Invalid GOP and DVDMovieFactory

[flaamer]

I've ripped and encoded a dvd movie to 720x480 48kHz @2750vbr using DVD2SVCD (CCE). I'm able to author the mpeg to dvdr using spruceup no problem. I'd like to author using DVDMovieFactory but it complains about "number of video frames in a GOP is not valid for a DVD". What constitutes a valid number of video frames in a GOP for MovieFactory to accept for DVD?

[Tony Yip]

I had the same question a while back and from what I read, the max GOP
for NTSC is 15 and for PAL its 18.

What I don't know is what to set it to in CCE. I notice in the GOP settings
under CCE that there is a M and N/M option and by default its set
to M=3 and N/M=5. I know that it is these 2 settings that determine the
GOP.

I know that in Tmpeg that setting the I,P,B to 1,4,2 sets the GOP to 15
for NTSC under the GOP Structure tab.

It would be nice to know since I'll be authoring my SVCDs to DVD-R soon.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Anonymous65]

I believe the max GOP for NTSC DVD video is 17, 15 for PAL.

The 3/5 settings in CCE will give this GOP sequence, IBBBPBBBPBBBPBBBPBBBP which is a GOP of 21. The normal GOP settings are 2 B-frames and 5 P-frames, like this, IBBPBBPBBPBBPBBP , which is a GOP of 16. You can use use 3 B-frames and 4 P-frames, IBBBPBBBPBBBPBBBP.

[Tony Yip]

So in CCE the following applies:

SEQ header=I
M=B
N/M=P

Just did a search for NTSC DVD maximum GOP in this forum and everybody says that the GOP for NTSC is 15 and the PAL GOP is 18.

Does it really that much when authroing to DVD. I read that some DVD apps are not that picky about the maximum GOP used in the mpeg2 stream.

[flaamer]

Update:

Using 3/4 settings in CCE resolved issues with MovieFactory, thanks.

[Tony Yip]

So MovieFactory is more picky about the maximum number of GOP frames
whereas SpruceUp is not?

It would be nice to get a list of DVD authoring packages that are more picky about the maximum number of GOP frames.

You had said that SpruceUp accepted your mpeg file (obviously it doen't do a check of the max GOP frames). I had heard that the max GOP frames is a loosely enforced spec.

[robboughton]

why do u want to use movie factory any way i find thats its crap compared to spruce up i used movie factory to begin with but got sick of it cus the sound always goes out of sync when u encode to dvd but find it is very good for DV video apart from the capturing tool on it

[flaamer]

I agree SpruceUp is far superior to MF. Just trying to create dvd mpegs that are more compatible to authoring software, ie: DVDWorkshop and DVDComplete, and possibly have motion menus.