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Playstation Video FAQ

@PS_2

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Playstation

· 3 years ago

PSXVideo.EXE walkthrough
Made by:
Brian "TheFreak" Balsan
Started: May 8, 1998
last updated: October 1, 1998
Please Visit my "Freakservo" website at:
www.geocities.com/collegepark/union/9042
Problems? Questions? Writing to say Hi? Email me:
THEFREAK@prodigy.net
(That is my real address, thank you!)
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What's been updated:
-Some really useful information from Blue Bomber!

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Ok, obviously there are people (Like me, for awhile) that had no real idea about getting the PSXvideo.exe file to work properly, and the text files, other than a crappy 2-page english file, is all in Japanese (Or Taiwanian or Chinese or..... ah, forget it!). So I'm going to give you this step-by-step guide on how to get this program to work... properly!

What the PSX.video file does is take any FMV sequence from a Playstation disc and transfers it into a replayable AVI format, complete with stereo quality sound!

When you unzip the file, you will get three main programs (Text and helpfile is useless in this case):

PSXvideo.exe: This is your main program right here. The icon should look like a playstation. This is the program responsible for converting STR(Stream) or MOV(Movie) files into AVI format. This is a windows program.

CDXA: This is a dos-based converting program. Because of the PSX's blocking system, if you transfer a file by dragging it there's a good chance that it'll be corrupt(I.E. Lost or screwed-up animation frames, etc.). Other files the PSXvideo program won't even recognize until you use this program to convert it to harddrive, which is recommended before converting, might I add. This file is also available for converting .xa or .xas files into a compatible .str file format for the PSXvideo.

CDXAFind: I believe this takes the XA files from the CD and finds out if it could be converted into a movie-playable .str. Other than that, I have no real idea. Maybe it's needed to run the CDXA file. This is also a dos-based program. I also believe that if you try transfering an .XA file to an. STR file (As explained below) and doesn't appear in its written location, it may not be a video file then.....

Check out this info from Blue Bomber...:
"This is an important program which you use to convert STR files when multiple movies exist in one file.

For example - Tekken 3 has loads of movies but they are all in one XA file - CDXAFIND will run through the file detecting all of the movies inside and converting them one by one. Ace Combat 2 also uses this method."

This just may answer some questions as to why some games won't convert certain .str or .xa files...I should try taking out a few of my PSX disks and trying this out! Thanks, Blue! =-}

When you get the PSXvideo program and have not registered it, you will only get to "Preview" the movies and not be able to convert them. You could get the registration code at:

http://www.phoenix.net/~feldon/psxvideo.html

Once you have gotten the code, open the PSXVideo program and go to help, then about. A screen shows up and you are given the option to register. Select register, put in a username, and the password given on the webpage, and press ok. Close out of the PSXvideo file and reopen it. Now the "Open" In the file category will be active, allowing you to convert.

Ok, with that out of the way, we get to downloading a file from a PSX disc.
First load a PSX disc into the CD-ROM drive.
Let's take Klonoa for an example, since I just love that game.

Find a file that has str. or .mov as their extentions.

Ok...Let's take Open.str for a sample.

So now you use the CDXA program. Open up your dos prompt file (Start, then programs, then MS-DOS prompt) and type in the location of the CDXA file. For example, it is in a folder in the C drive entitled "Execute". So since the dos prompt is automatically directed to the windows folder, you change directory, or "cd" for short. So you type in something like:

 cd\execute

and press enter. You are now in the folder where the CDXA file is.
Now it's time to transfer the file from CD-ROM to hard disk. Let's say you want to put the Open.str file in a folder named "Movies" which is in the "Execute" file. Now, since the execute folder is in the C drive (Let me know when I lost you.)you would type in the ms-dos program "argument" as:

 C:\execute\movies\open.str

But first, you need to put in the program needed to run the transfer, CDXA, and you will need to put the location of the CD-ROM file in first.

So when it's all typed in, it should look like (Ex. CD-ROM drive letter is labaled Q):

 CDXA Q:\open.str C:\execute\movies\open.str

You are now copying the file from where it is to where it's going.

If the file is a .XA file the only difference is that the CD-rom argument should be written with ".XA" in the file name instead of .str and the location argument should stay ".STR". Using the CDXA program will convert all .XA programs to .str, but that does not necessarily mean that the file was a video file...Look at the CDXAfind description for an idea.

Now for the fun (and easy) part. Converting the .str file into an AVI.

But, however, first thing's first(insert groans). When you open the PSXvideo program go to option and go to "convert option". I shall try to explain what all these options do.

Display Option: Obviously, if you want to see your conversion in progress.

Display size: How big do you want to see the screen?
Personally I keep it at it's default normal size, since half is too small and double is, well, too big.

Video size correct: You know what? I never turned this on to care what it might be, but I would believe this is a program that will ask you if you want to correct the size of the video display....

Some more info from Blue Bomber...:
"When checked as "ask" you will be given an extra option before conversion which allows you to alter the dimensions of the video clip."

Only have tried it once, I wasn't really sure of the Video size settings...
Thanks again Blue!

FF7 Check: There are .str and .mov files out there that, even when using the CDXA program, the convertion to AVI will come out corrupt. I believe that with this option on, the conversion will come out clear and flawlessly.

Frame rate: Keep it on auto, and the program itself will tell you what the suggested frame rate conversion will be without losing any frames....I think....

Gamma correct: Probably the screen centering program.

Blue Bomber knows better =-}...:
"This alters the contrast of the video clip you convert"

Contrast, eh? Next time I convert an "Einhander" movie I'll try that =-}
Thanks once again Blue!

Compress option: Why I brought you to the convert options screen in the first place. Here is where you decide on a compressor program that will be successful in transferring the files you want.
"Microsoft Video 1" Will be able to convert most movie files, and should be the one you can trust. But other Compressors do better work. Look at the list below for your choice of compression.

Once you choose your compressor, press ok and press Ok on the Convert options screen to exit with the compressor program intact.

Now it's time to convert!

Close the PSXvideo file to make sure the convert program changes, then reopen it. Choose "Open" from the file menu and find the location of the .str file. Open it, and a "Save as" screen will pop up. select the location of where you want to put the converted AVI file, and press "Save". The file will analize how many frames there are in the movie and suggest a framerate. Press ok and a screen with an estimated time of completion and time elapse will show. Usually these files take a long time to convert, since the program is converting the file one slow painful frame at a time. I suggest keeping yourself busy until it's downloaded.

Once it's completed, it is now time to test your AVI file.

These files also come out huge, too. The Wild Arms Grand Finale FMV, for example, will convert to AVI format and use 150 MEGS of your harddisk space. Hope you have a large harddisk....

If the AVI file comes out perfectly, you no longer need that .str file in your hard drive anymore.
Throw it out.

I have compiled a list of compressors that are in the PSXvideo Compressor options: I will attempt to list The quality of the video and final Meg count after AVI conversion (Based on an original 4.57MB .mov file):

Full Frames (Uncompressed): Fast compression time; Obviously it's uncompressed so nothing is taken away, But it comes with a price.....The AVI now stands at 47.8MB!!!....Imagine converting the Final Fantasy 7 ending with this compressor......Yowza!

Intel Indeo(R) Video Interactive: Slow compression time, and frames are sacrificed, but totally unnoticeable! Crystal clear picture, and check out that meg size....4.08MB! It actually saves memory!

Cinepak Codek by Radius: Fast compression time, but not as fast as Full Frames; Picture's better than Microsoft Video one, but not as good as Intel Indeo(R). Meg size is a reasonable 4.14MB.

Intel Indeo(R) Video R3.2: pretty fast conversion time; Video a bit better than Cinepak Codek, still not as good as Intel Indeo(R), though. Meg size is 3.83 MB.

Microsoft Video 1: Moderate compression time; Movie Comes out fine, but pixelized; File is now at 5.65MB.

Microsoft RLE: My computer does not have the program.

Microsoft H.263 Video Codec: Can't run this either...

Microsoft H.261 Video Codec: Hmmm.......

I confess, I wasn't working with the best video file available (Bland colors), so I'm not too positively sure about the picture quality(Except Full Frames and Intel Indeo(R)). If anybody could validate them, and offer extra info on those last three compressors, I'd be very grateful......

Some New Stuff...

I got some new information from Blue Bomber about some of the options I've barely touched on PSXvideo, and he's also corrected me as to what a couple of them really do. I've posted the information as said directly from him in the areas he explained. But if you're too lazy to find 'em, just read 'em here (That's why this "New" area is here for). =-}

Here's what he wrote me:

"Video Size Correct

When checked as "ask" you will be given an extra option before conversion which allows you to alter the dimensions of the video clip.

Gamma Correct

This alters the contrast of the video clip you convert

CDXAFIND

This is an important program which you use to convert STR files when multiple movies exist in one file.

Hopefully this will help you try to get this thing to work. Still have questions? Email me.

Many thanks go to:

RPGStoren: We spent one whole night trying to get this thing to work properly. It was then I found that the program needed a password. If he wasn't online at that time, I would've went to sleep(It was 2:30 in the morning at that time).

Zophar's Domain(zophar.malicia.com): This is where I got the PSXvideo file from(Thanks InVerse!), this is also where I got the web address to the "Unofficial" Website with the password on it.

The "Unofficial" PSXvideo Site: Since the person or people responsible for making this wonderful contraption isn't really doing much in the way of plugging it, this site came around to do the plugging for them. This is where you can get the password needed to officially run the program, as well as the basics of running the program that inspired me to write this more thorough document.

And finally, myself: This is a vain moment for me, especially since this is the very first FAQ I've actually put together. I really hope this FAQ will help you. And if it doesn't, Email me personally and I will answer all!

Other quick thank-you's go to My mother, for not bothering me when I don't want to be, My sisters and brothers, Who give me this distinct feeling of being in a present day version of "The Wonder Years", and my dog....No, seriously....Who has given me 10 years of fun and laughter....And is still going strong!
Man, I love that pooch!

Some Credit Goes to Patrick Hubert for telling me that at the compressor options screen, that the best conversions are made when the compressor quality is at 100% (Duh!), which for some reason gave me the curiosity to try out the other compresser programs....

And Blue Bomber, who I've thanked numerous times throughout this FAQ for the freshest information about this program since May!

'Till next time, Ladies and Wildebeests!