TMPGenc 2.54 gives invalid DVD mpg's

[burned_once]

I finally got around to downloading and installing a new TMPGenc version (and many thanks to the tipsters out there who made it possible to run 2.01 all this time). I reapplied toolame as my level-II encoder.

I set up some batch jobs to encode AVI's to DVD MPEG-2 using CQ_VBR for a slideshow and 2-pass VBR (2000/6000/8000) for AVI's from miniDV sources. All input AVI's used the DV codec.

The jobs ran to completion and reported success. I was surprised to see a console window pop up with the output from toolame, but who cares about that?

When I added the .mpg files as resources in DVDIt! 2.5 LE it told me they're not valid. I think it said the contents were unrecognizable. Media Player had no trouble with them.

I created the settings from scratch, after selecting the inputs automatically set the profile to $$DVD 720x480 etc. I did't change any settings other than the video encoding (CBR to VBR and its settings button).

Has anyone else seen this? Is there a way to fix it?

Otherwise, 2.54 seemed like a winner and I really want to give the "Cut editing" a try in the "Source Range" filter. If that works, I won't have to encode and merge 5 separate files when I strip the commercials for space-shifting the Simpsons to VCDs. Of course, I may do it anyway, because I like breaking the jobs down into 1-hour encoding segments instead of one huge 3 1/2 hour all-or-nothing run.

I went back to TMPGenc 2.01 and re-encoded all the files. The result of this was accepted by DVDit! and it burned them to DVD-RW for me just fine.

[disturbed1]

What's your GOP structure?

DVDit has a limit of 18 frames between each I frame.

I usually keep mine at 15 for NTSC (I=1, P=4, B=2).

There isn't any reason to encode to mp2 with DVD it. Your better off leaving the audio in 48khz wav format, then importing the .m2v and .wav files.

DVDit LE will demultiplex your mpg, uncompress the audio, then multiplex them together. Importing the wav cuts out 2 steps.

[burned_once]

Thanks for the reply, I'll check my GOP structure. I go ahead and compress the audio to save space -- it's taken me almost a year to compile enough edited footage to fill up a DVD (20 short movies so far; 4 more to go if they'll fit).

I don't pay too much attention to what DVDit is doing; just want it to be simple, and leaving the audio in the file is one less file to worry about. I leave DVDit to its tasks and come back after a few hours to find the new DVD ready to play.

My gut feeling is, the audio quality from the camcorder mike isn't that good, so compressing it doesn't do much damage. I'd be even happier if DVDit would leave the audio compressed. That way, I could get one or two more movies on the disk. Is layer II considered DVD compliant?

Aside from that, I can't complain about DVDit. When I get all the editing done, I'm going to try authoring with Pinnacle Express (picked it up for $20 after rebate) and see if that offers to leave the compression alone for me. I read on the Pinnacle forum that there's a way to inject compliant mpg's into Pinnacle Express instead of starting with AVI's; haven't found the instructions yet.

[SatStorm]

On the gop structure, there is a option: Number of GOP length or something.
Set that to 15 (PAL) or 18 NTSC.

Also, there is 2.54a with an audio bugfix.

[goranlucic]

OK. I made posting regarding the same topic yesterday and I sorted it ou.
If you get message "Can not find a suitable decoder" I think I can help.
I have/had this prblem for two weeks and I dig lot into it. SONIC also could not process my file.

I think you have NO issues with GOP. When you look at the encoding log, you'll see that your GOP's are OK.

However, I got SONIC template and if you want mail it to me and I will sent it to you. They solve my problem.

If you produce mpeg2, here is what I would recomend.

1. Your max. and min. encoding rate are "god" given i.e. when you set max to 8000 b/sec and min to 4000 b/sec, you'll see that max er. goes up to 10020 b/sec (in my case) and min er. down to 2500 b/sec. That means that you have to decrease max to at least 7500 b/sec, average to 6150b/sec and min. to 4000 b/sec. Then you should be OK with rates.

2. In tab "Video" make sure that "Profile & Level" you set value "Main Profile and Main LevelMP@ML"

3. In tab Advance, Deinterlace should be set to "true" with value "Even-Odd field"

4. In Quantize matrix field ""No motion search ..." should be set to "false"

5. Same tab, soften block noise both values should be set to 25

I found those settings crucial for me.

GL