DVDforger: new version 0.6.1 alpha released

[alvarez]

Hello,

A new version of DVDforger, 0.6.2 alpha, is available at:

http://download.videohelp.com/dvdforger/

What's new in version 0.6.2:
* Fixed loading project files with unspecified subtitles
* Fixed creating chapters
* Aften updated to version 0.0.8
* HC updated to version 0.22.1
* MediaInfo updated to version 0.7.6.0
* mplex updated to version 2.2.7 from MJPEG Tools 1.9.0rc3

What's new in version 0.6.1:
* Improved aspect ratio detection using MediaInfo
* Fixed initialization of fixed chapters

What's new in version 0.6.0:
* Implemented the configuration window with lots of options
* Added option to create ISO image
* Added option to burn DVD (requires ImgBurn to be installed)
* Video bitrate can be specified instead of DVD size
* QuEnc can be used for video encoding as well
* Added option to define custom AviSynth functions to open and pre-process video and audio
* AVISource is not used any more by default (less reliable than DirectShowSource)
* Added option to compensate CRT overscan
* Advanced encoder options moved to the configuration window
* Frames can be saved from the video preview window
* Fixed browsing for audio files when multiple audio tracks are present
* Auto-detect subtitle charset (even without BOM)
* Fixed browsing for subtitle files when multiple subtitle tracks are present
* Menu editor now shows the safe area
* Added shutdown option
* Improved documentation a bit
* Version changed to 'alpha' - all planned features are present (requests are welcome, though)

DVDforfer is a DVD authoring application which creates DVDs from almost any kind of video files (if the necessary codecs are installed). Supports multiple titles with multiple audio tracks, subtitles and a simple menu.
Features
Video
- Video input can be either a video file which can be opened by AviSynth's AviSource or DirectShowSource filter, or an AviSynth script.
- Custom AviSynth functions can also be defined to open / pre-process video.
- Multiple video titles.
- Merging video files into one title (also with different resolution/fps).
- Chapter creation.
- Deinterlacing and IVTC (using the Decomb filter)
- HC Encoder or QuEnc is used for encoding.
Audio
- Multiple audio tracks.
- Audio input can be either an audio file which can be opened by AviSynth's AviSource or DirectShowSource filter, or an AviSynth script.
- Custom AviSynth functions can also be defined to open / pre-process audio.
- Aften is used for audio encoding.
Subtitles
- Multiple selectable subtitles.
- Subtitle input can be an .SRT, .SSA or .ASS file (formatting is not preserved).
- Delay correction.
- Subtitles are anti-aliased with custom font and color.
DVD menus
- Creates root, subtitle and audio menus.
- Still menus with custom background and buttons.
- WSYWYG menu editor with limited features.
DVD authoring
- mplex and dvdauthor are used for DVD authoring.

I hope some of you will find it worth a comment, or even useful.

Have a nice day,

:alvarez:

[smok3]

how about support for allready encoded mpeg2 files?

[alvarez]

Originally Posted by smok3

how about support for allready encoded mpeg2 files?

Not to be expected in the near future

Reason: DVDforger opens all videos via AviSynth, and it doesn't even know what kind of file is being opened. The same applies to audio files - that's why keeping already encoded AC3 tracks isn't possible either.

Have a nice day,

:alvarez:

[linx05]

This looks very promising. I will keep an eye on this one for sure.

[rendez2k]

Looks like the beginnings of an excellent bit of software....

1. Will other encoders be added in the future (CCE, QuEnc...)?

2. Would it be possible to be able to specify a target bitrate rather than size - D2MP allows this.

Thanks, and keep up the good work!

[alvarez]

Hello,

Originally Posted by rendez2k

Looks like the beginnings of an excellent bit of software....

Thanks!

Originally Posted by rendez2k

1. Will other encoders be added in the future (CCE, QuEnc...)?

I'm thinking about supporting QuEnc in the future, but I'd like to reach a stable and well tested version with HC first. CCE (and other non-free encoders) will not be supported.

Originally Posted by rendez2k

2. Would it be possible to be able to specify a target bitrate rather than size - D2MP allows this.

Good idea, now it's on the to-do list for the next version.

Have a nice day,

:alvarez:

[rendez2k]

Shame about CCE - I don't know of any video->DVD apps that support the excellent value CCE basic. Nice to know QuEnc is coming though!

[Boulder]

Originally Posted by alvarez

- mplex and dvdauthor are used for DVD authoring.

Hi,

and thanks a lot for your contribution. Regarding this, would it be possible to switch to MuxMan? You would a) skip one unnecessary step (muxing to mpeg) and b) have superior authoring quality and do it fast.

I've been looking for a tool like this to set up for my dad now that I need to build him a DVB capture -> DVD encoding and authoring system. I'll definitely give the program a try

[alvarez]

Originally Posted by Boulder

Regarding this, would it be possible to switch to MuxMan? You would a) skip one unnecessary step (muxing to mpeg) and b) have superior authoring quality and do it fast.

DVDforger has an option to produce only the multiplexed mpeg files and skip DVD authoring. As far as I know, this is not possible with MuxMan.

Also, I find the syntax of dvdauthor scripts much more understandable than MuxMan's. That's a great advantage when I have to debug something

About mplex's inferior quality, I have read in this forum that early versions of mplex had had some DVD compliancy issues. DVDforger uses mplex from the newest MJPEGTools (1.9.0rc1), which seems to perform quite well. Or doesn't it?

Originally Posted by Boulder

I've been looking for a tool like this to set up for my dad now that I need to build him a DVB capture -> DVD encoding and authoring system. I'll definitely give the program a try

Thanks for trying it out. Please post the results as well!

Have nice day,

:alvarez:

[rendez2k]

Tried with a couple of AVI's and get:

Error: Could not find PCM audio track in "E:\Temp\set1title1audio1.avs".
invalid RIFF id in wav header
invalid wav file: -

Any ideas?

Edit: forget that as reinstalling avisynth fixed it. Anyway, can HC Enc options/quality be changed and could a shutdown when done option be added? Also when creating a menu, could the file name be used for the text? I'll let you know how my first encode goes!

[alvarez]

Originally Posted by rendez2k

Edit: forget that as reinstalling avisynth fixed it.

That's exactly what I'd have suggested as the first thing to do

Originally Posted by rendez2k

Anyway, can HC Enc options/quality be changed

I'm planning to add an option to set the encoding profile (fast/normal/best) when I manage to implement the configuration dialog. More advanced options can be changed by creating an .ini file for HCenc and specifying this .ini file in the video track properties.

Originally Posted by rendez2k

and could a shutdown when done option be added?

Definitely.

Originally Posted by rendez2k

Also when creating a menu, could the file name be used for the text?

Not as default, but I'll add this option as well to the configuration dialog.

Originally Posted by rendez2k

I'll let you know how my first encode goes!

Thanks!

Have a nice day,

:alvarez:

[rendez2k]

First encode went really well (7x25min TV episodes) other than I messed up the menu text (back to my point about adding the filename as default text in the menu editor!). Menu editor is one of the best I've seen in a freeware (and even some payware) application. Need to work out how to put HC in normal encoding mode as encoding took hours. Really good application considering its 'alpha' state.

1. Could the safe area be shown on the menu?
2. Will any further enhancements be made to the menu editor such as maybe drop shadows, or the ability to add an image from the video instead of just using text?
3. Could there be an option to add a text box, so a title could be added etc?

I'm sure I'll think of some yet things yet

[alvarez]

Hello,

Originally Posted by rendez2k

First encode went really well

Good to hear Thanks!

Originally Posted by rendez2k

1. Could the safe area be shown on the menu?

Yes, I'll add that to the next version as well.

Originally Posted by rendez2k

2. Will any further enhancements be made to the menu editor such as maybe drop shadows, or the ability to add an image from the video instead of just using text?
3. Could there be an option to add a text box, so a title could be added etc?

I don't really plan to add image-editing functions like dropping shadows, pasting images and such. (If you're into the DVD specs: the basic idea here is to leave the background image untouched, and draw only the overlay bitmaps.) For me, it would be no fun to implement half of an image editor application inside DVDforger; there are excellent applications available (like Gimp) for that purpose, and I don't want to reinvent the wheel and implement some crappy features which would perfom even worse than Paint

However, talking about images from the videos, I'm thinking about adding a 'Save this frame' button to the 'Take a look...' dialog at the video file properties, then you can use those when editing the background image in Gimp/Paint/etc.

Have a nice day,

:alvarez:

[alvarez]

Since the home page has managed to exceed GooglePages's bandwith limit during the first 3 days of its life (by the way, thanks for having such an interest in DVDforger ), I had to look for hosting somewhere else. Thanks to the generosity of VideoHelp.com, the new homepage is:

http://download.videohelp.com/dvdforger/

Have a nice day,

:alvarez:

[kypec]

Well, I personally don't know much about Videohelp's hosting quality but I think SourceForge.net is for sure great place for hosting your projects

[alvarez]

Originally Posted by kypec

Well, I personally don't know much about Videohelp's hosting quality but I think SourceForge.net is for sure great place for hosting your projects

Unfortunately, SourceForge doesn't allow hosting packages which contain a collection of binaries of other programs. So, I'd have to say 'to use DVDforger, please download Aften/HC/dvdauthor/mjpegtools/etc/etc separately from here, here and here'. My approximation of how many people would be willing to do that is around zero.

[rendez2k]

I'm enjoying 0.5.0 a lot, but any update on a new version?!

[alvarez]

Originally Posted by rendez2k

I'm enjoying 0.5.0 a lot, but any update on a new version?!

I'm working on it, but since I'm not in college any more, I don't have as much free time as I wish I had Maybe early September.

Have a nice day,

[alvarez]

Hello,

Well, contrary to what I wrote two days ago, I've just made the new release. It seems more-or-less stable now - I've been planning some improvements regarding chapters and writing some more docs, but I don't seem to be able to find the time for it, so they'll come later.

http://download.videohelp.com/dvdforger/

The new version is 0.6.0 alpha, the following things changed:
* Implemented the configuration window with lots of options
* Added option to create ISO image
* Added option to burn DVD (requires ImgBurn to be installed)
* Video bitrate can be specified instead of DVD size
* QuEnc can be used for video encoding as well
* Added option to define custom AviSynth functions to open and pre-process video and audio
* AVISource is not used any more by default (less reliable than DirectShowSource)
* Added option to compensate CRT overscan
* Advanced encoder options moved to the configuration window
* Frames can be saved from the video preview window
* Fixed browsing for audio files when multiple audio tracks are present
* Auto-detect subtitle charset (even without BOM)
* Fixed browsing for subtitle files when multiple subtitle tracks are present
* Menu editor now shows the safe area
* Added shutdown option
* Improved documentation a bit
* Version changed to 'alpha' - all planned features are present (requests are welcome, though)

Have a nice day,

[rendez2k]

Thanks alvarez - thats an amazing list of new features. Can't wait to test!