Adding menus to DVD+RW possible?

[derekj212]

I am creating DVD+RWs using my Philips DVDR985 and so far its doing a great job, however, I would like to change the menus and to add chapter menus with index pictures. I brought the DVD+VR disc into NeoDVDplus 4.0 and it did let me edit the main menu with all the titles, which was great, but it disallowed me from either adding chapters or adding chapter menus. Is there any other software that is reasonably priced to do this with? Or am I just stuck with the menus the Philips creates?

Derek

[derekj212]

Anyone know?

[FulciLives]

Hello

I could be wrong but to the best of my knowledge the only way to get custom menus with this format is to re-encode it to a DVD compliant mpeg2 file using a software mpeg2 encoder such as TMPGEnc or CCE. Then just about any authoring program (I use Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2 which has an MSRP of $50 USD) can read that file and then you can do whatever that authoring program allows ... custom menus, custom chapter points, etc. Then when you are done you have to burn it to your computer's DVD burner.

The only format that you can import into a computer and make custom menus and chapter points WITHOUT re-encoding is DVD-RAM but the only stand alone DVD recorders that support that format are the Panasonic line of recorders, the newest models being the DMR-E50, DMR-E60 and the forthcomming (sometime in July) DMR-E80 which is unique in that it has a built-in 80GB HDD that you can record to, edit on (if you wish) and then burn to either DVD-R or DVD-RAM.

Even with DVD-RAM you must still create another DVD using the computer's burner. You can't just do it ON the DVD-RAM but at least you can import a DVD-RAM file and do it without needing to re-encode it. As you know the problem with software encoding/re-encoding is that it is VERY slow. Also everytime you re-encode there is a loss in quality.

I would like to point out that I don't have a Philips recorder but I've done much research on this and based on what I found out the DVD-RAM format is the one to use if you need to or like to create a custom menu, chapter points, etc.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[derekj212]

Anyone more optimistic?

[drewson99]

if you are talking about a DVD made with a DVD "Recorder" - as opposed to "burner" I would say you could prolly do it by making a new VIDEO_TS.VOB and use IFOEdit to make your new disc, just take the numbered VOBs from the original with smartripper and add your new menu.

just speculating here, never done it.

Andy

[FulciLives]

Hello

drewson99 has an interesting idea.
I don't know if this would work with a normal DVD Video structured disc or not but the DVD+RW uses a different format altogether. It doesn't have VOB files etc. like a normal DVD or DVD-R disc.

I could rub it in and say this is yet another reason the DVD+R/W format is an abombination of the DVD format and not to be used ... but I wouldn't say all that to someone who probably spent $600 + dollars on a half-assed worthless "DVD" recorder. Would make me cry if I was that person. In fact if I was that person I'd probably try to get rid of that unit on eBay and buy me something else ... like a Panasonic DVD recorder.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[andkiich]

Fulci,

i'm confused, how is the DVD+RW being used as a DVD-video disc any different in "format"(if I'm understanding you correctly, I think you mean folders and file types), than a DVD+R or -R.

I'm not being a smart ass, I just honestly did not know that there was a difference and am curious to understand the difference.

[jtoolman2000]

I own a Phillips DVD Recorder as well and unfortunately the menus it creates between recording sessions is all you get. I do have both the Phillips and Panasonic machines. I preffer the Phillips. It finalizes the disks much faster but it is locked to + disks. The Panasonic uses - disks. The debate is huge about wichone is better + or -. I have no idea but I have NOT come accross a standalone that won't play any of the disks I produce. I own and use 7 different DVD players and they all have no problem playing them.

Now I'll tell you how I go about putting a simple interactive menu on some of the videos I've put on DVD+R with the phillips.

I produce and sell instructional Metalworking videos that I sell through a distributor. I had sinply been burning them on the Phillips or Panasonic from DVD Masters I had made directly from DV on the recorders. They just open directly into the presentation.

It was suggested that I would insert some menus so the viewers could go back to specific scenes or parts of the video.

The easiest method I've come up with is to import into either Ulead DVD factory 2.O or TMPGEnc Author. Either one will Import directly from the Phillips or Panasonic recorded disks transform them into MPG2 video files.
It can so that because they are not copy protected. The amazing part is that as you well know, these recorders with allow you to put up to 4 hours of video on one disk ( at lower that optimal quality of course ) So when you import to MPG2 with TMPGEnc Author the 4 hour file ends up the same size as the one made by the recorders. If it fit on to the DVD+R then it ends up as an MPG2 just under 4.38 Gigs. It takes about 35 minutes to import the dvd. Then you manually set your chapters and then you pick one of the many menu template and the chapters you generated are automatically applied on to the menus. You them name each menu and chapter. Onces that's done you create the AUDIO and VIDEO_TS folders and burn to DVD with Nero or any other Burner. WOrks great and the menus work flawlessly. You can also choose whether to let the movie begin or to start directly with the menu. Basically it is a three step process.
Give it a try. I have converted all my instructional videos and stored the AUDIO and VIDEO_TS folders in their own individual folders on an external storage drive. I burn my final disk directly from the drive at 4 x.
I can knock off about 4 dvds/hour.
Hope this helped.

[derekj212]

My only problem is that I bought a Philips recorder because I had too many audio problems during encoding MPEGs, once I import this DVD and convert to MPEG, wont I have the same audio sync problems due to my sound card. (Turtle Beach Santa Cruz)?

Thank you VERY much for your input though!

Derek

[derekj212]

After importing into Uleads it says it does not support AC3 audio and only imports the video, how can i get around this?

Derek

[FulciLives]

After importing into Uleads it says it does not support AC3 audio and only imports the video, how can i get around this?

Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2 does not support AC-3 sound ... HOWEVER ... it will pass the AC-3 sound to the final burned DVD recordable. So you can ignore the audio error message.

BUT ... you can only use MF2 to do menu(s) and chapter points. You can't use it to edit or it will screw up the AC-3 sound. Also the video you are inputting must be mpeg2 compliant and you must check the "do not convert compliant video" option. If it tries to re-encode the video I'm 99% sure it will also screw up the AC-3 sound.

Please note that you will not have any sound in MF2 when you do any previews but as I said it will pass it along to the final DVD recordable as long as you meet the prooper requirements (don't edit ... don't re-encode).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

This works when you import a DVD-RAM VRO file. It also works when you import your own created mpeg2 compliant video that has AC-3 audio muxed in with it. I don't think it works importing a DVD+RW source since that source, to the best of my knowledge, will be re-encoded if you are trying to create a final DVD-R or DVD+R

[derekj212]

Thanks a lot..

My next question is before I spend the time using MF2, by editing, does that include choosing chapter points, customizing menus and choosing start and end points in each title?

Derek

[FulciLives]

Thanks a lot..

My next question is before I spend the time using MF2, by editing, does that include choosing chapter points, customizing menus and choosing start and end points in each title?

Creating a menu and chapter points and a chapter menu is not considered editing. Editing would be actually telling it to cut this or only inlude that etc. For instance you can't cut commecials out (from a TV recording) but a way around it is to put a chapter point at the END of the commericials just before the TV programe starts again. This way when you are watching the DVD and the commericials start you can hit NEXT on your remote and skip the commercials.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman