[mythtv-users] RE: Archiving Shows to DVD

[Jason Werpy]

On 7/29/05, John P. Mitchell <john at cepros.com> wrote:
> All,
> 
> > For archiving to DVD I use my Mac.  I just transfer over the .nuv file
> > (which is really MPEG-2), rename it .mpg, MPEGStream to get it into DV
> > format, and use Quicktime Pro to cut out the commercials.  I can then
> > use iDVD to make a disc with cool menus, etc.  Easy.
> >
> > Assuming you have a Mac, that is ;).
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> >
> 
>    I started this way, but it takes forever time wise on my Mac Mini and
> my quality was pretty bad with all the reencoding that went on. Also,
> iDVD is not good for controlling the bit rate on the final DVD. iDVD
> would record my content at full DVD quality which would just fit a one
> hour show on my single layer DVD-R (lame!).
> 
>    I am now doing the following with Linux which takes far less CPU time,
> but does take a fair amount of I/O time. Which of course assumes you
> have a Linux box.
> 
>    1. Demux/Cut MPEG2 content from MythTV with Java based ProjectX. You
> can download ProjectX from http://www.doom9.org/DigiTV/projectx.htm .
> This application not only has the ability to cut the MPEG (only on
> keyframes) without reencoding, but it appears to have fixed all of the
> audio sync problems for me. I have yet to tackle real long stuff but my
> kids two hour shows are fine.
> 
>    2. Re-multiplex audio/video streams with mplex
> 
>    3. Create DVD structures with dvdauthor
> 
>    4. Create DVD ISO with mkisofs (not sure why others are using
> growisofs, mkisofs works fine for me).
> 
>    5. Copy DVD ISO to my Mac for burning (My Mac has the only DVD burner
> in the house.)
> 
>    I started using avidemux2 for step 1. but I had audio sync issues that
> I could not correct with a static audio skew. ProjectX seems to do some
> kind of correction, and in fact it says it is fixing frame ordering
> when I use it in the logs. Total time from transfer of the MPEG2 to my
> Linux box to a burned DVD is about 45 minutes. I even have a little
> shell script that takes care of most of the brain dead steps (mplex,
> dvdauthor, mkisofs, not the editing!). Currently with a max variable
> bit rate of 4.4Mbit (on my PVR-250), I get a little over two hours of
> content on one single layer DVD-R which plays on every settop DVD
> player I have tried so far (including some xboxes) with zero audio sync
> issues. This means three one hour episodes minus commercials on each
> DVD-R! Excellent! I started with the following HOW-TO and adapted as I
> stated above:
> http://www.mythtv.info/moin.cgi/ArchiveRecordingsToDvdHowTo . If you
> want all the gory tech details, then I will put together an HTML based
> HOW-TO and post it someplace.
> 
> Regards,
>     John P. Mitchell <john at cepros.com>
>     Email Sticker: My Boss is a Jewish carpenter
>     http://www.GoboLinux.org | User #00010110
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> 

I found that avidemux2 would have much better audio sync when you only
cut on keyframes.  If I cut off of keyframes, I would start to see
audio issues.