TMPGenc DVD Author 3 Sound Problems

[wapdoggie]

Hi, I've been putting Video files onto DVD for a while now and haven't had any problems. I recently got a new system and I'm now having trouble with TMPGenc DVD Author 3.

I am putting four full length movies onto one DVD. I have used WINAVI 8.0 to convert my AVIs to VOBs. All the VOBs have the same settings:

Video: MPEG-2 Video, 720x576, 25 fps, Image Ratio 4:3, PAL
Audio 1: Dolby Digital, 48000 Hz, Stereo, 128Kb/s
Audio 2: None
Subtitles 1: None
Subtitles 2: None

The VOBs created by WINAVI are perfect and have sound all the way through. After the program (TMPGenc DVD Author) has compiled the DVD, I have noticed the first movie is perfect, but the remaining three movies all have the sound cut out towards the end of each film. I have each movie separated in different tracks. I have also made a couple of DVDs on this system using much shorter videos, also separated by different tracks, and have had no problem with the audio in those.

I've tried authoring this DVD with the longer movies twice, and each time I've had the same problem.

Does anyone know what might be happening here?

[mats.hogberg]

A) WinAVI sux.
B) VOBs are what authoring produces, usually not what you use as source mtrl for authoring.
C) 4 full length movies to a DVD is 3 too many, at least if it's a DVD5.
D) One of the new features in TDA3, is the ability to reencode non DVD compliant sources to DVD format - why use WinAVI to pre-process your sources? And what are your sources?

/Mats

[wapdoggie]

A) I like WinAVI. It is quick and compresses the videos to very small sizes, while still maintaining what I consider to be decent quality.
B) I convert them to VOBs because I used to use the older version of TMPGenc DVD Author which didn't convert.
C) I have burned many DVDs with 3 full length movies and they came out great.
D) As I mentioned, WinAVI compresses them to much smaller files than I have been able to make with TMPGenc DVD Author, and when I use the already converted VOBs (converted AVIs usually), TMPGenc DVD Author only takes about 15 minutes to compile the DVD with menus, etc.

I appreciate your opinion, but I like the way my DVDs have been turning out until now. I would really like to know why this problem has been occuring. As I have said, I checked the VOBs made by WinAVI and they were fine with sound from start to end. Something has happened while using TMPGenc DVD Author which has cut the sound off the end of the movies. I might see if I still have the old version of DVD author on a cd and see if it has the same problem.

[mats.hogberg]

If you're comfortable with your process, please stick to it. I just tried to point out there's some room for streamlining and improvements.
Even if TDA couldn't handle non DVD compliant sorce mtrl in its earlier incarnations, VOB is still not DVD source mtrl. mpg is better.
And why did you upgrade to TDA3 if you don't want to take advantage of the added features?

Anyho, I'm pretty confident TDAs problems arises from problems in the WinAVI output. It's a well known fact that it is non compliant at times.
How much shorter is the audio? A frame rate conversion done wrong could give you this effect. What's the frame rate of your source mtrl, and what frame rate do you output as?

/Mats

[nTekka]

I agree with mats.hogberg, you're pretty much going from Original (AVI i'm also assuming has been messed with and converted to AVI from ANOTHER original) > VOB (WinAVI lowers quality some more) > VOB again?

Here's an added tip for TDA3, use their Transcoding option during the Output TAB. You can cram 3-4 movies (AVI movies) onto one disk it will do the same thing as WinAVI and has better compliance with a lot more DVD players out there.

Might cut out your audio problem. What type of audio are you using for WINAVI export? MP2? AC3?

If your comfortable with your process then continue, but we're just saying your putting your video at a higher risk of all kinds of issues.