CaptyDVD Tutorial needed!

[g4jedi]

OK! Here's the situation. I have several AVI's and MPG's that I've downloaded off the net and I want to put them on DVD. I've successfully created two DVDs with CaptyDVD. One went real quick and the other took hours. I assume it's because it was re-encoding the videos. I know there is a way to prepare movies before bringing them into CaptyDVD. I have read through some of the stuff here. The problem is the files sometimes won't work in ffmpegX... the terminal gives an error etc. It's like there are twenty different ways to skin a cat with this stuff! For example, I have one 55MB AVI file that I have converted to an MPG that looks and sounds perfect when played in VLC, however, CaptyDVD re-encodes the movie and it looks like crap when it's played on the final DVD. It's all blocky. It'll clear up for a second or two, then it goes back to blocky.

Basically, I need a good tutorial on preparing these MPG's and AVI's for CaptyDVD so that it won't re-encode them. Information such as what video data rate and audio data rate, resolution (not stretched), what program(s) to use etc, would be VERY helpful. I know it's best to go with 29.97 fps, 640x480, 48Khz audio. But, beyond that things are not clear.

I know this is probably a lot to ask. And I know that some AVI's and MPG's downloaded off the net just won't work no matter how hard I try. And believe me, I have tried.

Any help would be awesome!

[kamikaze]

There are a few specs by which DVDs run by. I'm not exactly sure, but there was a post on here a while back that listed all of the supported resolutions/frame rates for DVDs. Typically, if you're in North America, and all of your equipment is NTSC, don't use any of the PAL specs.

As for captyDVD, anything should be fair game as long as it's encoded in MPEG-2. I'm not sure if captyDVD supports VCD resolution on a DVD ( I know you can encode MPEG-1 a-la VCD and use it on DVD ), but it will undoubtedly support MPEG-2. It may not like the file to be muxed, which means when you encode it to MPEG-2, you'll want to keep it de-muxed, or de-mux it after.
I think there's an option in FFMPEG-X called "keep elementary streams"...that will give you the un-muxed file.

If your source video files do not conform to DVD spec, you'll have to make sure they do. As long as you use quicktime's encoder, it will auto-sync the video and audio if you should have to change the frame rate. There is an option in FFMPEG-X that lets you pick the encoder, and you should make sure it's set for "quicktime".

So that's pretty much the jist of it. Aside from having to make menus, etc, etc, if you follow those steps to making sure your source video files are encoded properly, your projects should go smooth as silk.

[dcsos]

G4jedi, if you use your published settings, your MPEG will be re-encoded because you say

I know it's best to go with 29.97 fps, 640x480, 48Khz audio. But, beyond that things are not clear.

WRONG ..from DVD DEMYSTIFIED

There are three differences between discs intended for playback on different TV systems: picture dimensions and pixel aspect ratio (720x480 vs. 720x576), display frame rate (29.97 vs. 25), and surround audio options (Dolby Digital vs. MPEG audio).

please look here for specs
http://dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

[g4jedi]

Capty DVD doesn't support MPEG 2 video files. I have tried. It says unsupported file format. It seems to only like mpeg 1 files, quicktime, or AVI. This guy Brett was helping me out in this post:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=169128

I'm really looking to make these files right BEFORE bringing them into CaptyDVD so that it doesn't re-encode them taking hours just to have crappy looking video.

It's probably no secret that the files I'm working with are downloaded pron files from the net consisting of MPEGs and AVIs. Although, there are some other music videos I want to dump on DVD as well. The problem is, demuxing will work with one file but not another in ffmpegX or mmt. I then use bbdemux.

I guess what I'm getting at here is, what should the file be BEFORE bringing it into CaptyDVD. What's the secret? I did it once and CaptyDVD didn't re-encode and the quality was great. The second time, CaptyDVD took forever, but the quality was fine. I'm now on my third CaptyDVD project and I have two more clips I'd like to add, but no matter what I do, CaptyDVD re-encodes the video (slow) and the end result for those two clips look like crap. Specs for the Bit rate, resolution, fps, audio format and khz, mpeg compression etc would be extremely helpful here. The proceedure will most likely vary from clip to clip, but I have all kinds of tools. I have bbDemux, ffmpegX, forty2, cleaner 6, mmt, mmmt, CaptyDVD, iDVD and maybe a few others.

[dcsos]

g4jedi, it does seem to be a secret!
but it does state clearly on the PIXELA PRESS RELEASE

Compatible sources: MPEG-1/2, QuickTime movies, still pictures supported by QuickTime

http://www.pixela.co.jp/en/news/2002/020710b.html

and a lively discussion of what it can and can't do here

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/Pixela_PixeDV_CaptyDVD.html
keep us posted

[g4jedi]

Yeah, I saw that it clearly states MPEG 2 support. But I tell ya, every MPEG 2 I've tried to import, CaptyDVD says it's not a supported format. I'll hunt through the XLR8 pages and see if I can find the hidden treasure.

[g4jedi]

No news on the XLR8 pages. Back to square 1!

[bilestyle]

i've imported mpeg-2 files into captydvd no problem b4.. 720x480 4:3 29.97 48 khz audio.. worked fine... it wont accept SVCD files, but if its properly created dvd ready mpeg-2 file (muxed) it will work

[brett]

ditto bilestyle -- capty imports muxed mpeg2s at the spec he lists (if not at all dvd specs -- dunno, i haven't tried anything but 720x480 etc) just fine. in fact, it will not reencode such a file, which is the key.

make sure your muxed mpeg2 (i use .mp2 audio @ 192 kbs 48khz, btw) is actually at the specs bilestyle lists.

i love capty.

now, can we just find an english localization for pixedv or (found this recently) "capty mpeg cutter" (the last one has a mucho cool interface). no, i don't want to buy the ads usb instant dvd.

[g4jedi]

Now... how to convert an mpeg1 to mpeg2....

Sheesh what a pain in the ass!

I have this one mpeg1 file that just won't do anything. It won't demux or convert with any app. Quicktime can play it VLC can't. Quicktime can't even export the video track.

Anyway... enough of messing with that file. I'll try another clip using the specs mentioned above.

What is the best app to convert the mpeg1's or avi's into an mpeg2 that CaptyDVD likes?

In a perfect world someone would make an app like CaptyDVD that would allow one to just drag any video file format into it and it would make a simple DVD!

[MichaelLAX]

CaptyDVD has worked wonders for me. I use it for MPEG-1 and 2 files created by ADS' Instant DVD for Mac. I have created 6+ hour DVDs with MPEG-1 files.

I have also used it for MPEG-2 files created by ReplayTV.

Obviously it has issues with the files that you are using.

If you purchased it as a standalone package, get a refund.

[g4jedi]

I think I'm onto something... although SOME downloaded MPEG files just won't work (errors in the demuxing phase)... ...last night I had great success doing this:

1. Use bbDEMUX to demux the file (it seems to work the best)
2. Use MMMT to convert the .m1a file to a 48Khz .WAV
3. Use MMMT to convert that 48Khz WAV to an MP2
4. Use ffmpegX tools and select the .m1v and the MP2 and Mux as and MPEG2 file.

The above process is fairly quick too. The longest process was converting the audio. The two files I did came into CaptyDVD just fine and I don't even think it had to reencode the clips. It did something to them, but the progress bars moved very quickly on the two clips then it went ahead and made the menus and the VIDEO_TS folder. The DVD played just fine in my player. I'll keep using the above process and keep everyone posted. Maybe I can find a way to fix the problem files too (those that play fine in QT or VLC that is).