New DVDx 2.8 : now create/modify your own WMV profiles

[Jim@labDV.com]

We're proud to announce the availability of DVDx 2.8 release, available on labDV server, on DVDx web site and on SourceForge servers.

Starbuck and Jim teamworked for hours of C++/COM coding to extend WMV encoding support created by DVDx Dev (James). Now you can edit every parameter of the WMV profile, save it as a standard XML (.prx) file. You can load any WMV profile containing one video stream and one audio stream, from any third party application. The standard and Ultra Edition installers contain several useful pre-defined profiles: Film (24fps), NTSC (30fps) and PAL (25fps) for computer display (low and medium screens), HD720p, VHS quality, CD-sized movies and Pocket PC (standard and widescreen display). What's new in 2.8:

Encoder:

- extended Windows Media support, now the WM audio/video profile is fully editable and can be saved or loaded from standard PRX file. You can now create movies for your Windows based Smartphone and PDA as well as upscale DVD video to high-definition video thanks to WMV HD-Video.
- WM predefined profiles: Film small and standard screen, Pocket PC standard and widescreen, CD-sized for PAL/NTSC standard and widescreen movies, PAL and NTSC computer low and medium file size, PAL/NTSC HDTV 720p.
- multipass (2-pass encoding) isn't supported yet for Windows Media. So audio VBR 2-pass format aren't populated in the format combobox list and video constrained VBR neither.
- uncompressed streams aren't supported yet, so the check boxes are disabled in the WM profile setting window.

Multilang:

- updated MAX_ITEM from 100 to 120 to allow more than 100 error items.

Skins:

- modified SkComboBox control to allow more drop list items (required to display 232 Windows Media Audio formats). Previously limited by a RECT[50] array, now we use a CArray (MFC) collection to dynamically allocate an unlimited number of drop list items in sinkable combo box.
- added new EnableFullText method to SkEdit control (which was limited to 0-9 and . and -) in order to enable full text edition in this control (full text is restricted to aA..aZ, 0..9, space and .:*-+).
- added EnableUnsignedInteger method to SkEdit control to get a more restrictive behavior, limiting inputs to positive integer entries.

Download DVDx standard version "ripper free" (and source code; all for free from SourceForge.net) and DVDx Ultra Edition (MyDVDx VIP only) from DVDx website:

http://www.labdv.com/dvdx/download.php
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=72208&package_id=71998

[Jim@labDV.com]

BTW, I've made Ultra Edtion and binaries archive available for Baldrick (private FTP access) so he can get them and publish on VideoHelp.

Also sent a mail to him to make aware.

Jim

[BJ_M]

very nice - thank you mucho for your hard work ...

[Jim@labDV.com]

I talked with Baldrick who said they can't host software with DVD ripper at VideoHelp (because of legal stuff in their ISP country), so not possible for DVDx Ultra Edition.

I guess we'll see more supportful messages for our work... and that people will understand we can't host DVDx Ultra Edition gratis anywhere, we have to host in country which don't prosecute for DVD copy open-source software. And we have to pay for this, so your support as labDV VIP members is very welcome.

Ultra Edition was removed from SourceForge to ensure they won't close down such a project without notice of US lobby request.

I'm working on publications for the DVDx web site developer area to make it possible to compile one's own DVDx flavor easily.

We're thinking to use Machinist2.dll for DVDx 3 (and other DVD copy unprotection plugins) to definitely ensure DVDx will survive, while it will be possible to read copy protected DVD and HD-DVD.

BTW, we don't encourage massive DVD copy business and P2P sharing, but we support the free community ideas to make DVD/movie/music copy possible to ensure cultural access anywhere (for example when movie aren't distributed at all in some world regions or when localized versions are ugly and sensored - like most French dubbing - and you already paid for the movie when paying your cable/sat/tv provider). We aren't very good at this DRM Act debate, and we don't want to be prosecuted, so we usualy follow on Open Source lobby ideas and ask for hosting in most freedom countries.

Now back to work: we've focusing on AVI/DivX support (maybe Xvid) for next DVDx 2.9 release...

And feedback about WMV encoder is very welcome!

Jim

[SatStorm]

XviD would be great, yeah...

[Jim@labDV.com]

Xvid issue is that it seems to be dead or slow down.

That's why I'll first do for DivX and then use experience (same codec tech) to implement Xvid.

[SatStorm]

I wouldn't say XviD is dead, I would say that people switch to H264

XviD is "dead" among the video enthusiasts in a way. The interest now goes to x264

[Jim@labDV.com]

OK then.

I've seen AutoGk people have done a new Xvid binary which I'll have a look - but I agree that it won't offer new important encoding improvement.

What is the best bet for a x264 codec?

[onix]

OK then.

I've seen AutoGk people have done a new Xvid binary which I'll have a look - but I agree that it won't offer new important encoding improvement.

What is the best bet for a x264 codec?

CoreAVC makes the best (fastest) decoder by far, and they probably make the best encoder for H.264.

XviD would be good for those still burning on 700MB and running on standalone DVD players that cannot be upgraded.

[gll99]

XviD would be good for those still burning on 700MB and running on standalone DVD players that cannot be upgraded.

Are there any standalone players that are h264 compatible?

All the divx players I've seen are only h263 simple profile compatible. Anyone see anything else? I'd buy one pretty fast.

[gll99]

Jim@labDV.com says

Now back to work: we've focusing on AVI/DivX support (maybe Xvid) for next DVDx 2.9 release...

You don't just mean compression with the divx codec which DVDx does already. You are meaning divx menus, chapter etc... features of the divx ultra codec?

btw) When you select an ifo from file or dvd disc why doesn't it state the framerate right away. If we select the wrong one it says that they are different and pulldown/pullup will be performed. Why is the warning only after we leave the input panel. Why not state and preselect the framerate and then let the user change it if they want. Say the rate is 23.97 and I select 29.97 then it says pullup will be performed. It doesn't say what the right one is. I don't want to change the framerate because that often causes synch issues with the audio and video streams that don't have the same length, so I have to go back and select another rate until I don't get the message. Why doesn't it just say right away this dvd is 23.97 and then if I want to change it it's up to me but if I don't it will default to it's original framerate when it encodes the avi.

[Jim@labDV.com]

Seems CoreAVC is doing only playbck.

I've downloaded Xvid Core 1.1.2 source code and it's very nice so I've started to improved Xvid support in DVDx, gona be in 2.9 release next month

[BJ_M]

XviD would be good for those still burning on 700MB and running on standalone DVD players that cannot be upgraded.

Are there any standalone players that are h264 compatible?

All the divx players I've seen are only h263 simple profile compatible. Anyone see anything else? I'd buy one pretty fast.

should be few out soon the - the KiSS 1600 DVD (LINKSYS) says it does, but im not sure if off the disk drive

[somebodeez]

Now back to work: we've focusing on AVI/DivX support (maybe Xvid) for next DVDx 2.9 release...

And feedback about WMV encoder is very welcome!

Jim

I am happily still using DivX so support for that would be great!
Thank you and all of the best of luck to you.