Another plugin for DVD2SVCD: miniDVD & DVD authoring

[jsoto]

Updated on 26-Oct-2005 to include the link
Download from: mDVDAuth043.exe

Updated on 13-Oct-2004 to include the link
Download from: mDVDAuth042.exe
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Current features (mdvdauth043):
- mDVD & DVD authoring (using IfoEdit)
- ac3 to ac3 transcoding (using BeSweet) to save bitrate
- subtitles using VobEdit or VobSup+SubToSup
- up to two audio tracks
- supports mp2 or ac3 2.0 low rate output tracks
- Frame selection support (only one selection)
- ac3 error fixing and delay correction
- GUI & installer
- audio pitch conversions in NTSC to PAL
------------- ORIGINAL POST ------------------------------------
In a miniDVD (DVD format in CD media) you can use all the features of the standard DVD, as ac3 sound, menus, subtitles, "true" navigation, etc

NOTE: I've writen this script to author miniDVDs, but it also can be used to author DVDs (There is a variable to choose between DVD and miniDVD)

I´ve been surprised, but many "new" and cheap DVD players are able to play miniDVDs. I have succesfully checked the following ones:

- LENCO D-204
- CYBERHOME 505 (hacked, unhacked I do not know...)
- YUKAI 560
- ABOSS DS-8319

Also, I've found a lot which are not be able to play them..
- THOMSON 4200
- THOMSON DTH-5200
- LG-3351
- PS2 (I´m not sure about the version I've tested)

The reading of the following threads is recommended:
dvd2svcd DVD to DVD-R in later versions
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28017
ac3 reencoding too quiet
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52263

PLUGIN:
-------
This plugin is based in Autoit and uses IfoEdit 0.95 as authoring tool. It is my first script with Autoit, so probably it is not efficient and also could have many bugs. So, there is room for improvement ;-)

I have a main issue related with Audio Delay:
Currently I'm not sure about the direction of the delay adjustment
The value reported by dvd2svcd is usually negative and I use two options
- BeSweet with -ota( -d value_msecs ), value has the same sign than dvd2svcd reports
- BeSplit with -split ( value_secs ), value has the same sign than dvd2svcd reports
I really do not know if I have to change or not the sign. Any feedback will be very appreciated.

I still didn't test so much the script (I don't have much free time), so please be patient if it fails....


README.TXT
====================================================================
miniDVD authoring plugin for DVD2SVCD
by jsoto

Version 0.1.1
09 Feb 2003

1.- SOFTWARE NEEDED
-------------------
dvd2svcd (obvious!)
BeSweet1.4 (for ac3 transcoding)
BeSplit (for delay adjustments)
IfoEdit 0.95 (for authoring)

2.- WHAT IS IT
--------------

There are some players (the newest and cheapest ones) which are able
to play miniDVDs, that means DVDs in CD media, but, as far as I know,
there is not an automatic tool to generate them. The main advantage of
a miniDVD is that all DVD features are supported, including ac3 sound.

This tool is a plugin for DVD2SVCD, and allows to create a set
of miniDVDs automatically. It uses IfoEdit 0.95 for authoring

For more information about miniDVDs go to www.doom9.org

It also is valid to authoring DVDs, containing the movie only, with no extras

3.- HOW IT WORKS
----------------

This plugin, is actually an executable launched instead of VCDXBuild.

Also, a "fakebbmpeg" executable is provided, to avoid wasting time and
disc space in mpg muxing processes.

For audio processing, there are two choices, (selected with the executable)
- Runbesplit: With this exe, no recoding will be done, only delay adjustment.
- transcodeac3: Transcode the ac3 to the selected bitrate

4.- INSTALLATION & USAGE
------------------------

1) Create "mdvdauth" under your DVD2SVCD dir.
(e.g. "C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\mdvdauth")

2) Extract all files to that directory.

3) Double-click mdvdauth.ini file and edit necessary settings:
Path to ifoedit 0.95
Path to dvd2svcd
Path to BeSweet 1.4
Path to BeSplit
mdvdauth: Variable to choose between dvd and minidvd

4) Launch DVD2SVCD, and follow the instructions:

- Audio tab:
A) If you do not want to convert audio, only delay adjustments
Select the same bit rate than the original one and select executable
..\DVD2SVCD\mdvdauth\runBeSplit.exe in BeSweet path
Trick: You can use audio stream 2 at 64 kbit/s. It will be ignired, but
the space will be taken in account by dvd2svcd, so selecting 384 in
audio stream 1, a space equivalent to 448 will be reserved to audio 1
B) Transcode ac3 (change bit rate and gain)
Select gain in dvd2svcd (in the case of autodetect, gainini will be used)
Select bitrate in one or both audio streams (MUST be higher than 224)
Select the executable
..\DVD2SVCD\mdvdauth\transcodeac3.exe in BeSweet path
Be aware of the gain bug in BeSweet/ac3enc

- bbmpeg tab
use executable ..\DVD2SVCD\mdvdauth\fakebbmpeg.bat
- bitrate tab
Select CDs of 685 MB (for 700 MB/80 min) (May be 690 will be more accurate)
Select CDs of 645 MB (for 650 MB/74 min) (May be 640 will be more accurate)
Select One CD of 4300 MB for DVDs (Not tested)
- CDImage
select VCXBuild but use executable
..\DVD2SVCD\mdvdauth\mdvdauth.exe in VCXbuild path


- When dvd2svcd launches Besweet, audio delay adjustments or transcoding+delay
will be done
- When dvd2svcd launches bbmpeg, some fake files will be generated
in few seconds.

- When dvd2svcd launches VCDXBuild, the DVD authoring process is started
using IfoEdit. Please note that VCDXBuild is launched once per any CD, but
mdvdauth do all the job when it is called with CD1 as parameter and exits
in all the other cases.

- After DVD authoring is finished, a new folder (DVD) in the movie directory
is created, containing :
DVDauthoring: A temporal folder and a ROOT folder containing the movie
miniDVDauthoring: ROOT folder, a temporal folder and four CD folders.
Not all CD folders are valid, only the number of selected CDs (bitrate tab)
contain the movie, the rest should be empty; at least, this is the
expected behavior;-).

It is highly recommended to use ImgTool to generate a DVD image. Then, mount it
with daemon-tools, test it with your favorite DVD player SW and burn it with
your burning tool (CD to CD copy)

5.- KNOWN ISSUES
----------------
Do not touch the keyboard or mouse during the authoring. Autoit waits
for some windows to be active or non-active

Audio Language: In the images, the language is not specified.

Audio Delay: Maximum delay supported between 999 msecs and -999 msecs
Also, In the case of BeSplit, I'm not sure if I am correcting
it in the right direction or if I am duplicating the delay.....

6.- FEATURES
------------
- Subtitles are not supported
- Up two audio streams are supported
- Original DVD or fixed chapters are supported. (Selected in CDImage tab)

7.- CHANGES
-----------

0.1.1 ----

First beta

8. CREDITS
----------

Thanks to dacow for the idea of using autoit.

Thanks to AutoIt author for this great scripting language.
http://www.hiddensoft.com/AutoIt/

Thanks to Derrow, DSPGuru and dvd2svcd for their powerful tools

================================================================


ZIP FILE:
----------
And, finally, the zip file:


Cheers

[markrb]

Moved to the advanced forum.

There doesn't appear to be an attachment. I went to approve it and there is nothing there.

Mark

[jsoto]

I don't know what happened, so I will try again.

BTW, I've fixed a couple of bugs, may be it is still too buggy, there is another bug not fixed in chapters.

I've also changed the readme.txt

Cheers

[jsoto]

I deleted the file (although it now was uploaded...) because I find a major bug. (IfoEdit can be resized and the script does not work as expected)

I´ve fixed it, but I prefer to do a complete run this night before publish it. Please be patient with me...

[DSPguru]

in fact, mp2&ac3 positive/negative delay correction is also possible using the 'payload' mode of BeSweet v1.5

[jsoto]

Hi again,

I´ve done some tests more and no issues found, so here is the zip file

I am still unsure about a previous “random” behaviour in chapters on the final folders. Sometimes they are fully ok, sometimes fails only one CD, and other (rarely) both.
Seems that value 0 is not valid for Ifoedit, so I have removed it, but I’m not confident in this point.. May be something is not very inicialized, so I also set many values of Ifoedit.ini

Please read the readme.txt included in the file, there are some new remarks

@dspguru:
I knew your proposal, but I’ve not tested it. I still have to test more the transcoding tools, it seems that the new ac3enc included in BeSweet1.5b13 (the one distributed by dvd2svcd) has lower gain than the one included in BeSweet1.4, but, do not take this in account, I only have tested it once...
BTW, I am using bsplay to test the final ac3, and I do not have the required ac3 HW on my computer, so tests are not so good...

Cheers

Edit to delete the attachment. It was an old version.

[Clixo]

@ jsoto : sory but where is the zip file i cant see it please can you send it by mail ? clixomano@hotmail.com

thanks

[jsoto]

Zip file is in my fourth post of this thread (11th-Feb). At least, I can see it editing the post. Seems it is not approved yet.

@markrb
Is there any problem with it again?.

@Clixo
As you probably know, I´ve sent it to you.

Cheers

[jsoto]

After some tests in audio transcoding and delay adjustments, I think the plugging only works fine (taking in account gain issue) in the case of using BeSweet (transcodeac3) and negative or cero delay adjustments. Using runbesplit the delay is duplicated or simply nothing is compensated.

@DSPGuru
I need your help in some points, but first of all I would like to give you my personal congratulations for your job. I´m really an addict of your tools (Great!),

Well, I have the following problems:
A) BeSplit was initially designed to split audio streams, so it can compensate “positive” delays, but it cannot do nothing with negative ones, is it true?
i.e., the following command:
BeSplit.exe -core( -input <filein> -prefix <fileout> -type ac3 -ending ) -split( -2 )

Will produce the same output. Isn´t it?

B) Following your indications, I am changing to BeSweet (-payload) also for delay adjustment (and no transcoding). Well, I have as source one minute ac3 track. I am not sure about the command syntax (see logfiles) but I obtain good results in the case of negative and cero delay, but not in the case of positive delay. I am not able to reproduce the track neither with bsplayer nor DVDplayer.
So, I try another useful tool, BeSliced, and after that, I was able to reproduce it, but it seems no delay is included.

Logfiles: BeSweet, BeSliced of BeSweet output and of BeSweet input

BeSweet v1.5b15 by DSPguru.
--------------------------
Using azid.dll v1.8 (b825) by Midas (midas@egon.gyaloglo.hu).
Using AC3enc.dll v0.21 by Fabrice Bellard (http://ffmpeg.org).

Logging start : 02/12/02 , 23:11:23.

c:\Archivos de programa\besweet1.5b15\BeSweet.exe -core( -input D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\Extracted_1_min.ac3 -output D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\besweet_pos_1.ac3 -logfile D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\BeSweet_1.log -payload ) -ota( -d 2000 )

[00:00:00:000] +------- BeSweet -----
[00:00:00:000] | Input : D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\Extracted_1_min.ac3
[00:00:00:000] | Output: D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\besweet_pos_1.ac3
[00:00:02:000] +------- AC3ENC ------
[00:00:02:000] | Bitrate method : CBR
[00:00:02:000] | AC3 bitrate : 384
[00:00:02:000] | Channels Mode : 5.1
[00:00:02:000] | Error Protection: Yes
[00:00:02:000] +---------------------
[ 2975232] Conversion Completed !
[00:00:01:000] <-- Transcoding Duration
Logging ends : 02/12/02 , 23:11:24.

BeSplit v0.9b4 by DSPguru.
--------------------------

Logging start : 02/12/02 , 23:19:27.

C:\Archivos de programa\BeSplit\BeSplit.exe -core( -input D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\besweet_pos_1.ac3 -fix -logfile C:\DOCUME~1\jsoto\CONFIG~1\Temp\BeSliced.txt -type ac3 -output D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\besweet_pos_1_Fixed.ac3 ) -profile( BeSliced v0.3 )

[00:00:00:000] +------- BeSplit -----
[00:00:00:000] | Input : D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\besweet_pos_1.ac3
[00:00:00:032] Stream error : Sync found after 95232 bytes
[00:00:00:000] | Source Sample-Rate: 48.0KHz
[00:00:00:000] | Channels Count: 5, Bitrate: 384kbps
[00:00:00:000] | Output : D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\besweet_pos_1_Fixed.ac3
[00:00:00:000] +---------------------
[00:00:00:032] Stream error : Sync found after 95232 bytes
[00:01:00:000] | Writing D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\besweet_pos_1_Fixed.ac3
[00:01:00:000] +---------------------
[00:01:00:000] Operation Completed !
[00:00:00:000] <-- Process Duration
Logging ends : 02/12/02 , 23:19:27.


BeSplit v0.9b4 by DSPguru.
--------------------------

Logging start : 02/12/02 , 23:20:08.

C:\Archivos de programa\BeSplit\BeSplit.exe -core( -input D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\Extracted_1_min.ac3 -fix -logfile C:\DOCUME~1\jsoto\CONFIG~1\Temp\BeSliced.txt -type ac3 -output D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\Extracted_1_min_Fixed.ac3 ) -profile( BeSliced v0.3 )

[00:00:00:000] +------- BeSplit -----
[00:00:00:000] | Input : D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\Extracted_1_min.ac3
[00:00:00:000] | Source Sample-Rate: 48.0KHz
[00:00:00:000] | Channels Count: 5, Bitrate: 384kbps
[00:00:00:000] | Output : D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\Extracted_1_min_Fixed.ac3
[00:00:00:000] +---------------------
[00:01:00:000] | Writing D:\SVCD_CD1\tests\Extracted_1_min_Fixed.ac3
[00:01:00:000] +---------------------
[00:01:00:000] Operation Completed !
[00:00:00:000] <-- Process Duration
Logging ends : 02/12/02 , 23:20:08.

Thanks in advance.

I also obtain the same results in the case of ac3 transcoding (of the same source).

jsoto

EDIT:
About ac3enc, the results I am now obtaining are the same with the dll included in BeSweet1.4 and the one included in 1.5b15. I was wrong, as I suposed.

[DSPguru]

a. true
b. yeap. your logfiles prooves there's a problem. i'll check it out whenever possible.

[jsoto]

@DSPguru
Many thanks for the information.
If you need some for testing, please ask me. I do not have much free time, but be sure I will find it.

Cheers

[TherapyClown]

i think one of my wishes just came true with this plugin,
looking forward to test it (I have an exam on friday so i'm waiting for the weekend)
this looks like a great plugin for those who can't afford a DVD-R but want to take advantage of AC3 sound with their rips.
thnx alot for your work
TherapyClown

[jsoto]

Hi all,

I've finished a more elaborated script. Tests are not completely finished, but may be someone would like to help me in the testing process, so here it is a new zip file

This is the changelog (included in readme.txt)

0.2.1 :
- Improvement: Change all mouse clicks for keyboard inputs. Using mouse coordinates results in a non portable script (it was depending on PC font size, PC display resolution ...)
- Improvement: Subtitles are supported. Extraction is done using VobEdit.
- Improvement: Original subpicture attributes (colours, etc) are copied. Even if aspect ratio is different from the original, a reference to the subpicture stream in the new aspect ratio PGC is included
- Improvement: Audio attributes are kept in the final CD images.
- Bug Fix: Delay correction is now OK. I’ve written a small program to add/cut ac3 frames (The same idea than ac3 delay corrector)

Add. tools: Two additional tools included, used in the process
- copyifoattr. Similar to IfoUpdate, only command line and less powerfull but customized for this application.
- delayac3. Similar to ac3 delay corrector, but only command line and ac3 format.

Zip file (only exe because of file size limitation):

Edit: Deleted Zip file, new version available in this thread

[jsoto]

Now, the sources:

Edit: Zip deleted, new version available

[Holomatrix]

What about the way the DVD is ripped. Do we need to rip the whole DVD to the hard drive to be able to get all the extra's?
Thanks

[jsoto]

@Holomatrix
Sorry, extras are NOT supported.
For ripping, I use Smartripper (although it is not recommended in d2s guides), but I think using dvd2svcd ripper (vStrip) the plug also works fine. Please note subpictures are extracted from ripped VOBs, so they must be in the HardDisk.

I have a new version (only bug fixing), so I was going to delete the old ones in this thread, but I am not able to upload new attachments, because quota is full

Thanks to Marcel and Manuel for helping me in the testing process.
This is the changelog (included in readme.txt):
------------------------------------------------------------------
0.2.2:
- Bug Fix: D2S uses a trailing slash in audio folder when you select a folder structure. It was not taken in account and mdvdauth fails!
- Bug Fix: Strange behaviour in Ifoedit: Confirmation windows sometimes are titled as "IfoEdit" and sometimes as "Ifoedit" (The same window!!). Because Autoit is CASE SENSITIVE, it provokes a malfunction in mdvdauth. A Workaround has been done to do not use this Window Title.
- Bug Fix: Compatibility with dvd2svcd 1.0.9. (It uses an older version of Besweet, and command line parsing fails). Not really a bug, and fixed but not tested.
------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheers.

Edit to include the reason of no attachments

[jsoto]

I put the zip in a free web, and now it can be downloaded
mdvdauth022.zip

Cheers

[Dropbear]

Hi!

I tried your script.... I did not get an Encoded_audio*.ac3 file, I got an Extracted_audio*.ac3 file. After renaming extracted to encoded, I reran the SVCD creation stage and the utility worked fine.

Unfotunately it seems my XMS-750 (chinese no name DVD player) does not like MINI-DVD's, as it came back with "BAD DISK" when I tried to play a burned disk.. (The disk played fine in my PC.. PowerDVD played it ok)..

I'm wondering ... The DVD images you produce do not have a menu on them.. Would this be something that may confuse DVD players?? Do they have an instruction in the VTS file to jump to the first vob?? (Sorry I don't know the technicalities of DVD authoring)..

trying to work out why my DVD player doesn't like them, and whether they can be possibly made more "DVD compliant", if that's not an offensive suggestion.

[jsoto]

Hi Dropbear,

I did not get an Encoded_audio*.ac3 file, I got an Extracted_audio*.ac3 file

Probably readme.txt is not clear enough: If you select a bit rate lower than 224 k and the input ac3 is a 5.1, audio is not processed at all (in both tracks, first and second). Could this be your problem?. Please check mdvdauth_log.txt; if this is the case, a trace like the following should be logged. If not, please post this part of your mdvdauth_log.txt and also tell me your audio settings.

--------------------------------------------------------
transcodeac3: starting transcodeac3 at 01:05:23
--------------------------------------------------------
transcodeac3: Executing "C:\Archivos de programa\DVD2SVCD\mdvdauth\delayac3.exe" -info "Extracted_audio_1.ac3"
transcodeac3: Ac3mode=3/2 and bitrate =192 exiting without processing...

I'm wondering ... The DVD images you produce do not have a menu on them.. Would this be something that may confuse DVD players?? Do they have an instruction in the VTS file to jump to the first vob?? (Sorry I don't know the technicalities of DVD authoring)..

A playable menu is an option in DVD standard. It is not needed to be fully standard. In fact, IfoEdit uses a Pre command to jump directly to Title.

... possibly made more "DVD compliant", if that's not an offensive suggestion

Not offending at all. I am just a learner, not an expert, but the only thing, AFAIK, which is not standard in the miniDVD produced by this script (IfoEedit does all the job) is the resolution (if you have used dvd2svcd in "normal" mode); that means 480x576 pixels instead of one of the four officially supported. But, in my experience, this is not a problem in any settop able to play miniDVDs.
Looks like your settop does not support miniDVDs. In fact, I only can see other possibility, because, as you say, powerDVD plays it: If the miniDVD is not correctly burned, and sectors are not OK, PowerDVD could still be able to read it, and a settop cannot; but if you are using Coujo's Image Tools (Classic or Burning, whichever you want) this is not the case.

Hope it helps.

[dvd2svcd]

@dropbear:
Only a very very very few dvd players support minidvd's (dvd format on cd's). As jsoto says in his initial post some of the new megacheap once does but in the past you should be more than lucky to find one that supported it. You can get some advice on which does support it on vcdhelp's homepage.