Blu-Ray backup & encoding

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

I'm a newbie, and I'm looking for the simplest and easiest solution (if there's any) to backup my blu-ray discs on my PC in a compressed format (Xvid for example) for storage. Is there a program that does everything in one step ripping & encoding the movie (BD->avi), for comparison like Magic DVD Ripper I use for regular DVDs?

I did some research around and read complicated steps (for me at least) using different programs like: http://forum.videohelp.com/topic333634.html but all this is like in chinese for me.

So far I got to the point of ripping a blu-ray disc with AnyDVD HD/BD to my HDD and open the m2ts files with Media Coder (only program I found so far that opened the m2ts) and encoding it with XviD to avi file. This seems like an easy 2 step procedure, but I have some problems selecting the audio tracks and make it work properly. Are there any other simple programs that I could accomplish this with?

jman98 · Member Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Location: Freedonia

There are NO easy BluRay backup/encoding programs of any kind. At this point in time I believe every BluRay title can be ripped, but some of the newer ones cannot currently be encoded to any other format. BluRay encoding sometimes fails. http://www.doom9.net has a forum on BluRay that might be of interest to you, but the last time I looked people there were still having problems with some BluRay encodes.

BluRay audio can be problematic because the high def audio formats are a pain to deal with. People usually extract AC3 or DTS cores from the high def audio and use those instead.

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

TX for the tip. I'll do some research over there too.

The Media Coder I tried encodes the m2ts movie and AC3 audio tracks to XviD/MP3 avi, but get no sound if I try to encode the DTS audio track. Maybe the Media Coder cannot deal with DTS , but any other programs?

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

I imported the ripped m2ts file to VirtualDubMod, I can encode it with XviD, but doesn't encode the audio just straight copy, don't even see the audio menu to adjust the settings.

I converted the m2ts to ts with TsRemux, and even though I selected the AVC Video Stream #17 and DTS-HD Master Audio Stream #0, when I want to covert the ts to avi with AutoGK it gives me an error that No Video Sequence Header found and No data, check you PIDS, and the TS file is not playable with VLC.

Any tips and suggestions?

Midzuki · invisible Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Location: Dimension Zero

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

It looks that the Media Coder is a dead end street, VirtualDubMod doesn't work properly, TsRemux / AutoGK doesn't want to work.

Who successfully encoded blu-ray to avi, what programs did you use?

TX for the help.

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

So far this blu-ray encoding to avi seems to give the best results:

In case of a DTS track of the ripped m2ts: After ripping the blu-ray with AnyDVD HD/BD, I encoded the m2ts file with VirtualDubMod to avi with Xvid-24bit-5Mb/s compression (other XviD encoders encode to 12bit and there's a big difference btwn 12bit and 24bit XviD compression) and audio couldn't be encoded, automatic direct stream copy of the master track (DTS). This XviD/DTS avi file could be stored already and plays with any multimedia player, but it was still too large to my liking (3GB audio stream+3.5GB Video Stream) and I'm further compressing it. I didn't find a program yet that encodes the XviD/DTS avi file to XviD/AC3 avi encoding only the audio stream and leaving the video stream alone, because some programs i found start to encode the video also, they convert the XviD from 24bit to 12bit, what I don't want. I encoded only the DTS stream of the avi file with MediaCoder to AC3 compression, creating an .ac3 audio file. I'm demuxing the large avi file to remove the video stream and mux it with the created ac3 audio file. I'm trying out different programs right now to see which one gives the best results, but the end result will be an XviD/AC3 avi file around 4GB for 90min movie.

In case of an AC3 track of the ripped m2ts: I encoded it in one click with MediaCoder to XviD/AC3 or MP3 avi file. The only downside is that the XviD compression is 12bit. If I'd want the 24bit encoding of XviD, I'd had to do the first (above) steps. It could be also encoded to H264-MP4 like this in one click.

This thread looks like a monologue

I'm just sharing my experience and looking for solutions, but not many join/comment/suggest things.

Midzuki · invisible Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Location: Dimension Zero

GeeForce wrote:

jagabo · Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: none

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

Midzuki · invisible Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Location: Dimension Zero

GeeForce wrote:

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

Maybe I could of avoided this second audio encoding/demuxing/muxing process, if I would of found the audio setting tools in VirtualDubMod when created the original avi, and instead of direct stream copy of the audio track it could of encoded straight to AC3 what I wanted, but I'm too lazy now to go back and re-convert the m2ts (8+hrs), hope the next one will work.

jagabo · Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: none

By the way, the "original" VirtualDub now supports source plugins so you may be able to open your TS files directly with it. Here's a post with links to VirtualDub source plugins:

http://forum.videohelp.com/topic346590.html#1816874

Note that VirtualDubMod isn't really maintained anymore. It's an old version of the open source VirtualDub with additions. Since it handles multiple audio (and other) streams the Audio menu from VirtualDub was attached to the individual streams in the Stream menu.

You also might want to look at AviDemux -- which does a lot more than the title implies. It's similar to VirtualDub but also handles a lot of other containers for input and output.

SCDVD · Member Joined: 05 Oct 2004 Location: United States

I am hopeful that the HD backup tools and knowledge base will grow now that there is one HD standard emerging. Right now, it's a little like listening to Dumb and Dumber in these HD backup discussions. I don't mean that in a critical way; it's just that the early pioneers in HD backup are just starting to look at solutions. I applaud their efforts. I'm sure that the tools and know-how will improve a great deal over the next year or so.

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

It looks that the blu-ray encoding is possible in one click operation to encode the m2ts to XviD/AC3 avi for example with the VirtualDubMod version I used.

I'll have to see if I can transfer to VirtualDub the templates and filters from the Jake Ludington edition of VirtualDubMod I've been using to get the latest support and updated software.

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

I couldn't make VirtualDub to open the blu-ray ripped m2ts file, and couldn't convert any audio with VirtualDubMod, even though I selected the options, at the end it didn't encode it, just did a direct stream copy.

I encoded the m2ts to:

- Xvid24bit/DTS(Master Track) avi one click encoding with Jake Ludington mod of VirtualDubMod, but only the Master DTS track is available.

- Xvid24bit/AC3(Master Track) avi the above followed by encoding(demuxing) the audio track and muxing it to the demuxed video. These steps take a few minutes.

- Xvid12bit/AC3(Any Track direct stream copy) avi one click encoding with MediaCoder.

SCDVD · Member Joined: 05 Oct 2004 Location: United States

I mentioned earlier in this thread that the tools that are needed to create BlueRay discs are still very limited. I didn't realize just how limited they were until I looked at Sony's web site. I'm considering buying Vegas 8 with the accompanying authoring program DVD Architect Pro. But not even Sony's product can output anything other than a simple video without a menu! The following is a quote from Sony's product page on their web site.

With Vegas Pro 8 software you can burn a Blu-ray Disc directly from the timeline. Blu-ray Disc burning allows you to create a disc similar to a "single movie" DVD—the movie has no titles, menus, or buttons. Blu-ray Disc burning in Vegas Pro 8 software provides an alternate distribution option for high-definition content, rather than traditional file-based hard disk or streaming media formats. You can also use the Blu-ray Disc burning feature to create high-definition discs that can playback on a set-top Blu-ray Disc player or on a Sony PS3 gaming system.

It sure will be nice when things are a little further along with HD disc creation!

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

I used Pinnacle Studio Plus 11 before to edit and create movies from the HD Camcorder's recorded material (m2ts) and it has the option of creating blu-ray discs, but since I have no blu-ray burner the program doesn't want to start the project. Supposably it only works if you have a Blu-Ray burner. I did create HD-DVD format DVD9 Disc in one of the projects next to the other regular DVD projects.

graysky · Member Joined: 24 Nov 2002 Location: United States

I'd be interested in try this but I don't have a blu-ray drive on my machine. Anyone know where I can get my hands on the ripped audio/video stream (m2t file I'm assuming) to play with?
_________________
http://encoding.n3.net <-- for all your DVD and CD backup needs!

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

These files are huge. Even a 2min clip is 500+MB. If you have an ftp or server somewhere, I can upload you a clip.

Lovepeaceguru · Posted: Mar 02, 2008 13:34

GeeForce, I love your enthusiasm/determination/frustration. I've been there myself. At present I rip with AnyDVD and convert to ts with TSremux. I was pretty much resigned to living with my 15 - 35 GB ts files but I agree with you, we should be able to find a solution to get them down to say 10 GB with little apparent loss of quality. MeGUI is my present focus but it is oh, so slooooow. The most difficult thing is the inconsistency in the ts files such that even though I always use the same process, I have to be "flexible" about which media player I use. PowerDVD Ultra (fully updated) usually plays the video but often loses the audio, I skip between PowerDVD, WMP, VLC and Crystal (which I like a lot). It really seems completely random which one will work best. I too would like to get to avi in the end. I see no benefit in mkv and don't understand why so many HD torrents are offered in this difficult format. Like you I have sweated many, many hours over this. Let's stay in touch and crack this problem!!

GeeForce11 · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Location: United States

TX for your support.

I did get to end of it as i mentioned it above and this thread:
http://forum.videohelp.com/topic346837.html
I have Blu-Ray rips encoded to 1920x1080 XviD24b5Mbps/AC3_5.1_448Kbps, 90min 3.6GB, 120min 4.8GB