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DVDx 2.9: improved AVI (DivX/Xvid) multipass support
Software: Pinnacle Studio 11comes with 3 versions
Hardware: SAMSUNG Electronics to release Duo HD Player
Hardware: AOpen 945-VXR, a Windows-based Media Center
Hardware: Neuros OSD, a Linux-based Media Center
Friends top ten: sites who link to labDV.com
Software at labDV.com: May updates
VIP Pass: get DVDx updates with 2-year VIP Pass renewal

May 21th, 2007

1. DVDx 2.9: improved AVI (DivX/Xvid) multipass support

DVDx 2.9 Ultra Edition We're proud to announce the availability of DVDx 2.9 release, available on labDV server, on DVDx web site and on SourceForge servers.

Starbuck has reworked the code which supports AVI multipass interface to provide a better user experience and a consistent estimated output file size.

Xvid 2-pass encoding is the easiest to get an output file of the desired size while DivX 2-pass is easier for a constrained bitrate output file.

You can use the DivX codec embedded calculator (just to adjust the audio bitrate and copy/paste the frame number from DVDx output settings window) to get the bitrate associated to a desired size of the output file.

Use DivX calculator for a SIZED output file Xvid is easier to set a SIZED output file

What's new in 2.9

Improved AVI (DivX/Xvid) multipass GUI behavior:

now Estimated size is also available for AVI (DivX and Xvid only) and is accurate, if multipass is set: the DivX 2nd pass bitrate or the Xvid desired size is used.
if audio is Lame, audio bitrate is correctly taken into account to compute the Estimated size.
now correctly set 1st and 2nd pass with appropriate settings display (formerly settings where stored and used correctly but display was messed up).
when checking/unchecking Enable 2nd pass button, the codec dialog window is opened once for one-pass and twice for 2-pass encoding (with message helpers displayed).
ensure DivX or Xvid is selected for multipass (so avoid setting multipass for codecs which don't support multipass encoding).

Compilation:

update compilation platform with DirectX SDK February 2007 and WMSDK11 which provides Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile codec compliant with the published SMPTE VC-1 standard and Windows Media Audio 10 Professional codec quality improved at lower bit rates.
hack shobjidl.h in Platform SDK R2 to skip SHCOLSTATE, SHCOLUMNID and LPCSHCOLUMNID on __shtypes_h__ definition (newer definitions in WMSDK11), it's required to compile ProfileObject.cpp successfully.

Download:

DVDx standard version "ripper free" (and sources) available from Source Forge.
DVDx Ultra Edition (and all versions and sources) available from DVDx download page for VIP members only.

2. Software: Pinnacle Studio 11comes with 3 versions

Highlights:

Full HD: complete HD workflow – HD DVD authoring from standard DVD media
Web Sharing: simplified, one-click public & private Web publishing (including Yahoo! Videos)
Windows Vista Compatibility: Vista compatibility with scalable UI - Windows Vista look & Feel
Powerful Editing: HiFi music; Pro Film Effects, Audio Cleaning, Precision Pan & Zoom; 2X output speed

The Pinnacle Studio version 11 family is a good innovative consumer video editing software, harnessing the power of the latest technologies from HD, Windows Vista, Hi-Fi Audio and Web Sharing — for video enthusiasts seeking a full yet accessible solution without compromising ease of use or a quality experience – without much complexity

The 3 versions (more at Pinnacle web site):

Studio version 11 (Simplified) $49.99
Studio Plus version 11 (Enhanced) $99.99
Studio Ultimate version 11 (Mastered) $129.99

3. Hardware: SAMSUNG Electronics to release Duo HD Player

Samsung Electronics, the first company to introduce a Blu-ray disc player, will introduce a dual format High-Definition (HD) optical disc player in time for the holidays.

Samsung’s Duo HD player (BD-UP5000) will fully support both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats and their interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java. With the Duo HD consumers can enjoy additional studio content such as trailers, director’s comments, more elaborate interactive menus and behind the scene footage. The new Duo HD joins Samsung’s next generation DVD line-up which includes Samsung’s second generation Blu-ray player available at retail this month. Together, these two models offer the consumer a strong line of High-Definition players to match Samsung’s award winning, and best selling, line of HDTVs.

"We welcome Samsung's Duo HD player as another solution in the marketplace that will help reduce consumer confusion and buyer hesitancy towards HD media," said Ron Sanders, President of Warner Home Video. "This is an innovative product that can move us closer to mainstream consumer adoption of HD technologies."

4. Hardware: AOpen 945-VXR, a Windows-based Media Center

You can get a silent Windows Media Center, Intel Core 2Duo powered, for about $899.00 (or €840.00 in Europe), with the AOPEN MiniPC MP945-VXR.

The format is very small form factor, Apple MacMini size!

With a supermini size of just 165 x 165 x 51mm, the Mini PC creates extraordinary desktop space for you to extend unlimited creativity. Using AOpen MiniPC saves you over 40% of space compared to a traditional desktop PC. The saved space can be even larger when fitted with an LCD monitor. The ergonomic effects brought to you by the MiniPC will effectively boost your work efficiency and help maintain a pleasant mood. The Aopen MiniPC 945-VXR is Intel based: Intel945GM+ICH7M-DH, 1 slot DDR2 400/533/667 SO-DIMM (2 GB max), socket 479 Core Duo and Solo, Pentium M, integrated video GMA950. InfraRed is integrated and the MiniPC is delivered with a MCE remote control, you may add the Microsoft Remote Keyboard for maximum comfort.

Silence, low power consumption, high efficiency

The AOpen MiniPC brings forth a new era for desktop PCs with unrivaled silence, power conservation, and excellent performance by adopting Pentium M/Celeron M processors developed by Intel with mobility technology coupled with a So-DIMM memory slot and Mini-PCI interface. The AOpen MiniPC can easily satisfy the majority of users who mainly work with office applications, enabling them to easily handle office work, entertainment, Internet surfing, CD/DVD burning, etc.

All specs at Aopen web site...

The Vista Vista Ready version is MP945-VDR and a bit more expensive ($1,200.00t) and offers 2 Dual-channel DDR2 slots, HDMI output (w/o audio) and 2 front-side USB ports.

In 2007, AOpen now release the third generation miniPC MP945-VDR with Microsoft Windows Vista in Taiwan. This indicates the miniPC is marching into a brand new Windows Vista era!

AOpen miniPC is both the fastest and smallest desktop PC in the world; it gives you superior performance from its hardware and convenience from the software. Thanks to the mobile Core 2 Duo CPU, miniPC requires the lowest power and generates less heat, made it very suitable for long time operation as home entertainment core with low power usage.

The Windows Vista series are emphasize the features of home entertainment and many new features added such as Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Media Player 11, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Media Center. To provide best performance AOpen miniPC MP945-VDR equips mobile Core 2 Duo CPU and dual channel DDR II memory up to 4 GB provides great performance and low power consumption. And to completely deliver these functions well, miniPC equips S-Video and DVI with HDMI adapter for high quality video output; 5.1 channels, and S/PDIF for clear audio output.

U.S. vendors: MiniPC4Less and Advanced Techniques, European vendor: e-network.fr and brand website: AOPEN.

5. Hardware: Neuros OSD, a Linux-based Media Center

A media center for $239.99 which you can hack the software and firmware!

Free Your Media with the Neuros OSD:

The Neuros OSD will allow you to record, play, stream and share your video and audio content between all your electronic devices: your entertainment center (TV, stereo, DVD player, VCR, camcorder, etc), your PC/Internet and your portables (iPod, smartphones, PSP, etc).

Read more product details here.

Open Source and Continuously Evolving:

The Neuros OSD already has some great features out-of-the-box, including the ability to record from virtually any video source (DVD’s, cable/satellite TV, DVR-TiVo, camcorder, etc) to any memory card (SD, CF, etc) or USB device (iPod, PSP, external hard drives, etc). And with the linux-based open source operating system and considerable help from the worldwide community of users and developers, it's continuously providing new features and benefits via free, downloadable firmware upgrades that you can install in minutes via the user interface. Some of the upgrade they're working on include: watching YouTube on your TV, wireless networking, a full-featured audio player/recorder and much more... To see an up-to-date list of working features and current projects or to find out how to join the community, go to open.neurostechnology.com.

Another good source of information can be the OSD information page. It is a good portal for all things OSD.

6. Friends top ten: sites who link to labDV.com

This rubric is to thanks labDV friends who link their web sites to labDV.com:

Major search engine aren't part of this list (Google, Yahoo!, MSN, Excite and Web Crawler).

7. Software at labDV.com

Now there are 232 software available from labDV.com, most of them are freeware.

New software added in March

In DVD copying, we uploaded the brand new DVDx 2.9 which improve DivX/Xvid 2-pass support. And we added MPEG Parser 1.3 which is a viewer of MPEG-files internal structure. It can view fields of structures of MPEG file consists. MPEG Parser shows next data about MPEG file: Resolution, Frame rate, Size, Aspect ratio, Bitrate ... Utility allows to correct errors in MPEG - use menu item "Save corrected..." for this. You can also save internal structure in the text file via menu item "Save MPEG information...". Useful on VOBs to setup correclty rippers like DVDx Input Settings.

In Authoring DVD and (S)VCD, we added FAVC 0.94 which is a GUI for several different free video tools. Input avi/mov/wmv/asf/avs/vdr files and obtain a DVD folder (and an iso if required) ready to be burned to a DVD disc. Automatic file recognition and analysis. Automatically assigns correct bitrate based on disc size chosen. Easy chapter creation. AC3 Retention. Uses Muxman (Via BatchMux) for DVD Authoring. Must have Avisynth v2.56a, or later, and the .NET framework Version 2 installed.

Get the whole software list available from labDV »»

Latest software updates

Authoring DVD and (S)VCD: FAVC 0.94
DVD copying: DVDx 2.9; DGMPGDec 1.4.8; DVDx "ripper free" 2.9; DVDx binaries 2.9; MPEG Parser 1.3

8. VIP Pass: get DVDx updates with 2-year VIP Pass renewal

Last month we decided that we can afford to low down VIP Pass prices by extending significantly their durations. Now you can extend your current VIP Pass for 1 year or 2 years for $29.90 or $49.90 (19.90€ or 34.90€).

We hope this will help you to get more connected on DVDx updates and help us to sustain the development efforts so we can initiate a DVDx 3 major release...

With a VIP Pass, you'll access the whole labDV library, a lot of Digital Video articles and how-to's as well as a huge Digital Video software database, most of them are free. And you will navigate DVDx web site as MyDVDx and all its features.

The 1-Year VIP Pass is only US$ 39.90 (€29.90) and joining us is a strong support for all our efforts such as our ambitious new 2007 roadmap for DVDx!

And you can also currently join us for US$19.90 (€14.90) for a 3-months VIP Pass.

Support us: from time to time , we're sustaining our continuous efforts to develop DVDx software so the 1-Year Pass is likely the best deal for now as well as the 2-Year Pass extension.

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