Authoring problems with DVD-Lab Pro

[Angryguy]

This is my first attempt at DVD Authoring with DVD-Lab Pro and I'm having a few issues. Any help would be appreciated. My previous attempts (dating back as far as friday ) were limited to Roxio's DVD Builder, which worked very well and easily, but isn't very good at making menus or chapters.

The source is an MPEG-2 file captured at the digitalfaq.com recommended settings from a VHS tape using the ATI AIW Radeon 9000 Pro card.

I'm getting this error/warning (see attached screenshot) when I try creating a transition effect in DVD-Lab Pro between a main menu and a scene-selection menu, using the "random flame" effect.



I've tried compiling the disc and testing it - via opening the folder in Nero's Showtime DVD Player. The disc plays, but with a few errors:

a) The volume is extremely high, to the extent that the minimum volume setting [windows and dvd-player settings] is what the original recording actually is (ie: when the mpeg file is played in winamp). This could be an issue with the method of playing it from source files, but I'm not sure.

b) More importantly though, After returning to the menu [it plays the movie on first start], it will no longer play the video(s) correctly. The sound plays, mostly, but the video is erratic. I'm guessing this is related to the afore-mentioned error.


Also, a quick question about the audio encoding. I noticed that in Roxio's Builder it automatically converted the mpg file's audio into AC3 when generating the ISO, whereas with DVD-Lab it has to be done seperately. Does this mean that I have to say yes to the option for seperating the sound when loading the video files [and temporarily waste the extra space with duplicate files]? If so, what's the best way to convert the sound into AC3 from there - (it was captured at the DVD-compliant 48Hz)? I've seen the "BeSweet" program mentioned in a few places on here, but I read somewhere else that BeSweet isn't the best/fully-compliant solution.

Thanks

[Shadowmistress]

1. The error you are getting when you create the menu effect can be ignored. That error is only relevant if you insert chapter points in a particular clip. You won't be doing that in this short one and DLP is a little anal retentive about telling you exactly when something is out of dvd spec. It has created the transition correctly, it's just an oversight on the software builder's part to disable that message for this feature.

2. Don't test using winamp. Use a proper program such as PowerDVD or Windvd when testing compilations. The volume setting could be misunderstood by winamp and the program may be causing the eratic video, not the compilation.

3. DLP expects you to supply it with separate audio and video streams. When you import a muxed mpeg it will always ask you what you wish to do. Yes, you should let it convert for you. No you will not be wasting space on your dvd if you allow it to convert for you in the assets window. What's in your assets window stays only on your hardrive. Simply remove the old audio from your movie window and replace it with the new audio and there will be no replication on the dvd.

If you wish to do it outside of DLP, use ffmpeggui to convert to AC3.