Sizzle problems

[sangren]

I have attempted to create a DVD using the latest version of Sizzle, which looks like it should work rather nicely. Unfortunately, I put together a beautiful disc and when i attempted to make a disc image, it makes an image and then nothing plays. I am using mpeg-1 video and AC3 audio, but that doesn't seem to be the problem. I tried using the same basic files w/o menu in a previous version of Sizzle and everything came out fine. Can anyone offer suggestions on a simple, easy to use piece of software that could provide the same functions as this new Sizzle version.. or explain to me what I can do so that Sizzle works. Thanks!

[terryj]

Sizzle 0.5 has many bugs. I've reported the ones I found
( unable to make more than two chapter menus,
unable to make more than 8 chapter buttons, etc.)
to the author.
You should do the same.
For now, stick with Sizzle 0.1

[Pix]

Hi Sangren, I have the same problem as you have : unable to create a DVD that works (3 chapter, each one VCD with 48000 hz sound, that should be compatible). At least, now we know that comes from the software, not from our files. Let's wait an update of Sizzle and encourage the authors to keep on working on that very promising (still free) software...

[Dunnyman]

Where can the earlier version of Sizzle be downloaded from? The Author's website only lists the current?

[galactica]

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/17331

under SELECT SIZZLE VERSION, choose something other than the highest (must up to date one)

[qshartle]

That doesnt work, it just downloads 5b1.




Q

[schwinn]

Yep, versiontracker lists all the versions of Sizzle but links to the .5 version when you try to download. The author has removed older versions from his web page. A google search gave me 25 pages of links to look through. Only the first 16 or so pages were Sizzle links. Digging though nearly every link went to the authors page which only has version .5 Kept looking and came up with version .2 from a german site but an english version. (no one mentions version .2 buggy?? who knows) I did also get a .1 version in french and a .1 version from a japanese site much smaller app then the french version haven't opened yet to see what I have. So version .2 ok anyone? Link to version .1 ? Sizzle .5 always crashes at some point on my machine. later Schwinn

[galactica]

I've emailed the author asking for a link.
We will see what happens.

[galactica]

http://thegoods.ath.cx/~hmason/sizzle/sizzle0.1.dmg

there ya go!

[schwinn]

Thanks a lot! I'll give it a try next time I'm authoring a DVD.(though I'm a fan of Capty DVD since it works so well on my machine ) I've got one now to do but have to clear the hard drive to make room. I'll also check out the .2 version to see what it looks like.

[galactica]

Sizzle co. seems eager to get v.5 working.
Hopefully they get it working, i tried it several time (seems to have lots of potential) but could never get it to work without suddenly quitting on me.

its the right step towards a great app!

[schwinn]

Sizzle co. seems eager to get v.5 working.
Hopefully they get it working, i tried it several time (seems to have lots of potential) but could never get it to work without suddenly quitting on me.

its the right step towards a great app!

I hadn't realized others were also having the same problems with version .5 . I agree the app looks like it will be great if it worked!

[galactica]

Me either, until i tried to do the same thing in .5 that i was doing it .1.
im sure they will fix it shortly, i emailed them about the problems I was having. Perhaps if others do they will be more aware....

[bullitB]

Me either, until i tried to do the same thing in .5 that i was doing it .1.
im sure they will fix it shortly, i emailed them about the problems I was having. Perhaps if others do they will be more aware....

No, no, please! There is no "them;" I'm the only developer.

I know that Sizzle has really serious bugs at the moment. I've been sorta side-tracked by some real-life stuff, but I hope to get back to work on 0.5b2 Real Soon Now. Redundant bug reports really won't help me, they'll just slow me down. (I have a policy of answering most/all bug reports)

So, I'm plenty aware. Sorry about all the problems.

[schwinn]

"No, no, please! There is no "them;" I'm the only developer.

I know that Sizzle has really serious bugs at the moment. I've been sorta side-tracked by some real-life stuff, but I hope to get back to work on 0.5b2 Real Soon Now. Redundant bug reports really won't help me, they'll just slow me down. (I have a policy of answering most/all bug reports)

So, I'm plenty aware. Sorry about all the problems.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I look forward to you having time to work on Sizzle. In the mean time do you recommend people use version .1 or the .2 version I found on the web? (for those that can't use .5)


*Edited so that the quote appears as it should. Galactica

[llee782]

I'm surprised to see that others are having so many problems with the latest version of Sizzle. I've been quite successful with it. I've only really used it one way, though, and that is to make a DVD image from a single pair of m2v and mp2 files, up to about 2 hours in length which I created by concatenating iDVD 90 minute mode output of 2 m2v's and 2 aif's (encoded with mp2enc).

I've only created 2 menus, a title menu and a chapter menu with up to 8 chapters and a single button linking back to the title menu. The title menu has one button with the default action (Resume Movie) and another button linking it to the chapter menu. I use MPEG Append to join the m2v's and Quicktime Pro to join the aif's before encoding them. My basic method is described here, always using the shortcuts mentioned in step 6. I've used a background picture in each menu, but haven't tried adding audio to the menus. Althouth this method includes details for the previous version of Sizzle, it works well for me with .5.

I have used this formula successfully several times. Occasionally I ran into problems, but things started working better after I deleted the Sizzle preferences a couple of times. It was a little hard to ignore the progress bar but when I was patient enough, everything worked out OK. You really have to have plenty of hard drive space though, Sizzle won't warn you if you don't have enough. I ordered a new drive today, because I digitized a movie last weekend and had to delete my iMovie source files to make room for the DVD authoring, and after everything was done, I discovered that I must have accidentally clicked that audio check box in the timeline, disabling the audio before exporting to iDVD. That's happened to me before. I thought I had double checked but apparently missed it in the first pass and the setting remained for the second pass. I hate it when that happens.

[galactica]

No, no, please! There is no "them;" I'm the only developer.
.

My apologies. I give you credit for being a "sole" developer on such a fine app. Im sure we will all eagerly await the update. It seems a really popular app these days...

[Dunnyman]

Okay, I finally got the older version of Sizzle, followed your tutorial, but is 45 minutes plus for generating track files on a 2+ hour DVD normal?
Thanks again Galactica for all the help!
Major Props!

[galactica]

well on a 350 G4 it may take that long, if not longer.

I have dual 1.25 G4 and the last time I did full 2 hour .mpeg to dvd it took only about 45 min (if memory serves)


Just did a 2 min clip - took 12 seconds to make the image.
so 2 hour clip is 120 min x 12 seconds/1min - 1440 seconds which is 24 min (seems fast, but this is the math and assuming each clip is 2 min which they are not)

Id let it go.... if it goes more than say OVERNIGHT! then perhaps something is wrong.

[Dunnyman]

Okay, tried a multi chapter file, stuck on 88%, crashed the app, tried a different disc setup, got 67%, crashed the app, tried a different set of files except one, crashed again, finally tried it with COMPLETELY different files, worked fine!!! Made a disc image in about 15 minutes for a flick slightly over 1 gig in size as an MPEG!!!! This si the way to go, no two ways about, when .5 gets this easy to use as far as menus and such, fine, but until then, this WORKS!!!! YEEHA!
Thanks!
You rock!
All Hail Galactica, Moderator Supreme!!!

[galactica]

glad it worked for you!


now to just get it so that it doesnt crash so often during your progress, but hopefully you learned a great deal!

[Dunnyman]

Actually have done 5 more, all just fine, apparently one of my original files has issues... Quick, clean, easy, how much more can we ask for?
Thanks Henry, for creating such a smooth app! Also nice to see that the DVD image is right about the size of my original MPEG's, whereas the highly touted Toast makes every DVD 5+ gigs!!!

[galactica]

yea thats one problem with the new toast... the files get converted much larger then they "really" need to be