xREL.v3

-Release 1: April 27, 2007-

~Intro~
The High Definition x264 encoding scene has the goal of creating rips of HDDVD and BluRay
sources that can be played by the majority of end users. Specific hardware (other than
something higher then a mid-range Pent 4) should never be required to play releases.
The goal is for these to be burnable to a DVD media source, playable on an HTPC. We are
not releasing these to be re-authored onto HDDVD or BluRay media. These rules will be
constantly updated to adjust for new audio formats that are playable.

~Previous Releases~
These audio rules do not apply to previous releases, and propering for those reasons will
not be tolerated. Groups who have released eac3 in the past have the option to repack, but
this isn't mandatory. Common sense rules such as cropping are properable.

~General~
1)  RAR/SFV/NFO needed.
2)  Rar's can be 50mb, 100mb or 150mb. Use your best judgment.
3)  Final file size must be DVD5 or DVD9 Size
- The release should be as close as possible to full size
- Large percentage differences are properable.
4)  DVD9 should be used only in cases of long movies, or high action movies.
- Propering a release that is borderline is not valid.
5)  2x DVD5 is NOT allowed.
6)  Releases should be packed into mkv container.
7)  NFO must contain information on Audio and Video Bitrate.
8)  We recommend putting keys used to decrypt in NFO.
9)  BluRay and HDDVD Sources dupe each other.
10) Suggested Directory Format (not a properable reason):
Movie.Name.Year.<DVD5/DVD9>.720p.<HDDVD/BluRay>.x264.<PROPER/READ.NFO/REPACK>-GROUP
11) NO intros, outros, betweenos, or any other form of defacement of the film will be tolerated.
12) Credits must not be removed, but can be encoded at a lower bitrate provided they don't contain
any scenes (bloopers, story, etc).
13) A sample roughly 60 seconds in length is required It must be cut from the final release and not
encoded separately.
14) Multi-language subtitles cannot be used as a basis for a dupe
15) Subtitles are to be MUXED into the mkv container, but MAY NOT be burned in to the video stream.
"Subs" directories are also forbidden.

~Audio~
1)  No EAC3, DD+ TRUE HD, or DTSHD audio until there is practical Windows and Linux support.
- This does not include VMWare or alienating any group of users.
- The solution should be a reasonable codec that has a high compatibly rate.
2)  All audio should be proper 5.1, with correct channels, except in the case of stereo/mono only.
3)  All AC3 audio with HDDVD releases should be at 640kbit/s, unless the disc only comes with lower bitrate audio.
4)  Transcoding EAC3 to DTS is not allowed.
5)  1.5mbit/s audio is okay on long movies that already require DVD9.
6)  Releases may only contain one audio track muxed into the mkv container.
- Use English only if English is the native audio.
- If English audio is not native:
- English Subtitles must be included
- Subs should not be HUGE AND UGLY. Check your settings!!!
- Subs should be any format that will mux into an mkv that is text-based.
- English dub is allowed as a secondary audio track.
- Other language audio may be released as a SECOND release with a bat file
that will remux that audio into the release.

~Video~
1)  Minimum bitrate should be 4mbit/s.
2)  All movies must be at their original framerate.
3)  Use at least 3 bframes, and 2 passes.
4)  Crop the black borders from the source.
- Sharp edges in the encoded region will lead to border bits needing
more information then they should.
5)  Height and Width of rip must be mod 16.
6)  720p refers to a MAXIMUM resolution of 1280x720.
7)  Use the aspect ratio on the source, not what IMDB says.
8)  Animated bit rate can be below 4mbit/s to make it fit on a DVD5.
9)  Custom Matrices are allowed.
10) --deblock can be varied depending on the source.

~Encoding~
Recommended settings (if you care about quality) are at LEAST:

Pass 1:
x264.exe --pass 1 --bitrate x --threads auto --thread-input --bframes 3 --me dia --ref 1 --subme 1
--no-dct-decimate --partitions none --progress --no-psnr --no-ssim --output NUL

Pass 2:
x264.exe --pass 2 --bitrate x --threads auto --bframes 3 --b-pyramid --bime --weightb --b-rdo --me
umh --ref 5 --mixed-refs --subme 7 --trellis 1 --8x8dct --no-fast-pskip --progress --no-psnr
--no-ssim --output x.mkv

~Signed By~
SEPTiC REVEiLLE PROGRESS CDDHD (DEFiNiTiON? are you guys dead?)