Clownbd Output: M2TS v. Blu-Ray Folder?

[Evil_Attorney]

I am finally starting to build up my movie library for playback in Sage. I know many people here are using ClownBD on Blu-Ray movies, so I started playing with it too.

I noticed that there can be a large difference between the overall size of the output if you select M2TS over Blu-Ray output. For example, with the movie "Up", the M2TS was about 20 gb while the BR folder output was about 38 gb (note that the original BR disk is about 41 gb).

What is getting stripped out of the M2TS? I realize that BR folder is the best option for future-proofing my collection, but 38 gb is still a bit hefty. Is there a better option to maintain audio and video quality without sacrificing forced subtitles?

[Evil_Attorney]

Whoops, I reprocess "Up" and saved as a BR structure and it seemed to be about the same file size as the M2TS file (maybe I misread or changed something last time). I guess my question now is simply, what are the advantages/disadvantages of M2TS vs. the BR folder structure? Any difference with forced subtitle display?

[stanger89]

Blu-ray structure gets you chapters, seamless branching (if the title has it, probably won't anymore if you Clown_BD it), and other BD functionality (that Sage supports).

[xxLJLxx]

One special reason I like to output to the BDMV folder is for the MyMovies plug-in. I know not everyone uses it but I'm still in the middle of converting my whole collection over and it definitely pays off. This is my main reasoning for it.

[Fuzzy]

MyMovies will work just fine with individual movie files as well. It doesn't require disc format.

[Evil_Attorney]

Thanks for the feed back. Do you guys have issues with Clownbd sometimes? I initially thought I was seeing things previously, but ripping to BR structure sometimes gives me a huge directory size. I have now ripped Avatar 3 times and each time the output directory is about 37 gb. Is there something I am doing wrong?

[xxLJLxx]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

MyMovies will work just fine with individual movie files as well. It doesn't require disc format.

So, I guess other than chapters, are there any other benefits to outputting to BDMV? I wanna say forced subs had something to do with me starting to do that but after the v7 upgrade and all, that may not matter now.

After all, I see Attorney did bring up the pros and cons to m2ts vs. BDMV so never mind. Still wondering though what made me start with BDMV.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Evil_Attorney

Thanks for the feed back. Do you guys have issues with Clownbd sometimes? I initially thought I was seeing things previously, but ripping to BR structure sometimes gives me a huge directory size. I have now ripped Avatar 3 times and each time the output directory is about 37 gb. Is there something I am doing wrong?

IIRC Avatar is just a huge movie, other users were reporting 44GB. I'm guessing that's right for an excess-audio-stripped version.

[Naylia]

Don't forget to consider the formats supported by your video playback software. Folders probably have less support, but as Stanger noted, they offer extra features.

[Evil_Attorney]

I am playing back all of my ripped movies on an HD200, so I am not sure there is much difference in functionality with the latest version of Sage.

What I am having difficulty with is how best to further decrease the size of some of the larger BR movies, like Avatar, while keeping subtitles in their original form (i.e., no OCR programs).

I am thinking I should use ClownBD to extract video, audio, and subtitle files; use handbrake to compress the video to a desired point, then remux the original audio, compressed video, and original subtitles into a BR folder structure or m2TS. Is there an easier way of doing this?

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by stanger89

IIRC Avatar is just a huge movie, other users were reporting 44GB. I'm guessing that's right for an excess-audio-stripped version.

I have Avatar ripped to a BD folder structure with main movie, DTS HD and AC3 audio plus PGS and it is 40GB.

I do my DTS movies by hand (I have had inconsistencies with ClownBD), but I would think ClownBD should be the same size.

[Naylia]

Originally Posted by Evil_Attorney

Is there an easier way of doing this?

Buy the DVD

[xxLJLxx]

Originally Posted by Evil_Attorney

Is there an easier way of doing this?

This seems to contradict getting the movie on bluray if you ask me. I'm guessing you don't plan on compressing the video too, too much but still. That is a lot of work to shrink the size of your BR rips. Stanger is right. The movie is huge. I double checked my copy and it is 40GB as well.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Evil_Attorney

I am playing back all of my ripped movies on an HD200, so I am not sure there is much difference in functionality with the latest version of Sage.

Chapters, potentially some automatic (forced) subtitle functionality.

I am thinking I should use ClownBD to extract video, audio, and subtitle files; use handbrake to compress the video to a desired point, then remux the original audio, compressed video, and original subtitles into a BR folder structure or m2TS. Is there an easier way of doing this?

Get bigger/more HDDs.

[Evil_Attorney]

Yea, it is too much trouble. I just ordered two 2 tb drives and a raid controller from NewEgg. That should hold me over for a while.

[RocKKer]

I use BR-Rebuilder for my BRD rips, I use it to re-encode (movie only) to a smaller size, convert audio to AAC, keep subtitles ("forced" also), all in one step.

For me, the BRD structure supports the functionality I need, which is mainly subtitles and chapter skipping.

Currently I have Avatar re-encoded to about 18GB, and it looks spectacular.

I can't tell the difference picture quality wise, between the full Avatar BRD rip (~44GB) and the re-encoded 18GB. If for some reason later the 18GB video does not give satisfactory results then I'll re-rip (if I even care about Avatar then), in the mean time storage space is a concern.

[Evil_Attorney]

Originally Posted by RocKKer

I use BR-Rebuilder for my BRD rips, I use it to re-encode (movie only) to a smaller size, convert audio to AAC, keep subtitles ("forced" also), all in one step.

Thanks Rockker, that sounds like the tool I was looking for. I'll check it out.