Setup to prepare HD-DVD for a Windows file server?

[Happysin]

Ok, I've looked through the site for the past few weeks, but I think I've only gotten more confused about how to convert HD-DVD into something I can put onto a file server.

I want to do one of two things, either have a monolithic ISO-type file I can mount and play on my HTPC, or better yet, a converted HD AVI-type container that can be played over an XBox 360 or other "thin client" media player.

I realize there is nothing like Handbrake that makes everything easy and one-stop, but I figure there's got to be a set of good practices of what is out there. So what is it? I have read what is on the site so far, but a lot of that seems really dated in regards to HD-DVD, so I'm asking now.

I have no problem buying retail software if I need to, I just don't want to waste money buying the wrong thing.

Thanks in advance!

P.S. I'm using an XBox 360 HD-DVD player through a Windows Vistax32 machine, or a Server 2008x64 machine for my work in this. (yes, they are fully licensed. Go go company VLKs that buy enough for "home testing")

[Blue_MiSfit]

Okay.

First, there's no such thing as "best" on this forum :)

That being said, welcome - and let's see if we can address your concerns.

So, it seems you want to take your HD-DVDs and archive them to single files, store them somewhere on a file server, and stream them on demand to your media center - be it an Xbox360 or whatever.

So, lets work backwards. You need to settle on what player you will be using, as the capabilities of this player will dictate how you create your backups.

I know the 360 can play H.264 video and AAC audio, but not AC3 audio IIRC. In that case, your best bet will be to backup each HD-DVD to an MP4 file containing H.264 video (encoded via x264), and AAC audio (encoded however you choose).

What you will absolutely need for this process:
1) SlySoft AnyDVD HD. This will decrypt the HD-DVD on the fly, and present un-encrypted files (EVOs are what we're after) that can be copied to a work drive using simple drag and drop.

2) Nero 7. Not 8. Not totally necessary, but it has very good audio decoder filters. HD-DVD usually uses E-AC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), and while there is a good open source decoder in libavcodec - it's not perfect yet AFAIK. Nero's E-AC3 decoder is perfect. So, this is optional but recomended!

So basically the idea is this (at least, this is how I do it):
A) Rip the main movie EVOs to your hard drive. They're going to be the larges files on the HD-DVD - usually totaling about 20 GB.

B) Use the fantastic eac3to program to do two things - demux the video, and remux it to an MKV file for easy reading - and decode the audio. Typically I encode straight to AC3, but if you're targeting the 360 you will need to convert to 2ch AAC. eac3to doesn't directly support AAC, but it will downmix to 2ch IIRC. You can then encode this audio to AAC using any one of the several AAC encoders

c) Setup an AviSynth script to load the video-only MKV that eac3to created. Filter if necessary, and encode to 1080p or 720p at no more than 10 megabit high profile level 4.1 using x264. I recommend MeGUI as it has a profile for the 360.

d) mux the resulting video with your AAC audio to an MP4. Done.

Ask questions. :D

~MiSfit

[Happysin]

I know the 360 can play H.264 video and AAC audio, but not AC3 audio IIRC. In that case, your best bet will be to backup each HD-DVD to an MP4 file containing H.264 video (encoded via x264), and AAC audio (encoded however you choose). True. I know that Handbrake lets you put AC3 and AAC files both, what process would I use to do that after getting both types of audio files?

Is there a better alternative I could use if I really want 5.1 on the 360? The 360 isn't a must. I have it, but I also will have an HTPC. i just like doing it through the 360.

1) SlySoft AnyDVD HD. This will decrypt the HD-DVD on the fly, and present un-encrypted files (EVOs are what we're after) that can be copied to a work drive using simple drag and drop. Will DVDFab HD Decrypter work, or is it too limited?

2) Nero 7. Not 8. Not totally necessary, but it has very good audio decoder filters. HD-DVD usually uses E-AC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), and while there is a good open source decoder in libavcodec - it's not perfect yet AFAIK. Nero's E-AC3 decoder is perfect. So, this is optional but recomended! Why not Nero 8? Also, doesn't Nero 7 have issues installing on Vista?

d) mux the resulting video with your AAC audio to an MP4. Done. Anything specific you would use to do this?

thanks a lot! :)

[Greif]

Is there a better alternative I could use if I really want 5.1 on the 360? The 360 isn't a must. I have it, but I also will have an HTPC. i just like doing it through the 360.
Go with your HTPC running XBMC, it will allow you to run many more formats & codecs

Will DVDFab HD Decrypter work, or is it too limited?
Not sure, personally I have only ever used AnyDVD HD

Why not Nero 8? Also, doesn't Nero 7 have issues installing on Vista?
Nero 8 does not allow sharing of its Directshow filters. Nero 7 runs fine on Vista.

Anything specific you would use to do this?
You can use mkvmerge to merge video/audio/subs/chapters/etc into an MKV container.

[Blue_MiSfit]

Bingo!

[Happysin]

Cool beans, thanks! I'll give it a shot when I get my new drives in.

[Happysin]

Ok, I'm ressurecting this thread, as I finally got my home server (stupid finances). I ended up going with Windows Home Server, as I liked its functionality, and whole computer backups.

A few new wrinkles to add, I'm now using Orb to do transcoding on the fly to anything that doesn't support high-end video/audio (so the 360 and my iPhone, mostly).

So, if I want to keep the best quality possible, what's my best choice? Ideally, I'd like to just keep the source file(s) uncompressed in a playable container, but ISOs aren't viable for Orb. Also, space isn't an issue. I've got 4TB and slots to spare.

I'm about to start working with eac3to, but I thought I'd ask for opinions again, before I go banana-hands all over my HD-DVD collection. (oh yah, and I did buy AnyDVD HD, thanks for that. :) )

[Happysin]

Update, eac3to is throwing the error:

Unfortunately the Haali Muxer cannot handle this source file.
It doesn't contain enough seek/recovery points.

Kinda stumped there. :/ The stuff I'm reading about the error is a bit more technical than I'm grasping, or doesn't seem to apply.

[setarip_old]

Hi!

Recently, a new program has appeared that may suit your needs.

"MakeMKV (presently freeware) will, in one step, both decrypt (no need for AnyDVD HD) and convert your HD-DVDs (and BluRays and standard DVDs) to .MKVs - without any change in video or audio quality...

[Happysin]

I tried that, but couldn't get any sound out of the end result. It does seem pretty close to exactly what I want, though.

[setarip_old]

I tried that, but couldn't get any sound out of the end resultI've converted literally dozens of HD-DVDs and BluRay discs without any such difficulty.

You might want to try it again (perhaps with other discs), as it's been updated several times in the last month or two...

[Happysin]

I just got the most recent version. I'm trying with another HD-DVD, just in case it's an issue with Clerks 2.

[Happysin]

Ok, I'm getting this error (and one other, but this is the one I get a lot) all over the place.

"VC-1 video stream without TFCNTR information is not supported, sorry. Few HD-DVDs use it anyway.
Failed to decode audio/video data for title #8 - invalid mux or internal error, title skipped."

Lots of different title numbers, and I've tried it on Clerks 2, Red Dragon and V for Vendetta. (all HD-DVD)

I've tried it directly from the HD-DVD drive and by ripping with AnyDVD HD and then pointing MakeMKV to said folder. No dice.

[setarip_old]

Sorry to hear that those HD-DVD conversions haven't worked for you. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the HD-DVDs you've mentioned.

You might want to post this information either (or both) in the "MakeMKV" thread in the "Decrypting sub-forum here and/or in the "MakeMKV" forum at:

www.makemkv.com

**EDIT** My apologies - Upon re-reading some of my older posts, it appears that I encountered the same VC-1-related HD-DVD problem...

[Happysin]

I've made a post at their forum right now. :) Thanks for the assist.

[setarip_old]

Thanks for the assist.It's our pleasure ;>}