Basic Authoring Question

[Trimegisto]

I ripped two movies and encoded each of then using DVD2SVCD but creating two MPEG2 files with AC3 sound. Each file has aprox. 2,3 Gb so I can fit but of them into a single DVD-R

Now I want to create a DVD with a basic menu just to select between movies.

I tried Sonic MyDVD 4.5, Ulead DVD Workshop, Nero Vision Express but they all try to reencode the files. Why?

I also have Scenarist 2.7 but when it starts I always get this messages:

Warning Quadrant or Sigma Design MPEG decoder is not present or the driver is not installed.
Warning Hardware decoding of video may not work.

And Scenarist never accepts any of my files so I'm nor able to do anything.

Question: What's the best way/tool to simply convert MPEG2 files to VOBs and IFOs?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[BJ_M]

contact Sonic Help and they can help you with the Scenarist issue (basicly not properly installed) .. In fact they reminded me to tell people to upgrade to latest version also ..v version 3 ..




the apps you mentioned prob. want to re-encode because you didnt encode a dvd compliant file in dvd2svcd ..

[Vejita-sama]

I suspect that you have 480x480 MPEG2 files which are not supported by the DVD standard. Another possibility is that those programs don't support/accept ac3 audio streams.

If you want to use DVD2SVCD to do the work for you, click the 'edit avisynth file' before encoding option, then erase the:

bicubicresize(480,480,0,0.6)

or

bicubicresize(480,360,0,0.6)
addborders(0,60,0,60)

lines. Just leave everything at 720x480, then flag as 4:3 or 16:9 when you author.

[BJ_M]

i think now there is a button for dvd output and you dont have to change anything (if you click the button) .... that is for the video only ..

the audio you are going to have to handle on yoru own ..

[Trimegisto]

Thanks for the tips but I am a newbie just in authoring... I know how to encode 720x576 full compliant MPEG2 files.

The problem might be in the AC3 sound... But why?

Lack of support in these apps?

Strange...

[AarontheRipper]

Well, I can't be sure, but many authoring programs don't like AC3 audio. Also, I hate to suggest another program, but TMPGEnc DVD Author has a fully functional trial and is very easy to use. I've put several clips together to put on a DVD and they all had AC3 audio. The menu function doesn't have a lot of flexibility, but for what you want to do, it should work just fine.

[BJ_M]

Scenarist not only supports ac3 sound but some of the packages comes with an encoder for it ..

[chinoman]

Trimegisto,

FWIW, have you tried putting your 2nd movie in another MyDVD menu page. In other words, 2 submenu buttons in the main menu, each leads to single movie.

I have MyDVD 4.0. Though success in the end, I spent over 2 weeks compiling the musical segments from all the Disney animation DVD's that I own onto a new disc for my 2 year old, with all the DD 5.1 intact. The workaround is really tedious.

I used DVDShrink to rip, Womble to edit, and MyDVD to author the DD 5.1 mpeg files.

A few days ago I discovered TMPGEnc DVD Author, trial version of which seems to do all I need, and the price of $70 is much more tolerable for me.

[Drakng]

Trimigisto... since you said you are a newbie, I shall recommend the easy and simplist way out for you.

Step 1. Use TMPG to encode your video to mpeg2 (how to.. see the guide in this forum) Select LPCM audio.. you end up with m2v file and wav file.

step 2. Use besweet to convert your wav to ac3.

step 3. Use TMPGDVD Author to author, it will accept ac3

Adding multiple file..

Use the latest version.. it allows you to edit the menu. Click create project.. add the 1st file
Then in the left columm ..click add new track.. just add your next video file. Remember to click add new track every time you want to add a new file.

Next .. go to the menu tab .. click the edit tab, then click..create new menu theme.. select the same number of button layout as your file e'g 3
you get 3 button showing 3 separate movie..the rest should be more or less the same as you use any authoring program. Play around. it's a very versatile program for newbies


PS Pardon my bad english!!
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It's fun sharing.. isn't it

[Trimegisto]

Thanks drakng.

I'm newbie just for the authoring part. I've ripped lots of movies to SVCD and to DVD with all the tools of the trade.

Now I'm using DVD2SVCD but in DVD2DVD mode with CCE and it works really great!

I don't know if the problem was with the AC3 audio or with using VBR for the encoding...

Anyway I solved it using DVDLab and demuxing the files before the DVD creation.

Cheers!

[Vejita-sama]

Wait a sec, were you muxing a m2v + ac3 file to mpg? IF so that that's a problem. VOB files are MPEG2 muxed to the DVD standard, a MPG file should only have mp2 audio, (not mp3, or wav even thou you can generate this they are non-standard so you can't predict how programs will handle them).

Hence, most DVD authoring programs only accept elementary streams. If you author everything from elementary streams you'll be fine.