Quick Blu-ray content (BD, BD-5 and BD-9) authoring guide (PS3+PowerDVD)

[XolocoTuxmaster]

Let's clarify something

What's a BD-5/BD-9?

It's a DVD with Blu-ray Video content and structure

Oh...an AVCHD!

No, AVCHD has its own specs, mainly stated by:
-Video codec: AVC
-Audio codec: Dolby Digital, PCM 1.5 Mbps
-More than one audio track: No
-Subtitles: No
-Maximum video bitrate: 25000 kbps
-Maximum VBR buffer size: 9000 kbps

While Blu-ray's (and therefore BD-5's/BD-9's) are:
-Video codec: AVC, VC-1, MPEG-2
-More than one audio track: Yes
-Subtitles: Yes
-Audio codec: Dolby Digital, DTS 1,5 Mbps, PCM 27 Mbps, Dolby Digital + 1,7Mbps, DTS-HD 6 Mbps, TrueHD 18 Mbps, DTS-HD MA 24,5 Mbps
-Maximum video bitrate: 40000 kbps
-Maximum VBR buffer size: 30000 kbps

Using this method you will get a 100% standard Blu-ray content, but bruning that content on a DVD (BD-5) or double layer DVD (BD-9) is not standard at all. Nevertheless, several BD players play them some of them considering them as an AVCHD (PS3)...but then plays as a normal BD, so all codecs and subtitles are supported



Needed files and programs

*Sonic.Scenarist.BDA.v4.20
*Nero's index.bdmv and Movieobject.bdmv(For PS3 BD-9/5 compatibiliy)
*SubtitleWorkshop 4 and SubtitleWorkshop 2.51 to include .srt subtitles
*Supread to include Blu-ray (.sup) subtitles
*nal_hrd patched x264
--For Windows get last megui's x264 build, it's already patched
--For Linux, open a Terminal Konsole and:

yasm --version

If you have 0.6 or above skip this first quote, if not, follow both

wget http://www.tortall.net/projects/yasm/releases/yasm-0.6.2.tar.gz .
tar xvfz yasm-0.6.2.tar.gz
cd yasm-0.6.2
./configure
make
make install

svn co svn://svn.videolan.org/x264/trunk x264
cd x264
wget http://lists.videolan.org/attachs/20070107/x264_hrd.patch
patch -p0 < x264_hrd.patch
./configure --prefix=/usr --enable-debug --enable-pthread
make
make install

Preparing the video

With the nal_hrd patched x264 version, we use our favourite line/profile to encode the video, not forgetting these parameters in the final line:

--keyint 24 --min-keyint 1 --vbv-maxrate 38000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --nal-hrd --mvrange 511 --level 4.1 --bframe 3 --ref 3 --aud --sar 1:1

And forgetting:

--b-pyramid

Resolution must be standard and fps 24p, 50i or 60i

By the way, with 50i and 60i you can chage --keyint to 25 (PAL) and 30 (NTSC), not sure about 50 and 60 in a true interlaced encoding...



Preparing the subtitles

The program we'll use doesn't recognise neither .srt nor .sup so you have to convert them.

SRT:

1. Load srt file into Subtitle Workshop v2.51. Set Input FPS to 23.976, and Output FPS tp 24fps. Save new .srt file.
2. Load new .srt file by SubtitleWorkshop v4 (version 4 support bdn file export)
3. Clicks file->export customize image subtitle
4. Select 8bit PNG, and select movie resolution and fps.
5. Change font colour to anything other than white (lighter colours like yellow, green or blue are recommended).
6. Export

SUP:

1. Use Supread's option 'Save bitmaps' to get the .png and .scn-sst files
2. Use the .scn-sst to create the .bdn (Sorry, I don't know the details)

Originally Posted by XolocoTuxmaster

Rectal Propalse has released a program which convert HD DVD's sup to bdn (png+xml) fully compatible with scenarist. He's call it hdsup2bdn

For BD's sup to bdn...maybe we could use Supread to export HD DVD's sup and then hdsup2bdn???

Creating the BD

You need at least Sonic.Scenarist.BDA.v4.20

1. Load up MUI Generator
2. Load the Audio/s in to the program and select create files.
3. Do the same for the video
4. Start up Sonic HDMV
5. Create a New Project.
6. Use the same directory for output path and Encode path
7. Under the Data Tree Tab, right click on data a go NEW-Actual Asset and bring in the to files that where created with MUI Generator.
*7.1. Right click on data again and choose to import bdn file if you want to include subtitles.
8. Go to Stream tree tab
*9.1. Drag the video files onto stream,( this will create a playlist and a clip.)
*9.2. Drag the audio files onto the clip (be careful with the track order)
*9.3. Drag the subtitles files onto the clip
*9.4. Open up the "Tool" drop down menu up the top of the window. Press "Subtitle Arranger" and then "OK". Note the start time of the first subtitle.
*9.5. In the "Clip Editor" tab, right click on the subtitle (PG) and press "Time info...". Then adjust the video offset to the start time of the first subtitle.
10. Click on the Scenario editor tab
11. Select First Playback then right click on it and select Set movie object.
12. Do the Same for top menu.
13. Now drag the playlist onto both MO#1 this will create a nice tree structure.
*14. Now save your project and quit Scenarist. Go back to Windows Explorer and navigate into your Project folder and open the Project.xml file in Notepad. Go all the way to the bottom and find a setting called:

<CopyPermissionIndicator>3</CopyPermissionIndicator>

Change the 3 to a 0 (zero). This will prevent the disc from being flagged as encrypted. This is very important. If you do not perform this step your disc will NOT work.

*15. Load up Mux remote server.
*16. Open Scenarist modified project and click on the mux button in Sonic HDMV.
*17. Select not create the disc image file.
*18. Start the mux.
*19. Remove AACS and CERTIFICATE Folders

That's all, now you have 100% standard BD content, for burning:

*On a Blu-ray:
--Just BDMV folder on it

*On a DVD:
--PS3: Change index.bdmv and Movieobject.bdmv (in \BDMV and \BDMV\BACKUP\) for the Nero ones and burn BDMV folder on a DVD with UDF 2.5 format.
--No AVCHD compatible BD players: Just burn BDMV folder on it?

You can also:
-Open the files with powerdvd's option “play Blu-ray on HDD”
-Bring it to PS3 thru web server like Red Kawa or Apache (no subtitles neither multiaudio, just video+1st audio)



Can I use this method to MKV->PS3Ready or should I always rencode?

Rencoding is the only way to ensure 100% compatibility, but if you want, you can just try editing the header in case the video is already compilant but not properly advised.

Get lasted h264info (at the moment I'm writing this is 0018) and fill with write PPS on:

kbps bitrate: 38000
num_ref_frames: 3 (maybe 4 works too, haven't tried)
Output Aspect Ratio: 1:1
Level: 4.1
WxH: 1920x1080, 1280x720...whatever it is

Remember that just works when the video is properly encoded...if not...you can try but it most likely won't...that's why I don't like using it

If it doesn't work DON'T TRY VOB/MP4/ETC TRANSFERS SINCE THEY'LL WON'T WORK TOO, only rencoding is the solution unless it's a resolution problem



Mini-todo list

*Confirm no PS3 players compatibility
*Confirm theory: If you don't change .bdmv files on the Backup folder, BD players will look there after refusing the PS3's ones and play OK, so it's ALWAYS recomended to do that for BD-9/5, to ensure both PS3 and BD players compatibility

EDIT: If you are new in encoding...get these blu-ray profiles for megui from one of this links

http://rs91.rapidshare.com/files/900...y_profiles.zip
http://www.mediafire.com/?f1zgyj5mn3n
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php...03428493361575

[yotsu]

3. do the same for the video

My video has .264 extension, how could i do to load it into MUI Generator ?

[XolocoTuxmaster]

-Rename to .avc and select ".avc" when browsing
-Select "all files" when browsing and in the main window select MPEG-4 AVC

Whichever you prefer

[jamos]

Can you specify the command line that you extract video from a mkv using x264?

the mkvextract h264 file gives me a error in hdmv when i try to import it so i am guessing you need to use x264 to create the raw video?

[lexor]

How big can h264 stream be to fit on a DVD5 or DVD9? Is there a reliable overhead calculator for BD structure or do we just guess at a bitrate and keep re-encoding until we get the right total size?

Also is there absolutely no way of getting subs? Under any supported format?

[yotsu]

Originally Posted by XolocoTuxmaster

-Rename to .avc and select ".avc" when browsing
-Select "all files" when browsing and in the main window select MPEG-4 AVC

Whichever you prefer

I've got the "ERROR" pop up when i push the "create files" button.

My video works if i remux it into an .mp4 or .mkv container, so why i get that d*** warning. weird

[B4tm4n]

Originally Posted by lexor

How big can h264 stream be to fit on a DVD5 or DVD9? Is there a reliable overhead calculator for BD structure or do we just guess at a bitrate and keep re-encoding until we get the right total size?

Also is there absolutely no way of getting subs? Under any supported format?

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.ph...03#post1094903

[XolocoTuxmaster]

Originally Posted by jamos

Can you specify the command line that you extract video from a mkv using x264?

the mkvextract h264 file gives me a error in hdmv when i try to import it so i am guessing you need to use x264 to create the raw video?

Rencoding with x264 is the only way that never fails. For MKV-> BD-9...you have to be in luck or even try to "lie" Scenarist, I'll give the details when I'm sure they are right.

Originally Posted by lexor

How big can h264 stream be to fit on a DVD5 or DVD9? Is there a reliable overhead calculator for BD structure or do we just guess at a bitrate and keep re-encoding until we get the right total size?

Also is there absolutely no way of getting subs? Under any supported format?

In my tests... streams had to be 95% of the final m2ts file size

For subtitles...you mean getting from a BD i.e. or putting them into the disc? If first one, use xport 0.96+. If second one...it's a bit difficult and I haven't done enough tests yet, but it's posible to include them (take a look at Scenarist manual or put subtitles blu-ray scenarist at google, or even here at doom9 searcher.

Originally Posted by yotsu

I've got the "ERROR" pop up when i push the "create files" button.

My video works if i remux it into an .mp4 or .mkv container, so why i get that d*** warning. weird

They work in mp4 at PS3? If so, maybe you have to "lie" too.

[lexor]

Originally Posted by XolocoTuxmaster

PD: Remember that this subtitles can't be played at PS3

Yeah, sorry I forgot to mention that my question was about PS3. So I guess no subs for me

[XolocoTuxmaster]

Multitrack and subtitles support found

[lexor]

Great news on subs!

I have a question though: what is the reason for the 17 steps, if in the end you just need to load the streams in TSRemux and it will make the Blu-ray structure for you? Why not just use tsMuxeR and make a TS file with all the streams you want and feed it to TSRemux?

[XolocoTuxmaster]

Scenarist warns you if files are not compilant, haven't tried tsmuxer

[lexor]

Originally Posted by XolocoTuxmaster

Scenarist warns you if files are not compilant, haven't tried tsmuxer

Well, tsmuxer won't warn you, but if I had faith in my streams I don't need the expensive program, right? It doesn't do any mandatory fiddling with streams themselves?

[trojanfoe]

Originally Posted by yotsu

I've got the "ERROR" pop up when i push the "create files" button.

My video works if i remux it into an .mp4 or .mkv container, so why i get that d*** warning. weird

Me too from the original MKV, but going through the usual "h264info conversion phase" (set level to 4.1 and "Write PPS every picture"), MUI Generator seems to like it. It probably depends on the original encode as well I guess.

However Scenarist HDMV won't open the resulting .VES files so a re-encode is required. Where can i get a "nal_hrd patched version of x264" from?

EDIT: found a patched version. What's the complete x264 command line please?

[XolocoTuxmaster]

Originally Posted by lexor

Well, tsmuxer won't warn you, but if I had faith in my streams I don't need the expensive program, right? It doesn't do any mandatory fiddling with streams themselves?

It does...what I don't know is if tsmuxer does too, that's why I recommend Scenarist

Originally Posted by trojanfoe

EDIT: found a patched version. What's the complete x264 command line please?

whichever you want, just have in mind the parameters I mentioned. You can also use megui blu-ray profiles

Example: good quality (some people call it "almost lossless") encoding

x264 --crf 18 --keyint 24 --min-keyint 1 --vbv-maxrate 38000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --nal-hrd --mvrange 511 --level 4.1 --bframe 3 --ref 3 --aud --sar 1:1 --fps 24000/1001 -o output.264 input

or even simpler:

x264 --crf 18 --keyint 24 --min-keyint 1 --vbv-maxrate 38000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --nal-hrd --mvrange 511 --level 4.1 --aud --sar 1:1 --fps 24000/1001 -o output.264 input

[trojanfoe]

Thanks Xoloco, that's chugging away now. I used the first command line, but had to put "1280x720" after the input file in order to make x264 happy.

[Nasgul]

Hi,

Nevertheless, several BD players play them

Have you tried this - if yes, on which players? I tried this method (it was mentioned on AVS some weeks ago) on several standalone players, and none of them played the discs.
Tried on: Sony BDP-S1, Panasonic BD10+BD30, Pioneer LX70A.

Only the PS3 plays them as AVCHD (this is correct, since TSRemux outputs an AVCHD structure - so it´s only a BD5/9 until you run it through Tsremux).

If you burn the scenarist output to DVD5/9, the resulting "real" BD5/9 will play in most standalone players (all above mentioned except the BD30), but not in the PS3.

I really love these bluray "standards"...


Has anyone found a possibility yet to create a disc that plays in BOTH standalone players AND the PS3?

Regards,
Nas

[tymoxa]

Originally Posted by Nasgul

Hi,

Has anyone found a possibility yet to create a disc that plays in BOTH standalone players AND the PS3?

Yes. Like i said earlier... read this carefuly, especially this part:

Now save your project and quit Scenarist. Go back to Windows Explorer and navigate into your Project folder and open the Project.xml file in Notepad. Go all the way to the bottom and find a setting called:

<CopyPermissionIndicator>3</CopyPermissionIndicator>

Change the 3 to a 0 (zero). This will prevent the disc from being flagged as encrypted. This is very important. If you do not perform this step your disc will NOT work.

After this you may delete AACS, CERTIFICATE (after muxing) and burn BDMV to DVD with UDF2.50.
This method works for me... and for BD-P1400, BDP-S300/BDP-S1, BDP-LX70a and of course - PS3.

[XolocoTuxmaster]

I had that link at bookmarks and last time I read it he said you have to turn the encryption off, but didn't say how. He must have edited...thanks for the warning

Have just tried it and yeah, encryption's out, but 1.80^ PS3s just read it if you change *.bdmv for the Nero ones. Can anyone confirm it plays too on stand alone players?

[Nasgul]

Thanks a lot, I will give that a try...