.VOBs with multiple audio track: what authors them?

[GordWin]

Hello,

I have a question that relates to Authoring software, and .VOB files with multiple audio tracks.

Here is what I am trying to do:

- Extract .VOB files off an existing DVD disk. Note: each .VOB contains two audio tracks: one base audio track and a director's commentary audio track.
- put them on a DVD with my own menus and access buttons.
- retain the multiple audio tracks embedded in the .VOBs
- create button choices that allow me to select either one of the audio tracks (base or director's commentary) Note: duplicating assets on the disk is not an option
- retain the purity of the .VOB quality, i.e.: conversions from .VOB to .AVI and back to .VOB again is not an option.

I have tried the following software to determine if they can do what I have listed above:

Adobe Encore 1.5 trial version problem: will not import .VOB files.
Previous version (1.01) allowed .VOB import but had trouble with previewing the different audio tracks.
Nero Vision Express 2.12.18 trial version Imported .VOB files great!
problem: lacks the functionality to create 2 buttons linked to the same .VOB with different audio track choices for each button.
ULead DVD Workshop 2 will not import .VOB files.

After all that... QUESTION:
What software allows me to what I want to do?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Gord.[/u]

[yoda313]

Hello,
Tmpgenc Dvd Author will import dvd vobs but won't do multiple audio tracks. What you could do is author it with tmpgenc dvd author with one audio track and then load it into ifoedit. This will let you add another audio track (no menus for it though).
Kevin

---Should be in DVD authoring, not VCD authoring ----

[liquid217]

DVDAuthorGUI can import VOB's with no trouble, so you may be able to use it. You will, however, need to modify the xml slightly to get the button to play the 2nd audio track. After defining the menu, in the xml, the menu will look something like this:

    <menus>
      <pgc>
        <button> jump title 1 chapter  1; </button>
        <button> jump title 1 chapter  1; </button>
       <vob file="c:/somepath/menusub1.mpg" pause="5"/>
      </pgc>

To make the second button play the 2nd audio stream, put 'audio=1' before it, like so:

    <menus>
      <pgc>
        <button> jump title 1 chapter  1; </button>
        <button> audio=1; jump title 1 chapter  1; </button>
       <vob file="c:/somepath/menusub1.mpg" pause="5"/>
      </pgc>

To edit the XML, simply goto 'file'... 'edit XML prior to authoring'. When you click the author button, a text editor will appear, allowing you to make the necessary changers.

[GordWin]

Thanks for your advice.

Yoda313 (Kevin): Great solution to use Tmpgeng DVD Author, but I would like to have a menu (button choice) for the audio track. Thanks!

liquid217: I tried your solution and I got the following error:

INFO: Converting filenames to US-ASCII
ERR: Parse error 'syntax error, unexpected SEMICOLON_TOK' on token ';'
ERR: Parser failed on code ' ; '.

I copied it exactly as you wrote it. I even tried removing the semi-colon after the audio=1
hmmm...
I must admit I was hoping I would be able to use a tool that was a bit more user friendly, but hey-- it's free and has more flexibility than some of the $500 packages.

I guess I was frankly surprised that what I was trying to do was something that very few people were doing and that more tools could not do it.

Thanks again for your help!

Gord

[FOO]

You could analyze IFOs from a DVD with 2 languages and see how they
are selected.
Note that most of them select the audio separately , and then
play the movie. You may have to make 2 dummy titles which just
select the audio and then jump to the movie title

[guns1inger]

If you can demux the vobs back to streams, DVD Lab Pro can put them back together with a menu of you own design.

[liquid217]

Hmm, I checked the syntax, and also authored a quick sample and it worked perfectly. Keep in mind when you edit the XML, to only add 'audio=1; ' to the button you wish to have jump to the 2nd audio stream. The code i used above was simply a sample. Good luck on your project.

[GordWin]

Again, thanks for all the helpful suggestions. I will try some more experiments and play with DVD Author Gui and the XML Editor to see how if I can get it to work.

Cheers,
Gord.