Do You Understand TMPGEnc?

[heyjjjaded]

Sorry for another thread, but I've tried a few things and am finding that there is something very basic about TMPGEnc Plus that I just don't understand. I used it to convert 2 separate AVI video files (home videos) to 2 separate MPEG2 files (to be eventually burned to DVD). Here's what I don't understand:

1. These newly created files come out as M2V files ... what is that?

2. There is no audio when I play these new files on my computer ... a separate wav file was created with the audio. When I burned a test-DVD+RW though, the audio played just fine with the videos (and the videos looked very nice by the way).

3. I REALLY wanted to join these 2 newly created files together in TMPGEnc. I added them to the file list under MERGE & CUT, gave the output file a name, and hit RUN. This resulting merged file came out as an MPEG file ... why did it change from M2V? Most importantly, there is no audio anywhere to be found in the new merged file ... not when I play it on my computer, not when I burn a test-DVD+RW, nowhere.

So what is it that I am obviously not understanding here? Thank You!

[Tommyknocker]

Sorry for another thread, but I've tried a few things and am finding that there is something very basic about TMPGEnc Plus that I just don't understand. I used it to convert 2 separate AVI video files (home videos) to 2 separate MPEG2 files (to be eventually burned to DVD). Here's what I don't understand:

1. These newly created files come out as M2V files ... what is that?

That is the video portion of an MPEG-2 file.

2. There is no audio when I play these new files on my computer ... a separate wav file was created with the audio. When I burned a test-DVD+RW though, the audio played just fine with the videos (and the videos looked very nice by the way).

You must have included the .mp2 file as well, which is the audio portion.

3. I REALLY wanted to join these 2 newly created files together in TMPGEnc. I added them to the file list under MERGE & CUT, gave the output file a name, and hit RUN. This resulting merged file came out as an MPEG file ... why did it change from M2V? Most importantly, there is no audio anywhere to be found in the new merged file ... not when I play it on my computer, not when I burn a test-DVD+RW, nowhere.

See above.

[heyjjjaded]

To merge the 2 files together, is the suggestion to add the WAV files to the file list under MERGE & CUT? I tried that & got a message stating that this could not be done because these were not MPEG files. I'm lost.

[gonzalimator]

Hey

If you want the mpg's to have audio, then you need to MULTIPLEX the audio with the video. You must have mpg audio first. (mp2) You can find "Simple Multiplex" when you select MPEG Tools from the File menu. Load the m2v and the mp2 files and multiplex.

If you are making a DVD, then the audio and video are usually loaded into your authoring program seperately so it really makes no sense to combine them in this situation. You might look into converting the audio to AC3 (Dolby Digital) if you need to save some space on the DVD. I think that AC3 audio is smaller than an uncompressed WAV file.

If you want to join the files, maybe just author the DVD that way. Link the first video to the next video and when you play it, it should be seamless. Otherwise, you can frameserve the two AVI's to TMPG and re-encode them as one mpg.

Hope that helps.

[FulciLives]

Please note that to create a MPEG file with muxed audio you must use MP2 or AC-3 audio.

TMPGEnc will not allow you to multiplex M2V with PCM WAV

As already mentioned however there is no need to do this because if you use PCM WAV on the DVD you simply load the M2V and PCM WAV file seperately in your authoring program. At least that is how most of them work.

To save space though I would consider converting your PCM WAV audio to AC-3 audio. Common bitrates for 2.0 AC-3 (aka 2 channel as in STEREO sound) include 192, 224 and 256kbps

I use 256kbps for 2.0 AC-3 myself.

There is an AC-3 plugin for TMPGEnc DVD Author. Not only is TMPGEnc DVD Author a simple usefull DVD authoring program but the AC-3 plug-in will convert imported PCM WAV and MP2 audio to AC-3 for your final DVD.

This AC-3 plug-in is one of the cheapest ways to create fully DVD compliant 2.0 AC-3 audio.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Will Hay]

Whenever I see threads such as this I always feel obliged to go digging and find the following link, I can't speak highly enough of it.

Configuring TMPGEnc for high-quality, DVD-compliant MPEG-2

It's been a great help for me, maybe there's something in there for you too.
Good luck
Will Hay

[weshuang]

There is an AC-3 plugin for TMPGEnc DVD Author. Not only is TMPGEnc DVD Author a simple usefull DVD authoring program but the AC-3 plug-in will convert imported PCM WAV and MP2 audio to AC-3 for your final DVD.

This AC-3 plug-in is one of the cheapest ways to create fully DVD compliant 2.0 AC-3 audio.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

You know, based on something I read somewhere else, I have been assuming that if you check the "re-encode audio using output format of track" that TMPG DVD Author with the AC3 Plugin would encode wav to ac3 prior to creating the VIDEO-TS files. However, I don't think that's true. I tried using that method, as well as doing the same thing but first using Besweet to encode ac3, and the resulting files are substantially smaller. What am I doing wrong? Is there another way to get TMPG DVD Author to encode ac3?

[jimmalenko]

I REALLY wanted to join these 2 newly created files together in TMPGEnc.

I think all you need to do is change the stream setup from ES (Video+Audio) to System(Video+Audio). The first option produces two seperate Elementary Streams, while the second multpilexes them together into the MPEG that you are familiar with.