DVD Build Problem (bit rate issue)

[vfx_man]

Hey all...

I'm using Premiere Pro and DVD Encore to make a home video dvd... combination video and still pictures. I exported my movie using "Adobe Media Encoder" using the maximum settings for NTSC...

"High quality, VBR transcoding of DV content (max bit rate = 9), PCM 48 kHz"

Target bit rate is 7.0, max = 9.0, and min = 1.5

The mpeg renders fine with no errors. However, when I try to author the movie using Encore, it builds the dvd fine (no transcoding needed), but the burn FAILS.

The error message I get is that the bit rate at such and such a time is too high for the dvd???

Now I figured out that the point in the timeline where the bit rate is supposedly too high is at my animating stills portion of the movie. (These stills are higher resolution than 720x480, but that shouldn't matter.) Has anyone ever encountered this error before? I can't figure out what is causing this. As I understand, I don't think I've done anything wrong... quite confused.

Regards,

vfx

[vfx_man]

I just tried exporting my timeline directly to dvd from Premiere Pro and I got this error message once it tried to burn the dvd...

"Could not complete last command because data exceeded multiplexable bit rate (DVDErr, -20404) PGC Info: name = movie, ref = Apgc, time = 304.888"

Anyone have any ideas what's going on here? Either with regardless to this error or the one directly above that I posted.

Regards,

vfx

[FulciLives]

If you use PCM audio you shouldn't go over 8000kbps for the VIDEO. If you use AC-3 audio then you can push the video bitrate over 8000kbps but even then I wouldn't advise it.

Also most people seem to disagree with me on this next thing but I usually set my MIN at 2000kbps and if my AVG is higher than 6000kbps then I usually set the MIN at 2500kbps.

But really the problem you are having right now is that your MAX bitrate is over 8000kbps which is WAY too much ESPECIALLY when using PCM audio.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[vfx_man]

Thanks for the reply FulciLives, I will keep that info in mind.

However, I just did a couple mini-burn tests and here are the results. First, I rendered out a short 20 sec mpeg using Adobe Media Encoder and authored that to dvd. Total success with no errors. Then I went to the section of my video that is just using high res stills (no video clips) and rendered that out, and authored it as well. I expected a fail here, but alas, success. Then I took both of those test mpegs and authored them with a simple dvd menu and burned that - again success.

So now I am really perplexed. I understand your PCM audio comment, but why would a short clip render work, and the longer full one not?? For these test burns I was using the exact same mpeg and burn settings as I noted above. The only other thing I can think of is would my available ram contribute to the problem in any way. I'm only working with 512Mb total. But I guess that's not it. I will try authoring with a smaller max bit rate as you suggested.

Regards,

vfx

[FulciLives]

My understanding is that VBR encoding gets "screwy" if you encode really short clips ... so maybe the MAX was never hit. You should always use CBR for short test clips.

As for the MAX bitrate of a DVD most say it is 9800kbps but I've heard some people say it is as low as 9570kbps

The bitrate is made of of the VIDEO and AUDIO and even subtitle streams add to the bitrate (though how much I'm not certain).

Anyways 8000kbps video and PCM audio (which is 1536kbps) add up to 9536kbps which is right near that DVD bitrate limit.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[vfx_man]

Thanks FulciLives for those further notes....

What you say about the video and audio adding together to combine into a total bit rate makes sense. I will definitely set my max to 8.0 the next time I author this whole project. Funny how these details don't seem to be dictated in the software application - you gotta talk to guys like you to get the info. But that's alright. Sincerely appreciate your help. I'll write another reply in this post to let you know what my final outcome is.

Thanks,

vfx

[FulciLives]

TMPGEnc Plus is a software encoder that limits the VIDEO bitrate to 8000kbps when you are in "DVD" mode. You can't set it higher even if you wanted too.

But it seems most other software MPEG-2 encoders don't have this limitation.

So in short I'm sure that you aren't the only one unaware of the bitrate limit.

Good luck on your project

- John "FulciLives" Coleman