putting a whole dvd with menus,chapters,subs to DivxMediaFormat with DivxMediaBuilder

[Kurtnoise]

Remove DivxMediaBuilder.ini file and relaunch the app.

[UserXP]

... or you can close DMB, open DivxMediaBuilder.ini in notepad and remove the lines

PropMenuX=...
PropMenuY=...
PropMenuWidth=...
PropMenuHeight=...

Save the file and open DMB again

[Dams]

UserXp : thxs for help, I saw that the rollover effect is done by making at least two buttons :D lol

Well, what is the minimun for frame number for menu ? Can we do menu with an AVI with 1 frame ?

[Talayero]

Amazing. Now it worked. Thanks.

I made the divx, but there's still a problem. Between the intro and the menu with buttons it appears a black image of two or three seconds. The audio doesn't interrupt and you can also see the layer for the first button, but the image is black for two or more seconds.

I have three menus (title, audio and chapters) in that project, all with an intro and in all of them that black background shows up.

I tried to make the intro and the movie with buttons from 0 to 300 and 300 to end frame, instead of 0 to 300 and 301 to end frame, but that changed nothing.

[UserXP]

@Dams as far as I can tell, must use an avi with 10 frames

@Talayero the problem must located to the frame 300 (its not a key frame).
Load your file to VirtualDub and hit the button with the key and right arrow (this will go you to the next key frame), until you found a keyframe > 300 (lets say 312).
Now, make the intro from 0 to 311 and the "real" menu from 312 to end.

[G_M_C]

I posted a “request” in the future-DivX-products thread, asking for some more advanced methods of DivX menu creation. I asked for a method of authoring a DivX-DVD, where the autoring has similar possibillities as DVDlab for instance.

Mtz replied my request saying that DivXMediaBuilder (DxMB) allready has the features I was looking for. But reading through this topic hasn’t convinced me that it is possible to do what i want, because what I want to do compares to to Episode DVD's with multiple VTS' and 1 menu.

Currently my project is a composition that spans a complete DVD. It consists of 3 AVI's of 1,3 Gb (the episodes) and 3 AVI's of 125 Mb (the 10 minute extra's of each episode).

The episodes are encoded @ 3700 kbps DivX + 224 kbps MP3; the extra's are encoded @ 1750 kbps DivX + 192 kbps MP3.

I could steal a some bitrate from the main features (or from the audio of the episodes for instance) to make room for the menu's, or i could expand the “DivX-DVD” to DVD-9 format, making menu’s and adding 1 or 2 episodes + extras.

If possible i would like to make menus comparable to menus on the Episode DVD’s found in retail, for instance;

1) Play only the 3 episodes in a row
2) Play the episodes and the extra's in correct order
3) Select each part seperately, and return to menu after.
etc.

and maybe add some add some subtitles and/or other languages (multiple audio-tracks), and those have to be selected too ....

Is it possible to do such a thing with DxMB atm ?

But on the other side of the question: Is there another way to create such a DVD, without having to register on the DivX-site ? Preferably with some Open Source sofware-suite ?

[LordIntruder]

Hi,


I've just noticed that AC3 causes some sound trouble. My menu when played with DivxPlayer have no sound. When I click my "Movie" button, the movie start but no sound either (movie and menu are both with AC3). Divx 6.4 latest version on my machine, registered, XP Pro SP2.

When I play the same .divx with Windows Media Player 9, I hear the sound this time. When I click the "movie" button, the movie start but with colours artefacts everywhere. Green colours at the top. Awful :(

Now when I use mp3 instead, the sound is here and everything is ok with Divx Player. However with WMP 9, the sound menu is ok, but when I click on my "movie" button to launch the main title: artefacts and green colours on the top.

AC3 is directly from the dvd, I didn't modified it.

Ever noticed that problem?

I use DMB 2.2.0. Here is my mp3 test menu (9Mb) that play well with DivxPlayer but with WMP9:

http://files.to/get/265575/33743/essai.divx

I don't know if this is DMB that causes that or my system that do not like .divx ;)

Oh by the way: menu and movie do not have the same resolution.

Movie = 720x544
Menu = 720x528

[UserXP]

@G_M_C, no you can not play many different files at a row. This is a limitation of DivXMediaFormat (I want too to add this feature).
You can play one file and return to menu after.
You can add audio/subtitles tracks and create a menu to select the one you want.

As far as I know you can not create such a DVD (limitation of DivXMediaFormat) and no others apps exist to do similar job.

@LordIntruder, just download your file. Is playable with DivX Player and WMP.
I made a menu with Dolby AC3 sound and is working ok in my system. I can not tell where is the problem.

[After your edit]
Menu and movie with different resolution and still the file is playable.

[G_M_C]

@G_M_C, no you can not play many different files at a row. This is a limitation of DivXMediaFormat (I want too to add this feature).
You can play one file and return to menu after.
You can add audio/subtitles tracks and create a menu to select the one you want.

As far as I know you can not create such a DVD (limitation of DivXMediaFormat) and no others apps exist to do similar job.
[...]


Thx for you answer, i'll keep reading the updates in this thread and hope for the requested features :)

[Dams]

Hi all,

I've not read all the post, but I've got a problem of resolution :
I was thinking the needeed resolution of picture in order to make a 'avi compliant file' for a menu is 720*576 but the result with DMB is 672*496

The picture is cropped in the AVI file produced and resized ?
What should I choose for picture resolution ?

[UserXP]

Strange. Try this version
http://userxp.tripod.com/divxmediabuilderexe.zip
(copy and paste)

You can use any resolution, but
1. image size must not be more than 720x576 pixels
2. width and height must be a multiple of 4

[Dams]

Strange. Try this version
http://userxp.tripod.com/divxmediabuilderexe.zip
(copy and paste)

You can use any resolution, but
1. image size must not be more than 720x576 pixels
2. width and height must be a multiple of 4

But you confirm to me if I put a picture of 720*576, I will got an AVI file of 720*576 for a menu ?

[Dams]

File is not available :(

[UserXP]

Try latest version using VirtualDubMod

8.11.2006 (version 2.3.0 is out)
<> Support to create menu from picture using VirtualDubMod. Users that have problems with cli.exe, now can use VirtualDubMod to create valid menus from pictures. You can select the method at dialog Options - Menu tab.
<> Added 2 more properties ("startFrame" and "endFrame") at "Menu Properties" window.
<> fps when creating menu from picture are same as the last movie/title loaded.
<> Bug fixes.

[Dams]

Thxs @UserXP :) It works now, no problem of resolution for menu.

I've got one more question : is the overlay format (BMP 4 bit) is a limitation of Divx file format or a limitation of DMB ?

Because I've got difficulties to make good overlay (stroke/contour over text), and I would have BMP 16 bit at least to have nice gradient

[LordIntruder]

@LordIntruder, just download your file. Is playable with DivX Player and WMP.


Ok thanks very much for info. I really don't know what causes that. I upgraded to WMP10 and same behaviour. I always install the minimum, no codecs pack or stuff like that. The first time I see that on my machine.

So if I can find the reason, I'll tell you here. :)

[UserXP]

@LordIntruder, this is happened to all videos with AC3 sound? Upload somewhere a small clip and a menu with AC3 sound to try make it a divx file at my system.

@Dams, 4 bit for oberlay bmp is a limitation of DivXMediaFormat. But you can create very good overlays (of course no gradient).

[Dams]

@Dams, 4 bit for oberlay bmp is a limitation of DivXMediaFormat. But you can create very good overlays (of course no gradient).


How you make very good overlay ? :helpful:

[UserXP]

You can create similar overlays as DVDs. Of course you can not create anything you want.
You have 3 colors to use (and 1 the blue transparent background). Check a little the "* Create from picture *" overlay and the overlays that comes with the program.

[Dams]

Yeah, I've already try Create from picture, but the conversion of JPEG File to BMP 4 bit with 3 color, and transparent (blue) color is not so "sweet".

I've try to convert by myself my JPEG file with Paint in BMP 4 bit, but the result in Divx File is that the overlay is not correctly streched (instead of DMB where is correctly displayed).

So , is there any limitation in the choice of color ?
The format of BMP 4 bit you generate with DMB is specific ?

[Dams]

Look a this :

It seems DMB is not streched correctly the overlay , even if I specified the right pos/size in the button before, the overlay is a little bigger (look a the picture, the first letter and the last letter of LECTURE)

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1328/snapxu4.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapxu4.jpg)

[LordIntruder]

@LordIntruder, this is happened to all videos with AC3 sound? Upload somewhere a small clip and a menu with AC3 sound to try make it a divx file at my system.


Hi,


The problem is somewhere else because I got problem even with mp3 that causes me artefacts in the video.

[UserXP]

@Dams
Overlay bitmaps, support only 4 (well, actually only 3) colors.
4-bit bitmaps can have maximum 16 colors. In our case we use only the 4 first colors.
<> The first color in the palette is the transparent color (for us the blue color).
<> The 2-4 color are the colors that we can use in our overlay (bitmap)

Also check this page
http://userxp.tripod.com/how_to_create_overlays.htm

The default position/size for overlays is 6 pixels around the button. I mean if the button is at pos (46, 60) with size 100x50 the overlay is at pos (40, 54) with size 112x62.

I upload a new version where you can select the default overlay pos/size

[Dams]

Good news !! It will help my work.

For bitmap format, you said you use only 4 colors, it means in divxmediaformat it can accept up to 16 colors or not ?

[UserXP]

No, the 4 colors is a limitation of DivXMediaFormat.

[Dams]

ok , so when will you upload your new version ;) ?

[UserXP]

New version was all ready up

[Mtz]

Thanks for the new version.
Tested the picture to avi with VirtualDubMod. Is working.
Sugestions:
- for the number of buttons in the menu to use another color, not this actual red, because red is used in many menus. What do you think about the green-fluorescent?
- you said that are problems if not used key-frames. Can you add the function to jump to a key-frame?

Questions:
- can be the size of the final .divx bigger than 2 GB? I want to burn the movie on a DVD to see it on standalone.
- when creating avi from picture I saw the fps is 25. Can be a problem if the main movie is 23.976 fps and the menu is 25 fps?

enjoy,
Mtz

[UserXP]

13.11.2006 (version 2.4.0 is out)
<> Added support for locating key frames. Key frames are used when creating chapters (a chapter must begin with a key frame) and when we have intro + menu.
For chapters: The 2 methods "Every minutes" and "Exactly ... chapters" start a chapter from a key frame. For the "Manually" method you can use the Shift+Enter key at the "End frame" text box and program will set this box to the next key frame - 1, so the next chapter will start from a key frame.
For intro + menu: At the "New menu" dialog you can use the "Next key frame" button to locate a valid key frame for the menu to start.
<> A new option at dialog "New menu" to select the frames per second for the movie created from a picture.
<> A new option at dialog Options to select the fore color for buttons.
<> Bug fixes.
* For language creator users: Update the txtEndFrame_TooltipText at frmChap_Design node.


@Mtz,
Must be ok now with fore color for buttons and with key frames.
As far as I can tell final .divx file can not be bigger than 2 GB.
Normally if the main movie is 23.976 fps the menu created from picture must be also 23.976 fps (no probelm if not). Any way I add the option to set the fps manually.

[Kurtnoise]

DivxMux doesn't check automatically keyframes for chapters ?

[UserXP]

Yes, that is correct. DivxMux change the start frame for a chapter if is not a key frame.

[LordIntruder]

Hello :)

@UserXP: as you can see on that small thread:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=116934

is it possible to demux a .divx file and get back the original sources (the video and audio of movie or episodes, maybe images or video+audio of menu) ?

If this is possible, it would be great to add such a demux option in DMB.

Thanks.

[UserXP]

As far as I know there is not possible to demux a divx file and get back all features.
I will try to do an app for this but I am not promise anything.

[ripernh]

2GB de limite!! isso ñ tem como ser superado

[jggimi]

ripernh

Tradução automática:

"13) A língua oficial é inglês. Fora do forum do tradutor o inglês é a única língua permitida."

---------------------------

My apologies to those who do not read Portuguese. Neither do I. I used an automatic translator to inform ripernh of Rule #13.

[UserXP]

24.11.2006 (version 2.7.0 is out)
<> Added support to create visual menus for chapters. After you create chapter for a title, use the menu Tools - "Menu for chapters with preview...". A new dialog will pop up that is self explained. If chapters are more than a page you can use the "<<" and ">>" buttons to navigate. If there are more than one pages, after hitting the Create button and give a name to menu, program will name the other menus/pages using the same name with a number at the end. Of course all buttons has the correct actions (leftAction, rightAction, selectAction), except the "Main menu" button. You must manually set the selectAction for that button.
<> Small change at the order of nodes in xml file.
<> Bug fixes.

[dwallersv]

Joining the party late... this is a really cool app! Thanks UserXP!!

A few things I haven't been able to figure out:

Is there a way to specify an "end action" for a title? I see this param for menus, but can't find any way to do it for a title. What I'd like to be able to do is chain a set of titles together so they can either be accessed individually through a button for each on a menu, or a "Play All" button can be pressed that starts with the first, and then at the end of each title the next one automatically starts. Ideally I can specify a chapter entry-point as well, and an "override" if the title is launched from it's individual button so the default end-action (next title in the chain) can be over-ridden to return instead to the menu.

If none of this is supported in DivxMediaBuilder but can be implemented by directly editing the xml, no problem. Just need to know how. Is there Playlist support? That's one potential solution...


How do I burn my .divx file on a DVD so it auto-plays, like a regular, MPEG2 DVD? I've burned my .divx file onto a regular data DVD disc, and that works okay when I put it in my Divx compatible DVD player, but it comes up with the generic "filesystem" menu where I have to select the divx file, and then I get the menu system (like a regular DVD). How do I create the DVD so it plays immediately?

[dwallersv]

Joining the party late... this is a really cool app! Thanks UserXP!!

A few things I haven't been able to figure out:

Is there a way to specify an "end action" for a title? I see this param for menus, but can't find any way to do it for a title. What I'd like to be able to do is chain a set of titles together so they can either be accessed individually through a button for each on a menu, or a "Play All" button can be pressed that starts with the first, and then at the end of each title the next one automatically starts. Ideally I can specify a chapter entry-point as well, and an "override" if the title is launched from it's individual button so the default end-action (next title in the chain) can be over-ridden to return instead to the menu.

If none of this is supported in DivxMediaBuilder but can be implemented by directly editing the xml, no problem. Just need to know how. Is there Playlist support? That's one potential solution...


How do I burn my .divx file on a DVD so it auto-plays, like a regular, MPEG2 DVD? I've burned my .divx file onto a regular data DVD disc, and that works okay when I put it in my Divx compatible DVD player, but it comes up with the generic "filesystem" menu where I have to select the divx file, and then I get the menu system (like a regular DVD). How do I create the DVD so it plays immediately?


Apologies, I should have searched harder... just saw this post by UserXP (http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=897277&postcount=109), which I think answers my question #1 above: NO. Bummer.

So for those of you that still want to do this (G M C and UserXP come to mind :D ), there is an awkward workaround: Concatenate all the seperate titles into one single, continuous media stream, then use chapters to link to the individual titles "inside". Point to these with menu buttons.

I think you can concatenate several files together with VirtualDub(Mod) without having to recompress -- just use DirectStreamCopy. I'll try it out and report back -- if someone doesn't answer before me!

Still would like to know about burning that "autostart" DVD...

[UserXP]

No dwallersv, we can not have a "Play All" or use a Playlist.
As for the workaround with "chapters", is a solution but we can not play only one "chapter/title". After playing the one we want the player will continue to next "chapter/title".

I don't know any workaround for auto start a divx file. Perhaps there are apps to do this job.

[dwallersv]

No dwallersv, we can not have a "Play All" or use a Playlist.
As for the workaround with "chapters", is a solution but we can not play only one "chapter/title". After playing the one we want the player will continue to next "chapter/title".Yeah, that's the downside. Still, it's a way to get part way to the "play all" vs. access directly to individual titles. Just gotta press the Menu button when an accessed title ends :D

I don't know any workaround for auto start a divx file. Perhaps there are apps to do this job.

I'm new to DivX as a media format... been using Xvid for a while as a compression technology for archival and storage.

I thought part of the DivX media strategy was purchase of DVDs at really low cost (even free), then the real revenue stream comes from purchasing viewing rights separately (on-line, over the phone, etc.) when one wanted to view the locked material.

The merits (or lack thereof) of this business model, I assumed this meant that a DivX DVD would play just like a regular DVD when put in a DivX certified player. Anyone (especially the DivX guys -- you're lurking around here, right?) know the facts about this? If so, what's the disk format? Apparently not just a UDF102 filesystem with a .divx file on it :D

UserXP, thanks for responding, and again thanls for such a totally cool application that sets us free!

[dwallersv]

@UserXP

While everyone else is haranguing you with enhancement requests, here's another one: The ability to use the different chapter creation features together with "awareness" of the chapter points already created.

Here's what I'd like to do: Use the "Create chapters every X minutes" (I usually use the 5 minute default), then switch to creating some additional chapter points manually (like finding the end of the "previously on <show>" intro segment, and placing a chapter mark there). An option to have the program automatically renumber/rename the chapter points as additional ones are inserted would be cool.

Also, having the whole chapter creation process be "self-aware" each time it is re-entered -- i.e., the existing chapter points are listed in the the chapter listing box in the dialog every time you come back to it -- would be great.

[Mtz]

I don't know any workaround for auto start a divx file. Perhaps there are apps to do this job.
Only modifying the firmware of the player is possible the autostart of divx files. I saw this option in some old player (DK Digital if I remember correctly) which was available for avi files. I don't know how to implement this functions in firmwares, but some users don't like this option. For example if you have 3 divx files on a DVD, always the first .divx will start, and maybe you don't want it.

enjoy,
Mtz

[UserXP]

28.11.2006 (version 2.7.5 is out)
<> Added support to edit existing chapters when manually creating them. At dialog "Create chapter for title", after selecting a title and if there are chapters for this title, will loaded at the list and you can insert, delete or edit these chapters.
<> When creating visual menus for chapters, program remember the positions of the preview frames when changing pages. Also, if you double click at a preview frame, you can edit the related text for this preview frame.
<> Bug fixes.
For language creator uses: update the Command7 at frmChap_Design node.

[weaver4]

When I start DivXMediaBuilder all I get are dialog boxes that say: "Can't create AutoRedraw image". I get about 42 of these after I close them one at a time the application starts without any images on the buttons. After that nothing works right. I am using version 2.7.5

[UserXP]

@weaver4, download this file
http://userxp.belchfire.net/comctl32.zip
and do what it tells in the read me file.

[dlflannery]

Thanks UserXP - fantastic program!!!

For a multiple-title project, I assume the resolution has to be the same for all titles, correct? How about bit rate?

If I understand correctly from previous posts, a menu video created from a still image (using VirtualDubMod) will be sized to resolution to match the titles, correct?

What causes the 2 GB output file size limit?

[UserXP]

7.12.2006 (version 3.0.0 is out)
<> Added rulers (in pixels) when previewing a menu. Clicking in rulers will create vertical and horizontal guide lines. When moving a button near to a guide line (at 7 pixels) the button will snap to this line. Color for guide lines can be set at dialog Options.
<> Added support to create motion menus for chapters. At dialog "Menu for chapters with preview" you can set the seconds you want the menu will be. Program will get as frames as needed, create the pictures and finally create the menu movie from these pictures. This can take some time. Also can be set a background image for this menu, just click the button Background.
<> A new overlay named "movie" that is good for the above feature.

@dlflannery,
no, multiple titles can have different resolution. Same for menu from image.
About 2 (or 4) BG limit, check this page
http://forums.divx.com/forum/viewTopic.php?id=907

[dlflannery]

@UserXP. Thanks - I read the thread on DivX file size limits.

As I understand it:
1. DivXMediaBuilder can create files up to 4 GB.
2. The Philips DVP5960 DVD player (which I will soon have) will probably only play files up to 2GB long.

Does this seem correct?

[dlflannery]

I think I got part of the answer already. I submitted the question of what is the maximum file size that can be played on the Philips 5960 to DivX support. Here is their answer:
We have certified up to 4GB files with no problems. Our lab has tested 3.5GB and 4GB files and they played ok.

If DMB can produce files that large, they should play on this SAP.

[sawyer]

hi every time i start DivXMediaBuilder i get "Can't create AutoRedraw image". error i downloaded comctl32.zip and followed the instructions but the error still keeps comming
up any help appreciated

thanks sawyer