DVDlab

[ferritt]

Hi,
not sure if theis was rght section to post so admin please move if not.

My question is this. When i use DVDlab i normally take a still image from the movie i'm using and use this as a background for my menu's. What i did use to do was convert the avi into audio_ts & video_ts first then place into DVDlab. So i decided to convert to mpeg instaed then use in DVDlab. But whenever i use an mpeg in DVDlab i've been unable to take a screen image and use it as a background for my menu. I can drag the image but it never appears on the menu screen???

Is this because i'm using an mpeg to work with?

cheers

[mats.hogberg]

mpeg video is the preferred (in fact, the only!) source material for authoring Video DVD. Some apps can convert some other formats into mpeg video for you, but DVD-Lab insists on the real thing. What have you used as source when your process for menu creation worked?

/Mats

[ferritt]

when i've converted the avi straight into vobs i can take a screen capture but when i convert the same avi into mpeg I cant take the capture using DVDlab?

[Mister Flonk-Flonk]

Sounds like your MPEG file isn't really an MPEG file.

[mats.hogberg]

Why convert AVI to VOB? The general procedure is AVI to MPG to VOB (as part of a DVD video). VOB files is (one of the) the output files from the authoring process, and not something that's supposed to be fed into you authoring app.

/Mats

[ferritt]

I've just always converted to vob first then authered to get the new vob. the only eason i still convert to vob still is that I cant take stills from thew mpeg???

[ferritt]

Sounds like your MPEG file isn't really an MPEG file.

just spotted above.

what do ya mean aint really an mpeg?? I use winavi to convert into mpeg 2. So should be a real mpeg right?

[Mister Flonk-Flonk]

It either works or it doesn't. Hit shift & drag the still from the preview pane in DVD-Lab and drop it onto the menu pane. If it doesn't work there's probably something wrong with your file. That or maybe that's just one of the quirks in some of the hacked versions of DVD-Lab floating around out there. Which version are you using?

[mando]

Do what

Mister Flonk-Flonk

mention it should work

[Sillyname]

Sounds like your MPEG file isn't really an MPEG file.

just spotted above.

what do ya mean aint really an mpeg?? I use winavi to convert into mpeg 2. So should be a real mpeg right?

So you're renaming the mpeg2 as a vob.
It needs to be an m2v, when you bring it into DVDlab.
When you go to burn what you have created, DVDlab will change your m2v to a vob. Don't do it yourself or you will run into the trouble you have been experiencing.

In fact, before you turn your AVI into MPEG2, you should do all of your screen captures for backgrounds in your editing program. MPEG2 is lossy and you could end up with nasty looking backgrounds.

Then import your backgrounds into DVDlab.

[ferritt]

Sounds like your MPEG file isn't really an MPEG file.

just spotted above.

what do ya mean aint really an mpeg?? I use winavi to convert into mpeg 2. So should be a real mpeg right?

So you're renaming the mpeg2 as a vob.
It needs to be an m2v, when you bring it into DVDlab.
When you go to burn what you have created, DVDlab will change your m2v to a vob. Don't do it yourself or you will run into the trouble you have been experiencing.

In fact, before you turn your AVI into MPEG2, you should do all of your screen captures for backgrounds in your editing program. MPEG2 is lossy and you could end up with nasty looking backgrounds.

Then import your backgrounds into DVDlab.

yeah when i put an mpeg into DVDlab it creates the m2v vid and audio file.

So what should i actually be doing :

1. take a screen capture from the original video file (not sure what software to use to do this?)

2. Convert original video file (.avi etc.) into DVD compatable video file (.mpeg2) - using winavi

3. Insert newly converted .mpeg2 into DVDlab

4. DVDlab will now create m2v video and audio files from .mpeg2.

Will give the above a try if it is right?

cheers

[Sillyname]

Sounds like your MPEG file isn't really an MPEG file.

just spotted above.

what do ya mean aint really an mpeg?? I use winavi to convert into mpeg 2. So should be a real mpeg right?

So you're renaming the mpeg2 as a vob.
It needs to be an m2v, when you bring it into DVDlab.
When you go to burn what you have created, DVDlab will change your m2v to a vob. Don't do it yourself or you will run into the trouble you have been experiencing.

In fact, before you turn your AVI into MPEG2, you should do all of your screen captures for backgrounds in your editing program. MPEG2 is lossy and you could end up with nasty looking backgrounds.

Then import your backgrounds into DVDlab.

yeah when i put an mpeg into DVDlab it creates the m2v vid and audio file.

So what should i actually be doing :

1. take a screen capture from the original video file (not sure what software to use to do this?)

2. Convert original video file (.avi etc.) into DVD compatable video file (.mpeg2) - using winavi

3. Insert newly converted .mpeg2 into DVDlab

4. DVDlab will now create m2v video and audio files from .mpeg2.

Will give the above a try if it is right?

cheers

You're right.

If you don't have an editor, then try to think of any playback software you use that has an option for screen capture. If you know how to do it in DVDlab off of the mpeg2 and are not too picky, then I suggest you do what you know works but if you do get a background that looks blocky or anything, then I suggest you try to do screen captures outside of DVDlab on your original source material as it will give you the cleanest quality.

[Shadowmistress]

What you should do is convert your avi into mpeg2 elementary streams. m2v video and mp2/ac3 audio and import those into dvdlab. The pictures for your menu will be as clear as you can get with anything else if you drag and drop from the preview window. (Hold down shift while you're dragging to to the menu to fill the entire background and avoid resizing.)

[Sillyname]

What you should do is convert your avi into mpeg2 elementary streams. m2v video and mp2/ac3 audio and import those into dvdlab. The pictures for your menu will be as clear as you can get with anything else if you drag and drop from the preview window. (Hold down shift while you're dragging to to the menu to fill the entire background and avoid resizing.)

I forgot to mention the elementary streams part.