labDV newsletter
More comfortable reading on our web site » »

New DVDx 2.10 release: shutdown count-down, WMV volume splitting and chaptering...
Software: Nero 7.10 certified for AVCHD authoring and playback
Hardware: Toshiba to ship the world's first slim-line HD DVD Re-writable
Hardware: Sony HDR SR7/SR7E, a terrific HD camcorder
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

July 30th, 2007

1. New DVDx 2.10: shutdown count-down, WMV volume splitting and chaptering...

DVDx 2.10 Ultra Edition We've published the new DVDx 2.10 release, available on labDV server, on DVDx web site and on SourceForge servers.

We've added a count-down at computer shutdown when job is finished, we've completed WMV support by developing the volume splitting and the encoding by chapters. New WMV widescreen profiles for Archos Generation 4 (Archos 604 at 480x272 on 4.3" wide screen and Archos 404 at 320x240 on 3.5" screen) have be added.

Shutdown can now be toggled while encoding, thru the settings menu.

What's new in 2.10

Shutdown computer when job is done:

added this option in Settings menu so it can be changed during encoding
added a count-down dialog that allows the user to cancel within 30 seconds
added a checkbox option to get a shutdown count-down silent or beeping

Input settings dialog window:

a little enlarged vertically for more readability and to add the new option
to get a silent or beeping shutdown count-down

WMV encoding:

added volume splitting feature (which wasn't done yet for WMV format)
fixed encoding by chapter feature (each volume was limited to 5 seconds)
added new widescreen profiles for Archos Generation 4
added more explicit error messages when begin writing the WMV output file

AVI codec settings:

fixed the 'wrong settings block for AVI video codec' warning message on DivX
2-pass encoding
headers added in AVI_LIB from Xvid 1.1.3 vfw module: config.h, xvid.h and vfwext.h
change output estimation for Xvid

Multilanguages:

added some menu items in language files: Preview aspect, 4/3, 16/9, Free,
Shutdown when finished
modified RefreshLanguage() method of main window (CMpeg_encodeDlg)

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: Nero 7.10 certified for AVCHD authoring and playback

This month, Nero has released 7.10.1.0 Ultra Edition to correct HD support in NeroVision and NeroShowTime to make Nero suite the first burning suite for AVCHD. This new version is available for download at labDV...

The updated version allows users to harness the full power of high definition video, including AVCHD and editable Blu-ray (BD-AV) video capturing, authoring and playback. An optional plug-in adds HD DVD-video playback capabilities as well.

AVCHD, a new camcorder format developed by Sony and Panasonic, uses the highly efficient MPEG-4 AVC codec. With Nero 7 Ultra Edition Enhanced, users can now capture video from AVCHD camcorders, manipulate the footage, and then use the suite's Nero Vision application to author the content to a wide range of commonly used media formats such as DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, Memory Sticks and SD cards, in full HD quality (up to 1080p). The content can also be played via most Blu-ray players, including PlayStation 3®. For PC-based viewing, the Nero ShowTime application can playback AVCHD content from a hard drive.

Nero users can now author their video content onto Blu-ray Discs (BD-R and BD-RE) featuring sophisticated menus, and can play the authored discs on their PCs, and via Blu-ray players. The software enables capturing HDV and DV directly from the camcorder to disc without the need to transcode. More...

3. Hardware: Toshiba to ship the world's first slim-line HD DVD Re-writable

Toshiba's SD-L912A is the world's first slim-line HD DVD Re-writable drive for integration into Notebook PCs. The new SD-L912A makes it possible to backup the large capacities of PC hard drives to the reusable format of HD DVD-RW discs, and store data-rich HD digital content. The drives ability to rewrite to HD DVD-RW also opens the way to a wide range of applications involving storage and rewriting of large volumes of data.

More at Toshiba website...

4. Hardware: Sony HDR SR7/SR7E, a terrific HD camcorder

We had the opportunity to play with the brand new Sony HDR-SR7 (SR7E for Europe) and it's a terrific camcorder.

Sony's HD picture is cinema-pro-like! It brings a new experience to video enthusiast and open the new HD era, requiring high-end Dual Core PC to edit the AVCHD.

Shoot in unrivaled high definition clarity directly onto a 60GB hard disk drive, with the ultra-compact HDR-SR7 high definition Handycam® camcorder. The professional grade Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T* lens ensures photo-realistic image quality, with a 10x optical/20x digital zoom that easily brings the action extra close, while Super SteadyShot® optical image stabilization. 3.2 Megapixel (Gross) ClearVid™ CMOS Sensor provides stunning detail and clarity with exceptional video (1080 lines of resolution - HD Mode or 530 lines of horizontal resolution - SD Mode).

More at Sony Style...

5. 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).

6. Software at labDV.com

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

New software added in July

In Audio (compression and editing), we've uploaded the new Lame 3.97 stable binaries as well as some Lame 3.98 beta 4 components compiled by Rarewares.

In Authoring DVD and (S)VCD, we've uploaded the latest Nero 7.10.1.0 Ultra Edition Enhanced suite which provide improved Blu-ray and AVCHD support.

In video codecs, we've updated Xvid codec to Xvid 1.1.3 compiled by Koepi, this MPEG-4 open source codec is expected to become the codec of choice for DVDx (Xvid 2.0 will support AVCHD and will bring HD capability to DVDx encoding).

In DVD copying, we released the brand new DVDx 2.10 which provides a count-down at computer shutdown when job is finished, and a complete WMV support with the volume splitting and the encoding by chapters. New WMV widescreen profiles for Archos Generation 4 (Archos 604 at 480x272 on 4.3" wide screen and Archos 404 at 320x240 on 3.5" screen) have be added. And as expected by many users, shutdown can now be toggled while encoding - thru the settings menu. We also updated FixVTS 1.603, this tool corrects bad-formed DVD so removing Arcoos protection, sure the DVD must be ripped to the hard drive before (use DVD Decrypter).

Get the whole software list available from labDV »»

Latest software updates

Audio (compression and editing): Lame ACM Codec 3.98 beta 4; Lame (beta) 3.98 beta 4; nLame DLL 3.97
Authoring DVD and (S)VCD: Nero 7 7.10.1.0 ALL
Video codecs: Xvid 1.1.3
DVD copying: DVDx 2.10; DVDx "ripper free" 2.10; DVDx binaries 2.10; FixVTS 1.603

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

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.

Thank you for your support by joining us