TMPGEnc + TMPGEnc DVD Author + Nero = DVD skip. Settings?

[Gildas]

Hello,

I am having problems creating DVD video and here is what I do:

1) I capture AVI files from my DirecTV receiver with TiVo (or VCR at times) and the files are compressed with the Huffyuv codec,

2) I use TMPGEnc Plus to convert my AVI files to MPEG2 DVD files,

3) I use TMPGEnc DVD Author to create the file structure on my hard drive,

4) I use Nero to burn the file structure onto CD-RW. Indeed, at this time, I don't have a DVD burner yet so I am practicing on CD-RW with short videos.

My DVD player is a Norcent DP300 and is supposed to play more or less any kinds of discs.

What happens is that the CD-RW is recognized without problems and the video is detected as "miniDVD" or something like that. It plays but it keeps skipping and it's almost like it's playing in slow motion at times. Other than that, the picture quality is excellent and the sound is fine too.

I tried different bit rates, CBR and VBR for both video and audio but still, it skips.

I am trying to figure out if the skipping is caused by the fact that I am using a CD-RW instead of DVD. But I think that as long as all the files are on the disc the way they would be on a DVD, it should be fine, right?

Another thing I am thinking could cause the problem is how the files are burned on the disc. Indeed, when I burn the files with Nero, I add the folder "Volume 1" created by TMPGEnc DVD Author that contains AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS. Or should I add the folders AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS themselves on the root of the disc?
Would that cause skipping if the files are buried one level deeper in an extra folder ("Volume 1")? Or is it the way it's supposed to be? I mean, if I read the disc in Windows Explorer, what files should I see on the root of the disc: Audio_TS and Video_TS or Volume 1?

Last question about bit rates: I encode the video in a 2-Pass VBR with minimum 1500, maximum 8000 and average 5000, and the audio MP2 VBR (don't remember the settings).
What do you guys suggest knowing that I want to burn video from DirecTV so it's satellite NTSC resolution?

Bonus question: what are the settings used in commercial DVD's?

---

A little edit here to add that I didn't get a chance to try other settings yet and since I am at work now, I figured that maybe somebody will be able to give me good advice today before I go home tonight.

[bugster]

Hello,

Last question about bit rates: I encode the video in a 2-Pass VBR with minimum 1500, maximum 8000 and average 5000, and the audio MP2 VBR (don't remember the settings).
What do you guys suggest knowing that I want to burn video from DirecTV so it's satellite NTSC resolution?

Those bitrate are too high for CD media. I suggest you experiment using CBR encodes, using CDRW media for economy and start at about 2500kbps. If that plays OK, up the bitrate by 250 or 500 until you find the limit, then drop down a level. Once you have found the max bitrate your player can handle, use that as the Max value in your VBR encodes. Always allow some small headroom in your bitrate for safety (no mpeg encoder is perfect in providing the exact bitrate specified).

[SMHarman]

Hello,

I am having problems creating DVD video and here is what I do:
<snip> - looks good to here.

4) I use Nero to burn the file structure onto CD-RW. Indeed, at this time, I don't have a DVD burner yet so I am practicing on CD-RW with short videos.

My DVD player is a Norcent DP300 and is supposed to play more or less any kinds of discs.

What happens is that the CD-RW is recognized without problems and the video is detected as "miniDVD" or something like that. It plays but it keeps skipping and it's almost like it's playing in slow motion at times. Other than that, the picture quality is excellent and the sound is fine too.

I tried different bit rates, CBR and VBR for both video and audio but still, it skips.

I am trying to figure out if the skipping is caused by the fact that I am using a CD-RW instead of DVD. But I think that as long as all the files are on the disc the way they would be on a DVD, it should be fine, right?

Another thing I am thinking could cause the problem is how the files are burned on the disc. Indeed, when I burn the files with Nero, I add the folder "Volume 1" created by TMPGEnc DVD Author that contains AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS. Or should I add the folders AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS themselves on the root of the disc?
Would that cause skipping if the files are buried one level deeper in an extra folder ("Volume 1")? Or is it the way it's supposed to be? I mean, if I read the disc in Windows Explorer, what files should I see on the root of the disc: Audio_TS and Video_TS or Volume 1?

Last question about bit rates: I encode the video in a 2-Pass VBR with minimum 1500, maximum 8000 and average 5000, and the audio MP2 VBR (don't remember the settings).
What do you guys suggest knowing that I want to burn video from DirecTV so it's satellite NTSC resolution?

Bonus question: what are the settings used in commercial DVD's?

---

A little edit here to add that I didn't get a chance to try other settings yet and since I am at work now, I figured that maybe somebody will be able to give me good advice today before I go home tonight.

Nero - which version 6 can be temperamental.

CDRW may be less effective that CDR or DVDR - have you tried a plain CDR it's a few pence to see whether this is a media problem, which it could well be as RW media is less reflective or sommat.

Try also burning at a lower speed. More a problem with DVD media though.

If its reading the files this is not likely to be part of the problem, but the files should be in the video_ts file. I'm suprised Nero allows anything else in there. The contents of Video_ts on the hdd in the TMPG folder should be dragged to the Video_Ts that nero has created when you have told it you want to make a video DVD.

I think most sat broadcasts are around 3000. 4000, 3000, 1500 settings?

Commercial DVDs well it depends on the DVD. Now we have the superbit DVDs which in reality must at most be 9000 + sound which is also DTS so they are probably at the max less sound.

[Gildas]

Thank you for your advice.

I have an older version of Nero (5.x) that doesn't have the option to burn DVD's but I use it to burn data, which just copies the DVD file structure from my hard drive onto the dic.

From what you said, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense that the bit rate is high for a CD media.
I will then try a lower bit rate (CBR) and I will experiment that way.

I can't wait to buy a DVD burner though. It will be so coooool. 8) From what I've seen so far, this is great what you can do now. The menus look so cool so you can choose what video you want to watch. And you do it yourself! :P

Thanks!

[Gildas]

Update:

I changed the bit rate to 2500 CBR for video and 192 CBR MP2 for audio and it worked perfectly!
I was even amazed by the picture quality.
Since it was only 2500, I expected the picture to be soft or something but not at all, it was clear. Maybe it was not exactly as good as a real DVD but we are talking satellite TV broadcast here and until then all I had for archiving was a VCR. It was definitely far better than VHS quality. I may even consider saving on CD instead of DVD for less-than-30-minute shows (without commercials).

Thanks again for your help!

[Gazorgan]

Most DVD players can only deal with 2x CDR rates. This is the basis of SVCD (VCD is a 1x speed limit). I'm sure the hardware decoder can deal with bitrates over 10 Mbps(DVD spec), but the laser assembly that does CD's (you have 2 lasers in there, CD and DVD) can't keep up.

My Apex didn't have an issue with bitrates over 4000, which is good for VBR xSVCD but makes really short SVCD's otherwise :P