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DVDRebuilder and HC-encoder

A basic guide to customizing and re-encoding a DVD9 with DVD-Rebuilder and HC Encoder


Update May 04, 2006: HC 0.18 has been released. It features an improved encoding engine with better visual metrics. Upgrade recommended, see below for link to homepage

Update May 06, 2006: Avisynth 2.56 is recommended now, please upgrade from 2.55 if you haven’t already.


A basic guide to customizing and re-encoding a DVD9 with DVD-Rebuilder and HC Encoder

Work-in-progress, post a comment if anything is unclear. This tutorial was made by our very own kumi.

You need this guide if: You have a DVD9 disc (i.e. greater than 4.38GB) that you want to re-encode to DVD5 size with the best possible video qualiity. You also want an easy and quick way to blank and remove extras and audio tracks on a case-by-case basis.

Solution: Use DVD Rebuilder as a front-end to the excellent freeware HC encoder, compressing the DVD9 to DVD5 size. Technically this guide will work with Rebuilder 1.07.1+, but I suggest you download the latest version below, there are several important bug fixes.

Tools used:

Table of Contents:


Step 1: Decrypt the DVD to your hard drive:

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/7644/dvdrbfiltereditor0061qo.png

http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/757/dvdrbfiltereditor0075gb.png


Step 2: Install AviSynth, DVD Rebuilder and HC:

http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/1559/dvdrbfiltereditor0085en.png


Step 3: Initial configuration of DVD Rebuilder:

http://img346.imageshack.us/img346/6469/dvdrbfiltereditor0098dw.png

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7353/dvdrbfiltereditor0106de.png

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http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/8606/dvdrbfiltereditor0118el.png

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7749/dvdrbfiltereditor0179pd.png

http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/3650/dvdrbfiltereditor0143lw.png

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http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/4914/dvdrbfiltereditor0401og.png

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/3882/dvdrbfiltereditor0168fy.png

Safe values to use are: Main = Encoder Default Low = QuEnc? Lower Bitrate (QLB) Very Low = Very Low Bitrate Extras = QuEnc? Lower Bitrate (QLB)

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/2271/dvdrbfiltereditor0190jy.png

We’re done with the initial configuration. Now we can get into the nitty gritty!


Step 4: Deselect undesired audio tracks:

Ok, you’ve got your ripped disc loaded into DVD-Rebuilder. Now you should choose what audio streams to keep. If your DVD9 isn’t that big, or if you only have a few AC3 tracks, you might decide to skip this step. If you have a large DVD9, and/or you have one or more large DTS tracks, you might decide to follow this step.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/8459/dvdrbfiltereditor0214ci.png

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/7136/dvdrbfiltereditor0223ef.png

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/4056/dvdrbfiltereditor0247dj.png

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9281/dvdrbfiltereditor0256av.png


Step 5: Steal space from extras you want to keep.

WARNING: NOT FOR DVDs WITH EPISODES

The “Steal Space from Extras” settings in DVD Rebuilder allocates more bits to your main movie at the expense of the extras. How does DVD Rebuilder know which are the extras? Simple: everything but the largest Title Set is considered an extra. If you are working on an episodic DVD, with 1 episode per Title Set, DVD Rebuilder will consider the largest episode the “main feature”, and the rest will be treated as “extras”.

This is why, if you have a DVD with episodes, you MUST set Steal Space from Extras to 00%. Make sure it’s at 00%, and skip to the next step.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/8735/dvdrbfiltereditor0266ms.png

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/5291/dvdrbfiltereditor0274ws.png


Step 6: Remove extras you don't want to keep

We’ve stolen space from the extras we want to keep. But let’s say there’s an extra we don’t want at all. Rebuilder now has the ability to completely remove it from the final output.

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/4761/dvdrbfiltereditor0293hm.png

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7048/dvdrbfiltereditor0334ua.png

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/9809/dvdrbfiltereditor0349du.png http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/6720/dvdrbfiltereditor0355he.png


Step 7: Rebuild and test your new DVD.

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/6492/dvdrbfiltereditor0370oz.png

ALWAYS preview your output in at least a software media player! Switch audio tracks, fast forward and rewind, skip chapters (ahead and back, all the way to the end), test the menus, etc.! This is important, lest you accidentally upload a DVD that doesn’t work, somehow!