EncodeHD is a an application to re-encode all types of video files for use on your home media player or on-the-go device. It aims to provide a simple interface with no fuss, and give you the best speed possible without compromising on quality. The following output device types are supported:

• Apple TV
• BlackBerry (8100) Pearl
• BlackBerry (8200) Kickstart
• BlackBerry (8300) Curve
• BlackBerry (8700) Electron
• BlackBerry (8800) Indigo
• BlackBerry (8900) Javelin
• BlackBerry (9000) Bold
• BlackBerry (9500) Storm
• iPhone
• iPod 5G
• iPod Classic
• iPod Nano
• iPod Touch
• Playstation 3
• PSP
• Western Digital TV
• X-Box 360
• Zune

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NOTE: Several of the non-alphanumeric characters do not copy and paste correctly.  If you have any problems (especially with the RunExternal actions), check that the quotes and dashes are correct.  Thanks to Steve for pointing that out in the comments.

Tools Used

• SageTV: records TV shows
• DVRMSToolbox: monitors recording folder and orchestrates conversion
  • SageTV Web Interface: provides metadata to DVRMSToolbox
  • ComSkip or ShowAnalyzer: finds commercials in TV show files for DTb
• mencoder (bundled with mplayer): removes commercials
• Handbrake: converts to h.264/aac in mp4 container
• AtomicParsley: writes metadata to mp4
• MoveOut: puts converted files in the “right” place

My Files

• “Convert to Zune/iPod/iPhone” Profile
• “Add to iTunes” Javascript (NOTE: I have tested this as a standalone script, but it is not incorporated into the workflow below)

Step 1: Installation and SageTV

Obviously, you need to have all of the above tools installed and SageTV configured and running and recording shows.  DVRMSToolbox (DTb) should be running and monitoring the SageTV recorded TV folder(s).

Step 2: Setup the DTb Profile

The problem I experienced with mencoder was due to the stdout mucking up DTb.  Turns out DTb has a RunExternalNoStatus action that ignores the output, thus obviating the problem.  Using this action for AtomicParsley sped up that app’s processing by tenfold (due to the huge amount of output of AP).  So, as a general rule, if you have having trouble getting an external app to run well (or at all) in DTb, try RunExternalNoStatus.

Now, for the meat of the process.  DTb orchestrates the various external applications.  The logical flow is:

1. Scan the TV show file for commercials.
2. Use mencoder to create a new TV show file without the commercials.
3. Use Handbrake to convert the file from MPEG to MP4 (h.264/AAC).
4. Use AtomicParsley to write metadata to the MP4 file (e.g., show, episode, air date, etc.).
5. Use DTb to rename the show to a friendly format (e.g., “Fringe – 2008-12-03 – Safe.mp4″).
6. Use MoveOut to move the shows to the correct folders (if necessary).

As implemented, here are the Actions and parameters:

1. FWThrottle: limit the number of files that are processed simultaneously
   1. UseDefaultSettings: <checked>
   2. ContextFile: InputFile
   3. Throttle: Checked
   4. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
2. CreateTimeout: sets a timeout – trust me, the first time mencoder hangs on “Dora the Explorer” and you don’t have “Lost” waiting for you in the morning like you were expecting, you’ll be glad.
   1. Timeout Minutes: 240
   2. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
3. ChangeContextValue: create a new context to store the location of the commercial file created by ComSkip/SA
   1. SourceContext: InputFile
   2. TargetContext: SageEDLFile
   3. CreateNewContext: <checked>
   4. NewContextName: SageEDLFile
   5. FindRegex: ^((.*\\)(.*)\.(.*))\z
   6. ReplaceRegex: $2$3.edl
   7. ContinueOnFail: <checked> (it’s OK to keep going if we fail for some reason – we just won’t get commercials cut out)
4. ChangeContextValue: update OutputFile context to allow for MP4 extension
   1. SourceContext: OutputFile
   2. TargetContext: OutputFile
   3. CreateNewContext: <unchecked>
   4. FindRegex: ^((.*\\)(.*)\.(.*))\z
   5. ReplaceRegex: $2$3.mp4
   6. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
5. ChangeContextValue: create a new context to specify location of the resulting commercial-free MPEG file
   1. SourceContext: OutputFile
   2. TargetContext: CutMpegFile
   3. CreateNewContext: <checked>
   4. NewContextName: CutMpegFile
   5. FindRegex: ^((.*\\)(.*)\.(.*))\z
   6. ReplaceRegex: $2$3.mpg
   7. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
6. FindCommercials: run ComSkip/SA to find commercials and write to EDL file
   1. UseDefaultSettings: <checked>
   2. ContextFile: InputFile
   3. ContinueOnFail: <checked> (again, worst case is we have commercials in the final MP4 file)
7. RunExternalNoStatus: run mencoder to cut out commercials
   1. ProcessName: <fullpath>\mencoder.exe
   2. ReadError: <unchecked>
   3. ArgumentsContext: “%InputFile%” -edl “%SageEDLFile%” -oac copy -ovc copy -of mpeg -o “%CutMpegFile%.mpg” -mpegopts muxrate=36000 -quiet
   4. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
8. RunExternalNoStatus: run Handbrake to convert to MP4
   1. ProcessName: <fullpath\handbrakeCLI.exe
   2. ReadError: <unchecked>
   3. ArgumentsContext: <experiment with the Handbrake GUI using a sample file to get the settings you want>
   4. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
9. MigrateMetadataToContext: workaround to get a nicely formatted “original air date”
   1. Metadata Pattern: %originalAirDate%
   2. TargetContext: OutputFile
   3. CreateNewContext: <checked>
   4. NewContextName: DateAndEpisode
   5. FindRegex: ((\d+-)+\d+)
   6. ReplaceRegex: $1
   7. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
10. RunExternalNoStatus: run AtomicParsley to add basic metadata to MP4
    1. Processname: <fullpath>\AtomicParsley.exe
    2. ReadError: <unchecked>
    3. ArgumentsContext: “%OutputFile%” –genre “TV Shows” –stik “TV Show” –TVNetwork %channelName% –TVShowName “%Title%” –TVEpisode “%episode%” –description “%description%” –category=”%category%”
    4. ContinueOnFail: <checked> (no need to crash just for the metadata)
11. AdvancedFileRename: rename the output file to something meaningful
    1. ContextFile: OutputFile
    2. NamePattern: %Title% – %originalAirDate% – %episode%
    3. WhenFileExists: AppendGuid
12. FileOperation: delete temporary MPEG file
    1. ContextFile: CutMpegFile
    2. DestinationPath: <blank>
    3. WhatOperation: Delete
13. FileOperation: move MP4 to the output directory
    1. ContextFile: OutputFile
    2. DestinationPath: <destination directory>
    3. WhatOperation: Move

Step 3: Move the files

I use MoveOut to then put some files in the kids’ directory, some in the wife’s Zune directory, and some in my directory.  You could do this all with DTb, but I find it easier to use a separate app.

What’s Next?

Zune users are all set – the ZMP automatically monitors folders, so the next time you sync your Zune, it will pick up the new MP4 files.  iPod/iPhone users, however, have to manually import the folder prior to each sync.  There are two options for getting around this.  First, you can add an extra “RunExternal” action that runs a Javascript to import the files into iTunes (available in the linked download, courtesy of Coyote).  Second, you can try to get the iTunes Library Updater to work, although there are mixed results with iTunes 7+.  I don’t have iTunes installed on my SageTV server, so this isn’t really an issue for me.

jelwood is working on an alternate approach using Quicktime chapters instead of actually cutting out the commercials.  Because not every medium I am watching these on supports Quicktime chapters (including SageTV and the Zune), I am sticking with the mencoder route.  However, this is a better option if storage space is not an issue or you have problems with ComSkip/SA getting the commercials “not quite right”.

Also, jelwood has created a patched version of AtomicParsley that allows you to set the sort order to the original air date.  I include the air date in my titles out of preference, so this is not necessary for me, but incorporating this is trivial.

Anything else?

EDIT (2009-03-18): DTb 1.2.1.6 added the MigrateMetadataToContext, which makes it easier to format the original air date to a friendlier format.

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NOTE: mencoder is not cutting commercials properly on my system.  Everything else is working fine.  I’ll post an update when I get it working.

Here is how I’m converting SageTV recordings to iPhone-compatible (and Touch/iPod-compatible) MP4 videos.  This will also work for the Zune!

At a high level, the steps (and applications used) are:

1. DVRMSToolbox: monitor the recordings directories, identify which shows to process, grab the metadata that is later written to the MP4, and control program flow
2. comskip or ShowAnalyzer: Scan for commercials
3. mencoder: Cut commercials
4. ffmpeg: Convert to MP4 (note: I had problems with the latest Windows build of ffmpeg, but the one from babgvant.com worked fine)
   1. Option 2 is to use mencoder to cut out commercials and convert to MP4 in single pass, and then use NicMP4Box to fix the MP4 container to make it iPod-compatible
      • Apparently mencoder’s current implementation (2008-09-17) of lavf correctly handles the MP4 container, but I haven’t verified this.  If true, you can skip this step.
      • Also (apparently), the latest SVN of AtomicParsley can fix this, but you have to build it yourself.
        
5. AtomicParsley: Write metadata to identify as TV Shows (plus any other info we have)

I am assuming basic familiarity with DTb, so I’ll talk about how to setup the Profile to process a Sage recording, but I am not addressing installing DTb or setting up the processing condition.

More after the break…

DTb: Setup the Profiles

Note you will need to create one profile for SD and one for HD.  The only difference will be profile indicated in the the call to mencoder/ffmpeg (step 6).

1. Throttle to prevent unlimited workers from running
2. Set a timeout (trust me – the first time mencoder hangs and you don’t have “Lost” waiting for you in the morning like you were expecting, you’ll be glad)
3. Update OutputFile context to allow for MP4 extension:
   FIND IN OutputFile: ^((.*\)(.*).(.*))z
   REPLACE IN OutputFile: $2$3.mp4
4. Create a new context to specify the Sage commercial file location:
   FIND IN InputFile: ^((.*\)(.*).(.*))z
   REPLACE IN SageEDLFile: $2$3.edl
5. Find commercials
6. Option 1 – ffmpeg
   Note: this process is tried and true, but you suffer a performance hit since mencoder has to rewrite the entire file to cut the commercials. 
   1. Cut commercials with mencoder
      mencoder “%InputFile%” -edl “%SageEDLFile%” -oac copy -ovc copy -of mpeg -o “%OutputFile%.mpg”
   2. Convert with ffmpeg
      Profile: X264 with AAC
7. Option 2 – mencoder
   Note: mencoder does not have the best implementation of the mp4 container, and I have had problems getting the conversion to work properly.  However, if you can get it to work, the overall process is faster) 
   1. Cut and convert with mencoder
      mencoder “%InputFile%” -edl “%SageEDLFile%” -profile x264IPod-SD -o “%OutputFile%.tmp.mp4″
   2. Remux MP4 with NicMP4Box
      NicMP4Box -add “%OutputFile%.TMP.mp4″ “%OutputFile%”
8. Add basic metadata to MP4:
   AtomicParsley “%OutputFile%” –genre “TV Shows” –stik “TV Show” –TVNetwork %channelName% –TVShowName “%Title%” –TVEpisode “%episode%” –description “%description%” –category=”%category%”
9. Rename the output file to something meaningful:
   CONTEXT: OutputFile
   PATTERN: %Title% – %originalAirDate% – %episode%

Setup the Profiles

I use two profiles, one for HD sources and one for SD.  I resize to 640×480 or 640×360, since that’s the max resolution the iPhone can handle (Zune can handle 720×480).

A couple of other notes:

• You must use H.264 or MPEG-4 with AAC audio – the iPhone supports nothing else.
• You can mess with the bitrates (bitrate=x), but keep in mind the bitrate maximums (vbv_maxrate=x) that the iPhone supports (currently 1500).
• The maximum IDC is currently 30 (level_idc=30)
• Cabac is not supported (nocabac)

Option 1: ffmpeg

Here’s the ffmpeg profile that’s working for me right now (note the “-ac 2″ parameter for the audio encoding – this was the only way I could get the sound to play on the iPhone):

<profile>
<name>MPEG-4 with AAC HD</name>
<description>MPEG-4 with AAC HD (iPhone-compatible Archive)</description>
<extension>mp4</extension>
<video>-vcodec mpeg4 -b 1200kb -mbd 2 -flags +4mv+trell -aic 2 -cmp 2 -subcmp 2</video>
<audio>-acodec libfaac -ac 2 -ab 128000</audio>
</profile>

Here are some other command lines that I’ve found, mostly from here, in case you want to tinker:

• ffmpeg -y -benchmark -threads 2 -i “input.dvr-ms” -async 1 -deinterlace -s qvga -vcodec libx264 -b 384000 -bufsize 384 -coder 0 -level 13 -acodec libfaac “output.mp4″
• 4:3 and 16:9:
  • ffmpeg -y -benchmark -threads 2 -i “%CutDvrmsFile%” -async 1 -deinterlace -croptop 0 -cropbottom 4 -cropleft 8 -cropright 6 -s 704:480 -vcodec libx264 -b 832k -maxrate 960k -bufsize 384k -coder 1 -level 13  -flags +loop -cmp +chroma -partitions +parti4x4+parti8x8+partp4x4+partp8x8+partb8x8 -flags2 +wpred+mixed_refs+8x8dct+brdo -me umh -trellis 2 -bidir_refine 1 -refs 3 -b_strategy 1 -directpred 2 -subq 5 -me_range 16 -g 250 -keyint_min 25 -sc_threshold 40 -i_qfactor 0.71 -qcomp 0.6 -qmin 10 -qmax 51 -qdiff 4 -aspect 4:3 -acodec libfaac -ab 128k “%OutputFile%”
  • ffmpeg -y -benchmark -threads 2 -i “%CutDvrmsFile%” -async 1 -deinterlace -croptop 56 -cropbottom 60 -cropleft 8 -cropright 6 -s 704:368 -vcodec libx264 -b 832k -maxrate 960k -bufsize 384k -coder 1 -level 13  -flags +loop -cmp +chroma -partitions +parti4x4+parti8x8+partp4x4+partp8x8+partb8x8 -flags2 +wpred+mixed_refs+8x8dct+brdo -me umh -trellis 2 -bidir_refine 1 -refs 3 -b_strategy 1 -directpred 2 -subq 5 -me_range 16 -g 250 -keyint_min 25 -sc_threshold 40 -i_qfactor 0.71 -qcomp 0.6 -qmin 10 -qmax 51 -qdiff 4 -aspect 16:9 -acodec libfaac -ab 128k “%OutputFile%”
• ffmpeg -i input -acodec libfaac -ab 128kb -vcodec mpeg4 -b 1200kb -mbd 2 -flags +4mv+trell -aic 2 -cmp 2 -subcmp 2 -s 640×360 -title X output.mp4
  (from http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/faq.html#SEC25)

Option 2: mencoder

[x264IPod-SD]
profile-desc=”H.264/AAC MP4 SD for iPhone –After this, use NicMP4Box to remux–”
lavdopts=threads=2
vf=pp=md,scale=640:-10,harddup
ovc=x264=yes
x264encopts=turbo=1:bitrate=768:vbv_maxrate=1500:vbv_bufsize=244:nocabac:level_idc=30:threads=2
oac=faac=yes
faacopts=br=128:object=2:mpeg=4:raw=yes
of=lavf=yes
lavfopts=format=mp4
#DtbExtension=mp4
#dtbhres=”-vf pp=md,scale={0}:-10,harddup”

[x264IPod-HD]
profile-desc=”H.264/AAC MP4 SD for iPhone –After this, use NicMP4Box to remux–”
lavdopts=threads=2
vf=pp=md,scale=640:-10,harddup
ovc=x264=yes
x264encopts=turbo=1:bitrate=1200:vbv_maxrate=1500:vbv_bufsize=244:nocabac:level_idc=30:threads=2
oac=faac=yes
faacopts=br=128:object=2:mpeg=4:raw=yes
of=lavf=yes
lavfopts=format=mp4
#DtbExtension=mp4
#dtbhres=”-vf pp=md,scale={0}:-10,harddup”

Resources:

• http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/mencoder-users/2007-December/007692.html
• http://rob.opendot.cl/index.php/useful-stuff/ipod-video-guide/
• Getting mencoder to cut commercials with muxing errors:
  • http://forum.videohelp.com/topic346473.html
  • http://readlist.com/lists/mplayerhq.hu/mencoder-users/0/3146.html
  • Increase muxrate to 36000
  • -noskip option

Related posts:

• http://onlydarksets.com/2008/09/16/transcoding-in-sage/
• http://onlydarksets.com/2008/07/06/mp4-tagging/
• http://onlydarksets.com/2008/06/13/convert-for-iphone-using-mencoderffmpeg/

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Here is the original post:

WARNING: A hard reset will delete everything on your Zune.

1. Press and hold the back button
2. Press and hold up until it reboots
3. Depending on which Zune you have, immediately do one of the following:
   1. If you have a Zune 4 GB, Zune 8BG, or Zune 80GB, immediately press and hold the Back button Back at the same time as you press the right side of the Zune pad and the Play/Pause button. Continue to hold these buttons until the Zune device restarts and you receive the following message: “Clearing contents. Please wait.”
   2. If you have a Zune 30GB, immediately press and hold the Back button Back at the same time that you press the right side of the Zune pad and the center of the Zune pad. Continue to hold these buttons until the Zune device restarts and you receive the following message: “Clearing contents. Please wait.”

Sources: ZuneThoughts; ZuneUser

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I think the most interesting part will be to see if Apple responds.  I think it will not, since it never has in the past.  Dropping the price on the iPod would be a show that it considers the Zune a threat, and I don’t think that’s how Apple rolls.

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Has anyone found a single set of video conversion settings that will allow proper aspect ratios on both the Zune and through Vista Media Center (or an extender)?

DVR-MS SD shows are natively 720×480.  If I maintain the aspect ratio when converting to WMV, the file plays fine on the Zune, but it is letterboxed.  If I lower the resolution to 640×480 during conversion, it looks perfect on the Zune, but the AR is obviously wrong when I play it on VMC or an extender.

I am looking for a conversion setting that will allow the video to display with the proper aspect ratio, regardless of where it is played.  Alternatively, is there an option on the Zune to “stretch” the video to fit the screen during playback?

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That said, the 21 minute video (at 720×480) was a 280MB file, which is far too large for SD.

I lowered the video bitrate to 800Kbps (by using a text editor to modify the PRX file in the C:\Program Files\DVRMSToolbox\prx directory), and the resulting WMV file was about 165MB. To change the bitrate, make a copy of cbrNTSC.prx and open the new file (I called mine cbrZune). You need to update the “Video Stream” <streamconfig> tag, and the <videoinfoheader> tags with the new bitrates:

<streamconfig majortype=”{73646976-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}”
streamnumber=”2″
streamname=”Video Stream”
inputname=”Video409″
bitrate=”900000″
bufferwindow=”5000″
reliabletransport=”0″
decodercomplexity=”AU”
rfc1766langid=”en-us”
>

<videoinfoheader dwbitrate=”900000″
dwbiterrorrate=”0″
avgtimeperframe=”333667″>

The resolution was 720×480, but it should be 640×480 to get the right aspect ratio. So, I modified the <rctarget> and <bitmapinfoheader> tags to reflect the correct aspect ratio.

I also tried to lower the audio from 160Kbps to 96Kbps, and it reduced the size to 155MB, but the audio was completely hosed (skipping in and out). I’ll have to look into that, but it’s 10MB, so I’m not horribly worried about it.

If you are interested, you can download the PRX here.

So, that’s great – I’m not even going to bother looking at the other solutions, because DTb works great for SD, it’s already installed, and I’m familiar with it. If it breaks down in the future, then I’ll consider it, but, knowing the developer behind it, I have faith it will keep chugging along (at least, until he defects to Apple ).

However, this solution doesn’t work for HD (ATSC) sources. More on that later.

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First, for manual conversion, there are a few options out there that will create Zune-compliant WMV files (see this clearinghouse list):

• DVRMSToolbox
• ZuneTVWatcher (discussed here)
• Druid
• Encode360 (endorsed here)
• jelwood’s mencoder (discuss)
• TMPGEnc Xpress 4.0 (endorsed here and here, and by me for complex, one-off sources)
• Spb Mobile DVD

However, the Zune now supports MP4 and h.264. That opens up the options to any software that supports DVR-MS as an input and either of those codecs as an output. A partial list:

• ffmpeg (discuss)
• PQ DVD to Zune (discussed here)

Since I’m looking at solutions that can be automated, it will probably come down to DVRMSToolbox, ZuneTVWatcher, Encode360 (which has a command line), and ffmpeg.

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See section 14.2: http://www.zune.net/en-US/legal/tosPage.htm

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Here is an excerpt from the KB article:

For Zune 4GB, 8GB, and 80GB devices, the battery icon may not accurately represent the battery charge that is available until the battery has been fully charged and then discharged one time after you update the device. To properly cycle the battery, follow these steps:

1. With the battery at a half-full charge or less, connect the Zune device to a power source.

2. After the battery icon appears green (), disconnect the Zune device from the power source.

3. On the Home screen, select settings, and then press the center of the Zune pad.

4. Select display, and then press the center of the Zune pad.

5. Select backlight, and then press the center of the Zune pad to toggle through the settings until the backlight is set to always on.

6. Select brightness, and then press the center of the Zune pad to toggle through the settings until the brightness is set to high.

7. Press and hold the back button until the Home screen appears.

8. Select music, and then press the center of the Zune pad.

9. Select genres, albums, artists, or songs. Then, select shuffle all.

10. Set the Zune device aside.

11. Once the Zune device turns off, press the play\pause button.
Note If the Zune device turns back on, wait until it turns off again, and then press the play/pause button. Repeat this step until the Zune device no longer turns on.

12. When the Zune device no longer turns on, connect it to a power source.

13. Change the display settings back to your preferred choices.

14. Fully charge the device until the battery icon appears green ().

Note Remember to set backlight and brightness to their previous settings. The default settings are 15 seconds and medium, respectively.

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