Adding chapters to MPEG files made from AVI's

[mynameise]

Ok, I use videowave4 to convert my AVI files over to MPEG-1 so I can burn them onto DVD's. This has been very successful minus a few small problems. I would like to take my newly made MPEG-1 files and make chapters out of them so I can add a chapters menu on the DVD and be able to skip to certain parts of the video. Do I need to use some sort of an MPEG cutter or is there a program that will chapter the video for me without having to split the MPEG? Could someone please let me know what programs to use for this or if there is a guide to help me through this process?

Also, if anyone is familiar with VideoWave4, please let me know if you can tell me how to rip the AVI to an MPEG-1 and keep the widescreen format. For some reason, it is dumping the widescreen and converting everything to fullscreen. Thanks.

[bugster]

You need to import your mpeg into a DVD authoring program and add chapters using that. No cutting necessary.

BTW, make sure your mpeg is DVD compliant. Mpeg-1 is only valid for DVD if it is 352*240/288 at 29.97 or 25fps (NTSC/PAL). Take a look here for the details.

[coyote]

You may also want to convert to mpeg2 instead of mpeg1. Mpeg2 will have better quality (720x480 if you are ntsc). You can use a program such as tmpgenc to do this.

It also has an option to keep the proportions of the original, so if you have a widescreen avi, you can make a dvd compliant mpeg, full screen, with the letterboxing for the movie.

[mynameise]

Are you saying you can't keep the widescreen format for an MPEG-1? I like MPEG-1 because it keeps the filesize down and allows me more video per DVD. MPEG-2 is just too large. I have TMPGEnc but I prefer videowave4 because of it's editing options. NTSC is the american standard correct?

[bugster]

Are you saying you can't keep the widescreen format for an MPEG-1? I like MPEG-1 because it keeps the filesize down and allows me more video per DVD. MPEG-2 is just too large.

Well you obviously don't properly understand Mpeg encoding I'm afraid. The compression schemes used by mpeg-1 and 2 are essentially the same. The main differences are that mpeg-2 supports higher bitrates and resolutions, interlacing and 3:2 pulldown (check the glossary on this site if you don't understand any of these terms).

The size of an mpeg file (1 or 2) is dependant on only 2 factors. These are the bitrate (Average if VBR) and the playing time. Nothing else matters. An Mpeg-2 at 2000kbps will be exactly the same size as an mpeg-1 at 2000kbps. As for widescreen, they both support it. Keeping a widescreen source widescreen when encoded is just a matter of using the correct encoder settings. In fact the Display Aspect Ratio (DAR) is simply a flag inserted in the mpeg video. Not all PC players interpret this flag correctly, but any standalone will.

[Vejita-sama]

Anamorphic DVDs have to be MPEG2 720x480/576. There is some debate as to if the DVD standard supports MPEG1 video at resolutions other than 352x240. My reading is that MPEG1 video is supported at all legal resolution: 720x480, 704x480, 352x480, 352x240.

There is a max supported bitrate for MPEG1 video on DVD thou. I forget what it is but it's less than 400kbit/s (anyone recall).

MPEG2 video also supports: interlaced source, selectable subpictures (full menus or subtitles), mutliple audio streams, multiple angles, etc. etc. So as stated it's not that MPEG2 has better compression or looks that much better, so much as it supports more features than MPEG1.

[bugster]

There is a max supported bitrate for MPEG1 video on DVD thou. I forget what it is but it's less than 400kbit/s (anyone recall).

.

Actually I think its about 1850Kbs. See here