DVD-Lab--> no sound; run-time error; Demux mpgs- PCM audi

[ewingr]

I just downloaded the 30 Day Trial of DVD-Lab.

It appears to work with MPGS fast.

However, after just a small amount of working with it, this is my experience:

I followed the tutorial Quick Start. Create a single move; did not demux, used the MPGs as they were. It created a DVD directory, but there is no sound.

I added another movie to it, and tried to create again, and it ran for about 60% of the movie, and gave me a run-time error.

So, I started fresh, de-muxed a DVD, and the audio ended up in PCM files. When I tried to play them, the program said "You have no app associated with PCM files". Not sure what that's all about. More to learn every day .

But, after only 1 hour and already getting a run-time error, I'm want to be impressed. However, the program does look promising.

FYI...the mpgs I am using to test with were created with Adobe 6.5.; Variable; 7000 max, 2500 min, 5000 avg.

If anyone has anything to offer...please do.

[mastersmurfie]

what version of DVDLab did you d/l?

I had the same probs with the newest version (at the time was 1.2.2b)...went back to 1.2 and no problems since...

[mastersmurfie]

also...kind of an afterthought...try "not" demuxing your MPGs if they are DVD compliant...this might work also...

[ewingr]

I presume it is the latest version, as I downloaded it from their site.

On NOT demuxing...if you take a quick re-read of my post, you'll notice that was the first thing I did was make a movie w/o demuxing. Thanks for the reply though. With regard to "DVD compliant"...strictly speaking, they aren't as DVD compliant does not use MPEG. But I have made DVDs from them sith DVDWS.

[dominic01]

I am also having few other problems with DVD-Lab. My DVD Audio is missing after sometime. I tried on 3 to 5 different MPEG2 files.

If I demux my MPEG2, I am getting huge audion sync problem.

Dominic

[Jeff Muller]

Check that your audio os 48 kHz.

Other than that... beats me.

[mkelley]

If you're using the MainConcept encoder in Adobe 6.5 the PCM it produces is not DVD compliant -- trust me, this issue has come up more than once.

Other DVD authoring programs will reencode audio -- but DVDLab will not. So this doesn't become a problem there.

Your best bet is to reencode into AC3 (which DVDLab likes a lot) using BeSweet and the guides on this very forum. I use AC3 strictly with DVDLab -- much more efficent at the same audio quality. Try it -- you'll never go back.

(You can also convert your PCM into a more compliant version, but as long as you're converting you might as well compress to AC3).

[andkiich]

I thought DVD-Lab has an audio transcode function built in? Give that a try on the audio and see if that helps.

[ewingr]

Well, I went back into DVD-Lab, and selected the PCM file, and found the transcode function. I tried it on 3 different ones.

On the first one I tried, it gave me an error "Can't access file. Check to see if it is in use".

On the second one, it appeared to transcode it...VERY FAST. Not...what I got was a 1/4 second click noise and nothing else.

On the third one, same Can't Access error.

So, it may be that either:
A.) The PCM file extracted from the MPEGs that Adobe wrote, and were extracted to PCM files by DVD-Lab are very screwed up and cannot be salvaged.
or
B.) As MKELLY says, DVD-Lab cannot transcode, even though the options are in the program.

All this being said...forgetting about having anything...and wanting to author with Adobe...what is the recommendation of the full path to the DVD, starting from scratch?

One option:
1.) Capture Movie to AVI
2. ) Edit in Adobe
3.) Encode to MPEG w/TMPGENC (very DARNED slow!!!)
A.) Separate Audio/Video Files (But I read an awful lot on this forum about people fighting audio/video synch problems...I bet that will be my next problem if I do this)
4.) Load into DVD-Lab, Author and burn
(Not much experience with this method yet, so I fear the potential synch problems, and already seeing issues with DVD-Lab...so I don't have much faith in it yet)

Next Option:
1.) Capture Movie to AVI
2.) Edit in Adobe
3.) Send to another AVI (Large Files)
4.) Edit in DVDWS and Burn
(This method works for me...but I have disk space to fight)

Third Option:
1.) Ditto
2.) Ditto
3.) Frame Serve to TMPGENC, MUXED
4.) Uh...I dunno What do you suggest?

Sigh...seems like nothing reall works consistently.

[mkelley]

No, just do what I suggested -- encode to AC3. Everything will work great in DVDLab then.

Here's the workflow:

1) Capture as DV-AVI
2) Edit in Premiere
3) Export from Premiere using MainConcept encoder as elemental streams
4) Take resultant wave and convert to AC3 (takes only minutes)
5) Bring assets into DVDLab and author

Works great, is fast and the results are perfect (indistinguisable from the DV source) as long as you use the high preset in MainConcept (you can get good results using the medium preset for VHS captures and assorted stuff).

AC3 is definitely the way to go -- it's no coincidence this is the audio format of choice on commercial DVDs.

[ewingr]

MKELLY

Thanks for your response and detail. I'm learning the lingo

But to be sure, I interpret

3) Export from Premiere using MainConcept encoder as elemental streams

to mean to separate the video from the audio. In Adobe, that means Don't Multiplex, if I remember correctly. I don't remember seeing "elemental streams" mentioned there (don't have it available at the moment to look at.)

I take it your'e a fan of DVD-Labs. I don't recollect if it was you or someone else that pointed me to that (another thread). It looks pretty interesting, although I'm a little disappointed in the limited font/text capability, compared to DVDWS.

[mkelley]

Roger,

Yes, don't multiplex -- I don't have Premiere in front of me right now so I can't tell you the exact settings, but if you can't figure it out drop me a line (or post here again) and I'll walk you through it (after you change it it will remain the default in MainConcept, which is why I can't remember how to change it :>)

DVDLab is a pretty terrific program for the money -- nothing comes close. You can use any font you have installed in Windows, but I'm assuming you're referring to some kind of font altering ability (like kerning, or text along a path, or other kind of distortion) you can do elsewhere. If I have need for these specialized things I do them in Illustrator or Photoshop and import them in -- DVDLab's philosophy in general is to provide a tool that brings together your resources, not to create them for you in the first place. I tend to agree with that.