3 questions about BD-REbuilder

[SuLyMaN]

Hi guys. I have bought some bluerays and do not want them to be scratched by either lending, kids mishandling it or overplaying it.
My questions are simple.

1) Can BD-Rebuilder output a blueray and keep the menus as the original blueray on a DVD5?

2) Can I use BD-Rebuilder to output DVDs to mkv?

3) I once downloaded BD-RB and it came with a time frame expiration. Is that still the case?

4) Is it worthwhile encoding on a core 2 duo e6600 (2 cores 2.4Ghz)

Thanks.

[Ghitulescu]

Which 3 out of these 4 questions have to be answered?

[RobertM]

1) Can BD-Rebuilder output a blueray and keep the menus as the original blueray on a DVD5?
No. BD menus are not compatible with DVD format. But you could make a BD-5 out of it on a DVD-5 disc.

2) Can I use BD-Rebuilder to output DVDs to mkv?
I don't know. I know you can output BDs to MKV with BD-Rebuilder.

3) I once downloaded BD-RB and it came with a time frame expiration. Is that still the case?
Yes. When it expires you just download a new version for free.

4) Is it worthwhile encoding on a core 2 duo e6600 (2 cores 2.4Ghz)
It'll get the job done, but it'll take a while. So I suppose that makes it 'worthwhile', no?

[SuLyMaN]

@Ghitulescu: lol man. you choose...

@RobertM: Thanks for your answers man. What I meant is that I could use a DVD5 and creare a BD-5 output and get to keep my blueray menus?
BDs to MKV im not too interested atm ;-) Having a bunch of menus on a DVD5 is way more cool :P

[jdobbs]

Here are your answers:

1. Yes, if you mean to a DVD-5 in terms of the blank disc type. The format, however, will be BD-5 for a blu-ray player.
2. Yes. Import from DVD and output to MKV.
3. Yes. It is in beta, and that is meant to eliminate bug reports for fixes that have already occurred.
4. Yes. But I would recommend at least a quad core.

[SuLyMaN]

Awesome jdobbs. Appreciate the spot on answers. I cant afford a quad right now. An upgrade is due probably next year :) Hopefully an octa core minimum!

[SuLyMaN]

Hum, I tried using BD RB but Im getting the message FFDSHOW not installed even though I clearly installed it. It also asked me avisynth 2.5.7 or higher which I installed...Any help on how to proceed? Thanks

edit: Just found this thread:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=143716
Reading it out...

[jdobbs]

Hum, I tried using BD RB but Im getting the message FFDSHOW not installed even though I clearly installed it. It also asked me avisynth 2.5.7 or higher which I installed...Any help on how to proceed? Thanks

edit: Just found this thread:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=143716
Reading it out...If it is saying it isn't installed -- then it isn't, BD-RB looks at the registry entries.. Make sure you use the standard installer for FFDSHOW and ONLY the version linked on the first page of the bug thread.

[SuLyMaN]

Make sure you use the standard installer for FFDSHOW and ONLY the version linked on the first page of the bug thread.

Thanks for the reply mate but after reading out all the useful info on the link I mentioned above, it all worked out ok. Now I'm trying to figure out why my DVD wont encode to mkv.

[steptoe]

If you are converting a DVD movie only to an MKV there are a couple of settings that need changing


Have a try with this quick guide :

Run BD-RB, the following is now all via the menus in BD-RB

Click on File/Import DVD Movie Only and choose where you ripped your DVD files to via the file selector that will pop up

Click on Mode/Movie Only Backup to select encoding of ONLY the main movie

Click on Mode/Alternate Movie Only Output and choose the filetype you want. For MKV DVD your better off choosing the very last option to keep the screen as the source "MKV Container NO_RESIZE AUTOGOP Auto-AAC"

If you want to let DB-RB resize it to full HD choose "MKV Container 1920x1080 Auto-AAC"

You can also change the target size, so you could reasonably guarantee it will be about that size, if you intend to compress the MKV as well set it about 2100MB. You'll struggle to get better quality with other software

If you want to just rip the DVD, there is other software that can do a straight rip to an MKV so its an exact copy of the DVD but no compression. I use it myself called MakeMKV


Be aware though with your system it won't be quick, but the results will be worth it, and you can always dabble into using avisynth for that extra filtering for simple noise/grain removal from old DVDs. But that is likely to add much higher conversion times and then starts to get complicated when you realise just how powerful avisynth is when running with BD-RB



It took me a while to find these settings, with some help from jdobbs as I at first didn't realise BD-RB could also do DVDs

[SuLyMaN]

Hi steptoe. Thanks for the valuable input. However, the DVD I want to back up contains multiple episodes. I will try your quick guide and report soon.

[jdobbs]

Hi steptoe. Thanks for the valuable input. However, the DVD I want to back up contains multiple episodes. I will try your quick guide and report soon.The DVD import will bring in all the significant PGCs (over 15 minutes, but that's adjustable) from the DVD as individual playlists. So, you'd follow the same method, only for each episode you'd change the playlist (to point to a different episode).

[SuLyMaN]

Thnks guys...Seems to be working great :)


[04/18/13] BD Rebuilder v0.43.06 (beta)
[23:14:20] Source: DRAGONBALL_VOLUME_1_00001
- Input BD size: 7.10 GB
- Approximate total content: [02:18:43.040]
- Windows Version: 6.1 [7601]
- MOVIE-ONLY/ALTERNATE OUTPUT mode enabled
- Mode: MKV Container, NO_RESIZE, AutoGOP, Auto-AAC
- Decoding/Frame serving: DirectShow
- Audio Settings: AC3=0 DTS=0 HD=0 Kbs=640
[23:14:22] PHASE ONE, Encoding
- [23:14:22] Processing: VID_00001 (1 of 1)
- [23:14:22] Extracting A/V streams [VID_00001]


Hum I set output @ 700MB for a test and I'm getting this bitrate output.

[23:17:58] Reencoding video [VID_00001]
- Source Video: MPEG-2, 720x576
- Rate/Length: 25.000fps, 208,076 frames
- Bitrate: 561 Kbs
- [23:17:58] Reencoding: VID_00001, Pass 1 of 2


Does it not make bitrate redistribution on MKV's just like DVD RB does on DVD?

[jdobbs]

Thnks guys...Seems to be working great :)


[04/18/13] BD Rebuilder v0.43.06 (beta)
[23:14:20] Source: DRAGONBALL_VOLUME_1_00001
- Input BD size: 7.10 GB
- Approximate total content: [02:18:43.040]
- Windows Version: 6.1 [7601]
- MOVIE-ONLY/ALTERNATE OUTPUT mode enabled
- Mode: MKV Container, NO_RESIZE, AutoGOP, Auto-AAC
- Decoding/Frame serving: DirectShow
- Audio Settings: AC3=0 DTS=0 HD=0 Kbs=640
[23:14:22] PHASE ONE, Encoding
- [23:14:22] Processing: VID_00001 (1 of 1)
- [23:14:22] Extracting A/V streams [VID_00001]


Hum I set output @ 700MB for a test and I'm getting this bitrate output.

[23:17:58] Reencoding video [VID_00001]
- Source Video: MPEG-2, 720x576
- Rate/Length: 25.000fps, 208,076 frames
- Bitrate: 561 Kbs
- [23:17:58] Reencoding: VID_00001, Pass 1 of 2


Does it not make bitrate redistribution on MKV's just like DVD RB does on DVD?It's doing exactly what you've told it to do. 700MB is very small for a 2h and 19m movie.

So 700MB is about 5600 million bits. Now, divide that by 8340 secs (2h19m) it ends up at about 671Kbs for audio and video combined. So the difference is in the audio (set by Auto-AAC). That makes me think it is just a stereo source. If you want to fit in that size -- you're stuck with that rate.

Not sure how to comment on your reference to bitrate distribution, as it doesn't apply in this example.

For MKV I usually set a CRF value and take whatever size I get for that quality level. 23 is a good balance. 18 is close to identical to the original but can get pretty large. 25 can get you decent quality for a smaller size.

Target sizes are for when you are stuck with some fixed output size (are you trying to write to a CD?)

[SuLyMaN]

No I'm not going to write to a CD, I used it as a test because I saw in your config its set at 1024MB as default. I just wanted to 'reduce' the output and see how it would look. I'm new to this kind of encoding and want to experiment how it all works.

What I meant is what DVDRB used to allocate bits to demanding scenes when needed. Does bitrate distribution not apply when outputting to MKV and its a constant bit rate output?
However, when I tried playing the file today, using potplayer and checking the bitrate, it was 'varying' as the file was playing.

edit: I've done some research and learnt what CRF means...If I set a filesize in BD-RB, can I know the CRF value the software will choose? Thnnks for the CRF specs. Will be useful.

[jdobbs]

Any variable bitrate encoding method redistributes bits as needed within an encode. So you'll get that no matter what you choose. The DVD-RB redistribution is a different animal. It does sample encodes across several different files (encodes) and applies bitrate to try and keep the quality level doesn't apply here, because you are only encoding one file.

The default value in the target is just a nice round binary number (1GB) and nothing more. The target size is meant to be set to meet your needs -- like the size of a CD, Flashdrive, DVD+R or BD disc.

[SuLyMaN]

Hum this DVD is really giving me headaches...
I used CBR 21 and got a 2.7GB output which is not bad...However, I noticed that the audio is alternating between french and japanese...I did not select the japanese audio before converting. Here is the log window.

[04/20/13] BD Rebuilder v0.43.06 (beta)
[09:09:49] Source: DRAGONBALL_VOLUME_1_00001
- Input BD size: 7.10 GB
- Approximate total content: [02:18:43.040]
- Windows Version: 6.1 [7601]
- MOVIE-ONLY/ALTERNATE OUTPUT mode enabled
- Mode: MKV Container, NO_RESIZE, AutoGOP, Auto-AAC
- Decoding/Frame serving: DirectShow
- Audio Settings: AC3=0 DTS=0 HD=0 Kbs=640
[09:09:53] PHASE ONE, Encoding
- [09:09:53] Processing: VID_00001 (1 of 1)
- [09:09:53] Extracting A/V streams [VID_00001]
- [09:13:18] Reencoding video [VID_00001]
- Source Video: MPEG-2, 720x576
- Rate/Length: 25.000fps, 208,076 frames
- [09:13:18] Reencoding: VID_00001, Pass 1 of 1
- [11:28:23] Video Encode complete
- [11:28:23] Processing audio tracks
- Track 4352 (fra): Reencoding audio to AAC...
[11:33:33]PHASE ONE complete
[11:33:33]PHASE TWO - Rebuild Started
- [11:33:33] Building ALTERNATE OUTPUT Structure
[11:34:43] - Encode and Rebuild complete
[11:34:43] JOB: DRAGONBALL_VOLUME_1 finished.

I am doing the encoding again with CBR 23, not selecting japanese language AND setting french as the default language. Hopefully it works!

[jdobbs]

audio is alternating between french and japanese
I don't even know how that is possible. The audio is extracted based upon its PID... that can't change midstream. Check for other playlists, it might be some type of protection mechanism.