Actuary

Went to garage and tested it. Works like a charm. Used Ritek(Ridata) 8x DVD-R can be bought at computer stores. It hesitated a little bit when I inserted it but it recognized as DVD.A. I tried all the songs up to Track 99.

Tips
1. I would put all the same genre on one dvd. It's hard to remember where which song is in 99 track DVD disc. Our TL does not display CD-TEXT of any kind so it sucks. Make seperate DVD for rap / pop / old songs / country(?)

2. Dividing into groups may help if you only have 20 raps, 20 pops, 20 country music


Things we early adaptors should do
1. Let's try this on 5.1 channel.
2. Create compatible DVD media list for our TL
3. Improve the performance (it takes 40 minutes right now)

Adobeman

Actuary,
Lots to swallow....lets try and answer some things.

Yes you are absolutely correct. I made the script for one drive to simplify things. Reading from one while writing to the other will always be faster. I just figured I'd keep things simple. In hindsight I guess I could have put two drive references in the SetEnv.bat file. Maybe I'll make that change.
1) No, 99 per group but you'll be hard pressed to fit 99*9=891 songs.
2) SCAN and RPT held together for a while
3) Just wait until the first pass of the ISO creation is done. Then the program will pause and make it clear.
1) Sure but speed is overrated. As you say, go do something else. In fact I often run stuff like this on old slow dogs so I can do something else on my better machines. I'm not in a rush and can come back hours later. After years of running software MPEG encoders on DV video I'm used to running jobs for very long periods of time.
2) Yup.
3) That too but again I'm patient. And, will you remember to turn it back on before you go surf ?
1) The author of the encoder we are using states it does not do multi channel yet. I'm all ears for other suggestions.
2) Yes but we will need to post media codes in order for that to mean anything. Since very few factories make blanks for many companies to put their name on this can be very tricky. Just stating a brand name and SKU number is better than nothing but not perfect. If you are already using Ritek you probably are aware of all this since they are a major supplier along with Princo and Teyo Yuden. Here is the defacto media library .
3) Sorry but just not a priority for me. Two drive is probably the best bang for the buck. If I have time I'll do a revised version. Like put the waves on C: write the DVD structure to D: and then write the ISO back to C: This would always have the reading on a different drive than writing.

DeathtoToasters

Question:

To try to keep the different Artists separate, should I convert to wav and have a folder for each artist?

For alot of the artists that I like, I can fit several whole collections on one DVD.

Would it place through each group or would I have to choose a new group at the end?

How does the TL handle the different 'group' folders?

Thanks for the help with this thread...really should be a sticky!

Adobeman

Don't mess with the folders called CDGRPXX. If you do then the process will not work right. Any folders you place in them I think might get ignored. They certainly will not be groups on the DVD

Yes that is true and what is so good about this.

Not sure I fully understand but the TL will play the 1st group by default and then when that group is done it will move to the next DISC, NOT GROUP. To chose a different group hold SCAN and RPT together. When that group is done it will move to the next DISC, NOT GROUP. I prefer all songs in one big group (group 1) since selecting groups is a royal PITA.

Awe shucks...

Hawhyen51

Adobeman or Terminader, ran into a problem last night. Got up to the MakeDVDA.bat and press any key to continue. The line below that states "The system cannot find the file specified". What file is it referring to? I also don't get a 2nd pass. WTF am I doing wrong?

Hawhyen51

At the end of the first pass, I get this error message: Error parsing command-line parameters. Can you guys help me out?

schrady

I'm running a P4 with an 833 fsb and 1 gig of dual channel ram. It takes me about 2.5 hours total (w/o burning) to create the ISO from my 99 wav files. First step is about and hour, the 2nd usually takes about 1.5 hours or so.

Adobeman:

Is there a way that you could get it to run staright through so we dont have to punch in the audio:pp position at the beginning of step 2.

I'd like to set it up and just let it finish all they way if possible.

Thanks

w1n78

:P
guess you were adopted j/k
i only use windows for programs that have mac versions that arent free. for instance, dvdshrink for windows is free but the mac equivalent is shareware

only thing that needs to be converted if i'm not mistaken are the batch files. either way, it gives me another reason to log into my 2003 server

i bolded an interesting statement you made. i too wonder that.

anyways, good job and thanks again

Adobeman

All at once
For Hawhyen51
Nothing... It's just sloppy me. The MakeDVDA.bat (the line "rmdir %BD%\dvda\code\DVD /Q /S" )wants to remove/delete the the DVD directory (which contains the AUDIO_TS dir). For the first pass there may not be a DVD dir so the message happens. After you punch in the PP then the first-pass files are there to get deleted so no error. I delete the files at start up to make sure no files get left over from your last run.
Hmmm. Is it after you punch in the pp sector ? Sounds like a quack back from dvda-author.exe rather than the mkisofs prog.

for shrady
Boy I wish. Since Dave Chapman, the author of dvda-author.exe, has stated he isn't actively working the project I could probably figure out a way to automatically grab the sector info and push it back into the process. It would still have to do two passes but you could just come back later and have an ISO ready for burning. Basically more automation of the same process. If I ever get the time...

w1n78

that's odd. here's my setup: P4 2.5GHz / 768MB single channel ram / Windows 2003

- 5 albums ripped from AAC -> WAV (around 10 minutes each album or an hour)
- first pass takes 6-8 minutes
- second pass takes another 6-8 minutes
- burning took about 16 minutes at 4X

total is about 1.5 hour for the whole process

during the process:
- my iTunes user is logged in coz the server shares its iTunes library with everyone on the network
- i'm on my G5 using remote desktop to do all the steps. i'm logged in using a different user

i'm going off memory since i did this a couple of nights ago. i'll do another tonight and compare. just odd that it took you that long

Actuary

I think it has to do with hard disk being slow. My P4 2.4G 800FSB won't even go over 20% load during the whole process.

So technically someone with P4 1.5G would finish about same as me if the person had same hard drive.

schrady

6-8 minutes per pass?? Adobeman, is that possible with 99 songs to convert?

My puter is very fast and it takes a solid hour per pass and thats AFTER I've made the wave files.

What you are describing takes 15 minutes total. I'm at 2.5 hours AFTER I convert to wave.

Whats your secret?

JoganJani

This is nice. Thanks.

I usually conver my CD to WAV with CDex on 192K bit rate. Will this be a problem?

w1n78

i didn't get a chance to do another last night but i'm at work and i'm using remote desktop to my server at home and running the MakeDVDA file on the existing files i had a couple nights ago, and...

71 files
when i run the MakeDVDA batch file it takes an average of 6 seconds per song. so for it to process the 71 songs it's roughly 420 seconds or 7 minutes on the first pass. should be similar on the second pass. so if i had the full 99 songs that's about 10 minutes per pass

with all the default programs running in the background, i have 59 process (using remote desktop), it might be less if i logged in locally. i have 4 HDs running 5 partitions. my C:\ is a WD 36GB raptor but i ran the program and saved the files on another drive. it's a maxtor 80GB / 7200 RPM / 8MB cache so it's your usual HD.

not sure what i'm doing differently. only big difference that i can see is i'm running 2003 server and i'm using remote desktop.

check how many processes are running in your task manager. that might have something to do with it

as far as converting to WAV, that takes me about 10 minutes per CD. i ripped 5 CDs so that's say an hour. and burning the DVD took about 16 minutes at 4X

rough total is an hour and half to an hour and 45 min. so say i do a full 99 songs it may take up to 2 hours. not far off from what many are getting. but i am curious as to why your PC isn't performing a little faster

rickyd7

Adobeman....A great big thank you for comeing up with the process of creating DVD-A's that will work in our car. I have now successfully created 2 DVD-A's and will be doing more. Once I got past the media type issue I had, everything worked as advertised. Thanks again!!!

DeathtoToasters

Does anyone know if there is any program to convert regular cd's to 5.1.

I just got the new Rob Thomas and all I cna say is HOLD SHIZNIT!!! It sounds great.

I would even pay for a 5.1 music converter. Anyone know?

Adobeman

Converting regular CDs to 5.1 would be possible but you might not like the results. When a real 5.1 channel recording is made it is done by sound engineers and producers that make very specific choices about what to mix into each channel. Any software process would have to make assumptions about what to do. Downsides that come to mind
1) you can't use this thread's process since it is for 2 channel stuff
2) you would not get as many songs on a disc as for 2 channel
3) unpredictable encoding since software algorithms would control where things get mixed as opposed to really talented engineers, artists and producers.

You might be able to find something that would simulate "arena", "jazz hall", etc sound fields but those are usually "post processor" functions on digital AC receivers rather than encoded into the music itself.

Adobeman

Hmmm. 192 sounds more like what I'd use for mp3, not wav. Stick to 44.1K/16bit wav when the source is CD.

BTW CDex is an excellent tool. When I look at the options for the WAV encoder it only allows choices up to 44.1KHz. (V1.5.1)

klepto

would these discs play in any stand alone dvd player? I drive a 1st gen cl but I have a dvd player that plays mp3/svcd/etc. Would I be able to notice any difference?

Adobeman

Depends on the player. If it has the DVD-Audio logo then that's a good start. My stand alone has the DVD-Audio logo on it but doesn't have 6 analog outputs. So when I play commercially made DVD-A I need to use the DD5.1 tracks and my optical out (most commertial disks have various formats on them) . Sort of lame since DD5.1 isn't quite as good as hi res MLP encoded stuff. The disks from this thread's process play fine and are only 2 channel anyway so it isn't a big issue if true multi-channel, hi res isn't supported well

Since the files are in the AUDIO_TS dir, not the VIDEO_TS dir I'm betting that regular DVD V players might play them.

If I get your question.... It is worth it to try because they may just play on your home player. Then you could have all the benefits of lots of CD quality music on one disc rather than inferior mp3 quality.

DeathtoToasters

I DON'T CARE!!!! lol

Of course I do...you make some good points that in my excitement I didn't think about.



All we need now is ANY Pink Floyd album in 5.1!!!

Adobeman

Indeed.

I always kind of liked "Anamals" odd as it was. And anything that had lots of David Gilmour guitar licks.....

but "Ummagumma"....not so much (Eugene)

DeathtoToasters

LOL....best intro to a guitar solo in the 'history of man' is the in 'mother'

xp1983

when i get to the following message i enter:
[ 272 00] AUDIO_PP.IFO
but then the dos prompt black window closes without giving me the confirmation that everthing is done and the iso is created. when i burn the iso file on the dvd-r and try and play it in my tl i cant hear any sound at all. there are 99 blank tracks in the dvd-r but no music. the size of the iso file is 899mb but still no sound in the car. am i enterting the audio_pp code incorrectly? please help


************************************************** **********************
* *
* IMPORTANT !!!! *
* *
************************************************** **********************
* *
* Note the start sector of the AUDIO_PP.IFO (scroll up if needed) *
* Write down the numbers for the XXXx in "[ xXXX 00] AUDIO_PP.IFO" *
* Example: "[ 282 00] AUDIO_PP.IFO" is a starting sector of 282. *
* *
************************************************** **********************
Please enter the start sector of the AUDIO_PP.IFO:

Adobeman

You should only enter one number, no letters. In your case just "272" (without the quotes)

My apologies. I now see how you took the statement to mean what you did.
A more accurate wording might have been
" Example: "When you see [ 282 00] AUDIO_PP.IFO" you should enter 282"

P$$$

Just a heads up for those of you having issues with dvda-author not recognizing your wav files..... Don't use CreativePlaycenter to convert to .wav. I used it to create my wav files and they are not recognized. I am having to use Nero Wave lab to re-encode my waves. Kind of a pain in the ass but I can't wait to get some discs done.

-P

Hawhyen51

Adobeman, all's well! After creating a couple of coasters (thanks to NERO) trying to copy the the ISO file, I decided to try Deepburner. Lo and behold ... success!!!! The file would be copied on the disc (using NERO) and when I load it in the car, the disc would not read. It would display FORMAT and then eject it. So now, I'll just burn my DVD-A compilation discs with Deepburner. Also, Kudos and Thanks to Terminader for recommending Deepburner.

TerminaderTL

I'm glad to hear another success story. I may be cheap. but it's nice to have free alternatives!!!

Adobeman

Just some news.
I hope to have new release of the scripts after the weekend.

The good news:
The new version should automatically get the "-pp" sector info without stopping for you to enter it. It will keep going until the final ISO file is ready.

The bad news:
The program will still have to do 2 passes so it won't be any faster.

At the end it will tell you what sector value it actually used an also dump the isoinfo data to the screen (the same data you used to have to look in to find the number) That way you can verify it used the right value before burning the ISO file.

I really wanted to make the whole thing more robust by controlling it all via a VB program. Unfortunately they way dvda-author program writes back to the screen while it is running doesn't support this concept very well. I've written apps like this before but those involved apps that wrote back to the screen in a different way. Oh well. So for know, more of the same XP/2000 batch stuff. Crude but effective I guess.

Hawhyen51

Freeware is a good alternative and there are some good ones out there. Just remember to drop a donation to the programmer so they can keep 'em updated and help improve products.

TerminaderTL

Don't give too much - we might make Adobeman rich, he'll sell his TL, leave this board and start driving a Hummer!!!

da_bien1390

this is great!

i just saw this thread... i know..where have i been?

i can't wait to go home n give this a try.

props to OP & those that helped making this tutorial!

schrady

That's great news Adobeman. 2 passes is ok as long as it doesnt require manul input 1/2 way through. Very cool.

Cant wait for the new version

empathy

how many files can u put on a dvd?

markjrenna

So far my average is about 80 to 90 songs. But it all depends on how large each song file is.

Theoretically, if all songs were the same size than:

50 Meg per song than 94 songs
45 Meg per song than 104 songs
40 Meg per song than 118 songs
35 Meg per song than 134 songs
30 Meg per song than 157 songs
And so on...

Some space is needed for lead in lead out, indexing, and grouping so the numbers above are not 100% accurate and will certainly be less.

P$$$

So what about CD's that are ment to not have the 2 second spacing inbetween tracks? Is there anyway to set this up when using the dvda-author? I guess you can get around this by making the CD into one large .wav file. Any other thoughts?

Adobeman

I did a live CD that didn't have any gaps between songs, just crowd cheering. The resulting DVD-A was exactly the same. No gaps

Actuary

I'm working on my second DVD-A today. I modified batch file so it reads WAV from D: and create ISO to C:.

Result is speed improvement of 200%(That is twice as fast) in first and second pass. It used to take 12-15 minutes to go through each pass. Now it's down to 5 to 7 minutes.

I couldn't change the "INFO : Processing %filename%" to read from D: and write to C: so it's still same speed there.

Overall speed now:
Prework. Prepare files to WAV - up to an hour
1. INFO: 1st pass- 5 to 10 minutes
2. 1st pass - 5 to 7 minutes
3. INFO: 2nd pass - 5 to 10 minutes
3. 2nd pass - 5 to 7 minutes
4. Burning at 8X - 8 to 10 minutes

Total : 40 minutes -> 30 minutes
*individual results may vary

Adobeman

Nice,
Right now I am trying to release a version that will get the pp sector automatically so it won't have to stop and have you enter it.
After that I was going to work on a 2 drive variation. It would:

Wav files on drive 1 --> DVD Structure on Drive 2 ---> ISO on Drive 1

That should keep the reading and writing on different drives.
I'll probably change the SetEnv file to have 2 drive variables and then change the makedvda script to use them.
The trick is to make one size fit all for both single drive users and dual drive users. I don't want to make things overly complicated for folks who aren't IT types since the current 1 drive solution is pretty simple to install and use.

ltrs

This totally rocks! Works like a charm. I can finally get my mp3 collection to play in my Acura. Woo hoo!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!