need help finding the best container/codec Format for my situation

[staeberc]

hi all !
hope this is the right place to ask my question.

situation:
i have ripped all my dvd's to /moviename/VIDEO_TS/ folder-structure, so i have the full dvd's available in filemode (*.ifo, *.vob).
the files are stored on my qnap nas-server (TS-219P).

problem:
this woks fine for my htpc based on win7 mce, but doesn't work probably with my ps3 through twonky media server and shurely no way to play these movies on my samsung tv.

question:
now i am looking for a codec/container format (and tool) which is
1. with nearly no quality loss to my dvd-files
2. works with mce (media browser, my movies), twonky5.x streaming to -> ps3 and samsung tv
3. hopefully doesn't need lot of (re-)encoding, 'cause this takes a lot of time..
4. accepts 5.1 DD (ac3) and multiple audiostreams
5. will hold almost all informations the dvd holds (e.g. chapters, subtitles etc.)

it would be nice if the new format could also handle HD-resolutions.

here is a list of supported formats for each device:
ps3: http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/video/filetypes.html
tv: http://www.samsung.de/de/Privatkunden/TVHeimkino/Fernseher/LEDTV/ue40b7090/UE40B7090WP...specifications
twonky: http://www.twonkyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5070


i already thought about .avi which will work with all devices but takes a long time to encode and doesn't take chapters and subtitles. then .mp4 which will take all the dvd informations but isn't officially supported to carry ac3 DD 5.1 audio and also takes a long time to encode. then .m2ts which would be nice, but isn't supported by my tv.. .mkv not supported by ps3 ..

i don't know what format would be the best for me to take (also looking into future - bd-rip), and i don't want to spend weeks of re-encoding all my movies to re-encode them again 'cause the used format isn't usable on device x.

thanks for ur hints and suggestions!

PS: i'm no native speaker. hope my english is understandable

[jagabo]

Leave the video as MPEG2+AC3. Just remux into an MPG file. Try VOB2MPG. It will be fast and there will be no quality loss (no re-encoding).

[Baldrick]

Maybe try PS3 Media Server instead of Twonky. It supports VIDEO_TS and DVD ISOs.

[staeberc]

wow, thats fast reply! cool

Maybe try PS3 Media Server instead of Twonky. It supports VIDEO_TS and DVD ISOs.

-> already thought about that but doesn't work for me 'cause twonky runs on my nas and the qpkg for ps3 media server isn't supported by my nas-revision..

Try VOB2MPG

-> sounds good. i will give it a try!


if its ok to do all the encoding-stuff one times, what format would be recommend to lose minimal quality but using less space.
also thinking about future bd-rips and avchd movies from my digicam.

[jagabo]

I'd reencode with x264 (h.264) and use either MP4 or MKV containers. Not sure what your software/players support. Most DVDs can be squished to 1/3 the size with little loss of quality. Try CRF mode, with a value of 18 and the Veryfast preset.

[staeberc]

I'd reencode with x264 (h.264) and use either MP4 or MKV containers. Not sure what your software/players support. Most DVDs can be squished to 1/3 the size with little loss of quality. Try CRF mode, with a value of 18 and the Veryfast preset.

ok, that sounds good. what tool would u recommend? handbrake?

there is only one problem with mp4 container i think. i tried (a little sample extracted from one dvd) with ac3 passthru.
this works fine on twonky->ps3, directly on ps3, shurely on htpc but no sound on samsung tv. i read that ac3 in mp4 is not officially supported (->wikipedia).. is this "future proof" ?
and how do i have to handle dts and maybe at a later time dolby true-hd and dts-hd? same as ac3?

thx a lot for ur replies jagabo!

[staeberc]

well, i tested VOB2MPG now. doesn't work well because i'm not able to select the audiostream on ps3. my tv shows the wrong aspect ratio could that be caused by the ending .mpg ? (all streamed throug twonky5).
then i tried with .mp4 having 1st. audiostream aac stereo downmix, 2nd and 3rd audiostream ac3 passthru. works great on my ps3 but rejected as incompatible from samsung tv ..
could .m2ts be a useful containerformat? is it easy to convert my .vob to .m2ts ?
any other suggestions?

[jagabo]

Yes, M2TS can hold both MPEG2 and h.264 video.

AC3 is officially supported in MP4 -- it was added a year or so ago. Many devices and programs don't support it though.

I use DgIndex, AviSynth, and x264 for my DVD to h.264 conversions. That gives me complete control. Xvid4Psp (which does much more than it's name implies) is worth looking at and uses those same tools in an automated fashion.