The official AVS Guide to HD DVD Authoring. - Page 102

If you are using DVD+R disks then you need to set the "book type" in Nero to "physical disk" so when the burning starts Nero will state that it is a DVD+R instead of DVD ROM disk type. Not all burners allow the book type to be changed. In Nero it is in the choose recorder setting click on your burner and down on the left side is a tab to click for more settings. If you cannot change the book type then you need to use DVD-R disks for playback on the A2.

I would suggest you try an mpeg2 file that you know did work and see if you can make a disk that plays, then try the H264 file.

Mike T

Ok I think I screwed up on the physical disk type setting.

It still doesnt explain why the EVO file will not play after MF6 does it thing, but I will give it a try. I will also try an dig up some mpeg2 files and try making a disk that way. I have 2 LiteON LH-20A1L burners and I think I vaguely remember doing this before my computer died last time.

Can you check one of your EVO files created with h264 and ac3 to see if you can get it to play in VLC or by changing the extension and playing in Windows media player.

VLC would not play the EVO and media player I do not use as it is worthless. Zoom player would not play the EVO either. The disk playes just fine in my A2 and A30 players. Power DVD 7.3 did play the H264 file jerky. I never play these type of disks in my computer, I play ts and MKV files just fine with core2duo overclocked to 3.2 GHz with Win XP SP2.

MF6 is very picky about the files and if it had no problems then it is probably only a burning problem. You can cut the original .ts file with tsMuxeR and just make a 10 minute clip to speed up the testing process and not burning DL disks.

Mike T

I converted the EVO file back to a .ts and it played just fine in VLC.

I tried burning another disk with the physical media setting and managed to make another coaster. My A2 said this disk is not a DVD format.

Did you select UDF and X-Box compatibility mode?

Yeah I did it just like the first post says. This is ridiculous. I had problems last time, but once I had it down it was easy.

I have mkv files that have a H264 video, AAC audio and .ASS (SubStation Alpha) subtitles in them. I can convert AAC->AC3 but the subtitles I'd like to keep in that format because they are more advanced (not just in the bottom center of the screen). Besides if I try to convert them and add them in TSMuxer to the TS stream, they never appear and the option to turn them on/off is not there. I tried making a AVCHD DVD, but that didn't play in my BH200. Anyway I can make a 3xDVD with this? Will Ulead let you add subtitles like .ass? Or can I hardcode them to the H264 stream? Or do I need to go about this differently?

Ok, I got the AVCHD DVD to play, but I only get the audio playing back. No video. The video is 23.97 fps, does it need to be 30 fps?

I think the best solution is PS3, that's what I did, disks are easier to make and the software is all free, and I can have chapters on H264 encodes.

Mike T

LOL Mike. I was saying the same thing last night.

Unfortunately now its the challange that has me hooked.

So I ripped and burned a standard dvd last night via DVDFab to imgburn. I put it in my A2 and it said this disc is not DVD format. I then tried it in my xbox360 and it played fine as a dvd. I am wondering if my A2 is just not liking the memorex DVD+R DL's I am using or what could be my issue now. I have been using memorex stuff exclusively as it is easily available. Any ideas?

Maybe... Do you have your book type set to DVD+R? I had that problem until I went in and permanently changed the settings on my Sony writer to DVD+R. I use GQ DVD+R DL's routinely on sale at Fry's. I have nothing against the Verbatim crowd. Like you I don't see a reason to pay more when my current "value" brand works just fine.

I set up Nero the way Mike said to "physical disk". I am assuming this did nothing for imgburn. Is there a way to change this setting in WinXP or individually in imgburn.

Edit. Since I am at work I downloaded imgburn to look at the settings. I noticed there is a setting under write settings for the write mode. It defaults to auto. It also has a selection for CD, DVD, HD DVD, and BD. I am thinking I should leave this on auto as I dont have a HD DVD or BD burner. The box is checked for "Auto 'Change Book Type'. I am assuming that is the disk type setting.

Maybe I should stick to my other hobbies.

Throttle-
I bought a PS3 last week and am amazed at how much more forgiving it is of inexpensive media than my A1 is.

I bought 50 off-brand (Matrix) DVD+R DL disks for $40 when I started burning my movies to play on HD DVD. Unfortunatley, the A1 didn't play them back without a lot of errors, so I only used a few and put the rest away.

When I got my PS3, I figured I might as well use the cheapo disks while I learned how to burn media for it. I expected a lot of coasters, but to my amazement, every single disk can be read by the PS3.

My conclusion... the HD DVD players are rather picky when it comes to which media they can play. Even a disk that plays on one player may have problems on another. I've noticed this with normal Toshiba DVD players I've owned - they seem pickier than either Panasonic or Sony players when it comes to playing home made disks.

Note that I still buy Toshiba players, but try to stay away from the cheaper media (and burn at the slowest speed possible) with them.

Crappy part is I dont know if I am doing the process wrong or if its just crappy media. The thing with the standard DVD not working using DVDfab then imgburn is really odd as I have backed up almost every movie we own this way and on memorex media to boot with very very few issues. The only media issue I have ever had was when my LiteOn burner wouldnt recognize the blank. Is everyone all about the Verbatim stuff? I have read a little saying the new Verbatim stuff is poop too.

I almost bought another HD DVD player today for $79 but the Mrs really doesnt like the idea of buying a player that new movies wont play on. DOH. Its cheap enough that I can get it.

I dont know if I can stomach getting a PS3 as I really like my xbox360 and all my buddies have one to for games. Maybe there will be a 360 add on bluray soon.

So I switched to a new pack of blanks and sure enough it worked. Unbelievable. Well at least others may be able to once again read through my struggles and use it to make the process more clear.

It doesn't surprise me that the other pack of blanks worked. Those suckers are picky. I'm not in love with Verbatim media either...Memorex has worked just as well for me, as has TDK.

The 360 is a great game machine - but the problem with the 360 in my TV room is that it makes too much noise to use as a DVD or Blu-Ray player. The PS3 is a pretty good media server, is a great DVD and Blu-Ray player, has OK games, and is nearly silent.

I have been using the Memorex 8X DL disks, I never burn faster the half the rated speed and always have Nero to verify the burn, and if I get verify errors I don't use the disk. I think about 10% don't verify, but they are less than half the cost of Verbatum when on sale. I got about 100 on sale from Circuit City $20 for 25 pack of 8X memorex DL.

The "book type" setting is only available in the burning software. I have tried Imageburn but still only use Nero7.

Mike T

I hear ya on the 360 being loud. I have to give the volume and extra 10 db or so to drowned out the noise from that thing. I have a very early model of the 360. I have heard the newer IIRC falcon chip based ones are much quieter, but I dont know. The last spindle I had before this one with the bad disks had a bad disk at the bottom. That was my first dud in 150 - 200 disks. Now this pack that I had all the problems with on the HD DVD seems to have the bottom 10 or so being bad in the spindle. This is only the second set of 8x speed I have had. I had zero issues with the 2.4x ones and my LiteOn would burn them at 8x. I do verify all disks and nero or imgburn has never found an error. I will slow down the burn process to see if that helps at all.

If you are not going to use the HD DVD player, then there are easier and or less expensive options than the PS3.

I have a media player which is easier and less expensive than the PS3 but I keep coming back here to see if anyone has released a simple, reliable and inexpensive way to burn MPEG4 video onto a 3xDVD.

There was a rumor that there was new public domain authoring software coming a few months ago. Has anyone heard anything more?

I think I would just hook up my PC to my TV as it is already built to be a HTPC before I bought a PS3. I can buy a bluray drive for it for like $130 or something now.

I just wish to add some of the experiences I made when trying to create HD-DVD-Folders with MF6+ /Patch2 / HD-Plugin without re-encoding:

My starting point was a .ts-file from my HDTV-PVR including a video stream in h.264 - Level 4 with 1080i@50hz marked as 25fps. I could drop the .ts-file directly onto the timeline of MF6+ and start playback, the file was correctly analyzed by MF6+ as h.264 by clicking on the i-button, but MF6+ always wanted to re-encode that into MPEG2. Only after I had de-muxed the .ts-file with tsRmuxeR into a h.264 plus an AC3-file and then re-muxed it back to .ts (with all settings in the header unchanced !!) with tsRemuxeR again, MF6+ accepted to burn without re-encoding. So it seems to me that the header information of .ts-files must correctly match with the format which MF6+ requires to avoid re-encoding. On the other hand, this prooves that MF6+ will accept h.264 even at 25fps without re-encoding (but only if you have choosen "PAL/ SECAM" in your preferences !), so there is no need for the workaround discribed in this thread for 24fps-files by using HDPatch or similar in order to change the header to 29.97fps.

In addition, there is a very strange issue concerning the "do not concert compliant files"-box which has to be checked. MF6+ did not allow me to burn without re-encoding, unless I checked the "x-disc"-box just below as well !! Could anyone confirm this or do I just have a bug ?

(Appologies for my English - I'm from Germany !)

WellSonofa....... I tried watching my freshly burned HD DVD last night. It was a stuttering mess. When I tested it the other night I just watched like 5 seconds and thought it was good. So we watched the stuttering for a few minutes and then the sound went in and out and then ended up off sync. It was fine in the begining. So I went back to the drawing board. There is no stutter in the file until I put it into H264info and add 3:2 pulldown to change to 29.97 Any ideas?

I have no idea what is up with the sound. And no idea how to fix it.

I have a rip of a HD DVD that I have been trying to put onto two DVD9's with zero luck. It is an MKV with H264 and AC3 audio. I got it all the way to a .ts that MF6+ will accept and used tssplitter to split it then I got it through MF6 and onto the first disk. It is a stuttery mess that drops audio and gets way off sync too. I used the same process I used on the first attempt so I am for sure thinking I have no freaking idea WTF I am doing. LOL and I was so sure I was over the hump I scored a A3 for a second player in another room. DOH.

Well I finally made a good HD DVD last night. I ended up using MeGUI to convert the file and add the borders into a mkv file. I selected the standalone-HD-DVD profile instead of the SA-HD-DVD profile then followed with MKVExtract to extract the H264 file. I then used H264info to add pulldown. tsMuxeR to mux back in the audio then MF6+ w/HD powerpack to create the HD DVD folders and the burned in Nero7 with xbox compatibility. I guess the profile change in MeGUI made the difference. Not sure why, but it worked. I am going to make another movie tonight as MeGUI is cranking away on another mkv as we speak. The Q6600 overclocked to 3.2 gHz is really chewing through this stuff.

Very interesting read. Thanks ThrottleAbuse to let us know. I tried the same thing and ended up with the a similar workflow (tsMuxer/MeGUI+standalone-HD-DVD profile/H264Info). Import of a 3min trailer into Sonic Scenarist SCA worked, but I didn't encode a full feature movie yet. I guess I'll try it as soon as I find the time. My Core2Quad should be fast enough for the re-encoding.

LOL that is what I thought about my quad until I did a few at the stock 2.4 ghz clock. That is when I decided to O/C it to 3.2 ghz. Cut my encoding time by about 25%. Now I am thinking I should boost it up some more.

I just upgraded to the latest version of MeGUI (0.3.0.2003), and the only x264 HD-DVD profiles I see are:
- SA-HD-DVD
- SA-HD-DVD_Fast

Where can I find this "standalone-HD-DVD" profile?

I just did the update and it lists the profiles you would like to add. Try it again as they are in the list.

Did you add chapters with MF6?

What are the encode times with the OC Q6600? My OC E6600 takes about 14 hours for 2 pass 2 hr mpeg2 source file. I have a Q6600 that I will install soon.

Mike T

I have not tried adding chapters yet. I am getting the itch to do it. I think I will tonight with the movie that I am encoding today.

As far as the Q6600 goes I have been using MeGui to do create the standalone-HD-DVD profile mkv and it did a 90 minute movie yesterday in about 6 hours. The first step took about one hour 15 minutes and the second took about 5 hours. O/Cing it really helped cut my times by a bunch. Now I just have to figure out how to O/C it some more. I have no idea how many passes I am doing. I have only been working with h264 stuff recently so I am not much help there. My guess is it will cut your encode times almost in half. Since the encoding programs seem to max out all 4 cores.

Hey Mike. Any idea on how to get a 1280x720 H264 file into MF6 without it encoding?