DVD Ripper bitrate lower than expected

[lemaniac]

Hello, I'm a DVDFab user for a few months now and I'm quite happy with the product. I use it mainly for DVD Ripping to stream from my NAS which carry a media server (DLNA). Unfortunately, I experienced some problems now and despite the fact I installed the last GA version 8.1.6.8, it's still there. The problem is related to the bitrate. I usually work with the default bitrate (which is calculated to have a bit/pixel ratio of 0.2, enough for me). But in certain (many) cases, the result show a lower bitrate. Let's show an example:

This the settings, using "generic.avi.divx.audiocopy" profile


and this is the result (Mediainfo output)

Complete name                            : D:\DVDRip\avi\24SEASON3_DISC2_OLD\24SEASON3_DISC2.Title4.avi
Format                                   : AVI
Format/Info                              : Audio Video Interleave
File size                                : 430 MiB
Duration                                 : 41mn 53s
Overall bit rate                         : 1 436 Kbps
Writing application                      : Lavf53.21.0
Original source form/Name                : 24SEASON3_DISC2

Video
ID                                       : 0
Format                                   : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile                           : Advanced Simple@L5
Format settings, BVOP                    : 2
Format settings, QPel                    : No
Format settings, GMC                     : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix                  : Default (H.263)
Muxing mode                              : Packed bitstream
Codec ID                                 : DX50
Codec ID/Hint                            : DivX 5
Duration                                 : 41mn 53s
Bit rate                                 : 1 041 Kbps
Width                                    : 720 pixels
Height                                   : 406 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 25.000 fps
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.142
Stream size                              : 312 MiB (73%)
Writing library                          : XviD 1.2.1 (UTC 2008-12-04)

Audio
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AC-3
Format/Info                              : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension                           : CM (complete main)
Codec ID                                 : 2000
Duration                                 : 41mn 53s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 384 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 115 MiB (27%)
Alignment                                : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration                     : 32 ms (0.80 video frame)

I first suspected my DVDs (perhaps some scratches), but this one is new.
It's not protection problems, other episodes on the same DVD are OK.
I tried several variation in the settings, same problem
I tried both of my devices (DVD and BD witers), same problem
I did several tried with same DVD or episode, same problem (with little variation in the result bitrate). Seems it's not a random problem, it happens each time with same DVD/episodes while other are each time accurately ripped.

One funny thing. Windows explorer shows erroneous bitrate information:

Sorry it's in french... See "Débit total..." (meaning Overall Bitrate). It's showing 1846 kbps while in reality it's 1436 according to Mediainfo

It's really a annoying problem, hope someone would like to help me.

Don't hesitate to ask me more informations.
Regards
Lemaniac

[90312]

Windows will add the audio bit rate to the video, subtract the audio bit rate and you are coming out pretty close.

[lemaniac]

Thank you to answer 90312. Yes I know that Windows make an addition of audio + video rate. But according to the right bitrate (as mediainfo show it) it should be 1436. For me 1846 and 1436 are not so close.
1846 would be right if the rip was accurate, which is not the case... (I trust in mediainfo not in Windows). And I don't want to make it close, I want to make it right!

But that's not the problem, this is only a symptom...

[90312]

Well good luck with that! This is not an exact science and you may be in for disappointments along the way.

[lemaniac]

???

Did you read my first post entirely? I have a real problem...

English is not my mother tongue, so perhaps I'm missing something, but sorry 90312, I don't understand you reply.

Do you tell me that when I'm asking DVDFab to rip at 1462 kbps and it rips at 1041 kbps, it should be considered as normal ?

Yes, I must admit I'm disappointed... I hoped that this product was worth its price.

Now what are my options? I really can't be happy with that resolution, would you?

Regards

[90312]

I've been trying to reproduce this. I've tried both DivX and XviD audiocopy @ 1388 bit rate and both came out 1386, very close. Make sure you are using 8.1.6.8. I don't know unless there is something unique about the TV series source and having the deinterlacing box checked, you sure the source is interlaced? Try unchecking the box and give it a try.

[signals]

Lemaniac
Re: your first post: I think windows is reporting the total (video+audio) bitrate, the slider in DVDFab and it's window are video only. Also, MediaInfo has been known to make errors. Play the file with VLC and see what it reports. My results are like 90312's, even 1-pass encoding in DVDFab in usually within 1-2% of the target value (with the h264 codec, not the one you are using).

[lemaniac]

@90312:

I just made a try with deinterlacing box unchecked - Same result. But I think I've already tried all possible combinations.
I think this has nothing to do with TV series more than other types of movies. I got the same problem with "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" some times ago...

@signals:
As already said, I'm aware of the (video+audio) bitrate in Windows Eplorer. I mentioned that to pinpoint this strange fact: Windows shows the overall bitrate as if the Rip was ok, unlike mediainfo. Perhaps there is some information DVDFab puts in metadata windows can read but not Mediainfo, meaning windows trust what DVDFab says but Mediainfo just wants to make up his own opinion . Ok perhaps Mediainfo can be wrong too, but the filesize, imho, can't lie. And when mediainfo says the bitrate is lower, the filezise is lower as well:

This one's OK:
File size (Mediainfo): 506 MiB
Overall Bit rate (Mediainfo): 1 675 Kbps
Video Bit rate (Mediainfo): 1 473 Kbps
Bits/(Pixel*Frame): 0.200
File size (Eplorer): 518'485 KB
Overall Bit rate (Explorer): 1668 kbps

This one's not:
File size (Mediainfo): 369 MiB
Overall bit rate (Mediainfo): 1 221 Kbps
Video Bit rate: (Mediainfo): 1 019 Kbps
Bits/(Pixel*Frame): 0.138
File size (Eplorer): 378'313 KB
Overall Bit rate (Explorer): 1668 kbps

Both where ripped exactly the same way (I swear).

I'm ok with 1-2% difference with target value, but this example shows 20-25% difference! This is too much, no?

Last try log attached...

Regards

[lemaniac]

I forgot to mention that the two examples in my previous post are of the same DVD pack (TV serie "24" complete collection box) and have the same duration (42').

[lemaniac]

Well, nothing else? No one with same kind of problem? I'm sure I'm not the only one...

I tried again with some problematic titles, this time ripping to Apple TV (MP4, AAC) and MKV and still same problem with same titles. The only way with no problem is a "Full Disc" copy on a VIDEOS_TS structure (on HDD). But if i use it as source to rip on any other format, problem again.

Is there a chance to have this issue analyzed a little closer by some specialist ? I'm available to give any needed information or element...

But perhaps it's not the right place here? Is there another way to get some support from DVDFab?

Regards

[lord guppy]

Hi

Not sure if this is helping info, but may explain the problem...

I also found that the bitrate was lower then expected, what I found out, after playing around with the profile (.xml) file was that the "bits_pixel" setting overwrites the "bitrate value".

Have the following data after testing on one/ same film:
* When i set the following settings in xml, bitrate value=2500 and bits_pixel=343 starting DVDFab and it says the bitrate value is 2396

* If I manually set the bitrate value to 2500, then the bits_pixel value changes to 358.

* If i remove the bits_pixel parameter from the xml, re-starting DVDFab, then DVDFab sets the default bits_pixel=200 and the bitrate value=1397.


I want a bitrate value like 2500 on my movies.
When I discovered this, having compressed nearly 100 films, I was slightly annoyed...

[terry5]

Yes, the defferent profile is for different purpose. DVDFab Profile Editor is what you need. You can modify the system profile for your cases.

[lord guppy]

Hi

First, the profile editor does not work at all!!
Can only create new profile names, nothing else...

But in my case I used one and same profile, made with notepad. For me, DVDFab does not fits my need since the bits_pixle parameter overwrites the setting I expected, an wanted!
I want the screen size to be 720*X(original) and bitrate=2500, independent of the bits_pixle, that I expect to automatically adjust to what the screen size of each film in que.

Sorry my spelling, hope you understanding :-)

DVDFab does not work as I hoped and expected, setting a default bitrate does not work! You can set it to what ever you want whiteout any results since the bits_pixle is overwrite it.