EntryPoints - How to... am having prob. w/getting it to work

[vhelp]

Hello all.

Ok, basically, I'm having (still having) neck pains w/ Entry Points using the
popular cryptic VCDEasy v1.1.1 app. I'm not trying to create chapters.
I'm trying to create Entry Points. I have a test file (1 minute) that I'm
using for a test (for obvious reasons) and I'm using this same file to test
my Entry Points creation - but to no avail.
I've gone so far as to try and create 10 second Entry Points but it
still doesn't work. I've even tried doing it w/ Create a chapter every
0:00:10:000 I'm assuming I'm doing it every 10 seconds. This is
the number I've ben using for ALL my Entry Points test samples, to
no avail.
I've tried setting every 10 seconds an Entry Points ie:
0:00:00.000
0:00:10.010
0:00:20.270
0:00:30.813
and it wont work.
Ok, after I do the above, I proceed to press the [GO] key to make my *.img
file (cause that is what it names the file) ie "videocd_02.img" and
"videocd_02_pregap.img" and when I open "Nero/File/Burn Image" and bring
in the "videocd_02.img" file and burn the image, all goes well, but no video
in DVD player when played. An MP3 screen pops up w/ no files. I've tried
turning off and on PBC and it's no use.

Ok, I'm not looking for fancy smansy. I'm looking to do Entry Points
for my Star Trek Enterprise (ST-E) shows, creating EPs in place of the
commercials, so basically, every 10 minutes, but I'm not so worried (at the
moment) about the GOPs though I do mess w/ them too. However, at the moment,
I'm working w/ a 1 minute sample clip, just to get an idea (and save presious
time burnning a huge file) by setting Entry Points every 10 seconds,
so I can see how pressing my PREV/FORW button advances to next scene, etc.

I know people here say "it's so easy" hence the Easy in VCD but "It's not!"
Does somebody have a quick flow on how to (using a 1 minute test clip)
set 6 Entry Points ie every 10 seconds or every max of 6 PREV/FORW
key pressed brings me to a new scene with-in the 1 minute clip. The 1
minute clip would have enough room for 6 Entry Points, so if I
press the PREV/FORW keys on remote, I'd be in a new scene. ? ? ?

Issues:
--------
* sometimes, I get an *.XML file, and other times I don't, but will get
two *.img files (as in above) depending on where I'm at in the learning
process.
* I get MP3 screen and NO files
* or, I get choppy video, and pressing PREV/FORW keys do or don't work at all.
* but, I mostly get nothing at all (no video)

Areas of Learning:
------------------
* I've ben to http://www.vcdimager.org/guides/simple_multitrack.html#method3
and is VERY cryptic and confusing - don't read this site if you wanna live
longer!
* I've also ben to this FORUMS links here. This site wasn't so bad, but I
still can't get my Entry Points to work. Though, I would like very
much for a link to the EASYiest way of creating Entry Points w/out
all the Beaf and Techno-Jingo Lecture of it's structure and graphs and pencil
diagrams etc. Just show me how to creat them in 1,2,3 steps - please.

Specs:
------
* Windows 98
* Apex AD-1500
* VCDEasy v1.1.1
* CVD / SVCD (MPEG-2) etc.
* Nero v5.5.3.5 (for burning the *.img file)

Thank you all for your inputs.
-vhelp

[vitualis]

Step one:
Do you know what entrypoints are?

Step two:
Do you know what entrypoints do?

Step three:
Do you know the difference between the TOC/IMG format (CDRDAO format) vs. CUE/BIN format?

Basically, I'm saying this because it is pretty evident that you are simply hitting your head against a brick wall with what you just described...

ENTRYPOINTS IN THEMSELVES DON'T DO ANYTHING.

If you just want to FFW and REW, you don't need entrypoints at all. Setting entrypoints WILL NOT mean that pressing FFW and REW will go to the next entrypoint.

Once again:
setting entrypoints WILL NOT let you press FFW and REW to go to those entrypoints!!!.

For that you will need to make chapters.

Making chapters WITH entrypoints is what you are trying to achieve.

There are multiple guides on the web including:
http://www.vcdimager.org/guides/chapters.html (or just use VCDEasy).

With VCDEasy, stop screwing around with the settings and use it as if you were a complete newbie. It is actually really easy. BTW, you should be setting your CD image output to CUE/BIN format NOT TOC/IMG. Nero doesn't understand the TOC/IMG format. It does sort of support CUE/BIN with the newer versions.

In any case, burning with CDRDAO / VCDEasy or CDRWin using the CUE/BIN format is highly recommended.

As for:

I've ben to http://www.vcdimager.org/guides/simple_multitrack.html#method3
and is VERY cryptic and confusing - don't read this site if you wanna live
longer!

... I'm kind of honoured. I didn't think my site could shorten people's life spans. If you actually read that page properly, it should be pretty evident that it does not contain the information you need to do what you want... That page is about making a simple multitrack VCD and describes 3 distinct ways of making them. It has nothing on entrypoints or chapters and nor is it intended to do so.

Regards.

[vitualis]

BTW, just noted your version of Nero.

I strongly suggest that you upgrade as the older versions do not correctly burn CUE/BIN images.

No version that I know of will burn the CDRDAO TOC/IMG format.

Regards.

[vhelp]

virtuals,

why, thank you for your wise responses, he, he...

Anyways, I took no affense to any

Now, back to the issue at hand. Oh, did I say, UrEkA!! I did it! he, he...
Sorry for all the excitement. I found the answer before your reply, but
I was just too excited to view it till just now. He, he... Got it to work
anyways, he, he...

However, there is only one other issue (at the moment) and that is that
* when I first put the CDR into the DVD player, PBC comes on and I can
press the PREV/FOWRD keys to NEXT yes, he, he... Entry Point!!
* but, when I proceed to press my RESUME key on remote to set up my
enfinate loop and press the REPEAT key to set to ALL (repeat all) my
PBC is turned off and I can no longer use my Entry Points hmmm.

Virtuals, what I think I was doing wrong was "I don't really know" he, he...
But, I did do something I didn't do before:
* Play once, was selected
* clicked the (S)VCD Bulid/Rip button
* clicked on MPEG Scan and click the XML file
* selected the (o) BIN/CUE button
* clicked Settings icon
* clicked VCDEasy tab buton
* [x] Enable CDRADO Intergratoin is on by default (I left alone)
* selected the (o) BIN/CUE option

I guess it was just a matter of time before I hit on the right combination
of keys/selections/settings, etc.

Ok, now that I have it working, and tried it again on two more sample
clips, I'd like to move on, and CREATE MENUS, he, he...
Am I in for a big surprise (headackes) or what? ?

Any tips on how I can (w/ my same sample above) create two menu items
and have a similar functionality as a DVD - a great bonus to have for all
my ST-E projects ? ?

Thank you for any response.
-vhelp

[disturbed1]

Entry points need to fall on an I frame of the GOP. Run your elementary mpeg1 video stream through MPEG Sequence Maker (available in the tools section) to make sure a sequence header is in place for every GOP.

Then I'd download Philips' Entry Point Assistant from the PMPRO archives. It's called EPASSIST.ZIP.

Use a known good VCD compliant multiplexer. You should use Philips' VCD Toolkit's muxer since it adhere's to strict VCD Whitebook. It puts out a .MMD file which can simply be renamed to .MPG for VCDEasy to input. Xing's mpeg encoder, and the muxer from Roxio's Video Pack are also good. (I haven't used TMPG since beta 12d so I don't if that was ever fixed).

As vitualis said, Nero? Why Nero? Nero is great for audio, and data. Use the built in CDRDAO (download force aspi from www.doom9.org if needed), or Fireburner, or Blindwrite, or even CDRWin. Fireburner and Blindwrite offer full featured demos, and are well worth the $30 or so $$ if you burn a lot of bin/cues.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
So much for that, since you figured it out.

Anyways.............
Instead of using your DVD's repeat, you can use the interactivity tab in VCDEasy to control the PBC for your disc. For an easy repeat all change the default next function for your last chapter/entry point from VIDEOCD END to goto the first menu/chapter/where ever you want.

If your patient and creative enough you can use different selections from the main menu to select different Playlist options. There's an article about "Encrypting" your VCD on the VCDImager site (sorry don't remember the exact link to it), that'll spur some ideas for you.

[vitualis]

That's right. RESUME for S/VCDs usually means that the player stops PBC interpretation --> no more chapters and menus. Unfortunately, this is a hardware specific thing.

As for menus, it is difficult for me to necessarily describe how to make it with VCDEasy without writing a long guide (or actually taking you through it). Once you work it out, it is quite simple though.

I suggest that you play around with the settings and I'm sure you'll work it out!

Have a look at...
Simple menus: http://www.vcdimager.org/guides/simple_menus.html
Multi-menus: http://www.vcdimager.org/guides/multimenu_vcd.html

... for some ideas. It should make it easier to work out what to do with VCDEasy once you know how menus actually work on a VCD.

Of course, once you go down the path of digging up the XML file and authoring the menus yourself, you never go back!

BTW, no offense taken or intended... It was just as I was reading your post, I could hear a unmistakable thud of skull against brick in the background...

BTW, a tip. If you make still menus with VCDEasy (it contains an encoder that makes "real" MPEG stills for VCDs), make sure you go to the VCDEasy Beta download page and upgrade to MJPEGTools v1.6.0-rc2. The standard MJPEGTools creates stills that causes problems on some players (e.g., Philips).

Best of luck on your ST-E projects! I can't stand ST-E myself. My collection of STTNG VCDs is growing nicely though. I have the complete Season 1 and about half of Season 2...

Regards.

[vitualis]

I've had problems with the Xing Encoder as a VCD muxer so I advise against it.

TMPGEnc (at least v12a) seems okay as a VCD muxer (and I haven't read problems suggesting otherwise with the newer versions a long as your MPEG is okay).

bbMPEG is a great muxer too.

Regards.