What conversion times to expect?? File to Mobile not completing.

[Big Tom]

I am trying to convert a 1080p 5.1 sound .mkv file to wmv using the xbox 360 template with Dolby sound (as 5.1 does not work...). The estimated time for getting the conversion done is 9 hours on a Quad core Intel Q9400 with 3 GB of memory and Vista 32-bit, all accellerations enabled.

For some reason that sounds unreasonably long, the conversion frame rate is at 5.4 fps while CPU is at 90% and memory at 500 MB (increasing).

What are your experiences in regards to the conversion times?

Tom

[Complication]

Please provide the following information for File to Mobile issues so others can better assist you:
SOURCE FILE TYPE:
SOURCE VIDEO TYPE:
SOURCE VIDEO RESOLUTION:
SOURCE AUDIO TYPE:
DVDFab VERSION:
DVDFab PROFILE:
OUTPUT RESOLUTION:
OUTPUT CROP:
OUTPUT BITRATE:
OUTPUT PASSES:

Examples:
SOURCE FILE TYPE: MKV, AVI, VOB, etc
SOURCE VIDEO TYPE: H264, XVID, DIVX, MPEG
SOURCE VIDEO RESOLUTION: 1080p, 480i, 720x480, etc.
SOURCE AUDIO TYPE: AC3, MP3, AAC, etc.
DVDFab VERSION: 6.2.1.0 Beta
DVDFab PROFILE: generic.avi.xvid.audiocopy
OUTPUT RESOLUTION: Same as source
OUTPUT CROP: Auto
OUTPUT BITRATE: 1000
OUTPUT PASSES: 1

You can often use MediaInfo to get details of the source file. For the best support possible you may also want to follow the instructions in to provide log information from DVDFab.

[Complication]

I would also include how long the movie is for a meaningful answer. I've heard some reports of CPUs that are not giving all they should so you may try a speed test of some sort. Also, 1080p video can be quite large so there may be an I/O constraint (virus checker slowing file access?).

[Big Tom]

Pretty much standard - but I have not had luck with ANY conversion to .wmv using the 5.1 sound output - no matter is the source was a DVD, DVD on filesystem, mpeg2, mkv or mov format.... it almost looks as if the conversion does not work at all.

SOURCE FILE TYPE: Matroska (.mkv)
SOURCE VIDEO TYPE: AVC
SOURCE VIDEO RESOLUTION: 1920 x 1080
SOURCE AUDIO TYPE: DTS
DVDFab VERSION: latest beta (no, same result with latest non-beta) EDIT Complication: assume 6.2.1.0 Beta
DVDFab PROFILE: xbox 360, 5.1 sound
OUTPUT RESOLUTION: same as input
OUTPUT CROP: none
OUTPUT BITRATE: 8000, same results with 3000, 4000 and 12000
OUTPUT PASSES: 1

Anybody who has successfully converted any other format to wmv with 5.1 sound? wmv is important as that is the only thing accepted by windows media center.
(oh, no, the source files are all correct, other software converts them just fine, including the 5.1 sound).

Tom

[Complication]

So is your problem that it is taking too long or that it is not working at all?

Others are having problems with WMV and audio synchronization but the conversion is completing.

[Big Tom]

It does not complete, but starts - then fps count is going down from about 23 fps, slowly to zero. When it is at zero, it "hangs". but even at the beginning, it estimates conversion times of 9+ hours for a normal movie.

[Complication]

I've updated your title so that Ting will find it. This sounds like a bug. I would suggest that you provide the MediaInfo and DVDFab logs (see updated links in previous post) to help diagnose the problem.

[MonkeyCowboy]

Tom - When I first started doing mobile conversions I also used the WMV format. I fould this to be a very slow conversion and if i recall i experienced the same drop to 0 fps as you are experiencing.

I am assuming that you are converting to serve up to an xBox 360. If that is the case try the generic.avi.xvid.audiocopy profile. I have tested this profile on an xBox 360 and it does work.

[Big Tom]

Thanks! I will give that a try. Do you know if that file works for streaming through the Windows Media Center?

The part that I really do not like is that dvdfab is advertising .wmv with 5.1 conversion option, sell software and then do not react on e-mail messages besides "forwarded to the developer" and when asking for a refund, play dead man.

Tom

[GregiBoy]

Hi Tom,

Firstly I understand your frustration but I would like to make a couple of points.

The WMV encoding currently relies on a WME (Windows Media Encoder) module from Micro$oft and Fab unfortunately have no control over that module and Micro$oft are notoriously bad at providing support for that product.

I have used WME as a stand-alone program many times and have exactly the same problems with it as you are encountering with Fab.

What I understand from the developers, is that they are developing a new encoding engine from scratch to resolve the inherent problems that are occurring at the moment.

There is no timeframe on this at the moment but it is not an insignificant task and really falls into the "How long is a piece of string?" category.

The only thing else that I can say is that the Fab team has never let us "Old hands" down in the nearly six years that I have been using Fab and there IS a workaround that has been pointed out to you to fulfill your current requirements.

[MonkeyCowboy]

Thanks! I will give that a try. Do you know if that file works for streaming through the Windows Media Center?

The part that I really do not like is that dvdfab is advertising .wmv with 5.1 conversion option, sell software and then do not react on e-mail messages besides "forwarded to the developer" and when asking for a refund, play dead man.

Tom

I stream through WMP 11 as I am on XP. But according to the quick research I did you can stream avi to xbox on WMC XP.

Here is a link to enable AVI to xbox on WMC Vista:

http://www.vistax64.com/media-center/196628-enable-mce-playback-avi-files.html

good luck.

[Big Tom]

Thanks for your help MonkeyCowboy! I am encoding a file right now and will check tomorrow if that works.

Gregiboy, I do not know yet if a workaround exists, but even if I assume that it does, I did not pay $60 (minus rebate) for a product that only allows me to use a workaround. There are other tools that would have allowed that as well and I tested other programs that have currently working solutions for wmv and 5.1 sound, so it is not that this would be impossible.
If dvdfab knows about a not working functionality - and the fact that they try to rewrite this function shows this... - they should not advertise it and collect money for functionality that is being sold and that does not exist. That does leave a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. If same company than on top of that ignores requests for a refund, this makes the slightly bad taste quite a bit worse....
I am very happy with the dvd ripping part and think it is great how the team stays on top of new technologies and provides updates in a very timely manner. So, you could say I am a fan of their dvd rip product (well, I paid for it which kinda shows a certain level of appreciation...).
So, I am not ranting but hopefully get the attention of somebody at dvdfab that cause a more honest sales approach... and less discussions and questions here in the forum that are clearly around functionality that currently does not work.

Tom

[Complication]

Gregiboy, I do not know yet if a workaround exists, but even if I assume that it does, I did not pay $60 (minus rebate) for a product that only allows me to use a workaround. There are other tools that would have allowed that as well and I tested other programs that have currently working solutions for wmv and 5.1 sound, so it is not that this would be impossible.
If dvdfab knows about a not working functionality - and the fact that they try to rewrite this function shows this... - they should not advertise it and collect money for functionality that is being sold and that does not exist. That does leave a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. If same company than on top of that ignores requests for a refund, this makes the slightly bad taste quite a bit worse....
I am very happy with the dvd ripping part and think it is great how the team stays on top of new technologies and provides updates in a very timely manner. So, you could say I am a fan of their dvd rip product (well, I paid for it which kinda shows a certain level of appreciation...).
So, I am not ranting but hopefully get the attention of somebody at dvdfab that cause a more honest sales approach... and less discussions and questions here in the forum that are clearly around functionality that currently does not work.

Do keep in mind that none of us work for DVDFab and we are just trying to help you. There are problems with all software products. It usually isn't that the developer is ignoring your concern as much as it my be difficult to replicate and trace the problem to the actual cause. DVDFab makes conversion look simple, but I can assure you it is not (try reading an RFC some time).

[Big Tom]

The help and suggestions are greatly appreciated and I know that this is forum not managed/reviewed? by dvdfab, my "complaint" was absolutely not meant to upset anybody dedicating their free time here to help other users.

I tried the workaround and even though it plays on my PC, I can not get the xbox to play the .avi file. I will keep trying a bit more over the weekend.

As for RFCs, I had the pleasure to read quite a few of them about 20 years ago while I was working as a developer, so I know it is not always easy, but at the same time, there are other developers who do not have much more information and their products work just fine. I do not know if that wmv 5.1 conversion ever worked or not, but I know that at the time when I bought the product, it was advertised as one of the features and when checking the board here, I had to realize that it was a well known fact, that this feature was actually not working... and that for quite a while... If I wanted to be really nasty, I would call that misleading advertisement and the fact that they do not even refund the money "fraud", but with their business location, I doubt that they would really care...

Enough ranting, I will keep trying the workarounds and if I can not get it to work, simply never buy a product with a "dvdfab" stamp on it ever again...

Tom