The FilmMachine -- AVI to (S)VCD & DVD conversion utility

[CoMa]

The FilmMachine
http://members.home.nl/thefilmmachine/

Simple AVI to (S)VCD & DVD conversion utility

Features of The FilmMachine:
- Easy to use, wizard-like user friendly interface
- Simple AVI to (S)VCD & DVD conversion
- Full information about AVI-file
- Automatic splitting of the movie
- Automatic muxing of AVI-files
- Automatic bitrate calculation
- NTSC to PAL conversion
- PAL to NTSC conversion
- Aspect ratio selection
- Audio downsampling and bitrate selection
- The possibility to edit the Avisynth script as first step
of the conversion process
- Permanent and selectable (only DVD) subtitles support
- Automatic merging of subtitle files
- Automatic chapter and menu (only DVD) creation
- Detailed logging
- A ready to use bin\cue CD image is created after
conversion for (S)VCD
- Immediate burning of DVD when doing AVI to DVD
conversion (Nero 6.3 and higher must be installed)
- Automatic program shutdown
- Tested on Windows XP and Windows 2000

For encoding the video file you need QuEnc (included, freeware),
Cinema Craft Encoder SP or Canopus Procoder (Not included, Shareware).



/CoMa

 

[sha]

The FilmMachine
http://members.home.nl/thefilmmachine/

Simple AVI to (S)VCD & DVD conversion utility

Features of The FilmMachine:
- Easy to use, wizard-like user friendly interface
- Simple AVI to (S)VCD & DVD conversion
- Full information about AVI-file
- Automatic splitting of the movie
- Automatic muxing of AVI-files
- Automatic bitrate calculation
- NTSC to PAL conversion
- PAL to NTSC conversion
- Aspect ratio selection
- Audio downsampling and bitrate selection
- The possibility to edit the Avisynth script as first step
of the conversion process
- Permanent and selectable (only DVD) subtitles support
- Automatic merging of subtitle files
- Automatic chapter and menu (only DVD) creation
- Detailed logging
- A ready to use bin\cue CD image is created after
conversion for (S)VCD
- Immediate burning of DVD when doing AVI to DVD
conversion (Nero 6.3 and higher must be installed)
- Automatic program shutdown
- Tested on Windows XP and Windows 2000

For encoding the video file you need QuEnc (included, freeware),
Cinema Craft Encoder SP or Canopus Procoder (Not included, Shareware).



/CoMa

Not having a dig at you CoMa, but I'm just wondering what the general
consensus is regarding an application like The FilmMachine? The program
itself is free, but if I'm reading the above blurb correctly, one of two
commercial encoders is required for it to work...Would a program like TFM
make it onto Pricelessware for example?

Sha

 

[CoMa]

Not having a dig at you CoMa, but I'm just wondering what the general
consensus is regarding an application like The FilmMachine? The program
itself is free, but if I'm reading the above blurb correctly, one of two
commercial encoders is required for it to work...Would a program like TFM
make it onto Pricelessware for example?

Sha

As I understand the text on the filmmachine web page
the program support 3 mpeg encoders,
1 is freeware and 2 are shareware.

The freeware encoder produce a good quality video file.
QuEnc (freeware)
http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=QuEnc

If you want a top quality video file you should use
one of the two shareware encoders.



/CoMa

 

[buzz Light Beer]

As I understand the text on the filmmachine web page
the program support 3 mpeg encoders,
1 is freeware and 2 are shareware.

The freeware encoder produce a good quality video file.
QuEnc (freeware)
http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=QuEnc

If you want a top quality video file you should use
one of the two shareware encoders.



/CoMa

I tried this program out a while back.

First, I downloaded the most recent ver. < at that time> and it would
start off ok, then after awhile just hang.
So, I uninstalled it and downloaded the previous ver...which must have
been more stable as it worked. I used it w/ CCE, but it comes bundled
w/ the freeware QuEnc MPEG Encoder.

My thoughts:

You better have a lotta HD space.

It overwrote my copy of AviSynth w/ it's version which in return made
AviScript unusable..was easy to fix, once I figured out it had
happened.

Installs a bunch of stuff < glad I use Total Uninstall >

There is/was an active forum which is nice for getting help..

For me, It converted to DVD format with just a few clicks.
It has a basic menu layout, which I did not try out.
For freeware this may be a good choice for some, but was just not what
I wanted.

/bLB

 

[Kittie Spit]

I agree with bLB -- a pretty decent program, esp to get all this done
with bundled together freeware. I too opted for CCE after trying the
bundled freeware alternative. I got better results with CCE [no
surprise] and appreciably faster, too. Also, I agree that for whatever
reason, TFM seems to require an awful lot of HD space. Not sure why.

 

[buzz Light Beer]

I agree with bLB -- a pretty decent program, esp to get all this done
with bundled together freeware. I too opted for CCE after trying the
bundled freeware alternative. I got better results with CCE [no
surprise] and appreciably faster, too. Also, I agree that for whatever
reason, TFM seems to require an awful lot of HD space. Not sure why.

Seems like it took 10 gigs or better to process an AVI file to a DVD5.
'Course all was deleted after burning. I have a 60 GB HD and a 160 GB
external HD, but still thought it would be too much maintenance using
TFM.
In all fairness, the author did a good job putting all the freeware
together for this package...and I'm sure it's a work in progress.

I checked, since my first rep, and The FilmMachine 1.4 was the one
that hung while The FilmMachine 1.3 was the version that worked for me
< the installer of ver 1.3 prompted if I wanted to install AviSynth
version ????, whereas, I don't recall ver 1.4 having that prompt...>

I just find it easier to use AviSynth, CCE and TMPGEnc DVD Author.
Not all Freeware, to be sure, but for quality and ease seems to be the
best for me at this point in time.

VSO DivxToDVD <Freeware> is really better choice for freeware, IMO.
I haven't played around w/ trying a batch job w/ it...but I here it is
possible.
/bLB

 

[Kittie Spit]

Yes, agree -- the last freeware version of VSO's DivXToDVD is great! I
also haven't tried doing batch conversions with it. Another nice
feature if DivXToDVD is that it does PAL-NTSC conversions, and quite
well at that. Still, it can't compare, as you say, with TMPGenc's
features.....