PC User December 2008 – Creating your own HD movies on DVD

Over the few years, I’ve written a quite a few stories in the pages of PC User about how to create your own DVD movies using freeware software including some tools I’ve written myself. But as of the December 2008 issue, we crank things up a notch by showing you how to create high-definition videos on DVD that play back in your Blu-ray player or your Sony PlayStation 3.

The format is called AVCHD and for the first time, we’re showing you how to create these “Blu-ray on DVD” movie discs for free.

Using the tools in the magazine, you’ll be able to fit two-hours of 1080p high-definition video onto a double-layer DVD-recordable disc that will play back in your AVCHD-supported Blu-ray player. You can fit around 60minutes of high-quality 1080p footage onto a single-layer DVD-recordable disc or two hours of 720p video.

AVCHD is a format developed by Sony and Panasonic originally aimed an enabling HD camcorders to create HD discs on cheaper 8cm DVD media. That format is now being introduced into the latest Blu-ray component players, including the new $399 Sony BDP-S350, allowing you to do the same thing with standard 12cm discs in addition to 8cm disc playback.

So if you’ve been thinking you’d have to invest in a $350 Blu-ray burner and $20-a-pop Blu-ray discs to record your own high-definition movies, think again. This process works with a $35 DVD burner and single- or double-layer DVD media that costs as little as $1.30 each.

The December 2008 issue goes on sale November 3 although subscribers are likely to start seeing copies at the end of this week.

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#1 written by Don Heaton 4 years ago

Hi Darren
I am very interested in your HD movies on DVD discs, I have Sony HC1 HD video camera – mpeg2 1440+1080i files,
After making a Blue ray Disc file I played the file in the stream folder through my mediagate 350HD player (not having a Blueray Player yet) and was impressed with the Quality of the picture considering the file size. only problem was some flickering through fast sections of the video because of the full frame instead of interlace.
Would it be possible to add a interlaced codec to the converter or could you suggest an alternative I know you computer guys love frame video for monitors but interlaced video still plays very smooth on my Sony Bravia TV set.
Keep up the good work I enjoy reading your articles in PC User
Thanks Don.

darren Reply:
November 6th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Hi Don,
DVD-HD 2009 should keep your video interlaced if you don’t activate the deinterlacing option. What might be happening is that it might be swapping the two fields (interlaced video is made up of two half-frames or “fields”, one shown after the other but if the order is mixed up, you can get some nasty flicker).
The tool shouldn’t be doing this but I will take a look and see what I can find – it may need a field-swap option in the advanced settings.
Cheers,
Darren.
- #2 written by darren 4 years ago
  
  Hi Don,
  DVD-HD 2009 should keep your video interlaced if you don’t activate the deinterlacing option. What might be happening is that it might be swapping the two fields (interlaced video is made up of two half-frames or “fields”, one shown after the other but if the order is mixed up, you can get some nasty flicker).
  The tool shouldn’t be doing this but I will take a look and see what I can find – it may need a field-swap option in the advanced settings.
  Cheers,
  Darren.
#3 written by Don Heaton 4 years ago

Hi Darren
Thanks for answering so fast.
That field-swap option sounds a good idea
I did try changing the field to lower when making the file in Adobe media encoder,And then made a blueray disc in Encore, To get the file for DVD-HD 2009,Then played that through mediagate player but no luck, Still looked like the fields we the wrong way round
Thanks again
Don.
#4 written by David 4 years ago

Houston we have a problem….I have tried to run DVDHD 2009 on an 85 minute video but it gets to 100% on the first pass and just keeps encoding so far it is up to over 5 gig when i selected the 4.7GB (full capacity, single layer DVD)option. By now it should have started the 2nd pass. It may be the file I am using but I thought I would bring it to your attention.

Cheers

darren Reply:
November 7th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Okay, David – I’d say the problem is that ffmpeg, the encoding engine, is not correctly registering the run-time of your video clip.
You can check this by loading the file into DVD-HD 2009 and then clicking the output tab. Near the bottom of the text on the window in that tab, it should tell you the duration of the video. I’ll bet it’s not saying 85minutes.
There’s no immediate solution for this, however, I’ll work on an update that allows you to manually set the video run-time rather than have ffmpeg automatically try and pick it up.
Still, this is the same interface as DVD Plus 2008 I built for the May 2008 issue and it’s the first time anyone has mentioned this as a problem.
My deadlines are horrendous at the moment so it might be a few days before I get to it.
Cheers,
Darren.
- #5 written by darren 4 years ago
  
  Okay, David – I’d say the problem is that ffmpeg, the encoding engine, is not correctly registering the run-time of your video clip.
  You can check this by loading the file into DVD-HD 2009 and then clicking the output tab. Near the bottom of the text on the window in that tab, it should tell you the duration of the video. I’ll bet it’s not saying 85minutes.
  There’s no immediate solution for this, however, I’ll work on an update that allows you to manually set the video run-time rather than have ffmpeg automatically try and pick it up.
  Still, this is the same interface as DVD Plus 2008 I built for the May 2008 issue and it’s the first time anyone has mentioned this as a problem.
  My deadlines are horrendous at the moment so it might be a few days before I get to it.
  Cheers,
  Darren.
#6 written by Anthony 4 years ago

Hi there!

I purchased a copy of the December issue of PC User and I dont have the DVD-HD 2009 Software on my dvd that was on the front. How else can I get this program?

From Anthony.

darren Reply:
November 10th, 2008 at 10:28 am
You sure about that? There is only one disc for each issue and I’ve heard with this problem….

John GRAY Reply:
November 24th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I purchased a copy of the December issue of PC User and I dont have the DVD-HD 2009 Software on my dvd that was on the front.
I have read the article in the Mag and viewed the Video several times. Now I cannot install the program. The other two required programs load o.k.
How else can I get this program?
- #7 written by darren 4 years ago
  
  You sure about that? There is only one disc for each issue and I’ve heard with this problem….
  - #8 written by John GRAY 4 years ago
    
    I purchased a copy of the December issue of PC User and I dont have the DVD-HD 2009 Software on my dvd that was on the front.
    I have read the article in the Mag and viewed the Video several times. Now I cannot install the program. The other two required programs load o.k.
    How else can I get this program?
#9 written by Steven Hickey 4 years ago

Darren. Found the software using the new instructions. When I try and start the program, I get the same message that I got with PCUser 2008, ie “An exception of class NilObjectException was not handled. The application must be shut down. Any bug fixers?

Thanks
#10 written by Pietro 4 years ago

Darren. I have the same problem as Steve Hickey. VISTA shuts the program down with the NilObjectException Error. The program will only run when choosing to run it right off the bat on the install screen. I have tried one conversion of a HD file to DVD-dual layer disc. While the picture quality is fine, the video stutters quite a lot. Also, the program bombs out mid-conversion if trying to convert any audio, but seems to be OK with the “Keep original audio” option. There also seems to be a problem with the Advanced option feature in that Audio streams beyond no. 3 stream cannot be chosen. Sugge

darren Reply:
November 16th, 2008 at 8:11 am
I’ll take a look at it this week and see if I can/replicate find the problem(s).

Mike H Reply:
December 6th, 2008 at 10:33 am
I also have the same problem. PC User 2008 worked well on my old XP machine but as with DVD-HD 2009 I get the message An Exception of Class NilObjectException was not Handled. The application must shut down. It seems to be a VISTA problem. Any advice would be much apprecated. Great mag and software,this is the first problem I have ever had (about 4 years of reading).

Mike H Reply:
December 13th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
I was mucking around and found the solution which turned out to be very simple. Go to program files in local disk,double click on DVD-HD 2009,find the DVD-HD 2009 exe file,right click and select properties,click on the compatibility tab,select run this program as a administrator. Works for me. Hope this helps.

Bill Reply:
January 20th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
All my attempts at DL/DVD’s end up over 13 Gigabytes. My o/s is XP pro & I don’t have that option Mike H mentioned of run program as administrator?

darren Reply:
January 20th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Bill, the problem of size is due to the fact that ffmpeg, the encoding engine for DVD-HD 2009, appears to be having trouble recognising the correct run time of the original video file you want to convert. Load your original file in and check the duration time. I’ll bet that it’s incorrect. I’m trying to find out what the problem is however, it’s difficult because the problem doesn’t occur with every file inputted into DVD-HD 2009 – just some.
I’m looking into an option that will allow you to input the time manually but it will require some accuracy otherwise you’ll get these problems again.
At the moment, I’m looking into the best way to implement this (that’s along side everything else I’ve got going at the moment…)
Cheers,
Darren.
- #11 written by darren 4 years ago
  
  I’ll take a look at it this week and see if I can/replicate find the problem(s).
- #12 written by Mike H 4 years ago
  
  I also have the same problem. PC User 2008 worked well on my old XP machine but as with DVD-HD 2009 I get the message An Exception of Class NilObjectException was not Handled. The application must shut down. It seems to be a VISTA problem. Any advice would be much apprecated. Great mag and software,this is the first problem I have ever had (about 4 years of reading).
  - #13 written by Mike H 4 years ago
    
    I was mucking around and found the solution which turned out to be very simple. Go to program files in local disk,double click on DVD-HD 2009,find the DVD-HD 2009 exe file,right click and select properties,click on the compatibility tab,select run this program as a administrator. Works for me. Hope this helps.
    - #14 written by Bill 4 years ago
      
      All my attempts at DL/DVD’s end up over 13 Gigabytes. My o/s is XP pro & I don’t have that option Mike H mentioned of run program as administrator?
      - #15 written by darren 4 years ago
        
        Bill, the problem of size is due to the fact that ffmpeg, the encoding engine for DVD-HD 2009, appears to be having trouble recognising the correct run time of the original video file you want to convert. Load your original file in and check the duration time. I’ll bet that it’s incorrect. I’m trying to find out what the problem is however, it’s difficult because the problem doesn’t occur with every file inputted into DVD-HD 2009 – just some.
        I’m looking into an option that will allow you to input the time manually but it will require some accuracy otherwise you’ll get these problems again.
        At the moment, I’m looking into the best way to implement this (that’s along side everything else I’ve got going at the moment…)
        Cheers,
        Darren.
#16 written by David 4 years ago

Okay this is what I have done with the stuttering issue, granted it was a 264 file. I demuxed into video audio streams then converted video with HDDVD 2009 and then separately converted the audio 5.1 to 192 stereo and then remuxed the two converted files back together, works well but you lose 5.1 (not a big issue)and there is also an issue with the disk size selection. It goes bigger than requested ie choose 4.7 full capacity and it will be oversize by about a gig. It appears at this stage to be an issue with 5.1 as stereo seems to work okay and there is no stuttering. Will do some more tests.

Cheers

darren Reply:
November 24th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Interesting. The problem from the size will be that your original file isn’t correctly indicating its runtime. DVD-HD 2009 relies on runtime identification within the file. FFmpeg looks at this and displays the runtime (called “Duration” on DVD-HD 2009) back in the DVD-HD 2009 interface. From this, the required video bit rate for a particular file size is calculated. I’m working on a plan to allow manual entry of the duration, which should fix this problem.
- #17 written by darren 4 years ago
  
  Interesting. The problem from the size will be that your original file isn’t correctly indicating its runtime. DVD-HD 2009 relies on runtime identification within the file. FFmpeg looks at this and displays the runtime (called “Duration” on DVD-HD 2009) back in the DVD-HD 2009 interface. From this, the required video bit rate for a particular file size is calculated. I’m working on a plan to allow manual entry of the duration, which should fix this problem.
#18 written by Robert 4 years ago

Hi Darren,

Except for the bug where for some DVD and Blu ray disks still encode pass 100% I found your program really good.

Another program which is very good for HD video using DVDs is ripbot264. AS you noted in the December edition of PC USER using MP4/.264 required a pretty grunty PC and ripbot264 takes alot longer to transcode a file than DVD-HD 2009 so I hope you can fix the encoding problem past 100% quickly.

http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/RipBot264_PS3_Xbox_360_Guide_page1.html

Thanks for creating DVD-HD 2009. Is a good program and easily to use.
#19 written by Reuben 4 years ago

Hey Darren,
I’m currently experiencing the same problem as Steven Hickey, Pietro and Mike H. I was wondering if there was any settings we could modify in ffdshow that would allow us to adjust which runtime the identification by ffmpeg maps to in order to stop this problem?
#20 written by Peter 4 years ago

Hi Darren,

I’m having the same problem exactly as Steven Hickey and Pietro. VISTA shuts the program down with the NilObjectException Error.

I would much appreciate if you could let me know your solution when available.

Thanks!

Mike H Reply:
December 14th, 2008 at 10:47 am
See Mike H’s reply
- #21 written by Mike H 4 years ago
  
  See Mike H’s reply
#22 written by Pavel Svoboda 4 years ago

Hi Darren,
I have been living in Australia for 26 years and bying
PC User. I did use yours conversion tool and it was only one
witch worked for me. How can I obtain DVD-HD 2009.
I did asked my friend to buy magazin and send to me,
but it was to late,all has been taken out from sale.
I did try to subscribe but they do not send to Europe.
perhaps you can help.

yours Pavel.
#23 written by Bill 4 years ago

Thanks for the quick reply, I “run as administator” DVD-HD 2009. My video output shows correct duration, but file position time goes way past this, I’ll try a different video. BTW i’m using ffdshow_rev2615_20090112_clsid.
Regards
#24 written by Matt 4 years ago

Hi. I am a long time reader of PC User and I read your article on this with interest. I run an iMac at home, and I did some research. I used a darwine binary (can’t remember where I got it) to try the three windows apps. The PC User transcoder didn’t work but TSMuxer and ImgBurn (except you have to create a disc image of that and then burn it separately). I used handbrake (which is cross platform) to transcode the videos to H.264 as I haven’t really found a decent free MPEG2 transcoder. Also, there are now versons of TSMuxeR for mac and linux which can be downloaded at http://www.smlabs.net/tsmuxer_en.html

But otherwise the process has worked well for me and thanks to your article I have managed to get rid of all these high definition recordings that I had on my hard drive and onto discs. Thank you.

Darren Yates Reply:
April 11th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Great to hear, Matt. TsMuxeR was only available for Windows originally so this is a great tip. Thanks.
- #25 written by Darren Yates 4 years ago
  
  Great to hear, Matt. TsMuxeR was only available for Windows originally so this is a great tip. Thanks.
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