HELP - Creating a Blu-ray Disk

[paulspurrier]

I've been professionally authoring standard DVDs for years now, and I thought I was pretty good at this kind of stuff, but I'm finding the creation of a Blu-Ray disk incredibly complex.

And now I've hit a roadblock.

I used a Blu-ray profile in Megui to create an MP4 file.

It took a long while, but it's done, and it looks great.

I then needed to put it through the MUI Generator of Scenarist.

I selected the format as MPEG4-AVC

However, when trying to load the file, I could see that the options given only included files with extension .avc or .bsf whatever that is.

My file is a .mp4

However, by selecting "All files *.* " I was able to get the file to load in.

I left it to do its thing, but the next morning, I found an error message:

Invalid vui_parameters_present_flag value = 0


I have tried looking this up on google but get few results.

Is there a problem with the encoding?
Or is it because I was loading from MP4 container.

Hoping the latter, I used YAMB to create a .h264 stream
But of course MUI Generator doesn't see that extension either.
I renamed the .h264 file to .avc but it doesn't like that at all, simply saying "Error".

Then I thought that maybe I should re-encode using Megui, outputting in RAWAVC

I had a bright idea.

I had done a 3-pass encoding in Megui.
I could go to the queue, select the 3rd pass, load back into Megui, so I could ensure that all settings were the same, then redo only the third pass.

But the 'load' button doesn't work.


My questions are therefore:

1. Will MUI Generator load an MP4 file (provided it's created with blu-ray profile setting), or does it have to be a raw avc file?

2. What is the vui_parameters error, and is it a fault in my encoding?

3. If it's just a flag error, can I change the flag?

4. Can .h264 files simply be renamed to .avc , or is there another conversion process?

5. Why doesn't the 'load' button work in Megui queue page?


6. Is there a utility that will analyse the MP4 or AVC files, print out the header information, and allow me to compare that to a blu-ray standard to see whether it is truly compatible?

Thanks a lot.

Paul

[Willyfan]

Hi Paul,
I'm a Italian professional author for DVD and bluray, too.
We are using Scenarist (as you, I guess) for bluray. Actually, we encode our video in VC1, but I want to try to use h264 with x264.
As for your request, you need to encode a RAWAVC in order to import in to scenarist. But the big problem we have is a compliant problem: bluray need (for 4.1 level encoding) more than 4 slices for frame. Actually x264 DON'T support slice, so it is impossible to import a x264 coded file in Scenarist. I'm trying to apply a old patch and re-compile x264 to add the 4 sleces needed, but I'm not ready.
Regards

William

[toboda]

Hi Paulspurrier,

to make things short:

If you trying to get your disc replicated and if you want to use avc lvl 4.1 you'll have to use a different encoder than
x264.

x264 doen't support slicing, which is mandatory for bluray
avc content at lvl4.1 and there seem to be problems with the NAL.
I must stress one thing, though. The replication plant, I sent my test-encode to, reported 2 video stream errors.
The verifier did not rate these as "abort conditions". It's very
likely that although the file is not BR compliant it would work on most players (as do the encodes I burned to a disc).
But that's where you'll hit the final wall. "Should work" is
just not enough for a professional production.

ATM I'm evaluating MainConcept Encoder and Inlets Fathom.
Both give me problems and picture quality isn't as good as with
x264 (perhaps that is due to slicing enabled?)

To your questions:

1) Just select raw output in megui and you'll get a .264 file
that Scenerist will be all happy about
2) The problem will go away if you output to raw from megui.
I got the same errors when demuliplexing raw streams from
mp4 files and then feeding it to Scenerist
3) same as 2
4) No need to rename them. Scenerist is happy with .264
5) no idea

Greetz

@willyfan: sorry didn't noticed your reply. Everything's already there...
Could you let us know, how your progess is with the older version, that supports slicing?
Thanks alot

[Golgot13]

Hi,

about BD preset on x264: see the Sagitaire's post (it need a specific version of x264
to have a compliant vbv).

about "Invalid vui_parameters_present_flag value = 0": if you are sure about your stream compliancy
you can use the nice program h264info.exe from Trahald (nice job) to correct all flag which permit to import
the stream on all authoring software from Sony BD SDK muxer (BluPrint, Scenarist BD, DVDit, Premiere...).

@Willyfan:
You use VC1 codec on BD: I surprise !!!
VC1 don't give better result than H264, and H264 professional encoder are cheap than VC1...

- PeP/CinevisionPSE, the best VC1 encoder, has only a advantage: Video Preprocess
(but you need to know how to use it).
- VC1 core encoder don't give better quality than H264 professional encoder (use on authoring studio).


Regards

[audyovydeo]

Invalid vui_parameters_present_flag value = 0




Maybe scenarist wanted to find any such parameters set in the stream (x264 --longhelp) ?


Usability Info (Annex E):
The VUI settings are not used by the encoder but are merely suggestions to
the playback equipment. See doc/vui.txt for details. Use at your own risk.

--overscan <string> Specify crop overscan setting ["undef"]
- undef, show, crop
--videoformat <string> Specify video format ["undef"]
- component, pal, ntsc, secam, mac, undef
--fullrange <string> Specify full range samples setting ["off"]
- off, on
--colorprim <string> Specify color primaries ["undef"]
- undef, bt709, bt470m, bt470bg
smpte170m, smpte240m, film
--transfer <string> Specify transfer characteristics ["undef"]
- undef, bt709, bt470m, bt470bg, linear,
log100, log316, smpte170m, smpte240m
--colormatrix <string> Specify color matrix setting ["undef"]
- undef, bt709, fcc, bt470bg
smpte170m, smpte240m, GBR, YCgCo
--chromaloc <integer> Specify chroma sample location (0 to 5) [0]

[Dark Shikari]

If you trying to get your disc replicated and if you want to use avc lvl 4.1 you'll have to use a different encoder than x264.Or you can use the slicing patch on the mailing list. Personally, I'd prefer that to crippling my quality with a crappy encoder.ATM I'm evaluating MainConcept Encoder and Inlets Fathom.
Both give me problems and picture quality isn't as good as with
x264 (perhaps that is due to slicing enabled?)The penalty for slicing on such a large frame is small (<1%). Mainconcept just is not a very good encoder. If you need a software solution that supports slicing and isn't x264, you'd be better off with Ateme. It's still not that good though (their software core is rather old and far behind their current hardware).

[Sagittaire]

http://skystrife.com/x264/x264.1046M.exe

@REM -----------------------------------------------------------
@REM
@REM Profil BluRay 1080p23.976 extra high quality
@REM
@REM -----------------------------------------------------------


@REM Source file name (suffit de mettre la source ici)
set E_SRC=HDDVD-ntsc.avs

@REM Set of quality (ici la qualité 1-50)
set E_BR=20.0

@REM Set of max bitrate (ici le bitrate max)
set MAX_BR=40000

@REM Set of Buffer (ici le buffer)
set BUF_BR=30000

@REM Set credit (frame de début du générique)
set CRE_FR=201560

@REM Set end credit (frame de fin du générique)
set END_FR=207442



@REM Profil

x264.exe --threads auto --thread-input --keyint 24 --min-keyint 1 --crf %E_BR% --vbv-maxrate %MAX_BR% --vbv-bufsize %BUF_BR% --mvrange 511
--level 4.1 --bframe 2 --weightb --ref 3 --mixed-refs --direct auto --deblock -2:-2 --ipratio 1.10 --pbratio 1.10 --partitions "all" --8x8dct
--me "umh" --subme 9 --trellis 2 --no-fast-pskip --no-dct-decimate --aud --nal-hrd --sar 1:1 --psy-rd 1.0:0.0 --aq-strength 0.50 --aq-mode 1
--zone %CRE_FR%,%END_FR%,b=0.33 --progress --pass 1 --stats "stat.log" -o 1080p_Q1.264 %E_SRC%

pause

[Willyfan]

Hi,
You use VC1 codec on BD: I surprise !!!
VC1 don't give better result than H264, and H264 professional encoder are cheap than VC1...
Regards

We start more than one yars ago with HDDVD and bluray authoring, using microsoft vc1 encoder. After the death of HDDVD we are written a our VC1 encoder using mainconcept sdk. The encoding is very good, not very different from mainconcept (and derivated like sonic cinevision and so on) H264. I think that x264 can be better, and I want to use this, but there is a lot of compliance problem. Evry help about this matter will be appreciated, actually I'm working with a patch for add slices support in x264.
William

[Willyfan]

http://skystrife.com/x264/x264.1046M.exe


I'm sorry, is this the last regoular build, or is this a patched build? I'm working with a old patch in order to add slices, but I need to work on right sources. If someone know where is the last sources with last BR support, please let me know.

William

[Sagittaire]

I'm sorry, is this the last regoular build, or is this a patched build? I'm working with a old patch in order to add slices, but I need to work on right sources. If someone know where is the last sources with last BR support, please let me know.

William

It's patched build with HRD SEI. As far I know slice support are not necessary with scenarist or other authoring software. I don't use the last version of scenarist but this profil work with 4.xx version.


We start more than one yars ago with HDDVD and bluray authoring, using microsoft vc1 encoder. After the death of HDDVD we are written a our VC1 encoder using mainconcept sdk. The encoding is very good, not very different from mainconcept (and derivated like sonic cinevision and so on) H264. I think that x264 can be better, and I want to use this, but there is a lot of compliance problem. Evry help about this matter will be appreciated, actually I'm working with a patch for add slices support in x264.
William

Why not use H264 SDK from mainconcept ... because VC1 SDK from mainconcept is not a really good codec. Anyway for BD50 even crap MPEG2 implementation will produce good quality. x264 will be a good choice only if you want BD25 with 140 min complex movie with vaste bonus choice.

[Golgot13]

@toboda

x264 (patch version) work nicely on BD Title (on all BD player).
I make title available on european market, this title were test on BD verifier
(Sony and Eclipse software) without problem.

Today x264 give the best result today, it's little hard because it' CLI software.
For some people who have it: BAEVX1000, last Sony encoder (for Cruncher: made by two Japanese),
but it's too slow and need lot of CPU power so it can not be compare with x264.


Last, I see some file from H264 HD hardware encoder in developpment (realtime from video input!!).
It's look good, it's announced for this year (but no sure we're in december),
it will can encode the video in 2 differents H264 file (eg: for BD and iPod use).

[paulspurrier]

Thanks for the advice.

I am reconverting to RAWAVC.

I'm a bit confused about this concept of slicing.

MEGUI automatically updates to the latest builds of x264, and the one it has currently downloaded is 1046. It doesn't mention 1046M. Is that a different build?

Is the slicing patch addressed in the 1046 that MEGUI has already updated?

And if the patch is addressed, is it something I need to 'switch on' in MEGUI?

In other words, do I need to worry about it, or has it already been addressed?

Thanks a lot.

Paul

[Sagittaire]

Thanks for the advice.

I am reconverting to RAWAVC.

I'm a bit confused about this concept of slicing.

MEGUI automatically updates to the latest builds of x264, and the one it has currently downloaded is 1046. It doesn't mention 1046M. Is that a different build?

Is the slicing patch addressed in the 1046 that MEGUI has already updated?

And if the patch is addressed, is it something I need to 'switch on' in MEGUI?

In other words, do I need to worry about it, or has it already been addressed?

Thanks a lot.

Paul


MeGui profil are false for BD encoding: use my profil in bat file with HRD patched x264 build.

[Willyfan]

It's patched build with HRD SEI. As far I know slice support are not necessary with scenarist or other authoring software. I don't use the last version of scenarist but this profil work with 4.xx version.
I'm using the last Scenarist version: I tried MUI a x264 encoding, but I receive the error about slices, and the files is rejected. Anyway, if bluray specs want slices, we are a professional authoring facility, and we must to be closed to BD specs.


Why not use H264 SDK from mainconcept ... because VC1 SDK from mainconcept is not a really good codec. Anyway for BD50 even crap MPEG2 implementation will produce good quality. x264 will be a good choice only if you want BD25 with 140 min complex movie with vaste bonus choice.
We are using also H264 SDK from mainconcept. VC1 codec from mainconcept is not too bad, and it is very quick. I agree about mpeg2 with BD50, but our customer want use BD25 every time is possible: replication of BD 50 is VERY expensive. AND, we have also many production with complex movie and a lot of Bonus. Actually, we are author the bluray version of "Traffic" (147 min movie, with PCM audio and 50 mins of extras) and "the hurt locker", a 131 min movie with some extras, but the customer need a BD 25. Our facility is known for the quality of our products, so I'm serching for the best solution.
Many thanks to all

William

[Willyfan]

MeGui profil are false for BD encoding: use my profil in bat file with HRD patched x264 build.

Where can I found the HRD patch? I want to compile a x264 version working with bluray and with slice support. Please help me.
William

[Sagittaire]

I'm using the last Scenarist version: I tried MUI a x264 encoding, but I receive the error about slices, and the files is rejected. Anyway, if bluray specs want slices, we are a professional authoring facility, and we must to be closed to BD specs.

William

MUI generator work perfectly here with my x264 stream.

[paulspurrier]

Dear Le Sagittaire,

RE: your profile

Thank you very much.

Whilst obviously still keeping Blu-ray compatibility...


1. Can I change:
crf %E_BR%
to
bitrate %E_BR%
and input a target bitrate?

2. Can I get rid of the credits parameters, as the end credits are entirely over picture? In fact why is this parameter used? Does it reduce quality over the end credits?

3.
Do you have a 'best quality' version of this profile that is 2 pass? I understand that 2-pass can give better quality. Three-pass I understand has minimum effect on quality.

Best wishes,

Paul

[Sagittaire]

1) crf mode produce optimal quality in 1 pass mode. Anyway you can't know the final bitrate in this mode.

2) High quality for credit are useless (white on black screen). You can save bitrate for other movie part.

3) 1 pass quality mode produce the best possible quality.

Try with little trailer with this profil for compliancy test and I will post my optimal profil (insane mode) in multipass later.

[paulspurrier]

I'm encoding a file of 157137 frames at 24fps - 1080p
I will add six tracks of PCM audio.
And it needs to fit on a BD25.

I worked out that to included menus and a few extras, and being a little conservative, I should encode at a max bitrate of 35000 and an average bitrate of 21000.

That way, it will not exceed max bitrate for the video and audio streams, and the overall file will not be too large to fit on a BD25.

If I set to quality-based encoding, how can I control the size of the resulting file, and ensure that I will still fit it onto a BD25?

Thanks.

Paul

[Willyfan]

MUI generator work perfectly here with my x264 stream.

What version of Scenarist are you using? OR the patched x264 is also slices patched? I tried to encode a h264 stream with mainconcept SDK with 1 slices, and I receive the same compliance error from MUI. This afternoon I'll try one encoding with patched x264 and your parameters, I want to see what happen.
William

[Willyfan]

1) crf mode produce optimal quality
Try with little trailer with this profil for compliancy test and I will post my optimal profil (insane mode) in multipass later.

Ok , I have just encode a little file using patchad version of x264 AND your profile. Encoding is good, but Scenarist MUI don't import the file for the slices problem.
Now, I have a patch for slicing support, but I need also some information from developers: the daily snapshot on daily tarball is patched or not? If not, where I can found source for build 1046?

Because I need to apply patch for slicing at the modified version of x264, right?

Thanks
William

[kemuri-_9]

Ok , I have just encode a little file using patchad version of x264 AND your profile. Encoding is good, but Scenarist MUI don't import the file for the slices problem.
Now, I have a patch for slicing support, but I need also some information from developers: the daily snapshot on daily tarball is patched or not? If not, where I can found source for build 1046?

Because I need to apply patch for slicing at the modified version of x264, right?

Thanks
William

you'll need the tarball which is unpatched.
and then apply the nal-hrd and slices patches.
those afaik are the patches that are necessary for complete BD support.

other patches that are in general use are floating around in this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=130364).

[paulspurrier]

Now I need a tarball and some patch slices?????!!!????

Oh my god!

A few posts ago, I thought I was beginning to understand it, but now...

Do I really have to go through all this?

Is there not a version of x264 that has been updated and corrected with all the necessary patches?

What was the skystrife 1046M build which was linked earlier?
Is that a patched version?

Paul

[nm]

1. Can I change:
crf %E_BR%
to
bitrate %E_BR%
and input a target bitrate?
Yes, but remember to also add --pass 1 and duplicate the x264 command with --pass 2. Many settings can be reduced in the first pass to gain speed with minimal effect on quality.

3.
Do you have a 'best quality' version of this profile that is 2 pass? I understand that 2-pass can give better quality. Three-pass I understand has minimum effect on quality.
The quality difference between 2-pass and CRF at the same bitrate can be ignored. Sometimes 2-pass may be slightly better than CRF, sometimes it's the other way around.

I worked out that to included menus and a few extras, and being a little conservative, I should encode at a max bitrate of 35000 and an average bitrate of 21000.

That way, it will not exceed max bitrate for the video and audio streams, and the overall file will not be too large to fit on a BD25.

If I set to quality-based encoding, how can I control the size of the resulting file, and ensure that I will still fit it onto a BD25?
By trial and error ;)
(Although there are ways (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=116773) to pick the right CRF value for a given file size by encoding only a few percents of the source video).

But seriously, just do a two-pass encode with the bitrates you want. IIRC, VBV restrictions work better with two passes too.

Is there not a version of x264 that has been updated and corrected with all the necessary patches?
There are many x264 binaries that have been built with the NAL-HRD patch, including the builds MeGUI uses by default.
There aren't (yet) any builds that include the slicing patch because slicing isn't (or at least wasn't previously) strictly required by the authoring tools.

What was the skystrife 1046M build which was linked earlier?
Is that a patched version?
Yes. It was built with these patches (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1219217#post1219217).

[Willyfan]

and then apply the nal-hard and slices patch.
I'm sorry, I'm unable to found the nal-hard patch. Can someone help me?
Many thanks

William

[kemuri-_9]

I'm sorry, I'm unable to found the nal-hard patch. Can someone help me?
Many thanks

William

x264_hrd_pulldown.09_interlace.diff (http://files.x264.nl/x264_patches/x264_hrd_pulldown.09_interlace.diff)

[nm]

Now, I have a patch for slicing support, but I need also some information from developers: the daily snapshot on daily tarball is patched or not? If not, where I can found source for build 1046?
Latest or any earlier unpatched (or official, vanilla) x264 source tree can be retrieved by using git. The web interface (http://git.videolan.org/gitweb.cgi?p=x264.git;a=shortlog) also allows you to download snapshots without a git client (click the "tree" link at the top and then "snapshot").

x264_hrd_pulldown.09_interlace.diff (http://files.x264.nl/x264_patches/force.php?file=./x264_hrd_pulldown.09_interlace.diff) can be downloaded from this x264.nl directory: http://files.x264.nl/x264_patches/
The slicing patch (http://mailman.videolan.org/pipermail/x264-devel/2008-June/004663.html) you already got, but here's a link for others.

[Willyfan]

Ok, I'm just downloaded the latest snapshot, the slices patch is the same of your link.
The patch is a bit old, and need some work by hand, but I hope this solve all compliace problem.
If work, I'll post the correct slicing patch tomorrow I hope.
Many thanks to all.

William

[Sagittaire]

Ok , I have just encode a little file using patchad version of x264 AND your profile. Encoding is good, but Scenarist MUI don't import the file for the slices problem.
Now, I have a patch for slicing support, but I need also some information from developers: the daily snapshot on daily tarball is patched or not? If not, where I can found source for build 1046?


Well 4 slice is not an obligation for BD compliance. It's just an obligation for new MUI Generator (Cinevision use by default 4 slices ... perhaps commercial strategy from Sonic to use Scenarist and Cinevision). You can perhaps simply use old MUI generator version for the elementary stream.



I'm encoding a file of 157137 frames at 24fps - 1080p
I will add six tracks of PCM audio.
And it needs to fit on a BD25.

I worked out that to included menus and a few extras, and being a little conservative, I should encode at a max bitrate of 35000 and an average bitrate of 21000.


Well use x264 for this authoring scenario is simply useless. Anyway I will make a post for produce compliant Elementary stream for MPEG2, VC1 and H264 with free codec.

[Willyfan]

Well 4 slice is not an obligation for BD compliance. It's just an obligation for new MUI Generator (Cinevision use by default 4 slices ... perhaps commercial strategy from Sonic to use Scenarist and Cinevision). You can perhaps simply use old MUI generator version for the elementary stream.

I ripped some h264 elementary stream from some bluray disk SONY PICTURES in order to verify if there is some stream without 4 slices. Every stream I found have 4 slices, but a lot of this is not generated with Cinevision. Anyway, the old MUI generator don't work with the last Scenarist versions (5.X). This morning I'll open a request to Sonic support in order to verify if 4 slices is a BD compliance request or not. Yesterday I was out of office, but today I'll try to use the slicing patch on x264.
Many thanks
William

[kolak]

4 slices is mandatory for BD- it's not Sonic imagination. All Pro encoders do 4 slices for BD stream, because it's mandatory :)


Andrew

[woah!]

Hi,



about "Invalid vui_parameters_present_flag value = 0": if you are sure about your stream compliancy
you can use the nice program h264info.exe from Trahald (nice job) to correct all flag which permit to import
the stream on all authoring software from Sony BD SDK muxer (BluPrint, Scenarist BD, DVDit, Premiere...)


Regards

correct........ did any of you even try this?

[dattrax]

I've seen this discussion bounce around for a few weeks now, so I decided to look in the BD specs to see if four slices are required or not.....

The answer is (and I'm not going to post exactly what it says in case of breaking some license agreement)

---> section 9.5.1.3.1

It's only a 'recommendation', so sonic have taken this and made it a requirement for their authoring software.

Jim

[Dark Shikari]

It's only a 'recommendation'If it is not required by the spec and only a recommendation, then this discussion is pointless. I see no urgent reason to add slicing support.

[dattrax]

exactly my point :-)

[kolak]

I've seen this discussion bounce around for a few weeks now, so I decided to look in the BD specs to see if four slices are required or not.....

The answer is (and I'm not going to post exactly what it says in case of breaking some license agreement)

---> section 9.5.1.3.1

It's only a 'recommendation', so sonic have taken this and made it a requirement for their authoring software.

Jim

I'll check- I was to lazy to have a look. I've seen it some time ago and remebered as a mandatory.

Andrew

[Willyfan]

I asket just now to sonic support about the questions if slices in BD specs are mandatory or recommendation. When I'll receive the answer I'll post a reply.
Thanks to all

[Willyfan]

I received the answer from sonic support. they wrote me: "This is a spec issue. It is mandatory to have a minimum of 4 slices per frame in BD, .....".
We are professional user of Sonic products, so I think they tell me the true.

[dattrax]

Well not according to my BD specifications. You are getting your information via a 3rd party. If they would like to point out the revision of the docs they are reading and the chapter, I would be happy to check, but as I mentioned earlier section 9.5.1.3.1 stipulates that it is only a recommendation.

Now, if there are BD players on the market who have miss implemented this and therefore force sonic to provide an authoring package which forces four slices then this is a different issue entirely. I can only go off the spec, they have many customers worldwide giving feedback. I do not.

Also they have a vested interest in saying 'it is mandatory'. As this would imply they messed up and the next thing you would be asking as a valued customer is, when can I have it fixed.

I think you need to get some more details.

Jim

[Willyfan]

I asked them if this issue was mandatory or only a recommendation. They answer was "it is mandatory". I can't report entire answer for my kind of license agreement with Sonic. Now I try to check again about this question, but the fact is that with Scenarist and also Bluprint (the two leader authoring application on the market) I CAN'T import AVC files with 1 slices. So, or I change Authoring software (after I spent 40.000$ !!!), or I use some other encoder, or I try to add slicing support to x264. I prefear this last choice, only for quality reasons, because x264 seems to be the higher quality encoder.
Anyway, if slicing support will be added, this feature can be used ONLY for this matter and does not get worse the software at all, I guess.
Unfortunately I don't have a so much experience with this kind of software, so I need some time.
Many thanks to all
William

[kolak]

I asked them if this issue was mandatory or only a recommendation. They answer was "it is mandatory". I can't report entire answer for my kind of license agreement with Sonic. Now I try to check again about this question, but the fact is that with Scenarist and also Bluprint (the two leader authoring application on the market) I CAN'T import AVC files with 1 slices. So, or I change Authoring software (after I spent 40.000$ !!!), or I use some other encoder, or I try to add slicing support to x264. I prefear this last choice, only for quality reasons, because x264 seems to be the higher quality encoder.
Anyway, if slicing support will be added, this feature can be used ONLY for this matter and does not get worse the software at all, I guess.
Unfortunately I don't have a so much experience with this kind of software, so I need some time.
Many thanks to all
William

Buy new Sony Blu-code encoder. It's only 40K$ and gives excelent quality:) Hehe...

Andrew

[Sagittaire]

We start more than one yars ago with HDDVD and bluray authoring, using microsoft vc1 encoder. After the death of HDDVD we are written a our VC1 encoder using mainconcept sdk. The encoding is very good, not very different from mainconcept (and derivated like sonic cinevision and so on) H264. I think that x264 can be better, and I want to use this, but there is a lot of compliance problem. Evry help about this matter will be appreciated, actually I'm working with a patch for add slices support in x264.
William

Why not use the free VC1 SDK encoder from MS. CV1 implementation is by far better than Mainconcept SDK encoder.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5031c859-e8da-41bc-98e3-c13add5378b0&displaylang=en&tm

[drmpeg]

I've seen this discussion bounce around for a few weeks now, so I decided to look in the BD specs to see if four slices are required or not.....

The answer is (and I'm not going to post exactly what it says in case of breaking some license agreement)

---> section 9.5.1.3.1

It's only a 'recommendation', so sonic have taken this and made it a requirement for their authoring software.

Jim
Really? That's not how I read the specification. The word "shall" is used, which means mandatory. However, requiring multiple slices per picture only applies if the H.264 video bitstream is level 4.1.

It would be interesting to see if the Sonic tool will accept single slice pictures in a level 4.0 bitstream.

Ron

[Sharktooth]

ouch... that's annoying...

[dattrax]

Really? That's not how I read the specification. The word "shall" is used, which means mandatory. However, requiring multiple slices per picture only applies if the H.264 video bitstream is level 4.1.

It would be interesting to see if the Sonic tool will accept single slice pictures in a level 4.0 bitstream.

Ron

Yes you are correct. I hate when they mix and match usage. I read the bulleted section bellow where they switch to 'recommended', but the small section above does state 'shall'. You are correct that this only applies to level 4.1.

[kolak]

Yes you are correct. I hate when they mix and match usage. I read the bulleted section bellow where they switch to 'recommended', but the small section above does state 'shall'. You are correct that this only applies to level 4.1.

Sonic tool is not very, very restrict. Best tool for testing is Sony's verifier. It's a way more restrict.

Andrew

[bond]

moved