TMPGEnc and DVDs

[koinhelgo]

This seems like a host stupid questions but I can't figure out the answers.
I used to use TMPGEnc an awful lot for converting to VCD so when I first got my DVD Burner I thought I would try the same method to rip a DVD and encode to burn. With a view to comparing the finished product between DVD Shrink copies and TMPGEnc files and also for when I start copying my videos and Camcorder stuff onto pc/DVD. I know how to use DVDDecrypter and Shrink and have few problems with them so I aint completely stupid!
I ripped the DVD using Smartripper, so it was just movie only. I then used DVD2AVI to ready for TMPGEnc. Once done I loaded up TMPGEnc Plus and just used the wizard to create DVD files. This gave me the option to compress or not - I decided to compress by 90% to allow me some leeway.
Now, TMPGEnc has created two seperate files, one the video file, is an MV2 (I think) and the other the audio on a wave file. Both are finbe and play OK in Media player and Power DVD.
I assumed I had to mux them together but don't know how, TMPGEnc says it can't mux a PCM audio file.
Also I thought I would just burn the video file to compare the quality but when I drag the file into the VIDEO TS folder in NERO (6.3) it says it can't deal with it because it is 2.7 gig and something about UDF.
So should I have reduced the bit rate even more to get a smaller file and how do I create an MPEG2 file with audio and video already muxed. All this leaves me thinking I could have just have encoded as a Super VCD, got a file of about 1.7 gig and just burnt that instead - I think my stand alone will play it (it plays most things including DIV Xs). However that aint the point.
Any advise or comments welcome -(except of course if you are going to criticise me for not searching the forums enouth or reading over the TMPGEnc guides again - cos I've tried)
Regards

[ZippyP.]

Are you following a guide? You might want to try one especially for your first run through.

You have chosen to output a seperate M2V video stream and an uncompressed wav audio stream. Most people will choose a compressed format for the audio b/c it leaves more room for increasing the video bitrate, MP2 or AC3 are your choices. If you wish to create an mpeg (audio and video) file then your only choice is MP2. A good authoring program will accept seperate audio and video streams, try TMPGEnc DVD Author.

Edit: What was your output from DVD2AVI? If you had selected Demux you would likely have an AC3 stream that you could use for your DVD, then just use TMPGEnc to encode the video only.

[koinhelgo]

I've just had a quick look throug the guides again and I can't really find much to help me relating to this.
I just really let the wizard get on with it - I used to just load my own template and tell it to encode when going for VCDs - I guess it aint quite as simple as that - and goodness knows it took me quite a while to master the process to get good VCDs.
Yes I still have the AC3 wav that Smartripper produced - I have kept the files on my HD (Well at least I hope I have- I'm at work just now so can't check)
The wizard just got on with creating the two files.
Will TMPGEnc DVD Author accept files bigger than 2 gig? or even bigger than 4 gig - If I reformat to NTFS.
When I come to start copying in vids and camcorder stuff I will probably use VirtualDub to cut into 2 gig (or just under!) segments- I used to do this cos it seemed the easiest way to split videos at the time.
SO, to recap I have an encoded video stream (90% compressed) plus (two) wav files that I can use to create my DVD -0 do I just get a hold of TMPGEnc DVD Author and procede from there.
Regards

[mats.hogberg]

Yes, easiest method at this point is to get TMPGEnc DVD Author. Now load your m2v as video source, the wav as audio source. I generally have the audio in mp2 or AC3 format, so I'm not sure, but I think TDA have an option to reencode the audio to mp2 (and even AC3 in some versions) - you should do this, as wav/lpcm audio takes up an unreasonable part of the available DVD space.

/Mats

[Fandim]

I ripped the DVD using Smartripper, so it was just movie only. I then used DVD2AVI to ready for TMPGEnc. Once done I loaded up TMPGEnc Plus and just used the wizard to create DVD files. This gave me the option to compress or not - I decided to compress by 90% to allow me some leeway.
Now, TMPGEnc has created two seperate files, one the video file, is an MV2 (I think) and the other the audio on a wave file. Both are finbe and play OK in Media player and Power DVD.
I assumed I had to mux them together but don't know how, TMPGEnc says it can't mux a PCM audio file.

-----------------------------------

Skip all that. Use DVD Shrink if you want to compress the main movie. Just choose the re-author option, and choose only the main movie.

Now use TMPG DVD Author, and choose "Add DVD Video". (If you had shrink output a folder, then simply select this folder, if you used an .iso, mount the image with a tool like Daemon).

Now, instead of encoding to avi, then back to mpg again - Simply get all of the movies ripped w/ appropriate compression (can use shrink more than once if needed), then add them into TMPG DVD Author.


Or, if you're talking serious serious compression, like to fit hours & hours onto a DVD...and would like to use TMPG to encode...YOu can still skip going to an .avi.

To get the MPG of the movie only...What you can do is, use DVD Shrink, with no compression, set to movie only. (You can do this straight from teh disc, or use decrypter first, your choice.)

Now, go back to TMPG DVD Author. (This part is a little work around I figured out, easy, fast, and lose no quality..) Chose to add DVD Video. Select the file - and then check the box that asks if it should copy the video to your hard drive to make things go faster.

That gives you the output of a .mpg of the video you need. Simply load that into TMPGEnc. (This potential could introduce a lot of sound issues, but..if you insist on doing it like this...as long as you have all of the codecs etc installed...)

Or - if the file is already the size you want it (using main-movie, if it'll fit and you just want to do 1 movie etc), you can simply drag the contents into the video_TS folder.

You cannot drag a MPG file into nero DVD creator. It'll give you just the error message you were talkign about.

Now - after using TMPGEnc to encode the file, you have your two files that you output.. (Or one, if you select the option to do Video and Sound in one file).

Pop these into TDA. You might need to use Virtuadub to encode the sound, or your sound conversion program of choice - if TMPGEnc wont convert the sound.

Another way of doing this, would be, just add all of the original DVD Video into TMPG DVD Author. Then add another. (Using the track menu to add the next). You now have a DVD folder roughly the size of a DL DVD.

Shrink it with DVD shrink.

Now, do 2 more in TMPG DVD Author, then shrink that one.

Now, use TMPG DVD Author, and put those two files with two movies each, and tie them together... Shrink again.

Now add DVD Video of that .iso image, into TDA. You'll have to "add DVD Video" for each movie, and give each it's own track. Now simply give it a simple menu, and drag the contents of the outputted Video_TS folder into Nero. (Or use TDA to burn it, or convert the folder into a .nrg using img tool burn, and burn with decrypter etc, whatever you prefer).

The quality is going to be severely cut. As well - they'll have to be fairly short movies for this method to even succeed. (assuming you're doing 4 movies).



Also - to answer your question, using TMPGEnc - You should have the option during the wizard of how to do the sound. This is the point where you would choose to make it into MPEG2 sound. Where you choose the type of MPEg you're creating...(I.E. DVD NTSC or Pal etc). This file will be compliant with TDA.

Have fun.