Backing up DVR HDTV to Blu-Ray w/DVD audio track

[pulsation]

Guys, I wanted to know if you could help me here.

I recorded the Back to the Future Trilogy in HD off of HBO yesterday onto my Motorola DCT3416. I would like to burn all three movies to Blu-Ray eventually. My problem is this: the cable broadcast audio was crappy 2-channel stereo. I would like to combine the 1080i broadcast with one of the Standard-DVD audio tracks I own on disc (either Dolby or DTS 5.1). Is it possible to do this on my PC? How can I do this so the audio correctly synchs up to the video? If anyone has any input on this that would be great! Thanks!

[pulsation]

Surely someone has an idea of what I need to do here...

[Soopafresh]

You won't get perfect sync that way - using another source for the audio. Then again, there are folks that like building ships in bottles

[guns1inger]

Putting aside Blu-Ray authoring for the moment (or until it becomes a reasonable proposition), the basic process is simple. Demux the 5.1 AC3 audio from your DVD (Rejig can do this, amongst others), the work out what delay you need to use to make sure everything syncs up. Use this delay when authoring. You can work out the delay by loading the video and AC3 audio into Media Player Classic and using the audio offset function.

Of course, if the broadcast has ad breaks etc and needs to be edited then you will have to edit the audio to match, and the whole project becomes substantially harder.

[pulsation]

Putting aside Blu-Ray authoring for the moment (or until it becomes a reasonable proposition), the basic process is simple. Demux the 5.1 AC3 audio from your DVD (Rejig can do this, amongst others), the work out what delay you need to use to make sure everything syncs up. Use this delay when authoring. You can work out the delay by loading the video and AC3 audio into Media Player Classic and using the audio offset function.

Of course, if the broadcast has ad breaks etc and needs to be edited then you will have to edit the audio to match, and the whole project becomes substantially harder.

Thanks, gunslinger...

The broadcast was shown commercial free on HBO. My main problem is editing out the "Coming up Next" screen and the rating screen before the actual movie begins. Can you explain how this "Audio offset" works in Media Player Classic???

Thanks again!!!!

[guns1inger]

Start MPC. Click on File -> Open File. Select the video in the Open field, and the audio track in the Dub field. Click OK. Start the video playing, and use the number pad + and - keys to shift the video in 10ms increments. Once it lines up, note the audio shift, and use this as your delay when authoring.

[Nelson37]

The problem you will encounter is that the movie shown on cable and the movie you have on DVD are almost certainly NOT 100% identical. At a wild guess, perhaps 1 in 10 broadcast movies will match exactly with the particular DVD you happen to have. Maintaining audio synch will most likely be a headache-inducing nightmare.

The difference can be due to ad breaks, or even in uninterrupted premium broadcasts due to editing which is often done. Most movies exist now in multiple, slightly different versions. Been there, done that, might work but can also be a royal PITA. I no longer even consider such a project.

Some cable and satellite providers do broadcast the full 5.1 soundtrack, and it does appear to be feasible to capture that soundtrack.

Comparing the downsampled Prologic II that I am currently capturing to an actual 5.1 AC-3 soundtrack, played through a less than $500 sound system, my efforts and/or desire to do what is needed to capture the original 5.1 have assumed a much lower level of importance.

Short version - probably not worth it unless you have a very high fidelity sound system. That's assuming the two movies are identical.

[videopoo]

No to mention that whatever your Motorola recorded the features probably won't work in any Blu Ray authoring tool.

[pulsation]

No to mention that whatever your Motorola recorded the features probably won't work in any Blu Ray authoring tool.

Explain what you mean by "won't work in any Blu Ray authoring tool." The broadcast is a 1080i transport stream MPEG-2 file. How is this not compatible with Blu-Ray???