Tmpeg DVD Author doesn't like low quality captures?

[the wordsmith]

I recorded a six hour Concert for Diana on my Benq PVR, using the defined SLP mode - there was no other way to get it on one disk, and I wasn't going to be around for the whole viewing, or I would have changed disks along the way. When I tried to load the project in to TDA 2 for editing out the commercials, I was given the "unsupported file format" or similar thumbs down. I have copied the disk from +RW to -RW, no good. I extracted the contents to an ISO file using DVDDecryptor, used ISOBUSTER to extract the VOBs, and finally used another program to turn the VOBs into a single MPEG. I probably tried a few other things along the way, I am too tired and frustrated to remember.

I do not recall being told that TDA doesn't support these SLP bitrates/frame resolutions, but is that now a reasonable assumption? If so, is there any other way to take this long Video and remove/edit out the redundant content. I have other tools like Ulead and Magix , and don't mind the lower picture quality as the sound is half decent. I guess whatever I use will necessitate going back to a converted file of some sort, but since AVI is just a container, I assume that would have to be an MPEG?

Any suggestions appreciated. (sounds like one for Baldrick)

[Baldrick]

What is the frame resolution? You can identify with mediainfo if you don't know.

( )

[jman98]

Use either Gspot or mediainfo to examine your single MPEG. Tell us the following:

The resolution (ie. 720x480)
The frames per second
Whether the video is MPEG-1 or MPEG-2

VideoReDo and MPEGVCR can edit MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 video. Both are "try before you buy". I own both and they both can edit without re-encoding your entire video.

[classfour]

I've fed mine .flv conversions at 1150 kbs without issue.

[elkfir]

I frequently have this problem with TDA2 and SLP recordings from my Toshiba set top recorder. TDA2 sometimes just won't accept them, but I discovered that TDA 1.5 almost always will.
If you have an older version of TDA, give it a try.

[the wordsmith]

Thanks guys - I need to wait till weekend to try all these proposed fixes, and with any luck one will work and I wont have to bother you again. I think I tried with TDA 1.6, but can't really remember, as I was trying everything I could think of on Sunday before I crashed and burned. I think the Benq manual will confirm the six hr frame res - sorry I didn't think to look before posting - I'll check when I get home tonight.

Sure appreciate you fellas being so attentive.

[the wordsmith]

Found some time last night. Here's where I'm at. GSpot reported 352x240 Meg1. Isobuster to VOB2Mpeg. Took the new file (now reported as Mpeg2 for some reason?) and loaded it into Womble's Mpeg2Vcr. So far so good, except picture has miniature checkerboard appearance (actual file plays fine in other media players, so this is in Womble, not the file). Scared to go to next editing steps without input from you guys.

BTW Elkfir, I tried it in TDA 1.6, and it did load, but sound is unsupported AC3, so I cannot tell when the music fade ins might get clipped. That was the main reason I blew $100 to upgrade TDA, but now I find the software has moved backwards in terms of other functions - go figure. Never got any responses from their "help" line either on other issues. Then they wonder why people go looking for keygens and other hacks - who wants to spend good money on software that is faulty, castrated, or lacks support?

Any ideas why Womble shows weird picture quality before I move forward? At least I now have a playable and apparently compliant Mpeg file (which still wont load into TDA2 however)?

[the wordsmith]

Getting late - just tried out VideoReDo - wound up with no sound. It too has a weirdly blocky video display, but final picture was OK - shame the sound disappeared. Good job I didn't do more than the 15 minute test.

[SmokieStover]

What is the Sampling Rate on the audio? I think it should be 48 kHz with constant bitrate even for mpg1 DVD. VideoReDo can change the audio to mpeg, but I don't think it can change the Sampling Rate; it can also lower the video bitrate if it's too high for mpg1 DVD...when you do a "save video as", click on the "Option" button.

You can run a Quick Stream Fix with VideoReDo before editing and you can also try clipping off any excess at the beginning of the video where it might be corrupted.

[the wordsmith]

The audio is AC3. Does this have an impact? Not sure I even want to continue with VRD as I find it less user friendly than my other edit programs, and I don't have time to go through a huge learning curve for this one situation (I will never record in the SLP mode again). Is the blockyness in the edit window (ditto with Mpeg2Vcr) common to a lot of these apps. I don't get this with TDA, (or ULead and some others I have used in the past that have more overall functionality, like menus etc.)

Cheers, and thanks again for watching this thread.