how to edit Video TS files?

[spiritgumm]

I'm trying to make the best dvd recordings with a standalone. Rather than copy in SP mode for 70-90 min. vhs movies, I'm recording in XP mode onto 2 dvds. I want to combine them on my pc, then shrink them (actually I'm shrinking them when I put them on my harddrive first). What software/freeware will do edits/chapter points without having me convert to yet another type of video file? I edited with TDA but it creates a brief but noticeable pause WHEREVER I edit and where the files meet. It's not caused by chapter points. Or is this impossible in vob format? I looked thru this site - it seems like you need to become an expert with 5 different programs to make these simple edits. There's gotta be an easier way.

[mats.hogberg]

The problem is, that VOBs aren't meant to be edited. They are part of a Video DVD - the last stage in the production of a DVD, and not to be recycled back to the start of that process.
That's why I always argue that if you're going to edit, better capture to AVI (or mpg) on your computer, then author to DVD.
To to some degree undo what the DVD recorder has done, I'd run the VOBs thru vob2mpg, then do the cuts and edits with womble mpeg vcr (VideoReDo some will no doubt chirp in), author with TDA.

/Mats

[BobK]

Rather than copy in SP mode for 70-90 min. vhs movies, I'm recording in XP mode onto 2 dvds. I want to combine them on my pc, then shrink them (actually I'm shrinking them when I put them on my harddrive first). What software/freeware will do edits/chapter points without having me convert to yet another type of video file? I edited with TDA but it creates a brief but noticeable pause WHEREVER I edit and where the files meet. It's not caused by chapter points. Or is this impossible in vob format? I looked thru this site - it seems like you need to become an expert with 5 different programs to make these simple edits. There's gotta be an easier way.

I use TMPGEnc Mpeg Editor (you can try the trial version free)- it's easy to use, imports vobs and extracts the mpeg at the same time, only reencodes at the edit points and makes it easy to set chapter points as you edit (chapter points can then be imported into TDA- this is an advantage since you can set chapter points at any frame instead of just I-frames, although TDA Pro lets you do that too). I've never had a problem with the pause at edit points using it (I did have the same problem when importing DVD/vobs directly into TDA).

I've also used Womble mpeg video wizard- it has more options but I also had some problems with it creating pauses where 2 vobs were joined.

I'd also suggest recording at the quality you'll use on the final disk. That's likely to give better (or at least just as good) quality than recording in XP and then shrinking later.

As far as "vobs aren't meant to be edited", if you capture directly to mpeg on the computer then you're still editing mpeg (which is no different editing an mpeg extracted from a vob). None of the capture cards that I've used could give the same quality as a decent DVD recorder in the same price range.

[mats.hogberg]

As far as "vobs aren't meant to be edited", if you capture directly to mpeg on the computer then you're still editing mpeg (which is no different editing an mpeg extracted from a vob). None of the capture cards that I've used could give the same quality as a decent DVD recorder in the same price range.

True. It's the "mpeg extracted from a vob" part that's different. And I admit that even mpg isn't meant to be edited - it's also a "final" format (that for DVD use is wrapped in a VOB container).

/Mats

[trolltuning]

@mats.hogberg
Why not just open the vob in Womble?

[BobK]

And I admit that even mpg isn't meant to be edited - it's also a "final" format (that for DVD use is wrapped in a VOB container)./Mats

"mpeg isn't meant to be edited" may be true, but it's really a little misleading too. Simple cuts (ie- cutting commercials out of a TV show) is editing, but only a tiny percentage of the original mpeg is changed in any way.

[spiritgumm]

If only all standalone recorders (without HDD) had customizable bitrates...I guess I'll have to do the extra steps (I'm more accustomed to using a can opener on canned tuna, not into fishing). I downloaded TMPGenc freeware - how do I import or convert my dvd files into mpeg2 (if that's what I want)? I didn't find that info amongst tool Guides.

[BobK]

I downloaded TMPGenc freeware - how do I import or convert my dvd files into mpeg2 (if that's what I want)? I didn't find that info amongst tool Guides.

Your DVD files are already mpeg2. You just need to extract the mpeg 2 from vobs/DVD. You can do that by using TDA to 'Add DVD Video', then have to save the file to your HD. It will save mpeg 2 (assuming that the DVD is mpeg 2 and not mpeg 1).

Now, once you have the mpeg file on your HD, what exactly do you want to do with it? If I remember correctly, the free version of TMPGEnc only does mpeg1, not 2.

[spiritgumm]

TDA gives me the option to save ("Output") as VideoTS or ISO.

[MackemX]

I suppose DVDRemake would allow you to do it. I know I've imported VOB's before and then used the split function to create chapter points

can't you also join VOB's by using Vobedit? I'm not sure but I don't think you can import a text file to create chapter points in Ifoedit while they are still VOB's

this guide is something like what I used to do ages ago when doing this. No need to convert/demux or whatever and it's all free

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=120021&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

[spiritgumm]

Thanks - I'll try VOBedit first, if I can figure it out.
Will DVDremake allow editing within a file, or does it just edit whole files that appear in the menu (FBI Warnings, etc)?
I might also try VOB2MPG to get mpeg for editing.

[MackemX]

let me know if you struggle with Vobedit as I didn't do it first time but once you understand it then it's simple to join VOB's

I'm not sure with DVDRemake as I haven't used it in ages . I know you can split/cut parts of a cell down to GOP (Group of pictures) level. This way you can create chapter points but not by selecting an individual frame but rather every few seconds or so depending on the GOP. I'mnot sure if it would suit your needs here though but I do know you can fiddle with chapter points to a certain degree

[mats.hogberg]

Did you try vob2mpg?

/Mats

[spiritgumm]

VOB2mpg wouldn't "initialize" so I couldn't try it. The download page indicated you need something called netframe - maybe I need that?
I tried Vobedit and managed to merge two samples from TDA that had brief pauses. There was a major pause/picture jitter where they meet, but interestingly, the pauses WITHIN the samples were gone! I can't figure out how I got the 2 samples merged now, but I would be happy if I could somehow run my whole movie edited on TDA thru VOBedit to smooth out all the edit-produced pauses. If I have to be merging it with another file to get it processed (as I did with the 2 samples), I thought perhaps I could add a tiny file of black leader at the end (which I might edit it later if the jitter looked bad). However, I can't figure out how I got the samples merged. I'm also wondering how long it would take to do this with a 4.7 gig rather than tiny samples.
I noticed if I load my TDA-edited movie into TDA, it indicates with little arrows where edits have taken place as well as leaving a gap in the image thumbnails. Perhaps the gaps indicate the edits aren't smooth hence the pause .
I ran a sample w/pause thru Ifoedit and it seemed to minimize the pause. When I ran the whole movie thru, I got several error-type messages afterwards, and the results weren't usable in any burning program. If anyone knows if I could get Ifoedit to "fix" the pauses from TDA, please post. Or should I buy Videoredo? I'm wary about buying more software since there's no guarantee it'll work properly (ie TDA).