Problem With DVDIt Authoring

[stevie1877]

I hope I am in the right place and I have not overlooked another thread, but I have now trawled through this forum and all the guides in this excellent site. In a nutshell, I have encoded some camcorder VHS tapes using ATI MMC 8.8 (I have an ATI RADEON 7200 AGP card). I have then edited and joined these tapes using Womble MPEG-VCR into a 2-hour long MPEG-2 file. This file plays back perfectly on my PC. I have then authored this mpg file with DVDIt! PE, to ready for burning to DVD+RW via Nero. Once burned, I tested my DVD disc on my standalone DVD player; the audio track is perfect, but the video freezes exactly on the LAST frame of my first mpg file (the audio continues with the video "frozen"). I thought perhaps it was my player (PS2), and then tried playing the DVD on my PC, but the same thing happened. To summarize, the joined .mpg file is fine, but the DVD-ready files don't, which points to a problem with the DVD authoring software (it does to me, at any rate, but I am new to this game...).

Has anyone else successfully used MPEG-VCR to join mpg files and then author / burn the completed film? If so, what authoring tool did you use? Or, has anyone else experienced the same problem, and did you find a solution?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If you need any further detail please ask and I will gladly oblige.

[Forum Troll]

I would recommend joining and editing the files in Virtualdubmod, then frameserving your edited result into TMPGENC, then re-encode to low-res mpeg-2 (352x240, or whatever it is). This will most likely fix your problem, and give you the best quality.

[disturbed1]

Depends on the file length. I can't remember the exact time, but when I used DVDit! it did show a problem with authoring files that exceded a certian time.

Instead of joining the clips, just import each clip seperate. You can tell DVDit! to play the next clip after one is finished. Or create a menu to have it point to the different clips.

There is nothing wrong with your source files, else, DVDit! would give an error during import/export.

[johns0]

Dont join the mpegs as disturbed1 has said,just import them into the authoring program in the same track,they will play one after the other and not have problems.

[lordsmurf]

I use ATI MMC, Womble, DVDit! all the time, with few flaws (normally user error, stupid mistakes from going to fast).

[stevie1877]

Thanks to everyone for replying to this. I will try simply authoring the DVD with the mpegs as they are later today (I'm in the UK). Lordsmurf, many thanks for your guidance - I have picked up most of what I know about this whole procedure from the info in your website - very handy indeed. In fact, you are the reason I am using the MPEG-VCR and DVDIt! apps. I'm sure I'm following your instructions to the letter - the joined mpeg seems fine until I author the DVD - the only thing I could think of was: perhaps I have to do something in the window that pops up in MPEG-VCR when you paste the mpeg to the end of your other mpeg? The graphics in the window (green lines) suggest there is a slight overlap in the two mpegs, but the numbers don't. I've just left everything as default in any case and clicked OK, and the resultant mpg looks absolutely perfect. If I'm still struggling after authoring with individual mpg files, I may try a different authoring tool - any suggestions?

[lordsmurf]

Womble MPEG-VCR has a flaw on some systems (including one of mine) where pasting something AFTER something else leaves a lagging frame. Is this your problem? If so, then cut/paste in reverse order, putting things ONLY in front of others with pasting.

It's a WOMBLE problem, if I am hearing you right, and not a DVDit! issue.

[stevie1877]

Thanks again for your help lordsmurf - I tried what you suggested, but am still gettin ght e same problem. TBH, I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter that my videos are not one constant stream, and so I am going to treat them as separate files and burn them accordingly.

Many thanks again for all your help and advice.