Problem setting bitrates for SVCD

[PSUtivo]

After using tytool, winamp, dvd2avi, vfapi, virtualdub, and tmpgenc to make svcd compliant mpegs, I decided I should change my bitrates and avoid the transcoding hassle.

I went into Tivo Web's Resource Editor and changed all of my basic bitratres to 2600000 and the basic resolution to 2, pressing enter after each one to make sure it was updating. I turned off "Save Disk Space" and rebooted my tivo.

Back in the Resource Editor I confirmed that all of my bitrates and resolutions for basic quality had been changed.

I scheduled a new recording (Andy Richter Controls the Universe), setting the Recording Quality to Basic.

The stream came out at 352x480 at 1470000.

I rebooted again, confirmed the bitrates, scheduled another recording. Still 352x480 at 1470000.

Any idea what i'm doing wrong? I have a 140 hour Philips SA Tivo with 3.0. I've read over Tictoc's bitrate thread and all the other posts on the forum containing the word "bitrate" and I can't figure out what I did wrong.

Anyone have any ideas?

[laserfan]

I have a similar setup to yours, and it sounds to me like you've covered all the bases. In re-reading your post, I can only puzzle over the following:

1. You've changed both "Bitrates" and "Alt Bitrates"?
2. You're changing the for the correct input (e.g. CATV or Sat or Antenna etc.)?
3. Your Quality settings are all different (mine are 0, 40, 75, and 100, the 40 being for Medium which is where my own SVCD settings are done)?

I'm not sure what else to suggest; it sounds like you've done everything else right. I can't even imagine that Tivoweb is at issue as to my knowledge its Resource Editor just reads the actual settings out of the Tivo.

My own SVCD settings (I use the Medium settintgs) are 2 (480x480), VBR of 2000 (don't care; Save Disk is OFF), MAX is 2760 (2760-160=2600 CBR for video), and Quality is 40.

[lmurray]

Was the show you recorded already on the TODO list ? If so, the original settings may have been kept. I can't explain this, but can only say that I've seen this.

Try to record another show, and see what happens.

BTW, i've changed my med quality to be ~SVCD too.

-lloyd-

[v8q]

Originally posted by PSUtivo
After using tytool, winamp, dvd2avi, vfapi, virtualdub, and tmpgenc to make svcd compliant mpegs, I decided I should change my bitrates and avoid the transcoding hassle.

I went into Tivo Web's Resource Editor and changed all of my basic bitratres to 2600000 and the basic resolution to 2, pressing enter after each one to make sure it was updating. I turned off "Save Disk Space" and rebooted my tivo.

Back in the Resource Editor I confirmed that all of my bitrates and resolutions for basic quality had been changed.

I scheduled a new recording (Andy Richter Controls the Universe), setting the Recording Quality to Basic.

The stream came out at 352x480 at 1470000.

I rebooted again, confirmed the bitrates, scheduled another recording. Still 352x480 at 1470000.

Any idea what i'm doing wrong? I have a 140 hour Philips SA Tivo with 3.0. I've read over Tictoc's bitrate thread and all the other posts on the forum containing the word "bitrate" and I can't figure out what I did wrong.

Anyone have any ideas?

I had the same problem - and realized that the tivoweb page for changing bitrates has a link on it that says "update" or something like that. It does not look like a link - but it is. Punch this button after you have all your other bitrate settings done and you will get what you want.

Btw, I read somewhere that you need to set the bitrate 160000 less than what you want - so setting 2500000 really means 2660000. mpeginfo will show you what the extracted video really is.

[PSUtivo]

Originally posted by v8q
I had the same problem - and realized that the tivoweb page for changing bitrates has a link on it that says "update" or something like that. It does not look like a link - but it is. Punch this button after you have all your other bitrate settings done and you will get what you want.

Btw, I read somewhere that you need to set the bitrate 160000 less than what you want - so setting 2500000 really means 2660000. mpeginfo will show you what the extracted video really is.

Thank you v8q!

That was exactly the problem. I assumed that since the Resource Editor remembered the bitrates I put in, it had changed them in the tivo. I clicked "Update Resources," rebooted, and now my mpeg streams are SVCD compliant!

Thanks again.

[laserfan]

Originally posted by PSUtivo
...I clicked "Update Resources...

You had said that you rebooted and that the settings in Tivoweb looked like they changed i.e. survived the reboot, so I guess this is telling us that Tivoweb is not reading the actually Tivo settings off of the Tivo?!

v8q said "setting 2500000 really means 2660000". I think the opposite is true--setting MAX to 2660000 is actually putting the video rate at 2500000 while the audio stays fixed at 160000bps. But I could be mistaken, though it would be the first time!!!