Sound drifts out of sync later in the film

[RobGodfrey]

Hi,
I've spent the last few weeks using DVD to Mobile to RIP my DVD collection using h264 to an avi file. A large proportion of the DVDs are ending up with sound which is perfectly in sync at the start of the film but seems to drift up to a second out of sync later in the film. The PC I'm playing back on doesn't have this type of problem with RIPs from elsewhere. Does anyone know why this happens? I've read some posts which suggest if fps is set incorrectly the audio and video streams will end up different lengths but I can't see a way of correcting this (other than trial and error for each film).

I'm using AC-3/5.1 track (also tried dts, same problem), English only, forced subtitles (direct render). AVI fixed bitrate 1600 and recommended resolution and framerate (one example is Die Another Day which is PAL and set to 25fps). No split.

If there are other settings which are more likely to give a high quality result without taking unnecessary space I'm open to suggestions. I'm not overjoyed at the thought of re RIPing everything but would much rather get this right than end up with poor quality, out of sync files which have me going back to the original disks every time I want to watch something.


Thanks
Rob
P.S. 'Die Another Day' was just a convenient example, please don't hold it against me. I personally think its the weakest Bond films. Invisible car...

[GregiBoy]

Hi Rob and welcome to the forum.

I do exactly the same that you are doing for playback on my Samsung A850 TV from a USB hard disk and I always test each new version with my standard troubel test DVD which is "Deja Vu".

I am currently using version 6.1.1.2 and am in the middle of processing 10 titles which I'll be able to test in the morning, but the batch that I did last night seemed fine. To clarify, I use the generic.h264.avi.audiocopy profile so it sounds that we are doing the same thing.

I use only 1100 bitrate as I regard anything more than that as overkill with the exception of movies that contain fast action scens such as some of the "Matrix" series where I have bumped the bitrate up to 1500.

[GregiBoy]

OK. My results Fab version 6.1.1.2, AVI files made using generic.h264.avi.audiocopy profile played on Samsung A850 Televison from USB Hard Disk Enclosure and also Windows Media Player on PC.

Titles tested, Deja Vu, Wolverine, Chronicles of Riddic, Butterfly Effect 3

ALL IN PERFECT SYNC !!!!

[RobGodfrey]

Hi GregiBoy,
Thanks for the replies.
did you have a problem like this with earlier version? If so, upgrading seems like my answer . I've put the new version on but haven't been able to get my DVDs together with my PC yet to find out if that's the answer and I need to start all over again :-)

[GregiBoy]

Hi Rob,

Ocassionally I have this problem with Fab (and other software also and it usually happens when they change the AV Library within the software.

This is how I keep an eye on it:-

1. I always keep the downloaded install program for EVERY version. I know that this is paranoid but disk space is cheap and I can ALWAYS reveret to a previous version.
2. As I have said before, I have identified my "PROBLEM CHILD" disc which is Deja Vu and whenever I install a new version of Fab, I run an encode on this disc to see whether there is a sync problem. I only check the generic.xvid.avi.audiocopy and generic.h264.avi. audiocopy as these profiles are the ones that I use.
3. If there is, I revert to the previous version that I know worked and report the problem to the developers.

Also, have a read of my "Best Practice: DVD to Mobile" thread in the knowledgebase section of the forum. This may help you to make sure that you have the procedure correct.

[cybmole]

bit rate question for gregiboy

I use only 1100 bitrate as I regard anything more than that as overkill with the exception of movies that contain fast action scens such as some of the "Matrix" series where I have bumped the bitrate up to 1500.

HI, can I ask what kind of display screen size / screen resolution you used, when testing variations on 1100 bit rate please.

1100 is probably a good number to use but I'd appreciate more info on exactly how you arrived at it , as the default bit rate set by the developers is higher than that ?

also, at 1100, what is a typical output file size for say a 100 minute movie ?

I am never quite sure with dvdfab, if what I see as defaults are the original values or the results of my saving some setings as a future " default" , but my version wants to use 1423 bit rate ?

[signals]

cybmole
Depending on other settings, a movie that length would probably come out at 800-900 MB. The bits/pixel value is a better way to judge if the bitrate is a good choice because it takes into account the framerate and screen size--adjust the bitrate slider so that the bits/pixel is between 0.20 and 0.30 for starters, increase or decrease depending on the content and your subjective evaluation of the video quality you obtain at a given setting.

[GregiBoy]

Cybmole, my diplay is a Samsung 52" A850 model HD TV.

The 1100 bitrate is an arbitary figure that I have found from experience, works well for my devices (currently 7 installed in house). As Signal said, this is a very subjective topic and you realy have to make the call yourself when you are happy with the quality.

My files end up slightly larger than Signals indicated as they average out at around 1.2Gb but I retain the original DD5.1 audio in all of my encodes which makes them slightly larger.