DVD-Lab won't create .IFO files!! (Yes, I've searched....)

[GG028]

I've spent the last 3 days trying to figure this out. I've searched all over the net but the best I could find was a thread asking this exact same question.. but with 0 replies.. so plz help me out and don't let this thread die like that other one..


I'm definately NOT a newbie on encoding/editing movies, but I'm new on the authoring thing. My first project was something really simple, just a SVCD with a still menu linking to a movie, I compiled it and burned it, and it was successfull.

Now I'm trying to do something a little more complicated, I want to create a SVCD with a still menu with 2 links in it, one of them plays the movie and the other leads to a motion menu with the scene selection (6 little videos, 10 secs each). I followed the tutorials etc and finally got everything working (on the simulation button). But when I compile it, it does not create the .ifo .bup and I think some other files r missing too (VIDEO_TS.vob ??). So obviously it doesn't let me burn it. I guess there's something wrong with DVD-Lab (v1.3).

These r the ONLY files it creates (in the "VIDEO_TS" folder):

VTS_01.VOB
VTS_01_0.VOB
VTS_01_1.VOB


If ur confused about what I'm trying to do, u can see the pic below. I have no idea why it is missing some files. Sometimes it doesn't even finish compiling and sometimes it says it's done but it's still missing those files.


Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Ripper2860]

Use IFOEdit to create the IFO files.

Just click on the CREATE IFO's button and give it a path to the 1st VOB in the set.

[GG028]

Oh, I just remembered the password to this username.


Anyways, here is the pic of the connections:

[GG028]

And the bloddy error I get all the time (even when I de-mux the files, as u can see):

[GG028]

Use IFOEdit to create the IFO files.

Just click on the CREATE IFO's button and give it a path to the 1st VOB in the set.

I've already tried that. I created IFO's for the 3 VOB files generated from DVD-Lab. But when I try to burn it, I still get this error:




This is weird. It's like if the file is currupted or maybe DVD-Lab created the wrong file.... I'm confused....

I wish it would compile all the files I need so I could just burn them on CD. Well, do u have any idea why I get this error when compiling? Perhaps I should get another authoring program?

[Ripper2860]

That's because the file VTS_01.VOB is not a valid file name. Did the program auto-generate this name or did you give it that name prior to saving it or copying into the directory?

The 1st VOB in the TS folder should be VTS_01_0.VOB, the 2nd VTS_01_1.VOB, etc. It is just not a valid VOB name and IFOEdit does not know how to handle it. Try renaming the files using that convention and then use IFOEdit to create the IFO's.

[GG028]

That's because the file VTS_01.VOB is not a valid file name. Did the program auto-generate this name or did you give it that name prior to saving it or copying into the directory?

The 1st VOB in the TS folder should be VTS_01_0.VOB, the 2nd VTS_01_1.VOB, etc. It is just not a valid VOB name and IFOEdit does not know how to handle it. Try renaming the files using that convention and then use IFOEdit to create the IFO's.

This is odd that DVD-Lab created the files with invalid names.... Anyways, I renamed the files and created IFO's for each of them with IFOEdit. Then I tried to burn them using Nero and this is what happened:






The file is probably currupted or imcomplete, since DVD-Lab didn't finish compiling it. I need to figure out why DVD-Lab won't compile it.... what's up with that error I get all the time (see pic 2 posts above). It works with still menus but it won't compile motion menus....... somebody plz help me out.

[Ripper2860]

The error appears to be related to GOP settings. Make sure you've encoded the file for DVD with CLOSED GOP's and a MAX FRAMES IN GOP value of 18 (for NTSC) or 15 (for PAL).

18 (NTSC) or 15 (PAL) Frames in GOP are standard DVD limits. If a GOP has more frames than the standard allows, authoring programs will usually reject the file or return an error.

Some authoring programs will also return an error unless GOP's are closed. Closed GOP's are the DVD standard, however, many individuals use OPEN GOP's in order to edit the MPG or improve compression.

[GG028]

I re encoded the montion menu video in TMPGenc and changed the settings to Closed GOP and GOP limit to 18 (it's NTSC). Now back to DVD-Lab... with the new encoded menu.... I then compiled it again and got the exact SAME error as the one in the pic from 3 posts above ("GOP size is out memory size").

What could it be???

[mastersmurfie]

just a thought...

I re encoded the montion menu video in TMPGenc and changed the settings to Closed GOP and GOP limit to 18 (it's NTSC)

but your main movie seems to be PAL?? (480X576 25 fps as shown in your picture) I didn't think that you could put the two different formats on one DVD???

check this thread:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=180649

[GG028]

Thanks A LOT!

After reading that thread and trying everything, I found out a simple way to do it. I just encode the motion menu with TMPGenc like I would normally, then I add the file to DVD-Lab and let it DE MUX the motion menu file, then it says the audio is not valid and will automatically delete it and leave the .mpv file. IT WORKS!!

I have another problem though.. the movie doesn't have sound. I mean the film, nothing to do with the motion menu. I re encoded the audio to 48khz, and now the file is obviusly bigger, so I gonna have to re encode the whole movie so it fits in the cds again.

Well, even if it does work, the file is gonna be too big.... do I really need 48k audio instead of 41 (like in regular SVCD's)? Sorry for the stupid question, I'm not used to this whole DVD Authoring thing. And thanks again!

[mastersmurfie]

This is from the DVDLab web site:

"The DVD specs are quite picky and specific about the nature of audio files. While many formats are "legal", we may encounter WAV or MPA files that work on our local computer, but are not DVD compliant. Typically, the culprit is the sampling rate. An audio CD is 16bit/44.1kHz. DVD requires 48kHz for most formats.

If you import an audio file which is not 48kHz, then you will be prompted to transcode the file."

hope this is helpful

[mastersmurfie]

OOPS just read your original post again...you are wanting to create SVCDs not DVDs right? Or SVCDs on DVDs?

Here's another one from the DVD-Lab site:

"SVCD is not a supported DVD format.
Also, using motion menus, the menus would be rendered at the standard 720x576 PAL or 720x480 NTSC.

Stand alone players read DVDs differently than CDs so, just because your DVD player plays SVCDs, it may not be able to handle SVCD resolution on a DVDR. Only a very small percentage can. Also you MUST convert the audio to 48 from the SVCD standard 44.1

On my projects where I have to start with supplied SVCD formatted files, I run them through TMPGEnc and re-encode to standard Full-D1 or Half-D1 format. Takes about 1.25 times realtime to encode.

This way you are dealing with a standard video stream and no problems will be had on any player."

[GG028]

U've been really helpful, man!

Yes, I'm trying to make a mini DVD with motion menu and burn it in 2-3 CD R's. I have no problems with the video now, but I guess I need to transcode the audio to 48kHz... otherwise it won't play. But the problem is, the file gets too big for a CD R, and I'll have to either increase the number of CD's or decrease the quality of the video (wich doesn't make sense to me).

Well, I guess it's just not worth it.... I'm gonna try again when I buy a DVD recorder. For now I'll have to stick with my simple SVCD's without menus. (UNLESS someone knows if it's possible to use 41kHz audio in mini DVD's)


I appreciate your help anyways. =)

[bugster]

Increasing the sample rate of an audio file from 44.1khz to 48khz, then encoding it to mp2 audio at the same bitrate as the original file should result in exactly (well to within a few bytes) file size. Its the bitrate and playing time that matters, not the sample rate, when it comes to filesize.

And make sure all your video assets (main movie, motion menu) have the same format (NTSC/PAL)

[SaSi]

GG028,

I noticed on the screenshot of your second posting that the assets of your project contain one 720x480 @ 29.97 fps and another at 480x576 at 25fps. The first is NTSC and the second is PAL(ish), but not proper DVD resolution.

I wonder if this is acceptable to DVDLab or if any DVDPlayer will play this?

[mastersmurfie]

Try this http://www.mediachance.com/dvdlab/tutorial/svcd.html

From reading the DVD-Lab website, I don't think that you can create "SVCD"s with the software, only DVD

[GG028]

bugster - U are right, it doesn't make the file bigger, I re encoded it and it's actually SMALLER now. But why it still doesn't fit in a CD-R?

Hmm.... the original MPEG2 file (SVCD) is 797mb and it fits in one CD-R. And all the compiled files (made with DVD-Lab, vobs+ifos+bups) together are 794mb. Even though it's smaller than the SVCD, Nero said it won't fit in a CD-R! (I checked everything with DVD Patcher and apparently the specs r the same)

Why's that? And what is the maximum size for a Mini DVD?

[GG028]

Weird, huh?

[mastersmurfie]

maybe this'll help:

"miniDVD is basicly a DVD but on a CD-R(W) instead of a DVD disc. miniDVD is also sometimes called cDVD. A miniDVD does only fit about 15 minutes video on a 650 MB CD-R(W)."

Maybe Nero is looking at the length of your video...not the size of the file???

[bugster]

Hmm.... the original MPEG2 file (SVCD) is 797mb and it fits in one CD-R. And all the compiled files (made with DVD-Lab, vobs+ifos+bups) together are 794mb.
Why's that? And what is the maximum size for a Mini DVD?

Not sure about this but sounds plausible to (to me).

(S)VCD's are burnt to CD using Mode2. The way I understand it this removes a load of error protection/correction data from the burn. (S)VCD can get away with this as some equivalent error protect/correction data is already included in the mpeg stream This extra data is required for normal CDrom. As MiniDvd is not a special standard like (S)VCD, I would expect that you need to burn them in mode 1 which includes the extra protection data. This will mean a standard 700Meg CD will hold 700Meg, not the 800Meg you can get on with (S)VCD.

Probably not what you were wanting to hear but I believe that is the case.

[GG028]

Yeah, it definately won't fit in a CD-R (spent some time trying.. heh). I guess u are right about the 800mb thing.... it's 700mb when u use Mini DVD's.

Well, I'm gonna create Mini DVD's when it's a special project.. and I'll make it 3 or 4 CD-R's instead of the usual 2-3. Thanks everyone who posted here. I really appreciate your help.