How Do You Switch Default Burner Applications With Beyondtv4

[ddrenth]

How do you change your default DVD burner in Beyond TV4? Mine is stuck on EASY DVD CD Creator 6 and I'd like to use the NERO that came with the Double layer MAD DOG optical drive. What decides the burner used in BeyondTV4 and how to you change it?

[NeoDavinci]

Here's an even worse question. How are you burning DVDs directly from BeyondTV?

[MickP]

To answer the first question, you can change the application that btv calls upon archiving from the Webadmin (http://localhost:8129). Select Settings/Advanced settings/Miscellaneous settings and update the "Archive Command" field to be the path to the app that you want to use.

Unfortunately, I've found that this is not enough to be able to satisfactorily create a DVD.

You can check out the BTV2DVD Automated chapter cut and archive/burn to disk - from within ViewScape project for a solution to this.

I've been using two different approaches to archiving depending upon the output. The first requires use of Cyberlink Make DVD. Make DVD needs to be purchased but has a 10ft interface that works well on the TV using a remote and is worth checking out. I have made a basic BTV theme for Make DVD as the default themes are pretty lame. PM me if you'd like a copy.

After using this for a while I realised that there was usually little reason for me to be creating DVD's that could be played in a DVD player and that a simple backup/copy of the mpeg files to DVD is all that I need. For this I use nerocmd.exe which requires that you have a copy of Nero installed on the machine. I've added a btv folder for my DVD drive and have found that BTV is happy to play files directly from the DVD. You can view the contents of such a DVD via the folder view in btv. All of the original metadata is displayed just as if it were sitting on the hdd somewhere.

The main issue that I've had with both of these approaches is how to select the files to be archived and then edit them before burning them to DVD so that I'm not backing up the padding and commercials.

To work around this I'm using the following batch file as the archive command in BTV. This process relies a bit on the fact that I don't bother generating smartchapters with btv (i've never found it very effective). You could change the process a bit if you already have smartchapters.

The workflow is:

Select shows to be copied to the burning queue (this is a folder setup in BTV that has a seperate directory on the same drive as my main recording folder) and use the archive to disk option in the btv interface. If the file/show selected isn't already in the archive location it is moved there. Rinse and repeat for all shows to be burned.

Switch to folder view in btv and select the burn queue folder. Select the option to Archive each of the files from BTV. Because the files are in the burn queue directory IG Cutter is launched. Mark edit points in IG Cutter then save smartchapters. Exit IG Cutter. All files with smartchapters in the burn queue directory are processed by igprocessor. Rinse and repeat.

If you select a file that has already been cut (has _cut.mpg in the filename) and select the Archive to disk option, it will be moved back to your main recording folder. This can be useful if you've selected too many files to fit on one DVD.

If creating a regular dvd (for friends without btv) Launch MakeDVD (I have a shortcut/menu item in BM) and select the edited files from Burn Queue folder and create a dvd.

If creating a copy/backup of the mpeg files I've added a shortcut in BM to a batch file that contains:

 
"C:\Program Files\Ahead\Nero\nerocmd.exe" --write --real --iso BTV_Archive --drivename D --underrun_prot --speed 4 --create_iso_fs --dvd "f:\BurnQueue\*.*"

This will create a DVD backup of all files in the burn queue folder.

You would obviously need to edit your paths to match the location of your burn folder.

I've configured girder to control IGCutter so that I can edit the files quickly from the lounge (aussie for couch :-) ). The attached girder profile gives an example of how you can use girder to auto change groups depending upon which application has focus. If you're not using girder I recommend checking it out here.

Below is the content of the archive.cmd batch file that I have linked to the archive command in BTV.

***YOU MUST EDIT THE PATHS IN IT BEFORE USE***

 
@echo off 
rem batch file to handle submitting archive jobs to igcutter
rem
rem If archive is selected for a show and it is not currently in
rem the archive folder then it is copied there.
rem
rem If archive is selected for a file that is in the archive folder 
rem then it is edited with igcutter. If chapters are present after 
rem igcutter is run then the files are processed with igprocessor.
rem
rem 
rem 
rem process -p MakeDVD.exe belownormal
cls
set filetoedit=%*
rem set archivepath="C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Videos"
set archivepath="f:\BurnQueue"
set cutterpath=c:\program files\igcutter
rem mainpath is used if moving files back to a folder after edit
set mainpath="f:\shows"
 
 
echo.
echo file to edit is %filetoedit%
echo.
echo archive path is %archivepath%
echo.
echo path to cutter stuff is %cutterpath%
echo.
rem check to see if archive command has been called for a file already in the
rem archive directory. If not we copy it there. If so we run igcutter thingerer
echo.
echo %filetoedit%
echo %filetoedit%|find %archivepath% /i
if %errorlevel%==0 goto fileInBurnQ
 
:copyfile
echo.
echo Running copyfile
echo.
echo move "%filetoedit%" %archivepath%
rem -- changed to move file instead of copying. 
rem -- Suggest change back for testing.
rem copy "%filetoedit%" %archivepath%
move "%filetoedit%" %archivepath%
goto endaction
 
:fileInBurnQ
rem check to see if archive command has been called for a file that has already been cut
rem in the archive directory. If so we copy it back to the original location.
echo.
echo %filetoedit%
echo %filetoedit%|find "_cut.mpg" /i
if not %errorlevel%==0 goto editfile
goto moveback
 
:moveback
rem burn has been selected for a file that is already cut. Assume that there is too much in the archive 
rem directory and move back to main show folder
echo.
echo Selected show 
echo %filetoedit% 
echo is already cut. 
echo Moving back to main folder %mainpath%
echo.
move "%filetoedit%" "%mainpath%"
goto endaction
 
:editfile
echo.
echo Running editfile
echo.
call "%cutterpath%\igcutter.exe" "%filetoedit%"
call "%cutterpath%\igcprocessor.exe" /stealth /exitwhendone /deleteoriginals %archivepath%
goto endaction
 
:endaction
rem make sure that btv has focus back
"C:\Program Files\SnapStream Media\Beyond TV 3\BTVD3DShell.exe" /mode fs

Using the above cobbled together process I am now able to easily perform all of the steps required for backup and dvd creation from my lounge quickly and without needing to touch a keyboard. I hope this helps someone out there.

Mick.

<edit>I've recently updated the process above to retain smartchaptering stuff. Info can be found in this thread.</edit>