GUI for DVDauthor and Vista?

[Robert Simandl]

I notice all the comments for GUI for DVDauthor in the tools section here are from people using Windows XP, 2000, or even 98SE. Has anyone tried GFD on Windows Vista yet? Just got done putting a new PC together with Vista and am wondering if there are any "gotcha's" I should be looking out for.....?

Thanks!

[borax]

AFAIK it works.

[Robert Simandl]

Hmmm, have an issue.

I installed GFD in Windows Vista (did the full install because normal install left out a necessary file or two). Used muxman for the authoring engine and authored a DVD from A&E's special on Superman from last year (I recorded it myself so there's no illegal downloading going on here).

Here's the muxman log:

MuxMan version 0.15R
Opened script file d:\DVD Folders\Look Up in the Sky\Temp\muxman.mxp
Accepted video j:\Media\LookUpInTheSky.m2v size = 97838769
Accepted audio J:\Media\LookUpInTheSky.amplify.ac3
expanded database to 300 entries.

23:17:10 Begin multiplex VTS01.
Title Segment List
Segment_1
Maximum audio duration 324500 fields.
Starting scene Segment_1_scn1 at 00:00:00:00
Starting scene Segment_1_scn2 at 00:02:00:04
Starting scene Segment_1_scn3 at 00:04:00:18, requested for 00:04:00:07
Starting scene Segment_1_scn4 at 00:06:00:22, requested for 00:06:00:11
Starting scene Segment_1_scn5 at 00:08:00:14
Starting scene Segment_1_scn6 at 00:10:00:19, requested for 00:10:00:18
Starting scene Segment_1_scn7 at 00:12:00:24, requested for 00:12:00:22
Starting scene Segment_1_scn8 at 00:14:01:06, requested for 00:14:00:25
Starting scene Segment_1_scn9 at 00:16:01:09, requested for 00:16:00:29
Starting scene Segment_1_scn10 at 00:18:01:03, requested for 00:18:01:02
Starting scene Segment_1_scn11 at 00:20:01:06
Starting scene Segment_1_scn12 at 00:22:01:17, requested for 00:22:01:10
Starting scene Segment_1_scn13 at 00:24:01:16, requested for 00:24:01:13
Starting scene Segment_1_scn14 at 00:26:01:25, requested for 00:26:01:17
Starting scene Segment_1_scn15 at 00:28:01:26, requested for 00:28:01:20
Starting scene Segment_1_scn16 at 00:30:02:04, requested for 00:30:01:24
Starting scene Segment_1_scn17 at 00:32:02:07, requested for 00:32:01:28
Starting scene Segment_1_scn18 at 00:34:02:05, requested for 00:34:02:01
Starting scene Segment_1_scn19 at 00:36:02:08, requested for 00:36:02:05
P-STD buffer underflow by 10322 bytes at 199592660, sector 1029438.
P-STD buffer underflow by 11131 bytes at 199595663, sector 1029459.
Starting scene Segment_1_scn20 at 00:38:02:13, requested for 00:38:02:08
Starting scene Segment_1_scn21 at 00:40:02:13, requested for 00:40:02:12
Starting scene Segment_1_scn22 at 00:42:02:17, requested for 00:42:02:16
Starting scene Segment_1_scn23 at 00:44:02:26, requested for 00:44:02:19
Starting scene Segment_1_scn24 at 00:46:02:24, requested for 00:46:02:23
Starting scene Segment_1_scn25 at 00:48:02:29, requested for 00:48:02:26
Starting scene Segment_1_scn26 at 00:50:03:05, requested for 00:50:03:00
Starting scene Segment_1_scn27 at 00:52:03:09, requested for 00:52:03:04
Starting scene Segment_1_scn28 at 00:54:03:11, requested for 00:54:03:07
Starting scene Segment_1_scn29 at 00:56:03:14, requested for 00:56:03:11
Starting scene Segment_1_scn30 at 00:58:03:16, requested for 00:58:03:14
Starting scene Segment_1_scn31 at 01:00:03:24, requested for 01:00:03:18
Starting scene Segment_1_scn32 at 01:02:03:29, requested for 01:02:03:22
Starting scene Segment_1_scn33 at 01:04:03:27, requested for 01:04:03:25
Starting scene Segment_1_scn34 at 01:06:04:09, requested for 01:06:03:29
Starting scene Segment_1_scn35 at 01:08:04:09, requested for 01:08:04:03
Starting scene Segment_1_scn36 at 01:10:04:11, requested for 01:10:04:06
Starting scene Segment_1_scn37 at 01:12:04:15, requested for 01:12:04:10
Starting scene Segment_1_scn38 at 01:14:04:22, requested for 01:14:04:13
Starting scene Segment_1_scn39 at 01:16:04:21, requested for 01:16:04:17
Starting scene Segment_1_scn40 at 01:18:04:21
Starting scene Segment_1_scn41 at 01:20:04:28, requested for 01:20:04:24
Starting scene Segment_1_scn42 at 01:22:05:01, requested for 01:22:04:28
Starting scene Segment_1_scn43 at 01:24:05:04, requested for 01:24:05:01
Starting scene Segment_1_scn44 at 01:26:05:12, requested for 01:26:05:05
Starting scene Segment_1_scn45 at 01:28:05:14, requested for 01:28:05:09
Starting scene Segment_1_scn46 at 01:30:05:20, requested for 01:30:05:12
SeqEnd at 105D4E6AD.
Bytes remaining in buffer = 21453.
Bitrate - avg: 6884601, min: 491028 (lba 302948), max: 10025174 (lba 72087).
Shortest GOP has 4 fields, longest GOP has 24 fields.
Fields: 324500, VOBU: 12425, Sectors: 2274869.
Video decoder buffer underflowed 2 times.
Check c:\muxman.log for details.
Resulting DVD will probably not play smoothly.

I'm a bit concerned about the longest GOP being 24 fields, but that's more likely an HC v0.22 Encoder issue.

The BIG problem is, GFD/muxman produced a VIDEO_TS.IFO file with zero bytes and no VIDEO_TS.BUP file at all! WMP can't play back the VIDEO_TS folder or the actual DVD-R that I burned with it. VLC spits out an error message about not being able to read the IFO but can play the folder/disc.

Imgburn gave me a "can't fix VTS, VIDEO_TS.BUP can not be found" message but burned the disc anyway. Disc would not play in any of my standalone players.

Ideas on what's up with this would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Robert Simandl]

Tried using dvdauthor and got no luck there, either:


d:\DVD Folders\Look Up in the Sky v3\Temp>Time: 12/25/2007 1:13:15 AM

(shrink and) mux video and audio files
INFO: [???] mplex version 2.0.0 (2.2.3 $Date: 2004/01/13 20:45:26 $)
INFO: [???] File j:\Media\LookUpInTheSky.m2v looks like an MPEG Video stream.
INFO: [???] File J:\Media\LookUpInTheSky.amplify.ac3 looks like an AC3 Audio stream.
INFO: [???] Video stream 0: profile 8 selected - ignoring non-standard options!
INFO: [???] Found 1 audio streams and 1 video streams
INFO: [???] Selecting dvdauthor DVD output profile
INFO: [???] Multiplexing video program stream!
INFO: [???] Scanning for header info: Video stream e0 (j:\Media\LookUpInTheSky.m2v)
INFO: [???] VIDEO STREAM: e0
INFO: [???] Frame width : 720
INFO: [???] Frame height : 480
INFO: [???] Aspect ratio : 16:9 display
INFO: [???] Picture rate : 29.970 frames/sec
INFO: [???] Bit rate : 9537200 bits/sec
INFO: [???] Vbv buffer size : 229376 bytes
INFO: [???] CSPF : 0
INFO: [???] Scanning for header info: AC3 Audio stream 00 (J:\Media\LookUpInTheSky.amplify.ac3)
INFO: [???] AC3 frame size = 1024

INFO: [???] AC3 AUDIO STREAM:
INFO: [???] Bit rate : 32768 bytes/sec (256 kbit/sec)
INFO: [???] Frequency : 48000 Hz
INFO: [???] SYSTEMS/PROGRAM stream:
INFO: [???] rough-guess multiplexed stream data rate : 10001448
INFO: [???] target data-rate specified : 10080000
INFO: [???] Setting specified specified data rate: 10080000
INFO: [???] Run-in Sectors = 89 Video delay = 13019 Audio delay = 16022
INFO: [???] New sequence commences...
INFO: [???] Video e0: buf= 237568 frame=000000 sector=00000000
INFO: [???] Audio bd: buf= 16384 frame=000000 sector=00000000
++ WARN: [???] Stream e0: data will arrive too late sent(SCR)=199583451 required(DTS)=199583390
++ WARN: [???] Video e0: buf= 174059 frame=066457 sector=00989248
++ WARN: [???] Audio bd: buf= 11267 frame=069299 sector=00035200
INFO: [???] Scanned to end AU 162249
INFO: [???] STREAM e0 completed @ frame 162249.
INFO: [???] STREAM bd completed @ frame 169178.
INFO: [???] Multiplex completion at SCR=487208521.
INFO: [???] Video e0: buf= 190861 frame=162249 sector=02176483
INFO: [???] Audio bd: buf= 2048 frame=169178 sector=00085933
INFO: [???] VIDEO_STATISTICS: e0
INFO: [???] Video Stream length: 4392806065 bytes
INFO: [???] Sequence headers: 14422
INFO: [???] Sequence ends : 1
INFO: [???] No. Pictures : 162249
INFO: [???] No. Groups : 14422
INFO: [???] No. I Frames : 14422 avg. size 59329 bytes
INFO: [???] No. P Frames : 56091 avg. size 35152 bytes
INFO: [???] No. B Frames : 91737 avg. size 17064 bytes
INFO: [???] Average bit-rate : 6491200 bits/sec
INFO: [???] Peak bit-rate : 9540400 bits/sec
INFO: [???] BUFFERING min 15 Buf max 235543
INFO: [???] AUDIO_STATISTICS: bd
INFO: [???] Audio stream length 173239296 bytes.
INFO: [???] Frames : 169179
INFO: [???] BUFFERING min 35 Buf max 12995
**ERROR: [???] MUX STATUS: Frame data under-runs detected!

d:\DVD Folders\Look Up in the Sky v3\Temp>Time: 12/25/2007 1:15:10 AM

The DVD folder wasn't created here at all.

[borax]

Probably your bitrate is to high.
Both MuxMan:
Video decoder buffer underflowed 2 times.
and dvdauthor:
Frame data under-runs detected
report the same problem. This has nothing to do with Vista, but with your source data.
Check your maximum bitrate setting in HC and try a lower value.

[Robert Simandl]

Just on a hunch...

Instead of the new HC v0.22, I encoded the file with the exact same settings (other than multi-CPU support) via HC v0.21 this time.

This m2v authored in GFD fine and dandy with no under-runs.

So it seems there's an issue with the new version of HC. Bummer, the new version encoded the mpeg in half the time that old version took.

Thanks Borax, for your input here!

[boweng]

I use the 64 bit version of Vista Business Edition so it may not apply when using the 32 bit version of Vista. When I installed GUI for dvdauthor to the default location of c:\program files (x86)\, some of the buttons were greyed out, specifically the Burn CD and Create Batch buttons.

It looks to me like an ACL problem where the software does not have read or write permission where needed. DVDAuthorGUI also had the same problem.

However if I install the software someplace other than the default location, it works fine.

There are lots of little things about Vista I haven't figured out yet.

George in Denver

[nosleep]

I use 32 bit Vista Ultimate and GUIforDVDauthor works perfectly.

I should add that I used the "dvdauthor" instead of "muxman" in GUIforDVD.

[AlanHK]

Instead of the new HC v0.22, I encoded the file with the exact same settings (other than multi-CPU support) via HC v0.21 this time.

This m2v authored in GFD fine and dandy with no under-runs.

So it seems there's an issue with the new version of HC. Bummer, the new version encoded the mpeg in half the time that old version took.

I had a similar problem (Google brought me here chasing the "under-run" error message).
I had used HCEnc (0.22) in CQ mode, which is one pass. (Normally HC is two-pass, so if you found it to be "twice as fast", I suspect you were also using this mode.) However, on the "Settings 1" page as well as "constant Quantization" there is a checkbox "check VBV/max bitrate". If that is not selected you can get extremely high rates -- I looked in my logfile and found the maximum rate was almost 12,000. Selecting the max bitrate option limits that to a max of 8000 by default. I later found if you click "make DVD compliant" on the first page it will do this for you. Redoing the file with max bitrate 8000 gave a workable file.

[Robert Simandl]

Nope, wasn't using CQ mode. The log clearly showed two passes were done. Never was able to duplicate my problem with another file. Every other file I've done with HC .22 authored fine in GFD.

Guess I had some fluke where the file, HC, and GFD just didn't want to get along.....

[AMalsher]

I notice all the comments for GUI for DVDauthor in the tools section here are from people using Windows XP, 2000, or even 98SE. Has anyone tried GFD on Windows Vista yet? Just got done putting a new PC together with Vista and am wondering if there are any "gotcha's" I should be looking out for.....?

Thanks!

Robert, I've just installed GFD on a new Dell machine with Vista Professional.
GFD works well, except Vista seems to prevent GFD from deleting its temporary files.
I can't even remove them manually (ie in Windows Explorer or at a Command Prompt - I get access denied.
If I reboot the machine, all is well, the files are gone and GFD works OK.
BUT rebooting before/after each invocation of GFD is a pain in the butt!

Anyone else seen this problem?

Regards, Alan Malsher

[Robert Simandl]

That's a new one on me. Sorry haven't seen that issue.

[borax]

I don't use Vista ATM (and I'm not sure if I will use it for the next month or even years...)
If you define a new output and temp folder on your hard disk where 'all users' have full access, maybe this would help.

[AMalsher]

I don't use Vista ATM (and I'm not sure if I will use it for the next month or even years...)
If you define a new output and temp folder on your hard disk where 'all users' have full access, maybe this would help.

Thanks, borax, I've tried that, but still have problems.
I have poblems with the GFD temp files and also with the video files that are input to GFD when I try to delete them.
The problem I had only seems to occur if I try to delete the files permanently - ie shift-delete. If instead, I delete to the recycle bin and then empty the recycle bin, all is OK. Frequent reboots are a solution to the temp files.
I guess it's just another attempt by MS to "improve" productivity.
Vista is not a step in the right direction.
Alan

[borax]

Just out of curiosity: Are all files in the temp folder 'undeletable' or just some of them?

[AMalsher]

Just out of curiosity: Are all files in the temp folder 'undeletable' or just some of them?

A good question, borax.
I would have replied sooner, but on testing again, I'm embarrassed to say that I can't repeat the problem - ie I can manually delete the files, and furthermore GFD also can delete its own temporary files. I am very puzzled, as previously I got the impression that this was an "intermittent" problem, but now it is completely unrepeatable.
I am not aware that I have changed any of my procedures or settings. Perhaps Vista is self-healing !
To answer your question, it WAS only some of the files that were undeletable - those associated with the title menu ( I think they were .mpg files ) one for each title in the menu.
I was also unable to delete the source files (ie those output from VideoReDo) that were input to GFD, until I did a reboot - and that problem seems to have disappeared as well. It seemed that my recycle bin was bizzarely "read only", but as I say, I am not aware that any settings have been changed.
I'll continue to monitor the situation, and will be interested if anyone else sees this behaviour.

Otherwise, for those contemplating a move to Vista, I can confirm that VRD (as always) performs flawlessly, and GFD now also seems OK. I have a Freecom USB DVB-T stick to record digital terrestrial broadcasts, and that performs well with the XP BDA drivers - I have not been tempted to use the Freecom Vista drivers.
The only other issue I have with Vista is that the Help system has changed, and some XP applications cannot display their help menu.
Alan

[Robert Simandl]

Hey, I just realized GFD hasn't had a new version since May of last year.

Any word on program updates?

Not that I'm dissatisfied with it in any way (does nearly all that TMPGenc DVD Author did before I switched), just curious as to when we might see some new features....

Thanks...

[borax]

Probably in some more month...
Currently I'm a little bit 'tired' from programming, therefore it takes such a long time. There are some bugs which I would like to eliminate and also a few new functions (i.e. transitions like cross fade between menus). Meanwhile there is a thread in the Programming forum where you may test the latest version (scroll down to the end of the thread), but no documentation is available right now.

[Robert Simandl]

Thanks for the info, borax!