BD authoring help - I need some testers and experts

My last EFNY BD-25 has some compatibility problems; I used MultiAVCHD as BD authoring software, and ImgBurn to actually burn the BD-25 disc; I tested it with my PS3 - two different models - and it worked flawlessly, but other users had problems with their standalone BD players.

So, i need some volunteer who can burn a BD-R or a BD-RE and test it on their standalone BD player, reporting eventual problems; also, if some experts would like to give a look at the files/folder, maybe they will discover if there is anything wrong with them.

You could burn the whole movie - you know where to find it - or just download the BD "template" - the same, only with dummy empty files for movie and trailer - here (24MB) - in the latter case, please avoid to sacrifice a BD-R just to throw it away after the test... just use a BD-RE that you will reuse for something useful in the future!

Thanks in advance!

I did further tests: I played the BD-RE into an old Philips BD-7100; all menu worked flawlessy, but movie stutters after few seconds of normal play; if I go to the next chapter, again movie plays normally then stutters... again and again.

So I cut a random 1 minute clip from the movie, with all soundtracks and subtitles intact, changed the profile from 4.1 to 4.0, replaced the main movie with this short clip, burned all to the BD-RE, replayed it in the BD-7100, and it worked!

Then I remuxed the whole movie at 4.0 profile, burned it to BD-RE, tested with the BD-7100, and... it didn't work - it was like the first time! But I noted that the trailer works well in both cases, I tested the initial and ending credits, and they were ok...

It's a bitrate problem, I thought... then I remembered I've done an AVCHD some years ago that has a bitrate over the standard, and it worked as this... plus, another member wrote that his standalone BD player recognized the BD as an AVCHD...

At the end, it seems that MultiAVCHD has made an AVHCD compliant disc, instead of a BD, even if I chose BD as the final format!!! I used MultiAVCHD 4.1 build 771.

Because the final structure seems to be BD compliant, how can I discover that is instead an AVCHD? Is there a free software that could "convert" the AVCHD structure to BD compliant, without re-encoding?

So, if Halloween plays smoothly (apart slow navigation, that I could confirm I encountered in x264 encoded material), then EasyBD Lite works well, and the problem lies in MultiAVCHD...

You can find MultiAVCHD project file inside the EFNY folder \BDMV\AUXDATA\multiAVCHD.mpf - could you please take a look and see if I forgot something, or made wrong settings? Many thanks in advance!

I've just recently taken the plunge with blu ray authoring myself.  I've found that encoding an elementary .264 file with 0 bframes and then not allowing multiavchd to do any transcoding is the best way to ensure compatibility. Maybe you've done this already, I just thought I'd put in my 2 cents. I looked at your project and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary but I'm a complete noob in this area lol.

If encoding at 1080p i guess I'd use something like this:

--crf 18 --preset veryslow --tune film --bluray-compat --vbv-maxrate 40000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --level 4.1 --keyint 24 --open-gop --slices 4 --colorprim "bt709" --transfer "bt709" --colormatrix "bt709" --sar 1:1 --bframes 0

Also, there is an option in megui to import your chapter cuts and ensure that the first frame of each chapter is encoded as an I-frame which should ensure that each chapter is capable of playing correctly when jumped to.

Again, this is all stuff I've just read and I'm no expert on it :).

Thanks for your help! I kindly ask you to post your settings here too:

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Final-encoding-which-software-do-you-use/topic/16425/

so there will be a one place for encoding settings.

Thanks for the help!

Frankly, I made so many tests and encoding that I can't remember any thing; add to this that I was forced to reinstall the OS, and maybe (almost surely) I forgot something in the process...

Well, as I'd like to use multiAVCHD (now that I understood how to use it), I think EasyBD should not be used anymore, right? Yes, multiAVHCD accepts elementary streams, and I used this feature for the final project IIRC...

For encoding, I used... please don't shoot me... VirtualDub, with default settings; maybe the problem arised because I didn't tick the "VirtualDub hack" into x264vfw settings... don't know if x264vfw could cause the problem, but I don't think so; probably it's due only to wrong settings; I like its simple 3 pages configuration.

Also, I found I had THREE installation files into my old HD, but can't remember which one I used after the OS reinstall... they are (from newer to older):

• x264vfw.2273kMod.x86.exe
• x264vfw_38_2274bm_36885.exe
• x264vfw_37_2200bm_33968.exe

maybe one is faulty? Is there one "problem free" between them?

Lately, I tried several other x264 GUIs, and found that x264 Simple Launcher v2 and tx264 are between my favourite, and I like them as they could be fed with the avs file directly; sadly, I discovered them after EFNY "debacle"... (**/)

I did my homework, and according to many sources, I compiled these x264 settings that *seems to be needed* to make a BD compliant encoding:

x264 --profile high --level 4.1 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --vbv-maxrate 40000 --partitions all --slices 4 --bframes 3 --ref 4 --min-keyint 2 --keyint 24 --no-b-pyramid --thread-input --bluray-compat --aud --nal-hrd

still not sure which --preset and --tune settings to use - I think veryslow and grain should be used as we want to obtain the best quality and preserve as much grain as possible.

But, according to http://www.x264bluray.com, these are the settings to use for a 1920x1080/24fps (23.976):

x264 --bitrate XXXXX --preset veryslow --tune film --bluray-compat --vbv-maxrate 40000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --level 4.1 --keyint 24 --open-gop --slices 4 --colorprim "bt709" --transfer "bt709" --colormatrix "bt709" --sar 1:1 --pass 1 -o out.264 input.file

apart the colorprim, transfer, colormatrix and sar values that are implicit in the source, I'm a bit confused on the open-gop setting...

So, *maybe* a good setup for a 1920x1080/23.976fps at 26mbps could be:

x264 --bitrate 26000 --preset veryslow --tune grain --bluray-compat --vbv-maxrate 40000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --level 4.1 --profile high --min-keyint 2 --keyint 24 --slices 4 --partitions all --bframes 3 --ref 4  --b-pyramid none --thread-input  --aud --nal-hrd cbr --colorprim "bt709" --transfer "bt709" --colormatrix "bt709" --sar 1:1 --pass 1 --stats file.stats -o out.264 input.file

(plus pass 2 after that, or course)

what do you think?

MeGUI gives me problems; that's why I searched for another GUI - not NET based if possible - and tx264 seems a good one; AFAIK using it (as other GUIs) it's the same than using x264 command line, right?

But, if I should use the command line to avoid any problem, I'll do it; which x264 version do you suggest? The latest found on the vlc site - x264-r2389-956c8d8.exe - or other modified build?

What about the last x264 settings I posted? Should I use them?

I'm getting mad! I tried several way to encode my last project, and also different x264 versions, but the problem is always there: the bit rate frequently spikes over 50mbps, hence is not BD compliant and that should be the case of standalone incompatibility!

I don't know why, as the --vbv-maxrate 40000 MUST prevent this... anyone has this problem?

So, I tried to lower the value, and for example if I use around 25000, spikes go up to 30/35mbps - well over this value, but at least BD compliant, finally...

I'm in the middle of the last encode with this value; it should be finished tomorrow, then I'll check bitrate spikes to see if they are below the 40mbps - strongly hope this, as total encoding time will be about 36 hours! I should upgrade my CPU, I know, but it's not the moment right now...

I did a lot of tests, and meanwhile read a lot of things about x264 encoding; it seems that final bitrate using --vbv-maxrate is near perfect - maybe around +/- 0.2%!

So, I've gone back to my old projects, checked their bitrate, and they are fine; the conclusion is, after I was forced to reinstall from scratch the OS, the problem arised... still, I have no idea what could cause it, as I used different x264 executables...

Last chance is to take another HD, install (again) the OS from scratch, install avisynth, install x264 (and nothing more), then try to make the same encoding, using the same settings, and see if it works - it SHOULD work that way! It will take a lot of time, but I can't loose sleep anymore! (^^,)

Any advice is really appreciated, though!

I made a test BD, and video didn't show up on the PS3, while in an old standalone BD player it worked, but after few seconds "slowed down" and remained as is, until I skip to the next chapter; then, it played OK but after few seconds slowed down again etc.

Yes, I used the Bitrate Viewer; I agree it is not perfect, but I tested it with a LOT of other .m2ts files from BD - even my own old project - and none had spikes over 40mbps, while the one I did following bd compliant settings had many well over 50mbps...

I tested further settings; as I need an average bitrate of about 23mbps to stay inside a BD-25, I tried to set -vbv-maxrate and -vbv-bufsize at the same value as the bitrate, and this seems to work; spikes are not under 23mbps, but often over 30/35mbps, still under 40, so I'm going to give it a try for the whole movie; after that, I'll burn another BD-25 and try it with both PS3 and BD player; if it will work, I'll try to test it further in some other standalone players.

This is until I'll install (again) from scratch the OS, this time using a "twin" PC of mine...

Yes; I used command-line, x264vfw via VirtualDub, Simple x264 launcher, TX264; with several x264.exe for each, but nothing...

I just finished to encode it, and splikes are just a bit more than 41mbps; I will try another setting, then post results here.

Maybe tomorrow I'll find out some time (and courage) to format the main HD of the twin PC and install (again) the OS... keep fingers crossed!

I did the last test using -vbv-maxrate 24000 -vbv-bufsize 12000, and spikes are reduced at around 33mbps max; burned the BD, tested into PS3, no video, while in the BD player it has the "usual" problems; I put some other m2ts files from commercial BDs and indeed some of them have spikes over 50mbps; so, it is not "spikes" related.

I noted a thing: comparing both my encoded file, and other commercial BD files, the others have CABAC, while mine not... I don't understand, as I have NOT set no-cabac - so, CABAC should be used by defalt... must I add --cabac to my settings? Could this be the cause of the incompatibility?

This *seems* to be the settings to use for the best BD compliance: (EDIT: modified to follow --fullhelp settings order)

x264 --profile high --preset veryslow --tune film --keyint 24 --min-keyint 2 --bframes 3 --b-pyramid strict --open-gop --ref 4 --cabac --slices 4 --bitrate 23000 --vbv-maxrate 40000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --pass 1 --stats ".stats" --weightp 0 --merange 24 --overscan show --colorprim "bt709" --transfer "bt709" --colormatrix "bt709" --nal-hrd vbr --output NUL "AVPR_final3.avs" --sar 1:1 --level 4.1 --bluray-compat --aud

x264 --profile high --preset veryslow --tune film --keyint 24 --min-keyint 2 --bframes 3 --b-pyramid strict --open-gop --ref 4 --cabac --slices 4 --bitrate 23000 --vbv-maxrate 40000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --pass 2 --stats ".stats" --weightp 0 --merange 24 --overscan show --colorprim "bt709" --transfer "bt709" --colormatrix "bt709" --nal-hrd vbr --output "AVPR_final3.avs.264" "AVPR_final3.avs" --sar 1:1 --level 4.1 --bluray-compat --aud

assuming that the avs file is perfect, here is what I'm going to do for the latest test:

• x264 command line (pass 1 and pass 2) to obtain the encoded file as .264
• EasyBD Lite to make a compliant BD, using .264 file and all audio and subtitle tracks
• result 00001.m2ts file will be used to feed MultiAVCHD
• if final 00001.m2ts file is different from the previous one, it will be replaced using the one made with EasyBD Lite

This is because it seems that TSmuxer doesn't mux well video encoded with b-frames - so at the end, THIS should be the cause of jerky/stuttering video, and not CABAC - while EasyBD Lite seems to be the only free tool AFAIK that is able to mux video with b-frames and still be BD compliant; as using --b-frames 0 will waste a lot of bitrate (maybe up to 25%), I'll try this route first.

OK, going to do this; it will take "only" a day, so be patient for the next reply! (^^,)

Thanks to Chewtobacca, I had no more problems with BD compatibility!

But, as it takes about three days (gosh!) with my poor old PC, I guess if I could speed up the process, using a faster preset in the 1st pass...