HD-DVD / Blu-Ray to 720p 3x DVD(s) Playable on Toshiba (X)A2 HD-DVD Standalones

[quantum]

3x DVD is an HD-DVD burned on a regular DVD blank
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3X_DVD#3x_DVD

This was inspired by Pitou's excellent guide. This will focus on:
1) Working with 720p (personally, I don't think 3x DVD bitrate supports 1080p unless you use 2 DVD9's)
2) Allow playback on the HD-A2 and HD-XA2
3) Use Blu-Ray as well as HD-DVD sources

SOFTWARE
graphedit (http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/Filters/graphedit.rar)
x264 (http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/SupportUtils/Avisynth_257.exe"Avisynth 2.5.7[/URL]

[URL="http://sourceforge.net/projects/wavi-avi2wav)
Sox (http://sourceforge.net/projects/sox/)
Scenarist ACA
Tranzcode 0.40 beta (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=93926)
delaycut 1.2.1.2 (jsoto) (http://jsoto.posunplugged.com/audiotools.htm)

CREATE AND TEST DIRECTSHOW GRAPH AND AVS
Note: If you have an mpeg2 source (probably blu-ray), you can use DGMPGDec instead of a directshow graph
Note: You don't need to demux video from the EVO or M2TS

1) Create Graph using graphedit
For h264 (usually Blu-Ray):
File1.M2TS->Haali Media Splitter->CoreAVC Video Decoder (or use Sonic)

For VC1:
File1.EVO->Haali Media Splitter->WMVideo Decoder DMO

2) Create AVS
Note: If original has two files (HD-DVD), decide if you want 2 DVD5's (recommended) or 1 DVD9. I have had no luck in splitting large single file blu-ray sources.

Single source:
DirectShowSource("vid1.grf",fps=23.976,audio=false)
LanczosResize(1280,720)
converttoyv12()

Multiple source:
DirectShowSource("vid1.grf",fps=23.976,audio=false)+DirectShowSource("vid2.grf",fps=23.976,audio=false)
LanczosResize(1280,720)
converttoyv12()

3) Test AVS in Virtualdub or Media Player Classic

CALCULATE BITRATE
This works well. You can download it locally:
[url]http://www.videohelp.com/calc.htm

ENCODE VIDEO (2 pass)
Note: I use a batch file, replace %bit_rate%, %max_rate%, %file_in%, and %file_out% with your own values. I usually use 12000 as %max_rate%. Don't arbitrarily change values such as keyint, min-keyint, or ref unless you know what you're doing. Different settings can cause hard to troubleshoot problems such as audio sync issues.

x264.exe --pass 1 --stats "x264_stat.log" --threads auto --keyint 12 --min-keyint 4 --vbv-maxrate %max_rate% --bitrate %bit_rate% --aq-strength 0.6 --aq-sensitivity 5 --vbv-bufsize 14811 --mvrange 511 --level 4.1 --bframe 2 --ref 3 --me "dia" --subme 1 --sar 1:1 --no-cabac --nf --no-psnr --no-ssim --progress -o NUL %file_in%

x264.exe --pass 2 --stats "x264_stat.log" --threads auto --keyint 12 --min-keyint 4 --vbv-maxrate %max_rate% --bitrate %bit_rate% --aq-strength 0.6 --aq-sensitivity 5 --vbv-bufsize 14811 --mvrange 511 --level 4.1 --bframe 2 --bime --weightb --ref 3 --mixed-refs --direct auto --deblock 0:0 --me "hex" --subme 5 --aud --sar 1:1 --no-psnr --no-ssim --non-deterministic --progress -o %file_out% %file_in%


DEMUX AUDIO
Use EVODemux, TSRemux, or xport to demux audio stream. If using EVODemux, pay attention to options->continue with second evo. If target is two DVD5's, uncheck this option.

If audio is LPCM blu-ray, use xport to demux. TSremux didn't work for me.
xport 00001.m2ts -h 1 0 2
The last number is the number of the audio stream. Use TSRemux to figure out the number.

ENCODE DTS-HD or LPCM AUDIO to 448 AC3 (if desired)
If the audio is LPCM, convert to multichannel WAV with sox:
sox -B -r48000 -t .raw -c 6 -2 -s aud1.lpcm aud1.wav

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1026311#post1026311
Demux audio to 6 mono WAVs using Tranzcode
tranzcode aud1.dts or
tranzcode aud1.wav

2) Make AVS
fl = WavSource("aud1-FL.wav")
fr = WavSource("aud1-FR.wav")
fc = WavSource("aud1-C.wav")
lf = WavSource("aud1-LFE.wav")
sl = WavSource("aud1-SL.wav")
sr = WavSource("aud1-SR.wav")
MergeChannels(fl, fr, fc, lf, sl, sr)

3) Encode with aften
"Wavi.exe" "aud1.avs" - | "Aften.exe" -pad 0 -readtoeof 1 -b 448 - "aud1.ac3"

AUDIO SYNC PROBLEMS
If the delay is consistent, take out your calculator and read this.
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1001996#post1001996
Using delaycut can be confusing but it works. I may add more detail later. This is a mini procedure in itself.

If the delay is not consistent, then it's more trouble. Behappy may be used to stretch audio.

ADD PULLDOWN
1) Apply pulldown after the encode using h264info. Check 3:2 pulldown and enter 29.97.

BUILD USING SCENARIST ACA
Note: If audio was not reencoded to AC3, ensure audio file extension is EC3 so Scenarist will recognize it. You may have no choice but to reencode audio. Scenarist will not directly take many streams.

1) Import audio and pulldown video into Scenarist and build.

BURN WITH NERO (tested with Nero 7.5.9.0)
Note: Test with PowerDVD before burning to verify audio is in sync
Note: As far as I know, only Nero works. Imgburn has not worked for me.
Note: If using DVD+R media and your burner insists on setting booktype to DVD-ROM (Pioneers), you must use another burner that allows setting booktype to the physical disk type. If using DVD-R media, it's not an issue. Once again, booktype must NOT be DVD-ROM. Yes, I know, this is the opposite of conventional wisdom.

1) Choose DVD-ROM (UDF) compilation
2) No Multisession
3) UDF tab - Enable Xbox (TM) compatibility mode
4) Add ADV_OBJ and HDDVD_TS folders to the compilation
5) If using DVD+R media, ensure book type setting is "physical disk type" in recorder options, not DVD-ROM. (burner must support this)

[quantum]

reserved

[Sagittaire]

GOP must be at 14. 12 frames is really too short and bad for codec efficiency. For example with 14 for max GOP total size for IFrame will be at ~25%. If you choose lower GOP total size for Iframe will be higher.

Moreover 720p with x264 for DVD9 is completely uselless. It will be better to use 1080p for DVD9. 6-8 Mbps for 1080p with x264 make really good quality if you choose good filtering for avs script and good setting for x264.

[quantum]

GOP must be at 14. 12 frames is really too short and bad for codec efficiency. For example with 14 for max GOP total size for IFrame will be at ~25%. If you choose lower GOP total size for Iframe will be higher.I agree the larger GOP is better in terms of the codec efficiency, but I had intermittent audio sync problems that were fixed by lowering keyint and raising min-keyint. It doesn't matter how efficient it is if it doesn't stay in sync and play on the standalone (that is my objective).

Moreover 720p with x264 for DVD9 is completely uselless. It will be better to use 1080p for DVD9. 6-8 Mbps for 1080p with x264 make really good quality if you choose good filtering for avs script and good setting for x264.I have a 720p projector and a 720p LCD TV. Additionally, I see more compression artifacts if I encode 1080p at ~7000 Mbps, so my preference is 720p. It also encodes much faster. If you want 1080p, just remove:
LanczosResize(1280,720)
From the AVS.

[a1677c]

I concur with Quantum. 6 Mbps won't look as good @ 1080p; however it will at 720p. I'm using a 1080p 46" & 1 DVD 5 or 1 DVD 9 if the movie runs longer than 95 min. This is from Blu-ray to mp4 avc/x264. I'm not using your method but instead I am using Recode to do the job by doing a few steps usually with Tsremux to get Recode to accept the file if it will not accept already. Here are screen shots of KOH @ 720p with an average of 6 Mbps http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=127488

Sorry to jump in here but I'd like to see more development from HD/Blu-ray to DVD using x264. I mean if we can get these kinds of results on DVD. Then I think it would be well worth the effort you guys are putting into this.

[bourke]

Some 1080p Blu-ray movies are encoded at 14Mbps MPEG-2! (e.g. Sony's Into the Blue) So these would lose almost no quality at 7 to 8 Mbps AVC :-)

Also, since both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 support AVC file playback, is there an easy way to mux the streams into one file instead of requiring Scenarist to format is as a HD DVD?

Also, both the Xbox 360 and PS3 support DTS pass-through, so I would recommend 768Mbps DTS over AC3 any day - the quality improvement is amazing (a far greater jump in quality than from DTS to TrueHD).

[Pitou]

quantum,

Thanks for the excellent guide! I'll try some 720p encode soon!

Pitou!

[Chefkoch_ico]

Hi!

With Scenarist SCA 4.11 it does not work. The File is not accepted. Its only accepted, when I do pulldown to 59.94 fps, but in this case, it plays in 2x speed.

Greetings

[Icemaan]

I have test it and Scenarist Sca import the file correct.
MpPlayer plays the h264 File play well but after demux with Scenarist to Hd the File play not correct same as one Diashow. Not know what must do more.
Any Idea

icemaan

[Chefkoch_ico]

Hi!

Ive tested this but ran in a problem.

The ACA finished build does not run in PowerDVD. It tries to run, but stops immediatly.

SCA authored and built works flawlessly in PowerDVD (but it does not.

Maybe its because I want movie only. But if I set the title to First Play, on Build it complains I need to have at least one additional title besides the first play one.

Can I come around this somehow?

Greetings