multiAVCHD - author Blu-ray/AVCHD (Blu-ray players, camcoders, Viera TV) + (HD) DVD

[deank]

Can someone help me , after I updated , my multiAvchd closes by himself , how can I fix it?

Either update your DAT file or download the complete package.

To which folder do we need to install Avisynth? Thanks

Just install AviSynth to any path you like. It is a DirectShow filter and will be used on the fly.

[Vril Dox]

Deank, some days ago I registered in the forum but I had to wait 5 days until I can post (dumb rule). But not wanting to wait I sent you an email, which bounced back. But the mailer-deamon may be still trying to delivery it, so if you one day receive it just ignore.


Dean, may I suggest you try to get some samples from the newer (US) panasonic AVCHD SD card cameras. I know the US models can shoot 1080p @24fps. Maybe if you can find some samples from these that might be of use/help.

EDIT: The HDC-SD9 (US model) which isn't too new, can shoot 1920x1080 @24fps. Maybe samples from this might be attainable?


If there is someone who can shoot a sample 10sec clip with HD camera and these settings: 1280x720@24fps and 1920x1080@24p and send it to me - it will be great.


So here is a sample from a HDC-SD9 camera, which I tested and work perfectly on my SD card playing on my Panasonic TV.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/ntlw3mxjnz0/HDC-SD9_Sample.zip

Let me know if this help or if I can do anything else.

[deank]

Yes, I got both your emails some days ago :)

Thanks for the samples. (I think I have some of these but will check again)

[fifteen]

tsmuxer doesn't like mkv files with PCM audio, but is fine with raw streams. Any chance you add an exception for files of this type and extract the streams before adding them to tsmuxer?

...i know it's a long shot...but I figured I'd ask anyway

[deank]

I don't have such files to test with. It is possible to demux the PCM audio and covert it to LPCM/AC3... If you can send me a sample it will be easier.

[deank]

Here is a small neat multiAVCHD brother :) - popBD (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=145482).

I coded it after turbojet requested a simple version of multiAVCHD that will handle one mkv file and will split it in two for burning to 2 DVD5/DVD9 discs.

Dean

[DMagic1]

I dont know if its been brought up but the transition effect doesnt show on my tv/player(PS3/SamungTV). It seems to start too soon. Can the effect have a longer delay before the transition?

[deank]

I don't understand you. What transition?

If you meant [x] Fade transitions - they are used only if you have custom welcome screen or when using "classic" menu (title texts only).

[doomguf]

Hi there

I'm on the lookout for a blu-ray player, that will be able to handle all my mkv's authored and burned with multiAVCHD. Great app, just what I was looking for. So I took a shot, made a disc and put it in a Sony BD-350 in a store to test. It played back instantly, no aspect ratio troubles, (straight h.264 L4.1 1920x1080p file), DTS soundtrack which worked perfectly by the way, but there seemed to be a lot of pixelation and "holes" in areas of the image, that indicated some kind of decoding trouble, that I've never seen in any software, when playing this particular file. It reminded me of the way the image looks, when you skip the loop filter, so the encoding speed increases and no frames are dropped, but the quality is degraded.

Seems to me that the hardware in such a player should be able to eat practically anything.
Any idea what's causing this?

Keep up the good work!

[deank]

This is a bit off-topic but for 1920x1080p l4.1 you have a real high bitrate and if the media you used (especially if it was a RW one) can affect the playback. You can test with DVD-R, record at the lowest speed and test the same file again.

[doomguf]

This is a bit off-topic but for 1920x1080p l4.1 you have a real high bitrate and if the media you used (especially if it was a RW one) can affect the playback. You can test with DVD-R, record at the lowest speed and test the same file again.

Ok. The bitrate is 12.2 Mbps. That's not unusually high, is it?

[deank]

A feature I really miss in multiAVCHD is removing titles (playlists) from existing AVCHD folders. That's why I decided to add a checkbox [x] Edit AVCHD on add in Settings.

Because of the way multiAVCHD processes input files and folders it is not possible to edit AVCHD in media tab, so you will do it on LOAD, before adding it to media tab.

It will open a box with all titles in the selected input AVCHD folder, allowing you to remove titles before adding the folder to Media TAB in multiAVCHD. If input AVCHD is multiAVCHD output - you will see title names.

Once titles are removed from the input AVCHD - they cannot be restored nor used later. I'll add this in some of the next builds.

[Aai em ron]

A feature I really miss in multiAVCHD is removing titles (playlists) from existing AVCHD folders. That's why I decided to add a checkbox [x] Edit AVCHD on add in Settings.

Because of the way multiAVCHD processes input files and folders it is not possible to edit AVCHD in media tab, so you will do it on LOAD, before adding it to media tab.

It will open a box with all titles in the selected input AVCHD folder, allowing you to remove titles before adding the folder to Media TAB in multiAVCHD. If input AVCHD is multiAVCHD output - you will see title names.

Once titles are removed from the input AVCHD - they cannot be restored nor used later. I'll add this in some of the next builds.
Sounds great. Thanks. :)

[lchiu7]

Ok. The bitrate is 12.2 Mbps. That's not unusually high, is it?

Sort of depends on what media you're using. For a DVD it could be too high. For a BD disc should be fine. I copied over a AVCHD compilation to a DVD (the video was uncompressed from the original on the BD but cut down to 10 minutes) and tried to play that on m PS3. Would not play smoothly - stop and started, played jerily etc. which is a symptom of the data rate off the disc not fast enough

[lchiu7]

Need to do a bit more experimenting but the program I found something strange. If the media I want to put into a avchd folder is in the same directory as the multiAVCHD temp directory (I often put media I have muxed ready for compilation in c:\temp which also happens to be the temp directory for multiAVCHD) at the end of compilation, multiAVCHD not deletes its temp files but also my source media! Couldn't work out initially where my content had gone. Guess it's obvious how to work around that but it is a trap for unwary players

[deank]

multiAVCHD would never use \TEMP. If you INTENTIONALLY set this folder for a temp path - then yes - files will be deleted (if [x] Delete temp files is checked). If TEMP is not selected than usually \_TEMP\ is used in the drive that multiAVCHD runs.

[fifteen]

I don't have such files to test with. It is possible to demux the PCM audio and covert it to LPCM/AC3... If you can send me a sample it will be easier.

Here is a sample mkv file for you to test with. From my tests, there has been no need to do any conversion, just demux and tsmuxer accepts the files.

http://rapidshare.com/files/206569344/bluray.mkv.html

[deank]

Thanks for the sample. I'll add conversion to AC3 as set in Audio Tab or do you want to keep the PCM audio?

[fifteen]

Thanks for the sample. I'll add conversion to AC3 as set in Audio Tab or do you want to keep the PCM audio?

I'd rather keep the PCM audio. maybe an option to convert? or is it not worth the trouble.

[jayman]

I found, and I don't know if anyone else had these problems, that if you type fps=60 into the mplayer configuration settings than you can have thumbnails when prior I could not.

A bug with XMB. Using NTSC, the menu is cutoff and the title up in the left corner is halved and you can't see the footer.

[deank]

1) I tried with fps setting and it didn't change anything.

2) Another user reported overscan issues with menu and then the case was that he was using ANOTHER version of mplayer, but not the one in multiAVCHD package.

To all: please do not replace the tools in \tools\ folder with newer or older versions of the programs (mkvinfo, mkvextract, mediainfo, tsmuxer, mplayer, pcm2tsmu, x264). Also - do not download and install any mplayer package from internet - it won't help you if you have problems with thumbnail generation.

[deank]

I'd rather keep the PCM audio. maybe an option to convert? or is it not worth the trouble.

Build 440:

PCM audio in MKV is supported.
[x] PCM in MKV to AC3 checkbox added in Audio/Subtitles tab. If checked - PCM will be converted to AC3. If not - PCM will be demuxed and back muxed as LPCM.

I added fps option for mplayer and thumbnails - let's see if it will make any difference for those with problems.

Also - thumbnail generation may fail if files are providing FALSE information on their actual duration.

Dean

[deank]

Hey Dean,

i donated for your program but since Version 2.5. i am disappointed.

Before i have Version 2.4 I can play the results of multiAV`CHD without problems on Power DVD 7.3 on PC.

With Version 2.5 i cant play it on Power DVD 7.3 anymore.

This is a big disadvantage.

Please look für a solution.

Greetings
Dieter


Can anyone confirm this? And to Dieter: your email-settings reject my emails to you.

[Ribellu]

I confirm that (note that I am disappointed but powerDVD issue).

I did'nt notice it was since the 2.5 version.

Anyway, the result, burned with LG BD burner, plays like a charm on my BD 35, so I don't care so much about software player



[QUOTE=deank;1258809]Can anyone confirm this?

[deank]

Few changes to thumbnail generation in build 443. If error occurs - multiAVCHD will try again with different setting to extract a frame for thumbnail. If someone with "Error creating thumbnail for title..." can try and report back. Log will show 'error' but menu should appear fine.

[fifteen]

Build 440:

PCM audio in MKV is supported.
[x] PCM in MKV to AC3 checkbox added in Audio/Subtitles tab. If checked - PCM will be converted to AC3. If not - PCM will be demuxed and back muxed as LPCM.

I added fps option for mplayer and thumbnails - let's see if it will make any difference for those with problems.

Also - thumbnail generation may fail if files are providing FALSE information on their actual duration.

Dean

can't wait to try it out...

:thanks:

[jayman]

Few changes to thumbnail generation in build 443. If error occurs - multiAVCHD will try again with different setting to extract a frame for thumbnail. If someone with "Error creating thumbnail for title..." can try and report back. Log will show 'error' but menu should appear fine.

Hey Dean, with the latest build the preview option for the menu doesn't seem to be working...

[deank]

There is something really wrong with your configuration - mplayer/avisynth/x264. I didn't touch anything about the preview and it works just fine.

[jayman]

There is something really wrong with your configuration - mplayer/avisynth/x264. I didn't touch anything about the preview and it works just fine.

my bad, I redownload avisynth and it works fine again. I had download gordian knot last night and I think that messed it up.

[jayman]

Hey Dean. Don't see the fps option for thumbnails, are we supposed to? In any event, I don't get an error thumbnail anymore despite not having anything in my mplayer config file. It works well. Still have the distorted ntsc menu however but not sure about PAL as all I can test on is NTSC.

[DLynch]

Hey Dean. Don't see the fps option for thumbnails, are we supposed to? In any event, I don't get an error thumbnail anymore despite not having anything in my mplayer config file. It works well. Still have the distorted ntsc menu however but not sure about PAL as all I can test on is NTSC.

I am using NTSC and the fps field shows up beside the thumbnail.

I had a similar distorted menu where the top title was clipped and the bottom credits were not visible, the sides were clipped as well. It turned out to be a setting on my TV. I had to change my Display Area to "Full Pixel" in order to see 1080i/p sources (the menu page is 1080p) in original size.

Your TV might have a similar setting.

[DLynch]

Hi Dean,

When I scroll through the titles on an XMB compilation, I need to select down arrow (or up arrow) and then select (or Ok depending on the remote) to scroll the thumbnails. Is this by design or are you still working out some stuff? I am playing the disc on a Sony BDP-S350.

Otherwise the XMB menu system is great!

Thanks for all the hard work.

[deank]

Yes, I'm still trying to make UP/DOWN to scroll instead of pressing X/Ok.

[jayman]

I am using NTSC and the fps field shows up beside the thumbnail.

I had a similar distorted menu where the top title was clipped and the bottom credits were not visible, the sides were clipped as well. It turned out to be a setting on my TV. I had to change my Display Area to "Full Pixel" in order to see 1080i/p sources (the menu page is 1080p) in original size.

Your TV might have a similar setting.

You're absolutely right. On my tv I had to change it to "bit by bit" (whatever the hell that means).

[kenguru2005]

Yes, I'm still trying to make UP/DOWN to scroll instead of pressing X/Ok.

That would be more than cool ...

[deank]

You're absolutely right. On my tv I had to change it to "bit by bit" (whatever the hell that means).

I wonder why ANYONE will set their TVs to use OVERSCAN or any other "aspect" ratio. My TV has "auto aspect" setting so it always shows what *should* be seen.

I'd advise all multiAVCHD users when playing multiAVCHD content to use full capabilities of their TV sets.

@kenguru2005: I know :)

[jayman]

I wonder why ANYONE will set their TVs to use OVERSCAN or any other "aspect" ratio. My TV has "auto aspect" setting so it always shows what *should* be seen.

I'd advise all multiAVCHD users when playing multiAVCHD content to use full capabilities of their TV sets.

@kenguru2005: I know :)

dude. I didn't even know it was set that way. I've got 2 kids at home, who knows what buttons they hit.

[DLynch]

I wonder why ANYONE will set their TVs to use OVERSCAN or any other "aspect" ratio. My TV has "auto aspect" setting so it always shows what *should* be seen.


It would appear that these settings are the defaults that come with TV's in NTSC land. I don't know whether this is because most HD stations broadcast a 720p signal or simply a conflict between upscaling Blu-ray players and TV's that also want to upscale.

It does take a while to go through all the settings and "tune" a new set-up. You actually have to read the manual to figure out some of the settings,:eek:

[deank]

I'm almost ready with AVCHD edit-on-load option so I guess next build will have it... FINALLY! :)

[WhatHappend]

Few changes to thumbnail generation in build 443. If error occurs - multiAVCHD will try again with different setting to extract a frame for thumbnail. If someone with "Error creating thumbnail for title..." can try and report back. Log will show 'error' but menu should appear fine.

I don't know if this attempt to create XMB menu counts. I have never been able to get thumbnail's to work yet. I just tried a XMB menu with build 443 and the images are all blank and here is what the log said:

[16:10:59] Preparing authoring information...
[16:10:59] Creating NTSC top menu.
[16:11:19] Authoring custom titles menu (NTSC).
[16:11:21] Encoding menu pages (x264)...
[16:12:09] Muxing h264 stream for menu pages (tsMuxer)...
[16:12:17] Populating menu structure...
[16:12:48] Creating menu backgrounds for 1 titles (XMB)...
[16:12:55] Error background image for title #1 (XMB)!
[16:12:55] Trying to extract frame at 00:00:01...
[16:12:56] Unsuccessful! (XMB)
[16:12:56] Creating video backgrounds for XMB menu completed.
[16:13:46] Authoring custom menu completed.

[deank]

Please try to run this compilation again but have your TEMP and multiAVCHD placed in the SAME drive:... I'll try to work on it but I think that having TEMP - MKV/TS/M2TS originate folder / multiAVCHD.exe folder in the same (or at most TWO different) folder(s) should fix it.

If you have:

Input files in C:\*
Temp in D:\*
multiAVCHD.exe in F:\* (or D:\*)
Output in G:\*

then it probably won't work.

I'll try to fix it in 444 later.

[glen8]

I bought a Panasonic BD-35 today and would LOVE to watch .mkv from the SD Card

Hows it going? Do you think you'll be able to do it?

Keep up the good work

Glen.

[WhatHappend]

Please try to run this compilation again but have your TEMP and multiAVCHD placed in the SAME drive:...

My input was I:\AVCHD
output was I:\ [custom name]
Temp i:\TEMP

MultiAVCHD c: drive on the desktop

The issue was that the thumbnails or XMB menu generation doesn't seem to work if run via remote desktop. My Media PC that I do video work on is hooked to a TV, so I control it via remotedesktop. When I hooked up a USB mouse/keyboard and ran the program without remote desktop, I got some images.

[deank]

Build 444:
-----------

Option to edit AVCHD input folder contents on load (settings).
Bugfixes about mplayer and thumbnails.

[WhatHappend]

I wonder why ANYONE will set their TVs to use OVERSCAN or any other "aspect" ratio. My TV has "auto aspect" setting so it always shows what *should* be seen.

I'd advise all multiAVCHD users when playing multiAVCHD content to use full capabilities of their TV sets.

@kenguru2005: I know :)

Not all HDTVs have a bit for bit mode. Most sets older than a few years always overscan the outer 3-5%.

Please allow the user to allow for over-scan during menu generation (3-5% of the perimeter of the image).

[hidef_rec]

Dean, this new version is terrific. Thanks for the welcome screen disable option. I sent you a donation via PayPal; first time I've donated for any freeware.

[WhatHappend]

Digital interconnection doesn't have overscan (unless one's too lazy to read tv/bd/ps3 manual). If you're watching Blurays/AVCHDs via s-video or composite/component or using analogue tv with crt than... (*self*censored*)... don't use multiAVCHD or don't use XMB menu... or *just* set offset for top title. If and when I find the time for such insignificant "issues" I'll do something about it.

Unfortunately, Digital interconnection still has over-scan for most of us in the USA. I have all HDMI interconnection. The 1:1 mapping mode is a pretty new feature on US HDTVs. Here is a thread that keeps track of the models that support 1:1 mapping http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=748074 .

Also in the USA, a lot of digital stations still send blinking white bars on the top of the ATSC digital transmissions. For new users that uses a computer to receive digital ATSC transmissions, one of the more common new user complaints is how to get rid of those blinking while bars.

[WhatHappend]

I now get the following pop-up error when it is creating a XMB style menu.

The target file does exists: I:\AVCHD_Rocker2\BDMV\STREAM\00002.m2ts

Any ideas?

[WhatHappend]

I now get the following pop-up error when it is creating a XMB style menu.


The file was marked Read-only. The thumbnail creation must open the input movie file as RW instead of just R. When I changed the Read-only attribute, the error went away.

[plee320]

I was trying to put 3 mkv files (1280x720p 25fps with 2 audio & 1 subtitle) in one AVCHD to play on the PS3 (NTSC) but it would just show the menu screen with 3 titles. Every time I select one of the titles it would just return to the main menu. Any suggestions?? Following is the logfile for making the multiBD (on DVD) -

[21:23:05] Log started for multiAVCHD v2.5 (build 444)
[21:23:05] Processing 3 input files/folders .
[21:23:05] Existing E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\ renamed to E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD-20090308-212305
[21:23:05] Temp folder does not exist. Set to E:\_TEMP.
[21:23:05] Converting mkv file to AVCHD (E:\SOURCE\GoodLuck01.mkv).
[21:23:06] Detected video: ID#1:V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC:1280x720 25.000fps (AR:1.78)
[21:23:06] Detected audio: ID#2:A_AC3:audio (48000Hz/6ch) Language: und
[21:23:06] Detected audio: ID#3:A_AC3:audio (48000Hz/2ch) Language: und
[21:23:06] Detected subtitles: ID#4:S_TEXT/UTF8 Language: und
[21:23:06] Generating meta file for tsMuxer...
[21:23:06] M2TS stream split set at 3999MiB...
[21:23:07] Searching for original chapters (mediainfo)...
[21:23:07] Inserting 5 min chapters...
[21:23:07] Detected frame reference count: 1 (max:9).
[21:23:07] Compliant with L4.1 for 1280x720p.
[21:23:07] Creating BluRay folders (tsMuxer)...
[21:25:14] Done!
[21:25:14] CLPI transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212307-7175\BDMV\CLIPINF\00001.clpi -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\CLIPINF\00000.clpi
[21:25:14] M2TS transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212307-7175\BDMV\STREAM\00001.m2ts -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\STREAM\00000.m2ts
[21:25:15] MPLS transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212307-7175\BDMV\PLAYLIST\00000.mpls -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\PLAYLIST\00000.mpls
[21:25:15] Converting mkv file to AVCHD (E:\SOURCE\GoodLuck02.mkv).
[21:25:15] Detected video: ID#1:V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC:1280x720 25.000fps (AR:1.78)
[21:25:15] Detected audio: ID#2:A_AC3:audio (48000Hz/6ch) Language: und
[21:25:15] Detected audio: ID#3:A_AC3:audio (48000Hz/2ch) Language: und
[21:25:15] Detected subtitles: ID#4:S_TEXT/UTF8 Language: und
[21:25:15] Generating meta file for tsMuxer...
[21:25:15] M2TS stream split set at 3999MiB...
[21:25:15] Searching for original chapters (mediainfo)...
[21:25:15] Inserting 5 min chapters...
[21:25:15] Detected frame reference count: 1 (max:9).
[21:25:15] Compliant with L4.1 for 1280x720p.
[21:25:15] Creating BluRay folders (tsMuxer)...
[21:25:56] Done!
[21:25:56] CLPI transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212515-2618\BDMV\CLIPINF\00001.clpi -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\CLIPINF\00001.clpi
[21:25:56] M2TS transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212515-2618\BDMV\STREAM\00001.m2ts -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\STREAM\00001.m2ts
[21:25:57] MPLS transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212515-2618\BDMV\PLAYLIST\00000.mpls -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\PLAYLIST\00001.mpls
[21:25:57] Converting mkv file to AVCHD (E:\SOURCE\GoodLuck03.mkv).
[21:25:58] Detected video: ID#1:V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC:1280x720 25.000fps (AR:1.78)
[21:25:58] Detected audio: ID#2:A_AC3:audio (48000Hz/6ch) Language: und
[21:25:58] Detected audio: ID#3:A_AC3:audio (48000Hz/2ch) Language: und
[21:25:58] Detected subtitles: ID#4:S_TEXT/UTF8 Language: und
[21:25:58] Generating meta file for tsMuxer...
[21:25:58] M2TS stream split set at 3999MiB...
[21:25:58] Searching for original chapters (mediainfo)...
[21:25:58] Inserting 5 min chapters...
[21:25:58] Detected frame reference count: 1 (max:9).
[21:25:58] Compliant with L4.1 for 1280x720p.
[21:25:58] Creating BluRay folders (tsMuxer)...
[21:26:42] Done!
[21:26:42] CLPI transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212558-3928\BDMV\CLIPINF\00001.clpi -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\CLIPINF\00002.clpi
[21:26:42] M2TS transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212558-3928\BDMV\STREAM\00001.m2ts -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\STREAM\00002.m2ts
[21:26:43] MPLS transfer: E:\_TEMP\20090308-212558-3928\BDMV\PLAYLIST\00000.mpls -> E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD\BDMV\PLAYLIST\00002.mpls
[21:26:43] Preparing authoring information...
[21:26:43] Creating NTSC top menu.
[21:26:53] Setting menu for 3 titles...
[21:26:53] Setting titles #4 to #40 to point at top menu.
[21:26:53] Processing clip (CPI/CLPI) files...
[21:26:53] Completed.
[21:26:53] Done!
[21:26:53] E:\CONVERTED\AVCHD folder created!
[21:26:53] Burn its CONTENTS to DVD-UDF 2.50...
[21:26:53] Deleting only files in temp folder (E:\_TEMP\)...
[21:26:54] You may now remove temp folder (E:\_TEMP\).
[21:26:54] Your compilation contains 2hrs 31min 6sec of video material.
[21:26:54] End of log.