Playback issues

[tDotinToronto]

The Problem

(see below for the process I used to write this DVD)

The DVD written on a CENTRIOS DVD+R media - playes perfectly alright on PC using Power DVD - however --

-- On my Pioneer DV-333 set-top: there is half a second freezing and I cannot skip to the chapter 2. although I can skip to chapter 3 and it starts to playback alright with the freezing.

-- On my recently bought Toshiba SD430V player: the playback is worse. The freezing is more frequent and longer.. about 1 second. During the freezing the audio is perfect however.

Question is whether my authoring/burning process was responsible for this DVD problem OR is it the media OR the player?

Authoring and Burning Process used:

1) 2 MPEG files (with audio) created using TMPGEnc.

2) I authored both MPEGs for 2 different disks using TMPGEnc DVD Author and created the DVD folders for each disk.

3) I loaded the DVD folders in DVD Shrink to create single disk version and it compressed the videos to about 87% and created the DVD folders and an Nero compatible image file (.nrg).

4) For some reason I chose to use the DVD folders option and burn the DVD using Nero 6 instead of an Image file.

I have a feeling that my problem is a combination of all the factors like... Using Nero to burn the disc and maybe I didn't select the right buttons and on top of that I used relatively unknown Centrios media. These 2 factors may not be compatible with Toshiba more than the Pioneer.

Please let me know what should I have done differently

[rcb]

First off, defrag hard disk(s)

Using +rw disks, I would go back to your step 2 and burn the two folders generated by TDA ... and then check them for playback on your set tops.

If OK, I then would take one of the rw disks and re-burn the folder created from dvdshrink (step 4) and again check results on set top player. If not OK, look for prob in previous steps or in hw/burner.

use nero to burn all 3 sessions to avoid adding more variables. Use name brand rw disks, such as memorex, tdk, etc.

If last burn checks OK on set tops, then time to try a different +r media brand. If last burn does not work OK, look for problem in step 3.

this process should help to isolate cause and possible fix.

[tDotinToronto]

The all seem logical and I will give them a try asap and report back. Wonder what the different is between name brand media and lesser known brands.

I haven't looked by I presume there must be an option in TDA to not close my RW disc, so that I can erase/rewrite over it.

Thanks,

[rcb]

media brand difference: can range from design/mfg process variations to
marginal raw materials , ad nauseum. Fake brands can also be a real PITA. If you browse about in the media forum here, you'll see some of the user comments.

OTOH, for media brand selection, take a look over in the l/h column in the DVD Media section - good info there on brands/types.

"closing" rw disks: Not to worry - at least with TDA - is an automatic thing.
You won't find an option for closing... rather, you will see an option to erase a previuosly written-to rw disk in TDA's burn utility window - and if you forget and start a new burn, TDA will warn you yto erase the rw first.

[tDotinToronto]

Using +rw disks, I would go back to your step 2 and burn the two folders generated by TDA ... and then check them for playback on your set tops.

If OK, I then would take one of the rw disks and re-burn the folder created from dvdshrink (step 4) and again check results on set top player. If not OK, look for prob in previous steps or in hw/burner.
.

ok... I did above in reverse order.

I re-burnt the DVD Shrink folder on DVD+RW (verbatim) using TDA's disc burning software... NO improvement, same freezing, same problem with not being able to skip to some chapters.

Then, I burnt the original folders created by TDA (volume1) and wrote them on the same disc ... works PERFECT.

So at this stage it looks like when I re-authored in DVD Shrink I had to let go of chapters (right?!).

Question for the experts is if they seen this as a problem source? When you have chapter points but no chapter page as such, does DVD shrink screw it up?

Or is this some other problem? I really want to make 1 disc out of 2 volumes I have, help me please!

[rcb]

OK -

take your two mpg files made from TMPGEnc and add them to a single track in TDA. make your menus, etc and compile the files.
TDA will warn you of output too lsarge to burn - just shoot by that and finish the compile.

Then, load the compiled file folders into dvdshrink and reduce to burnable size. It mght take two passes with dvdshrink to get there.

Burn results into your rw disk and see how it behaves.

[tDotinToronto]

hmm, I am not sure if TDA will ask for oversize.. I will try so.

In the meantime, I followed the guide to combine 2 volumes into 1 using DVD 2 ONE, and burnt the resulting dvd folders using TDA's burning software. I have perfect results with this.

So in effect I did the same process in DVD Shrink and DVD 2 One... while DVD shrink screwed up big time, DVD 2 one did the job. Only complaint I have with both tools is that I lost my menus that were created in TDA.

Is there any way I can combine 2 different volumes with their menus intact onto one DVD R?

Thanks

[tDotinToronto]

take your two mpg files made from TMPGEnc and add them to a single track in TDA. make your menus, etc and compile the files.
TDA will warn you of output too lsarge to burn - just shoot by that and finish the compile.

Then, load the compiled file folders into dvdshrink and reduce to burnable size. It mght take two passes with dvdshrink to get there.

Burn results into your rw disk and see how it behaves.

(a) what do you mean by 2 passes with DVD shrink

(b) I did what you suggested, got better results that first time. However, now the problem is that when I skip to chapters 2, 5, 14, 15. the playback starts of fine but stops/freezes after 10-15 seconds.

I must state that if I don't skip the movie keeps playing without problems even past the points where it freezes when skipped.

Another obeservation is that the skip to chapter then freeze problem seems to occur within the first few chapters of the MPG file. My first mpg had 12 chapters and the second mpg had another 15 chapters.

Please help... I am almost close to resolving this.