Newbie Asking How to Rectify Grainy Videos

[Heathsideboy]

Why use AVStoDVD to make an ISO compilation? Doing so puts your MP4's back where you started -- with a DVD\VOB file structure. AVStoDVD can save your MP4's as MPEG2 without going back to the VOB route.

Guys, I'm a little confused now. Can you just tell me using AVStoDVD, what do I output the files to from the list within AVStoDVD that is:

Elementary MPEG Streams
Muxed MPEG File
DVD Folder Structure
ISO UDF Image
Burn DVD

I know now that it is certainly not 'ISO UDF Image' as you have explained. I know now that is not 'Burn DVD.' (There is a DVD burner icon in DVD Styler, so I assume this program does burn the DVD also). So it must be one of the other three, but which one???

At least if I know this, then I can have a bash at making the DVD, even if it comes out wrong. I will also know whether all the clips I put in will automatically be joined together or not. I can also let you know the outcome.

Thanks

HB

[sanlyn]

Muxed MPEG file (meaning that it's MPEG with video and audio. You're doing that because, as you stated earlier, you want to extract pieces of MPEG, merge into another main movie, etc. In other words, you want some MPEG's for smart-render edit/merge.

You don't create a DVD ISO and then try to edit and burn it. Assemble your MPEG movie from other MPEG parts, save it, then load it into a menu/chapter creator to create the DVD structure, then burn it.

[manono]

Burn DVD

Oh right, I had forgotten about that. So it does have a burning program built-in, but there's nothing that says you have to use it. ImgBurn is quite easy to use on your own.

Why use AVStoDVD to make an ISO compilation? ... AVStoDVD can save your MP4's as MPEG2 without going back to the VOB route.

You can lead a horse to water...

... I think I'd make a 'Muxed MPEG File'. You want to make darned sure, though, that it's DVD compliant (720x576, 25fps, max bitrate within the limit, if for PAL).

That said, I don't think there's anything really wrong with making VOBs as DVD Styler will just demux internally anyway, whether VOB or MPEG. An ISO is something else entirely.

[Heathsideboy]

[You can lead a horse to water... I think I'd make a 'Muxed MPEG File'. You want to make darned sure, though, that it's DVD compliant (720x576, 25fps, max bitrate within the limit, if for PAL).

Sorry, I forgot you mentioned that you would use a 'Muxed MPEG File.' In your quote above, how would I make sure that it is 720x576, 25fps, max bitrate? Where would I look to see this?

Well I went through the procedure and eventually all the titles were shown in my video library. It did not go smoothly as I shall explain and perhaps you can tell me why this happened.

After AVStoDVD went through each title (clip), a warning message came up each time that said the following:

WARNING! Errors found during title 2 Audio Track 1 encoding.
Audio Channels are incorrect (6 vs 2)
Do You Want to start Backup Audio Encoding routine (FFmeg Safe Mode)?

Then it gave me the choice 'Yes' or 'No' each time with a time limit so I chose 'Yes' on each clip it did but this didn't seem right. When I eventually tried a few of the clips in my video library, they played okay but there was no sound. Does this mean that there is something wrong with the audio and if so, how do I rectify it?

On a completely different subject, When I start AVStoDVD, I get a warning message as follows:

Warning! Errors Found during Skin Icons Loading.

Default AVStoDVD icon will be used.

See Help/FAQ/GUI/Q2.6 for more details.

I then click 'OK' and the error message then disappears and the AVStoDVD splash screen appears and then the program loads normally. Any ideas why this happens and what I should do to stop it?

Thanks

HB

[sanlyn]

I don't think there's anything really wrong with making VOBs as DVD Styler will just demux internally anyway, whether VOB or MPEG. An ISO is something else entirely.

The idea was, I think, that some of the MP4-to-MPEG that comes out of AVStoDVD is going to be mixed with clips from the earlier VOB->MPG. At least I think that's what's supposed to happen.

AVStoDVD skin, I don;t know. Must be an option somewhere to turn off skins.

We don't have a sample of the MP4 material, so we have no idea what's in the audio.

[manono]

... how would I make sure that it is 720x576, 25fps, max bitrate?

Don't know for sure, but you follow all the steps for making a PAL DVD and then check the box that says you want to make an MPEG and it should turn out OK.

WARNING! Errors found during title 2 Audio Track 1 encoding.
Audio Channels are incorrect (6 vs 2)
Do You Want to start Backup Audio Encoding routine (FFmeg Safe Mode)?

If you don't know the audio type and number of channels and the bitrate, check in MediaInfo. Apparently you tried to increase the number of channels. Ordinarily you'd use the audio as-is and not reencode it at all. There are big exceptions to this though. If the MP4 has DTS audio and you want to shrink the size, that's one reason. Another would be if the MP4 uses 640 AC3 which isn't acceptable for DVDs, and you want to make it 448. I don't think either applies to you and you want to just pass-through the audio and not reencode it at all. Surely there's an easy way to do just that.

Any ideas why this happens...?

Nope, ask in the AVSToDVD thread.

[Heathsideboy]

Okay, I have finally taken your advice and asked my questions in the dedicated AVStaDVD thread. I'm hoping that all the questions asked will be answered. I attached a log as you advised.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/277852-AVStoDVD-Support-Thread/page50

I shall let you know the outcome.

Thanks guys

HB

[Heathsideboy]

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I have been trying to use AVStoDVD but have come up against many problems. You can see all these problems in the link in my previous post. MrC has given me answers to my questions but they have not solved the problem and I am still unable to use his software.

So my next question; is there another software possibly free that does the same job and does not re-encode?

Cheers

HB

[sanlyn]

So far, as nearly as I can tell, you should have by now a bunch of MPEG's. Some of these were VOB's at one time but were transferred to your computer as MPEG (without re-encoding). The other MPEG's are MP4's that were re-encoded with AVStoDVD to MPEG's. I take it that you want to cut scenes from these MPG's and combine them into a single DVD movie. There are smart rendering MPEG editors that can make these cuts and joins without total re-encoding, giving you a complete MPEG movie. That movie is input to an authoring program that builds chapters, menus, etc., and outputs a DVD file structure that can be burned to disc. Except for the MP4 to MPEG step, all this can be done without re-encoding the entire MPEG.

However....if you're now talking about adding audio tracks, filtering, using timeline editors for combining clips and special effects, etc., then you need a timeline editor that doesn't re-encode -- or, at least, that will smart-render further cuts. I know of no free timeline NLE's that can do this using encoded MPEG2 without re-encoding. Maybe someone knows of a freebie that will do it, but even most paid (and often very expensive apps of this kind) will re-encode MPEG's processed in that manner. I realize that budget timeline editors from Cyberlink, Pinnacle, etc., are what the average consumer uses nowadays, feeding MPEG's into them helter skelter and getting a movie out of it -- with the same re-encoded results you saw earlier, using second-rate encoders at that.

From the last few posts I see that you are having problems such as multiple audio tracks ??? I understand the difficulty, but somewhere here it seems some information is missing about the details of what vou're trying to produce. I'm about to suggest that the way advanced users and pros do this is to work with lossless media to begin with, whether they use high-end NLE's or not. On the other hand, I'm not sure what you're trying to combine. I thought everything had been reduced to the MPEG lowest common denominator. But now it seems there are other elements you want to add that haven't been mentioned. In that case, one can understand the frustration.

Another thing that has us guessing: we have absolutely no idea what your videos look like. If you have groups of MPEG files that are not alike in basic structure (frame size, aspect ratio, etc.), you're bound to get errors of some kind with anyone's software. So to be honest, with no samples of any kind to work with, most of us are second-guessing the nature of your sources and what you're trying to do. One problem with using the first "auto" software apps you mentioned earlier is that they make certain assumptions and make all your decisions for you, with the result that you don't know what they're doing. I have used Pinnacle, Cyberlink, etc., and got the same results you did, and the same results everyone else gets. So far, I see you doing the same thing. That's not your fault, for as you say everyone has to start somewhere. Eventually I came here and to the digitalfaq site, submitted some problem videos, and started with the basics. Except for the fact that some of my old video sources were total garbage, I've managed to avoid the problems you're encountering by learning something about the nature of video and video processing. The results are many archived old tapes on DVD, family videos on DVD, and even a few boring (but properly processed) slide shows. I'm no guru -- there are some guru's here who will readily testify to that! . But I can see and appreciate where you're coming from.

I'd invite you to submit a few seconds of your source video---a piece of an MPEG and a piece of an original MP4 (not yet re-encoded). Even the most experienced users here have to start somewhere, and I'm shocked (shocked, I tell you!) that no one here has suggested that you show us what you're working with. It could answer a great many questions and provide better solutions. If you don't know how to cut and post a short video sample here, just ask. The software to do it with is free.

[Heathsideboy]

I have taken the advice on what MPEG editors to try and use. I tried AviDemux, MPEG-VCR, Mpg2Cut2 & VideoReDo. Out of those bunch for ease, I prefer "VideoReDo." Contrary to what everybody has said, "VideoReDo" is not free, at least not the full version that is what you need to undertake editing properly in my view. In fact, it is probably one of the more expensive MPEG editors.

My question is; what do other people feel about this choice? All of the editors I have mentioned above, I am assuming, do not re-encode, do they?

I have not tried "Tmpgenc" yet, but I have heard this has a good reputation. I suppose everyone has their own favourites on this type of software.

Thanks

HB