Playback of titles and chapters in DVD Workshop

[grendel]

Two questions about playback of a SVCD or DVD project in DVD Workshop:

1. Can I skip forward and backward between entrypoints of chapters for a SVCD or DVD project?

2. Can tiltles or chapters be played continuously without returning back to the menu page?

If neither of these tasks can be done in DVD Workshop, what other commercial software will let me do that?

[grendel]

I've done some more digging in this forum and found an article written by vitualis about "Chaptering with Entrypoints." It mentions something about MPEG sequence headers and enabling a non-default setting in TMpgEnc called "Create bitstream for editing". Well, I've re-encoding a SVCD compiliant mpg with this setting on and still no dice with DVD Workshop or DVD MovieFactory. So, I'm wondering if the problem is

(a) I'm running trial versions off both ULead products and only the registered version will do what I want. If so, can someone validate this for me?
- or -
(b) Neither of these ULead products will do what I want and I need to find another one that will. It's a shame because VCDEasy and TSCV don't seem commercial grade (intuitive, user-friendly, etc.) from what I've read. Can someone recommend a third option?
- or -
(c) I still haven't encoded my file right. If so, can someone tell me how to encode correctly with TMpgEnc?

[grendel]

Yet, more research done on my end about this topic. It looks as if my problem could stem more from my encoding. I tried re-encoding via TMPGEnc to fix my MPEG sequence headers, however, the following thread (http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=104488&highlight=mpeg+sequence+header+mpeg2) implies that TMPGEnc may not do this right for MPEG-2 files.

Does someone know of an encoder that can fix MPEG sequence headers for MPEG-2 files?

On the flipside, I think there is a legitmate bug in DVD Workshop/Movie Factory because you cannot skip to different titles within Playback Simulation. The MPEG sequence headers problem could explain not being able to skip chapters/entrypoints within one title (individual file with chapters/entrypoints inserted in it). However, DVD Workshop/Movie Factory still has problems skipping to different titles (individual files representing seperate titles/chapters). Nero seems to handle this seamlessly although you only see this post-burn (Nero does not have a preview function). Unfortunately, Nero doesn't do chapters (single file with chapters/entry points). Can anyone explain this behavior?

[leebo]

Relating to your first question, you should be able to jump to diffeent chapter points in Workshops preview mode, I do it all the time.

2. Can tiltles or chapters be played continuously without returning back to the menu page?

Titles can, but not chapters. You need one of the very expensive authoring packages for that.

As far as the sequence header thing, thats kind of old news. Most encoders handle this just fine.
There is a link to a tool that supposedly can insert them into your mpegs in the tools section of this site.

Why not simply use Workshops own encoder if you think youre having problems with this?

[grendel]

At long last, someone else to talk to besides myself!! Leebo, are you talking about a DVD project or a SVCD/VCD project? Because although I couldn't get the correct skip previous/next title behavior for any project in Playback simulation, I'd be interested what kind of project you had seen this work in.

In a Workshop-post-burn SVCD playing back in a standalone player I still don't consistently get the right behavior. If I only play 2 seconds of a title and try to skip to previous/next title I get the menu. If I let the title play for about 10 seconds and try to skip to previous/next title, it has worked for me. I haven't truly verified a repeatable behavior. Really inconvenient behavior if this is the best Workshop can do.

My Nero-burned SVCD's always perform this behavior predictably and consistently. In Nero, I can skip to previous/next title without getting the menu. I only get the menu if I press stop, which is exactly what I expect.

[grendel]

Please, excuse me. I wanted to complete a thought I had before I prematurely sent my last reply.

I really like Workshop so I've considered authoring as much as I could in it. Then, going back to VCDEasy and re-inserting chapters. Big hassle, but with a very desirable outcome. Are there any other out-of-box packages that can author as easy (graphically and intuitively) as Workshop but do a better job of chaptering?

[leebo]

DVD.
I've only done one SVCD with Workshop, but didn't notice what you describe (you're now talking about it's behavior in your DVD player, right?).

[ahfairley]

leebo, how do you make a title play continuously? It sounds like it would be looping, right? I'd really like to be able to do this. I'm using DVD S 1.2 to author DVDs.

Thanks!

[leebo]

Are there any other out-of-box packages that can author as easy (graphically and intuitively) as Workshop but do a better job of chaptering?

Since I don't have a problem with Workshops chaptering, I can't answer that.
I like Roxio's VideoPack5, but it's both harder and more expensive. And it has it's own headaches.

[grendel]

Leebo, when I asked about projects I'm talking about the behavior in Workshop's Playback Simulation feature.

I then talk about the post-burn behavior of a Nero SVCD vs. a Workshop SVCD.

The point I'm making is I don't get predictable behavior either in simulation mode or in standalone player mode for a Workshop SVCD. However, Nero seems to do the job but without chapters.

BTW, I talked to ULead tech support today and they said the chapter support I want is only spec'd for DVD not SVCDs. But then, why can it be done VCDEasy? There has to be an all-in-one commerical grade software package that can do what I want Workshop and VCDEasy.

[leebo]

OK. Not to flame you, but this is to illistrate why I'm so confused.

Your original question:
"Two questions about playback of a SVCD or DVD project in DVD Workshop: "

when I asked about projects I'm talking about the behavior in Workshop's Playback Simulation feature.

So, we're talking about playback in similation mode?

"1. Can I skip forward and backward between entrypoints of chapters for a SVCD or DVD project? "

I have done this in both simulation mode and after burning to disc.

2. Can tiltles or chapters be played continuously without returning back to the menu page?

I have done this AFTER burning, but not during simulation, and ONLY with DVD, not SVCD.

As far as skipping between TITLES in simulation mode, no, I don't think I have tried that with Workshop.