TMPGEnc DVD Author 2 questions

[siluet]

I have various music clip collection in VOB format (mixed, both NTSC and PAL). I want create the DVD.
Sure, I need author NTSC and PAL files separately (separate DVDs, either PAL or NTSC) and dont mix them.

I just installed TMPGEnc DVD Author 2.xx, and I am completely new with this program.

Some questions: what way should I use to add VOB files in 'Source setup' screen: 'Add file' or 'Add DVD video'? Is there any need for demuxing first VOB files into audio and video streams? Or this is done by TMPGEnc DVD Author and I dont need additional software? The demuxing will not improve anything in resulting video quality?

[johns0]

Use 'Add DVD video' if they are in a video_ts folder,If they are vobs without any other files then you will have to demux them and add as file,since its not encoding anything you wont get any difference in picture quality.

[lordsmurf]

You cannot mix PAL and NTSC on a disc, it's not compliant.

[johns0]

Sure, I need author NTSC and PAL files separately(separate DVDs, either PAL or NTSC) and dont mix them.

I think he just said he wont mix them.

[noemi7]

since its not encoding anything you wont get any difference in picture quality.

if the GOP structure of your source files is not full DVD compatible (i.e. DVBs have often too long GOPs) then TDA 2 and all versions above always re-encode, whatever setting you would use.

[siluet]

Use 'Add DVD video' if they are in a video_ts folder,If they are vobs without any other files then you will have to demux them and add as file,since its not encoding anything you wont get any difference in picture quality.

Yes, they all are .VOBs without any other files. How to demux them, which program better to use?

[siluet]

if the GOP structure of your source files is not full DVD compatible (i.e. DVBs have often too long GOPs) then TDA 2 and all versions above always re-encode, whatever setting you would use.

so how to check before dvd authoring that all VOBs have fully DVD compatible GOP structure? If not, there is no way correct this?

[noemi7]

You can use GSpot: maximum values are 15 for PAL (12 is consider as 'safe'; no clue what max. TDA likes ) and 18 for NTSC. GSpot displays the value as distance between I frames [I <-> I].

TDA is not predictable, and may also rarely dislike something else in m*v/mpg file. However, the GOP structure is the most crucial issue what I observed.

Authoring programs which do not re-encode: DVD Maestro, DVD-Lab Pro, Muxman - it may sometimes fail if GOPs are very long, like over 36. TDA version 1.6 doesn't re-encode as well but it cannot create 16:9 menus, doesn't support subtitles, and limits audio to 1 track only.

[siluet]

is it important distance between all GOP headers or only distance between first GOP header and 2nd header?

[noemi7]

GSpot displays average and maximum result, hence it's distance measured for all I frames

[johns0]

I wouldnt worry about gop structure,just demux and author.

[siluet]

I wouldnt worry about gop structure,just demux and author.

Which program better to use to demux VOBs?

[borax]

Demultiplexing will not change the GOP structure. You can try to author your vob files directly with Gfd (in dvdauthor mode). But demultiplexing is nevertheless a good idea. With the elementary files you can also use GfD in MuxMan mode (which is more compliant). I had never any issues with a long GOP (dvdauthor doesn't care about it and MuxMan just issues a warning).
If no ifo files are available, try demultiplexing with projectx or dgindex.
All the mentioned programs are freeware.

[johns0]

You can also use ifoedit to create the missing files,choose create ifo in the menu of ifoedit and add the vobs,make sure the vobs are named VTS_01_1.VOB,VTS_01_2.VOB etc,then you can import the vobs with the newly created ifo and bup files into tmgenc dvd author 2 with add dvd video.

[siluet]

You can also use ifoedit to create the missing files,choose create ifo in the menu of ifoedit and add the vobs,make sure the vobs are named VTS_01_1.VOB,VTS_01_2.VOB etc,then you can import the vobs with the newly created ifo and bup files into tmgenc dvd author 2 with add dvd video.

Using IfoEdit to recreate files looks much simpler than demuxing Vobs with DGIndex(which requires also installing Avisynth filter and VirtualDub). Will the preparing dvd files with IfoEdit and importing it into Tmpgenc DVD Author as dvd video provide the same DVD quality as demuxing VOBs into elementary streams and importing it into TDA?

[johns0]

No quality is lost or gained because its not encoding.