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How-To: Automating DVD & Blu-Ray (Backup, Encoding & Tagging) for Mac OS X
- Thread starter mac.jedi
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Hey guys, I know I posted before and got some great help, so thanks!
I have one thing I need help before finally finishing my DVD collection encoding.
I have all my DVD's ripped and ready, I've used the batch encode workflow which worked perfectly. However, I want to tweak the video and audio settings of handbrakecli. After much studying re: settings, I used this custom string into the workflow:
My intent: higher video/audio bitrate/quality, set/name custom audio tracks 1 & 2, and a few advanced settings (advanced settings are easy to obtain in Handbrake's GUI "Advanced" setting tab, choosing the desired settings and copying the outputted code into the custom workflow).
This should produce a higher quality custom movie output with the movie tags/chapters/poster/etc. However, when I launch the workflow I receive this:
Haven't a clue. It scans all the DVD rips before attempting encoding for the first movie, then after my custom arguments outputs an "AtomicParsely error" above, referencing a volume that I have used to save encoded movies. It seems to be grabbing the chapters.csv and title info, put placing those files in the DVD rip folders of the movies and not outputting an m4v as it cannot find the /Volumes/Movies/ folder, although it exists and is properly referenced in the workflow. Do I need to specify output with custom arguments as well? I thought default settings would apply if not addressed in custom arguments.
Thanks for any help guys! Awesome tutorial!
UPDATE: Interestingly it seems to be working for my Blu-Ray rips, but again it saving info in the source directory.
I have one thing I need help before finally finishing my DVD collection encoding.
I have all my DVD's ripped and ready, I've used the batch encode workflow which worked perfectly. However, I want to tweak the video and audio settings of handbrakecli. After much studying re: settings, I used this custom string into the workflow:
My intent: higher video/audio bitrate/quality, set/name custom audio tracks 1 & 2, and a few advanced settings (advanced settings are easy to obtain in Handbrake's GUI "Advanced" setting tab, choosing the desired settings and copying the outputted code into the custom workflow).
This should produce a higher quality custom movie output with the movie tags/chapters/poster/etc. However, when I launch the workflow I receive this:
Haven't a clue. It scans all the DVD rips before attempting encoding for the first movie, then after my custom arguments outputs an "AtomicParsely error" above, referencing a volume that I have used to save encoded movies. It seems to be grabbing the chapters.csv and title info, put placing those files in the DVD rip folders of the movies and not outputting an m4v as it cannot find the /Volumes/Movies/ folder, although it exists and is properly referenced in the workflow. Do I need to specify output with custom arguments as well? I thought default settings would apply if not addressed in custom arguments.
Thanks for any help guys! Awesome tutorial!
UPDATE: Interestingly it seems to be working for my Blu-Ray rips, but again it saving info in the source directory.
Last edited by a moderator:
Getting show names and metadata
Hi - love the workflow, definitely makes ripping my DVD collection much easier...BUT - I have lots of old avi files from TV shows that I have already converted to Apple TV files a while ago, but there is no show information, and when I run the action to access the online data and populate the information fields I get error that there is no information about the show available, yet when I check the website the show and info is there. Anyone have any ideas.
Hi - love the workflow, definitely makes ripping my DVD collection much easier...BUT - I have lots of old avi files from TV shows that I have already converted to Apple TV files a while ago, but there is no show information, and when I run the action to access the online data and populate the information fields I get error that there is no information about the show available, yet when I check the website the show and info is there. Anyone have any ideas.
I don't know about TV from personal experience as I am only ripping movies. I have read that in the workflows or other apps the seasons and episodes have to be already named in a certain manner in order for tagging (?). I believe I read it on this thread or in the main guide. Could be wrong. Hope this helps.
I'm also trying this for movies. I am using Handbrake for each movie as I need custom settings and for some reason I cannot get the CLI to utilize the custom commands I listed below but they work perfectly without the workflow. I'v been using Metax for tagging everything but the chapters. I cannot seem to get Metax to download the chapter titles. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
It's frustrating. The batch encode workflows tag everything beautifully, I don't know where it is retrieving the info though. If I could find the online source referenced in the batch workflow that would great, otherwise I'm tagging everything manually w/o chapters.
I'm surprised in all my searching there isn't a site with chapter title .csv's.
Okay, I changed my Workflow around to match yours. I dont know if you caught it, but based upon what you posted here is the problem with chapters.
In you first part you have -m -4 but in you copied part of your encoding log, there is no -m, which is the cli command to create chapters. So if this is the case, add -m at the end of your custom command in the workflow and it will add chapter markers. then if the chapters info is found during the encoding process if will add them. I did 3 different movies(sheez 2 passes each) so there was 7.5 hours of my machine. lol and each worked fine.
Hi,
just wanted to ask if anybody has a working "add tv tags"-action? And would be so kind as to maybe send me his / her "main.command" file?
Mine does not work any more since a while. I tried the curl -L "trick" but it did not work.
Using a hardcoded URL (cache.thetvdb) did not work either.
No useful tags are added and the error message states "Error: Cover art failed integrity test. No artwork was added". That would be acceptable; i could add the cover art by hand.. but the tags are also missing and no error message about that.
have a good day, all
just wanted to ask if anybody has a working "add tv tags"-action? And would be so kind as to maybe send me his / her "main.command" file?
Mine does not work any more since a while. I tried the curl -L "trick" but it did not work.
Code:
# get mirror URL
tvdbMirror=`curl -L -s "http://www.thetvdb.com/api/9F21AC232F30F34D/mirrors.xml" | "$xpathPath" //mirrorpath 2>/dev/null | awk -F\> '{print $2}' | awk -F\< '{print $1}'`Using a hardcoded URL (cache.thetvdb) did not work either.
No useful tags are added and the error message states "Error: Cover art failed integrity test. No artwork was added". That would be acceptable; i could add the cover art by hand.. but the tags are also missing and no error message about that.
have a good day, all
You are the best! At the moment I've been using the Handbrake GUI w/ these:
Video:
x264 - large file size - FPS same as source - Average Bitrate 2000 − 2-pass encoding
Audio:
1. (AC3) (5.1) 6channel discrete - Samplerate 48 - Bitrate 640 (or better if it is offered)
2. AC3 Passthrough (just for testing between tracks 1 and 2)
3. AC3 Stereo
Sidenote: I read DD versus DTS that DTS is somewhat better (not concerned about compression rates), but read that DTS is only available is producing an mkv (which is primarily for Blu-Ray's). Any thoughts?
In Advanced I chose options from researching that gave me this command line:
After it's done I've been using MetaX and entering the tag's manually, which is a PITA for chapter titles. Comparing these movies to the formats from the batch encode workflow, WOW, huge difference! Just wish there was a site that had chapter csv's ready to download, although http://www.allmovie.com has info on almost every DVD release with chapter titles, allowing me to add synopsis, plot, actors, studio, release dates, rating, and chapter titles.
I'll give your workflow a go, you really didn't have to go out of your way I feel badly man, you are the best. I never got the chance in responding to your PM, sorry bout that, been a mad busy few weeks.
It wasn't a big deal, more that happy to do it. I have got movies down, but haven't even started on all my TV shows, cuz it looks to be a bigger pain.
Again look about in the ****'s for my answers.
Beddifferent,
Just tried to run one of those movies i did yesterday using your custom parms. It cause a huge feedback and loud crackling in my speakers. Freaked me out. They apear to be okay, cuase it played a normal encode with 5.1 sound.
I am not sure what it was, but please be careful playing these in your stereo. I have a brand new reciever, start of the art that uses it all 7.1, 3D everything. And it didn't like it... LOL
Just saying..... My heart skipped 2 or 3 heartbeats!!
Just tried to run one of those movies i did yesterday using your custom parms. It cause a huge feedback and loud crackling in my speakers. Freaked me out. They apear to be okay, cuase it played a normal encode with 5.1 sound.
I am not sure what it was, but please be careful playing these in your stereo. I have a brand new reciever, start of the art that uses it all 7.1, 3D everything. And it didn't like it... LOL
Just saying..... My heart skipped 2 or 3 heartbeats!!
lol sorry about that, the only time I got any noise was playing track one on my Mac Pro (the AC3 6-channel discrete). Simply changing it to English 2 in Quicktime throws it into stereo. Haven't had any issue with stereo playback. I'm using a Pioneer Elite VSX-33 system with 7.1 B&W speaks. So far so good.
I did notice that for some films there was a .csv file, for others there wasn't but no DVD rip folders were coded RED (just orange then green). I have my titles as [movie name](year).m4v, example "The Others (2001)". Shouldn't MetaX download the chapter titles automatically? I've had to enter most of the data by hand through IMDB. I tried Barnes and Noble but didn't find much info and nothing on chapters. I entered in my TagChimp ID and uploaded the tag's so hopefully the library will benefit for others to use (and big thanks for the extra effort in producing csv files in the workflows, makes a huge difference if needing to re-encode - although I can't seem to get MetaX to import csv files).
Oh, and the reason I'm doing this is to toss out my collection as I did my music CD's. Thankfully my 3.33GHz 6-Core Pro rips through a Handbrake encode in less than an hour
. As long as I get the exact or near exact quality I don't need hundreds of DVD's piled around .
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lol sorry about that, the only time I got any noise was playing track one on my Mac Pro (the AC3 6-channel discrete). Simply changing it to English 2 in Quicktime throws it into stereo. Haven't had any issue with stereo playback. I'm using a Pioneer Elite VSX-33 system with 7.1 B&W speaks. So far so good.
I did notice that for some films there was a .csv file, for others there wasn't but no DVD rip folders were coded RED (just orange then green). I have my titles as [movie name](year).m4v, example "The Others (2001)". Shouldn't MetaX download the chapter titles automatically? I've had to enter most of the data by hand through IMDB. I tried Barnes and Noble but didn't find much info and nothing on chapters. I entered in my TagChimp ID and uploaded the tag's so hopefully the library will benefit for others to use (and big thanks for the extra effort in producing csv files in the workflows, makes a huge difference if needing to re-encode - although I can't seem to get MetaX to import csv files).
Oh, and the reason I'm doing this is to toss out my collection as I did my music CD's. Thankfully my 3.33GHz 6-Core Pro rips through a Handbrake encode in less than an hour
Okay let's see. MetX doesn't import csv files. Handbrakes how does for chapters as well as subler.
Yes MetaX will get chapters if movie found. However if you have movie name (2001).m4v. It may not find it unless someone else has used that. Go to top left of metal and in the search window erase the (2001) and hit return. Might find it then. I find most of my chapters in barnes and noble if metal doesn't find them. However more and more of the newer ones are being produced without them, then have chapter markers but not chapter names.
Movie folders will not be red. Only movie files will be red if it fail file integrity check. Folders will be green during process. Yellow when complete and orange if failed.
Movie file will turn to red if file integrity Chack fail during parsley part of encode.
DOH didn't know that about MetaX. I knew Handbrake supports csv but I figured I'd leave all the tagging done through MetaX. For chapters you're right, better to use the csv file generated from your script in Handbrake, it's made a huge difference. I've also removed the year from the file name, and MetaX found everything perfectly. I've gone through about 5-6 movies/day and played them trough various devices, so far so good [knock on wood].
DOH didn't know that about MetaX. I knew Handbrake supports csv but I figured I'd leave all the tagging done through MetaX. For chapters you're right, better to use the csv file generated from your script in Handbrake, it's made a huge difference. I've also removed the year from the file name, and MetaX found everything perfectly. I've gone through about 5-6 movies/day and played them trough various devices, so far so good [knock on wood].
Yea, except dont need the csv files, if MetaX find the movie, it does the chapters. However pay attention, chapters are not always right. Not right chapter numbers, or names. Sometimes in chapter names are a "&" and when it does into iTunes and MetaX is gets screwy. You have to fix it manually.
I've used www.allmovies.com and it lists every DVD variation released. If the csv doesn't match due to chapter # differences (and MetaX doesn't have the info on their database), I'll look through AllMovies and find the exact DVD, and make any necessary manual adjustments. That info is sent up to MetaX and hopefully someone can use the info. I also examine all the info such as "Short" and "Long" summary to make certain it's from the official studio/DVD movie release (seems people write their own plot summaries and I've noticed horrible grammar and a total lack of logic lol).
Filesize: CLI vs. GUI
I've noticed a discrepancy in the files produced when using the CLI (via the Automator workflows included in this thread), vs. using the Handbrake GUI app.
I ripped a DVD using the Batch Rip action, and it copies to my machine without error. When I then run the "Batch Encoder (Finder)" workflow, my resulting .m4v is 760MB.
When I encode the same disc using the Handbrake GUI (with the AppleTV 2 preset chosen of course), it produces a file of 2.29GB. Quite a difference. There are also different video bitrates, and even different resolutions.
I'm pretty certain that I have my "Batch Encoder (Finder)" workflow set up properly; when I run it, Terminal shows:
I also see:
Encoding other disks provide similar results. Can anyone advise on why I'm getting such radically different results? Given that the GUI is producing higher bitrate / resolution files, that's the nicer-looking result. Of course, the convenience of the CLI scripts can't be beat. Any help is much appreciated!
I've noticed a discrepancy in the files produced when using the CLI (via the Automator workflows included in this thread), vs. using the Handbrake GUI app.
I ripped a DVD using the Batch Rip action, and it copies to my machine without error. When I then run the "Batch Encoder (Finder)" workflow, my resulting .m4v is 760MB.
When I encode the same disc using the Handbrake GUI (with the AppleTV 2 preset chosen of course), it produces a file of 2.29GB. Quite a difference. There are also different video bitrates, and even different resolutions.
I'm pretty certain that I have my "Batch Encoder (Finder)" workflow set up properly; when I run it, Terminal shows:
Input directory 1: /Users/myname/Downloads
Input directory 2: /Users/myname/Downloads
Output directory: /Users/myname/Downloads
Use optical Drive: No
Encode HD Sources: Yes
Keep MKV Temp Files: No
Auto-add movie tags: Yes
Retire Existing File: No
Growl me when complete: Yes
Encode TV Shows between: 19-100 mins
Encode Movies between: 1-180 mins
Native Language: eng (en)
Use Disc's Default Audio Language: Yes
Will Encode: DVD/AppleTV 2, 720p/Apple TV 2
Input directory 2: /Users/myname/Downloads
Output directory: /Users/myname/Downloads
Use optical Drive: No
Encode HD Sources: Yes
Keep MKV Temp Files: No
Auto-add movie tags: Yes
Retire Existing File: No
Growl me when complete: Yes
Encode TV Shows between: 19-100 mins
Encode Movies between: 1-180 mins
Native Language: eng (en)
Use Disc's Default Audio Language: Yes
Will Encode: DVD/AppleTV 2, 720p/Apple TV 2
I also see:
Using AppleTV 2/DVD-toolArgs:
Encoding other disks provide similar results. Can anyone advise on why I'm getting such radically different results? Given that the GUI is producing higher bitrate / resolution files, that's the nicer-looking result. Of course, the convenience of the CLI scripts can't be beat. Any help is much appreciated!
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I dropped the CLI in the batch workflows and have been using the GUI and encoding one rip at a time (course I'm on a 3.33GHz 6-Core Mac Pro which takes roughly 1-hour per movie). This was the only way in which I could have full control over the quality of the m4v as I want lossless quality in order to ditch my DVD collection. I use these settings:
Video:
Format: MP4 File w/ Large File Size
Video Codec: H.264 (x264)
Framerate (FPS): Same as source
Variable Framerate (VFR) checked
Video Quality (crucial): Average Bitrate (kbps): 2000 w/ 2-pass encoding
Audio:
I encode as many tracks as possible as I play my movies attached to my Apple TV 2 via an Ethernet connection to a second "Time Capsule" that is extending my network to my primary "Time Capsule" in order to use the 2TB HDD in the "Time Capsule" in my media closet. This means I do not have to turn my Mac Pro on with iTunes running in order to stream WiFi and the playback is better through the stored HDD directly to the Apple TV 2. Some people have differing opinions about what audio layers to select, AC3 Passthru is one many claim to be the only necessary layer as it is the main audio layer offered from that particular DVD. However, I choose the following:
1. English (AC3) (5.1 ch), AC3, 6-channel discrete, 48, 640
2. English (AC3) (5.1 ch), AC3 Passthru (just in case)
3. English (AC3) with stereo for iDevices
(and another audio track if there is a directors commentary, etc.
Using XBMC on my JB'd Apple TV 2 allows me to switch between tracks and I am connected to my Pioneer Elite VSX-33 via HDMI, which handles everything thrown at it. Of course a lot of this depends on your receiver and setup so make certain your AVR can handle 5.1-7.1/DD/DTS depending on what you need. Also, if DTS is available for an audio track, chose that first as it's better overall (again some debate this fact)
The next part is the tricky part.
Advanced Settings:
I've researched this a great deal and as there are so many options and settings I won't go through them but I will paste the code that outputs from my selections that you can copy and paste into the "Command x264 Advanced Option String":
ref=10:bframes=10:subq=8:mixed-refs=0:weightb=0:trellis=2:b-adapt=2:me=umh:merange=30:deblock=2,2
This will produce a great quality encode.
After this is done I use MetaX for tagging. Just make certain your file is named exactly as the movie title, for example "In Good Company.m4v". This allows MetaX to properly search the database for profiles that users have uploaded. Also, register on the MetaX site and input the four digit code into the preferences section of the MetaX app as you can upload your information to the database for others. I often alter some of the given tags as some users enter horrible plot summaries and info. I visit IMDB and www.allmovies.com (AllMovies is great as the information for the movies is directly from the studios, so I copy and paste the plot summary into the MetaX program). In "AllMovies" check the "DVD releases" and check out all the official DVD releases to check and compare it with the DVD rip you have as they all differ. Sometimes MetaX will report that a selected tag chapters may not match up with your DVD, so check the chapters in AllMovies to see how many there are and how many you have listed, and make any alterations. Make certain everything is the way you want and that every option you want is CHECKED (esp the movie poster option as it isn't checked by default) and you're good to go.
Seems like a lot of work but it takes me about 5-10 minutes to fine tune the tagging while I set another DVD rip in Handbrake.
Hope this helps!
Ripping Finding Titles
Is anyone having issues with the Batch Rip script finding movie titles today? In the past I have had no issues with it finding movies, but today it hasn't found a single one.
Thanks!
Is anyone having issues with the Batch Rip script finding movie titles today? In the past I have had no issues with it finding movies, but today it hasn't found a single one.
Thanks!
I removed the year from the title if it's present and just used the name of the movie. See my post.
Stopped working
I've been having exactly the same problem. A couple of days ago, no problems at all, but yesterday and today it's never finding anything for either movies or TV shows. I verified that the items are in the sites by using the web search forms, but it looks like it's not able to make the API calls.
I've been having exactly the same problem. A couple of days ago, no problems at all, but yesterday and today it's never finding anything for either movies or TV shows. I verified that the items are in the sites by using the web search forms, but it looks like it's not able to make the API calls.
Same thing here. I set this up so long ago, I forgot how it all works and now it's broke. I suppose we'll have to get MetaX or something for the time being.
Everyone is having this issue because TheMovieDB.org's API is down. That is where the scripts go to collect the data for the movies. The API has been down for a few days now and I haven't seen anything on their forums to tell me when it will be back up an operational.
GL
Amazon AWS is having issues at the moment and they may use that service. A few sites are down or suffering degradation because of it.
Just to manually double-check, I went in the script and grabbed the curl call to try it myself:
Code:
$ curl -i "http://api.themoviedb.org/2.1/Movie.search/en/xml/8d7d0edf7ec73435ea5d99d9cba9b54d/Date%20Night"
HTTP/1.1 500 Internal Server Error
Server: nginx
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:42:57 GMT
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Length: 186
Connection: close
<html>
<head><title>500 Internal Server Error</title></head>
<body bgcolor="white">
<center><h1>500 Internal Server Error</h1></center>
<hr><center>nginx</center>
</body>
</html>So their servers have definitely crashed.