vcdimager error (vitualis, this one's for you)

[wcb4]

okay background info:
my goal is to create a complinat vcd that is basically a series of menus that lead to what are really audio tracks (there is really no video on the disk) So I did the following

created a picture with the list of albums on this disc
created a picture with the track list for each album
created a picture for each track stating the name of the song and the album it came from

I ripped the audio from the albums into wav and then used tmpgenc to convert to audio mps file. I also used tmpg to create video only mpg files out of the pictures. so now I have mpeg still images of my menus and mps files of my audio.

The dtd requires at least one sequence items so I created a 1 second video/audio mpeg file containing nothing. This is merely a dummy and never actually plays.

Well, I finally got vcdimager not to throw up on my xml and I hope it is correct. I went to generate the disc image and I get the following error
**ERROR: raw mode2 file must have size multiple of 2336

a few questions, and I guess vitualis is the most likely to answer

1 - did I create the mpeg stills correctly?
2 - did I create the mpa files correctly
3 - what in god name is that error?

When this is done it will allow me to use vcds instead of isos full of mp3s allowing me to share them with people who have dvd players that can play vcds but not mp3s and store all of this stuff without loosing the cover art for the albums or other such sleeve data that I want to keep. Any help would be appreciated

[vitualis]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-07-27 19:10:22, wcb4 wrote:
okay background info:
I ripped the audio from the albums into wav and then used tmpgenc to convert to audio mps file. I also used tmpg to create video only mpg files out of the pictures. so now I have mpeg still images of my menus and mps files of my audio.</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

For VCDImager to be able to accept audio only MPEG files into the segment-items, it must be a program stream. Thus, you will have to run your audio mpeg file through the TMPGEnc multiplexer, with it on second MPEG-1 Video-CD option (it says non-compliant or something -- so but I don't remember the exact term). The end result will be an mpg but it should be almost the same size -- I think the only thing TMPGEnc does is to add the correct header and put in the correct pack size.


<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>The dtd requires at least one sequence items so I created a 1 second video/audio mpeg file containing nothing. This is merely a dummy and never actually plays.</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Have you tried it without this? VCD2.0 doesn't actually require any sequence tracks. I've never made a VCD like this with VCDImager though. In any case, the minimum length of a CD track (as part of the CD specs, not VCD) is 4 seconds. Your burner wouldn't be able to burn a 1 second track anyway. Thus, if a dummy track is required, make it at least 4 seconds long.

Regards.

[wcb4]

okay. I made the dummy mpg file 5 seconds long. VCDImager is waht complains about the lact of a sequence item...maybe a bug?

That was obviously not the problem. I used TMPGenc's mpeg tools and used multiplex, choose "vcd non complaint", selected each of my .mpa files, and it spit out .mpg files that seem to play okay with my players, though tmpgenc throws an erro stating:

2144 s packets cause buffer underflow.
The MPEG file might cause error when it played.

Perhaps you can shed a little light on the subject on this one. How did you create the mpeg stills for the demo vcd? (and at what resolution) How did you create the mpeg audio fiel for the screen that plays audio? . I think I have all the tools and would love to get this thing working today. I would be willing to start over again if I have to (I still have all the .wav files and .bmp files that I used to create the stills, I just need to know how you made them compliant. Once again, your help is greatly appreciated.

[vitualis]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-07-28 16:25:01, wcb4 wrote:
okay. I made the dummy mpg file 5 seconds long. VCDImager is waht complains about the lact of a sequence item...maybe a bug?</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Does it still let you build the disc? It doesn't really matter if all it does is complains...

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>That was obviously not the problem. I used TMPGenc's mpeg tools and used multiplex, choose "vcd non complaint", selected each of my .mpa files, and it spit out .mpg files that seem to play okay with my players, though tmpgenc throws an erro stating:

2144 s packets cause buffer underflow.
The MPEG file might cause error when it played. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

It would matter if it had a video and audio stream in this mpeg as it would lead to A/V sync problems. However, as it is audio only, it doesn't matter.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>Perhaps you can shed a little light on the subject on this one. How did you create the mpeg stills for the demo vcd? (and at what resolution) How did you create the mpeg audio fiel for the screen that plays audio?</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

For the mpeg stills, I used CDMotion (which is a S/VCD authoring package) to actually create a VCD image with the pictures as menus screens. CDMotion then did all the encoding from the bitmaps and all the muxing and then created a CUE/BIN image. I then used VCDXRIP to rip the mpeg stills (segment items). I know that most people don't have CDMotion, but you can do the same thing with Nero5.5. Use it to create a VCD image with your own backgrounds for the menu stills. Then, use VCDXRIP in the .nrg image to extact the stills.

As for the audio on the demo VCD, I did it exactly the same way as you... I encoded a MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio with the correct specs. Then, I muxed it with TMPGEnc. The DVD/VCD player should play the last image show when playing back the audio track. Refer to the original demo vcd xml file to see how this was authored.

Good luck.

Regards.