increase anything, like the bitrate for audio or video, then it will compromise the video.. Already with this setting, you'll notice in the heaviest of videos that there might be lagging, but this is generally the best you can squeeze from DPGTools and get it to work as best as possible on any MicroSD/NAND.
Now all you have to do is encode the file in your program of choice.
That's it!
Here are some videos I uploaded:
David Guetta - Love Is Gone (BatchDPG).dpg
Made in BatchDPG with the following settings:
Bitrate: 192
Samplerate: 32000
Normalize: On
David Guetta - Love Is Gone (DPGTools).dpg
Made in DPGTools with the following settings:
Format: MP2
Bitrate: 192
Pixel format: RGB21 for quality
Video aspect ratio: Auto Detect
Video bitrate: 256
Video framerate: 24
Smooth frame blending: On
MEncoder: High-quality profile (slow encode)
David Guetta - Love Is Gone (DPGTools - ULTRA).dpg
Made in DPGTools with the following settings:
Format: MP2
Bitrate: 256
Pixel format: RGB21 for quality
Video aspect ratio: Auto Detect
Video bitrate: 512
Video framerate: 24
Smooth frame blending: On
MEncoder: High-quality profile (slow encode)
Download link:
(Compressed with WinRAR)
http://rapidshare.com/files/53441951/David_Guetta_-_Love_Is_Gone__DPG_.rar
42.4 MB
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a guide to try and produce the best quality DPGs that maintain full speed, on your DS with MoonShell. It's not 100%, and isn't the truth, whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
It's how I make my DPGs, after experimenting with quite a lot of videos and time...
THE SHORT VERSION
After doing a lot of research and encoding, I believe BatchDPG is the better program to use, over DPGTools, as much as I thought otherwise. You'll find out why if you read more, and how to encode all videos to work, including the ones that the DPG encoding programs don't work with - like ones which refuse to open altogether, or ones that just do the video, or just the audio, etc.
Heads up:
Some MicroSDs like DPGs, and some don't.. even Japanese ones can sometimes be fussy, so if a DPG doesn't work, it could just be that MoonShell doesn't like that particular MicroSD...
Also wanted to mention that it takes a very long time to produce a good quality DPG...
From my experience, you'll need the following software:
(Keep in mind, I don't pirate, so can't hand out software or links, find them on your own)
Essential Software:
1) ImTOO 3GP Video Converter 3 - Best converter made (that I found.. much better than TVC <below>, but doesn't handle FLV. TRY THIS FIRST)
2) Total Video Converter - This is JUST FOR FORMATS ImToo 3GP Video Converter 3 doesn't handle, like FLV files.
2) TMPEGEnc Plus
3) BatchDPG & Avisynth
4) DPGTools
5) MoonShell
Idea for best video:
Since you'll need to convert your original video, the idea of quality loss during conversion comes into play. For this reason, I recommend the following software, and in this order:
1) ImTOO 3GP Video Converter 3 (or Total Video Converter for files it doesn't work with, like FLV)
2) TMPEGEnc Plus
Using this software, you can keep your video in it's pure original state, and convert it into a file that can be converted very easily with the program of your choice.
The idea is to keep the aspect ratio identical, and also the audio and video bitrate, so it's an identical conversion of the video in question. The idea is also to prepare a your video, through converting, to guarantee that it will convert using BatchDPG and DPGTools 100%, without any degradation or stuff missing, like audio or such.. the conversion process of your original video before using the DPG program is also to increase compatibility of the video in question, and should be done in the order recommended, as if you skip a step, may end up with a video that doesn't work.
Speed for videos:
It's important to note that when making a video, the higher quality the video, the more it would definately lag when playing in MoonShell. I found that when I make the best possible DPG, it skips and jumps, and then the only way to get it to smoothen out is if you lower the volume in MoonShell, which is sometimes straining so hard, that you have to actually pause the video with 'L' and then you can lower the volume properly.
I've tested best quality videos possible on a crappy MicroSD, and on a 1GB Nokia Made in Japan with a Random Access Time of 0.6ms.. I've never tested it on a card that comes with a NAND Flash on it.
There is a heavy video I have to benchmark with:
David Guetta - Love Is Gone
If you put the ultra highest settings, you will hardly watch 1 second before it starts lagging on some cards.. for this reason, you have to balance your settings for your software.
N.B
Unless you are watching a low quality DPG, It's recommended to keep the volume of MoonShell itself at about 68%, to reduce lagging in the videos.
Instructions for conversion:
Step 1
Part a)
Open up ImTOO 3GP Video Converter 3, then load up a video into the menu. Load up the profile 'MPEG-1 Movie'. Highlight the video you put in, so you can highlight the options on the right.
Set the options as so:
GENERAL:
Duration: Full
Start Time: 00:00:00
File name
Target
VIDEO:
Video Codec: mpeg1video
Standard: Auto
Video Size: 640x480
Bit Rate: 4000
Frame Rate: 25
Aspect: Auto
Same Quality: False
AUDIO:
Audio Codec: mp2
Bit Rate: 320
Sample Rate: 48000
Channels: 2 (Stereo)
Disable Audio: False
Now, click on SAVE AS where the profiles are and save it as "Custom DPG". That is the profile you are going to use to convert all the videos you're going to convert.
NOW. Where it says "Zoom:" at the bottom, click on "Full (Keep aspect ratio)".
Load up all the videos you want, and make sure when you highlight all of them, they are all using the Custom DPG profile.
Encode the videos.
Part b)
If you want to convert an FLV, open up Total Video Converter.
Load up the video you want, then click on the MPEG box.
ONLY USE WITH FLVS.. IF YOU HAVE OTHER TYPES, USE IMTOO 3GP CONVERTER, UNLESS IT DOESN'T OPEN IN THAT PROGRAM.
Highlight the video you are converting, then click on SETTINGS.
Set them up as follows:
--AUDIO OPTION:
Audio Channel: Auto
Audio Codec: mp2
Sampling rate:
Original Frame Rate (or System default)
Bit Rate:
Original Bit Rate (or System default)
Adjust audio volume: LEAVE OFF
--VIDEO OPTION:
Video Codec: auto
Frame Rate:
Original Frame Rate (or System default)
Bit Rate:
Original Video bit rate (or System default)
Activate high quality settings:
ON
Advanced
OFF
--VIDEO RESIZE:
Resize: Original Size
Aspect: Normal
Don't touch VIDEO CROP & PAD
N.B
Now just process the file, after double checking that the settings you put remained. Sometimes, if you deselect the file and highlight it again, the settings reset to the settings of the current highlighted preset.. It makes it difficult for making more than one video.. To do that, you'll have to open each preset, and save them all with the above setting, then you can batch process FLV files....
At this point, you have two choices - either go straight to your DPG Processing tool, or recovert this product into a 'better' MPG. In my opinion, it's better to take the extra step, for pure compatibility. The problem is, sometimes, if you convert this product into a DPG at this point, you might still not be allowed to, i.e. the DPG program won't let you, or you might still have audio/video not working, or the sorts. To guarantee that your video WILL WORK, and with NO DEGRADATION:
Step 2)
Open up TMPGENc Plus, and have a new project open.
Click on the 'setting' tab, and do the following:
--VIDEO
Stream type: MPEG-1 Video
Size: 1:1 (VGA)
Frame rate: 29.97 fps
Rate control mode: Constant bitrate (CBR)
Bitrate: 4000
Motion search precision: Highest quality (very slow)
--ADVANCED
Video source type: Non-interlace (progressive)
Field order: Bottom field first (field B)
Source aspect ratio: 1:1 (VGA)
Video arrange Method: Full screen (keep aspect ratio)
Leave the rest, in my opinion
--AUDIO
Stream type: MPEG-1 Audio Layer II
Sampling frequency: 48000
Channel mode: Stereo
Bitrate: 320
--SYSTEM
Stream type: MPEG-1 System (automatic)
With these settings, click on OK, then 'save' to save the preset. Save it as 'DPG Preset'
You're done setting it up. Now just browse to the video in the 'video source' tab, and open it up. You should see the numbers just after "MPEG-1" changing, to indicate it's matching the resolution of the video you just entered. It should do this for every video.
This should set the aspect ratios and whatnot to be just what you're looking for for this conversion - maintaing the video, and ensuring no degradation.
Now just click on "Start" on the top-right, and it will encode the video into the best format of MPG you can have - which is the easiest format for your DPG encoders to handle.
-- As a head's up, the files you are preparing are going to be VERY BIG in size. You'll need a fair amount of hard disk space...
That product is ready to be converted into a DPG now.
You could, alternatively, click on FILE in TMPGEnc Plus, and on "MPEG Tools". Find the "Merge & Cut" tab, and load your final product video into the menu, if you would like to cut the video into different segments, in case it's a video with many shows and you would like to split them. You can do that here.
Best program to use for DPG Conversion:
After extensive experimetation, I figure it's BatchDPG.. It takes a fraction of the time, and the videos will pretty much never jerk, unless you put the audio quality to 48000khz. DPGTools will frequently jerk if you try to raise quality. On top of that, the best quality DPG of DPG tools isn't *that* much better that the BatchDPG video, plus it will never jerk using BatchDPG, unless you put the audio to 48000KHZ.. and put the bitrate to the highest too.
Best settings for BatchDPG and DPGTools:
If you want to have a smooth consistent video, generally speaking, and for any format (crap/good MicroSD, or NAND) you have to set:
N.B
To get BatchDPG to install, you have to install AviSynth first...
- For BatchDPG:
Bitrate: 224 (or 192 for bad MicroSDs)
Samplerate: 32000
Normalize: On
If the Bitrate is higher, regardless of samplerate, there will be lagging, and if the samplerate is higher, there will be lagging, regardless of the opposite setting.
- For DPGTools:
Format: MP2
Bitrate: 192
Pixel format: RGB21 for quality
Video aspect ratio: Auto Detect
Video bitrate: 256 (or 192 for bad MicroSDs)
Video framerate: 24 (or 22 for bad MicroSDs)
Smooth frame blending: Off (or On for bad MicroSDs)
MEncoder: High-quality profile (slow encode)
If you can't select some of these settings, check 'advanced settings' to On.
If you increase anything, like the bitrate for audio or video, then it will compromise the video.. Already with this setting, you'll notice in the heaviest of videos that there might be lagging, but this is generally the best you can squeeze from DPGTools and get it to work as best as possible on any MicroSD/NAND.
Now all you have to do is encode the file in your program of choice.
That's it!
Here are some videos I uploaded:
David Guetta - Love Is Gone (BatchDPG).dpg
Made in BatchDPG with the following settings:
Bitrate: 192
Samplerate: 32000
Normalize: On
David Guetta - Love Is Gone (DPGTools).dpg
Made in DPGTools with the following settings:
Format: MP2
Bitrate: 192
Pixel format: RGB21 for quality
Video aspect ratio: Auto Detect
Video bitrate: 256
Video framerate: 24
Smooth frame blending: On
MEncoder: High-quality profile (slow encode)
David Guetta - Love Is Gone (DPGTools - ULTRA).dpg
Made in DPGTools with the following settings:
Format: MP2
Bitrate: 256
Pixel format: RGB21 for quality
Video aspect ratio: Auto Detect
Video bitrate: 512
Video framerate: 24
Smooth frame blending: On
MEncoder: High-quality profile (slow encode)
Download link:
(Compressed with WinRAR)
http://rapidshare.com/files/53441951/David_Guetta_-_Love_Is_Gone__DPG_.rar
42.4 MB