DJL
20th December 2009, 09:34
Hello all. Just a quick question, really about Blu Ray supported formats. I'm encoding a bunch of older DVDs to .h264 for a media server (and related set top box that I am working on). I'm all GNU/Linux. I'm currently using a 3 step process, all custom bash scripts to work the way I think I need to work. :-)
1. Dump needed streams to mpg file (full resolution) and create a chapter.txt file by parsing level 4 with grep and sed and a little bash math (using mencoder).
2. Convert video to x264 (with filters for crop and AR resize) and copy audio (AC3) to AVI container (I realize that I could do 1 and 2 with one step, but the scripts were already written for multiple pet projects, and in fact already can now since I got bored looking for specs).
3. mkvmerge with chapters from AVI (using AVI seems to keep A/V delay without mucking around with individual streams).
Once I get the proper/valid settings figured out, I'll probably write an AIO script and post for review in the Linux forum.
Source video (so far) has been NTSC 720x480 @ 29.97 fps. Previously, I had been using the old ASP rules getting a close AR (divisible by 16), 720x304 for 2.35:1, 704:384 for 1.85:1, and 720:540 for 4:3. Now, just for future proofing these, I would like to go ahead and upscale to 480p/i or 720p. I'm not sure if 480p is a valid format for Blu-Ray. I also have no *real* reason to do this, I realize there is no quality gain, but should I ever need to dump to Blu-Ray sometime in the future or something, I figure while I'm encoding anyway, I might as well get them to a valid format. Anyway, what should I do about aspect ratio? Is it as simple as cropping the video to the proper end of black lines and scaling to 854x480 or 1280x720, then setting the aspect in the mkvmerge line? Are ARs like 2.35:1 valid for Blu-Ray? I should probably go ahead and ask for frame rates I guess, somewhere I read 29.97 is not valid for 720p, I think was 59.94 (double). Is it valid for 480p, and is 480p a valid format for Blu Ray? It is not according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc, however, I've also read on these very forums, that information on Wikipedia is incorrect. Now, if I read correctly from here: http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/mpeg_4_part_10.cfm, looks like 720x480 @ 29.97 is good, so no need to upscale at all, but then what aspect ratio is acceptable? Is there a good place to get the clear and concise specs (freely) so that I can answer my own future questions (in addition to my immediate needs being answered here)?
Also FYI (probably mostly for the linux geeks):
x264encopts subq=6:partitions=all:8x8dct:me=umh:frameref=5:bframes=3:weight_b:bitrate=${VIDEO_BITRATE}
Any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
1. Dump needed streams to mpg file (full resolution) and create a chapter.txt file by parsing level 4 with grep and sed and a little bash math (using mencoder).
2. Convert video to x264 (with filters for crop and AR resize) and copy audio (AC3) to AVI container (I realize that I could do 1 and 2 with one step, but the scripts were already written for multiple pet projects, and in fact already can now since I got bored looking for specs).
3. mkvmerge with chapters from AVI (using AVI seems to keep A/V delay without mucking around with individual streams).
Once I get the proper/valid settings figured out, I'll probably write an AIO script and post for review in the Linux forum.
Source video (so far) has been NTSC 720x480 @ 29.97 fps. Previously, I had been using the old ASP rules getting a close AR (divisible by 16), 720x304 for 2.35:1, 704:384 for 1.85:1, and 720:540 for 4:3. Now, just for future proofing these, I would like to go ahead and upscale to 480p/i or 720p. I'm not sure if 480p is a valid format for Blu-Ray. I also have no *real* reason to do this, I realize there is no quality gain, but should I ever need to dump to Blu-Ray sometime in the future or something, I figure while I'm encoding anyway, I might as well get them to a valid format. Anyway, what should I do about aspect ratio? Is it as simple as cropping the video to the proper end of black lines and scaling to 854x480 or 1280x720, then setting the aspect in the mkvmerge line? Are ARs like 2.35:1 valid for Blu-Ray? I should probably go ahead and ask for frame rates I guess, somewhere I read 29.97 is not valid for 720p, I think was 59.94 (double). Is it valid for 480p, and is 480p a valid format for Blu Ray? It is not according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc, however, I've also read on these very forums, that information on Wikipedia is incorrect. Now, if I read correctly from here: http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/mpeg_4_part_10.cfm, looks like 720x480 @ 29.97 is good, so no need to upscale at all, but then what aspect ratio is acceptable? Is there a good place to get the clear and concise specs (freely) so that I can answer my own future questions (in addition to my immediate needs being answered here)?
Also FYI (probably mostly for the linux geeks):
x264encopts subq=6:partitions=all:8x8dct:me=umh:frameref=5:bframes=3:weight_b:bitrate=${VIDEO_BITRATE}
Any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance.