Ulead DVD Movie Factory...

[digitalhecht]

Okay. I tried kHenryan's method with PhotoImpact 7 trial and it worked. Just one remaining problem: the newly altered templates appear in the template library as the original template. But as I posted earlier, when you double-click on it, it DOES appear in the main window as the newly-altered template. Does this same problem exist in six-new templates appearing as the original?

[Lamont Cranston]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-11-06 07:51:34, kHenryan wrote:
yes, You can modify the template by Ulead PhotoImpact 6 and create your own.

There is also a way to make UDMF to accept the menu pictures you created by photoshop or other.

The keypoint is to modify the template and let all object to lay below the background picture (ie. the background will cover those scene and frame objects)

Then in the authoring process, you choose your own background picture and music... Done.
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

That is interesting. I just had a conservation with Ulead Tech Support about creating and editing menus for DVD Movie Factory with PhotoImpact. Tech Support says they get asked this question all the time. Without going into technical details he said "Yes, you can load, edit and create menus with PhotoImpact but they will not work with DVD MovieFactory".

Have you created and played a VCD with an edited menu?


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Lamont Cranston on 2001-11-06 10:40:20 ]</font>

[digitalhecht]

I downloaded PhotoImpact Version 6.0 and had the same minor problem: you can alter a template and use it in DVD factory. But you will have to click through a few duplicate preset templates in the library before you find it-your new template thumbnail in the library will still look like the template you chose before you altered it. Here's another limitation-placement of your MPEG thumbnails. If you don't place them directly on top of the original thumb "placemarkers", they won't function as chapters. THis whole business I'm sure will be addressed in the next version.

[HackaShaq]

You can edit templates using PI6/7 but you must maintain the names of each of the objects within the .ufo:

For example copy the name of the background object of a ufo template by right clicking properties and looking at the correct tab (name is long). Delete the old background, open your desired jpg background, resize it to 768x576 and rename it by pasting the copied name of the old background. Do this for other components as well.

You will see that the thumbnail picture which appears in moviefactory template list is included in the ufo. You can change it to your newly created template as follows:

Copy the name of the old thumbnail object in PI (name is long),
delete the old thumbnail object.
Create a new JPG by saving the current modified template ufo as a JPG.
Resize this jpg to 120x90pixels (I think, check the original).
As with the UFO background mod, rename this jpg by pasting the name of the original thumbnail object. See a pattern here?

This same procedure can be used to modify other objects within the UFO.

[kHenryan]

If you want the DMF to show the correct thumbnail of your newly created template, you have to paste a small picture sized 120X90 in scene_1 object.

The paseted picture object name has to be renamed as
IMG_TEMPLATE /Name:your template name /FrameHL:CP1 /NavHL:CP1

In the Name column , you have to fill it in your template name.

[WizyWyg]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-10-25 18:12:08, foley wrote:
I have read this thread with interest. I was introduced to Ulead when I purchased ATI's FireWire Card. The non-linear editor that came with the card was Ulead's VideoStudio 5.0. I did a little research, discovered DVD Plug-in, and bought it on August 20, 2001.

On October 13(th), I was invited by Ulead to purchase the brand new DVD MovieFactory. I was, to say the least, a little miffed.

I sent Ulead an e-mail (see below) on October 17, 20 and 25. To date I have I have not heard back from them.[/b]</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

really can't stand people who grumble about a product, and its not even about performance.
So what if a "stand alone" version was coming out. The point of the plugin was to "test" the market to see if there was interst, and so that those who "neede" the authoring part for htei "video editing" programs had a way to author to vcd/svcd/dvd. They paid their money to get the programs so they offered a plugin to help their programs. YOu were not obligated to buy it (since there were other programs out there that do the same thing). They made the stand alone because the interest was great. its quick to turn a plugin into a "standalone", and add some features already available in their other products.

If you think that is bad, I know people who have spent thousands of dollars on plugins for their programs only to find out that the upgrade to that program included the plugins already. IT happens, so live with it.

[mmitchell_houston]

The Link to download PhotoImpact6 appears to be dead. Fortunately, it appears you can use version 7.

AndrewDV: Waaay back when I mentioned that you could edit imates in Photoshop, I was referring to editing the background JPEGs, not the .UFO templates. Sorry for the confusion.

Mike

[digitalhecht]

Thanks to hackashaq and khenryan. Getting closer and closer to complete customization of templates. Still can't get the new template thumbnail to show up though! Another tip: if you plan on using your own fonts, you need to plug in your OWN text for the templates. That is, if you try to simply edit the text in the preset template (if the font is any other than the Arial italic font used), UDMF will give you an error message saying "Typeface not found". Hence the text won't show up in the template.

[Lamont Cranston]

If you are happy with the thumbnail size and you can find a thumbnail layout that meets your requirements but the titling is too restrictive you can do all your titling in the background using a photo editor like PaintShop Pro or one of your choice. First create a mask layer with rectangles to mark the size and location of the thumbnails and the controls. It may take a few iterations to get the rectangles aligned and sized to the UDMF thumbnails. When the mask layer is done pull in the background of choice, add the mask layer, and title the thumbnails etc. using the mask as a guide. Remove the mask layer and save it. In UDFM replace the default background with the new one.

[kHenryan]

In order to let DMF show the right thumbnail of your created template (with small picture added as mentioned before), after copying the template file to the proper directory , you have to delete the cache.pe file before lauching DMF.

Since one menu for 6 scenes is not convenient to me , so I create a template for 10 scenes in one menu, and I let all scenes/frames/numbers/arrows... lay below the background picture. In that case , I will have more flexibilities .

[Starwal]

Hi everyone !!!

I'm new to here, and I hope someone could help me...
I'm actually using Ulead DVD Movie Factory which seems to be a great tool, but I have a problem with sound for the menu authoring. I choose an MP3 for my 5 pages menu, create the whole VCD (Pal) using my HP 8100 CD burner, but when I'm playing it on my DVD player (Samsung 711), the music starts normaly, then go faster (like if I press the forward button !), and then it stops. But the rest of the VCD (menu and video clips) works perfectly well... If someone has the same problem or knows the answer, please, give it to me !!! Thank you !!! (and excuse me for my bad english !)

[skseah]

Hi Travisawhite,
I bought the DVD movie factory for my HP DVD100i. I use TMPGenc to encode mpeg2 files but when I tried to add the files encoded by TPMGenc, it said that the mpeg2 files encoded are not DVD compliant. Any advise? However, they are acceptable with the MyDVD program that came with the HP DVD100i.

[Lamont Cranston]

What is the final verdict on being able to edit the UDMF meus with PhotoImpact? If yes, could you please post the steps you used. Thnks.

[nick101181]

OK is there anyway to make Ulead DVD movie Factory accept SeVCD's or any other kinda of no standard format? What Encoding settings on TMPGenc do you use for SVCD's to make the quality really good when using this Product? thanks

Also the little songs it comes with to add to menu's, play the first 2 seconds and keep repeating over and over again on my APEX 660, very annoying.

[chrishad95]

I have a Pioneer DVR-A03. I downloaded the trial for Ulead DVD Movie Factory and I can't seem to get past the menu creation part. The program just terminates without warning. I am running Windows2000. I guess I will have to wait until enough beta testers have bought this program and Ulead has had a chance to make it work well. Hell, maybe they'll even make it work the way people want it to...
i.e. use mpeg2 video that has been encoded using tmpgenc and fully editable menus/templates...

If anyone has successfully create DVD's using this product please post ur process here. I would also really like to get my hands on tmpgenc dvd templates that someone has successfully used.

I use
MGI videowaveIII to capture DV video,
tmpgenc 12a to encode,
??? to author dvd's for burning on my pioneer a03.

So far I haven't successfully authored 1 DVD video. Nice little waste of cash there.

***Sonic MyDVD sucks*** <- comes with the DVR-A03

[yokelmania]

How many minutes of SVCD has anybody been able to fit on a cd-r using Ulead Moviefactory ? I can't seem to get more than 45 min per cd-r. In Nero I can fit about 65 min/cd-r.

[mmitchell_houston]

Has anyone collected all the steps of modifying the menus into a tutorial, yet? This could be ver useful info. Also, the DVD Movie Factory was featured on "The Screen Savers" last night; SS is a Tech show on CNN.

I watched the review and demo and was amused that, like us, they found it a bit buggy. The on-screen guy couldn't get it to work smoothly during the capture phase, and then the app bugged out during menus authoring, too. Funny, none of this is mentioned in the online review.

They liked the app, though, and so do I. It just needs to mature a bit.

Here's their review of it:
http://www.techtv.com/products/software/story/0,23008,3357166,00.html

[digibat]

This problem will apply to most DVD MovieFactory users:

I made an SVCD with 5 MPEG2 tracks totaling 640MB. I also made a menu with 5 thumbnails using the templates provided in MovieFactory.

During playback the SVCD returns to the main menu after each video track. It should be possible to make the SVCD play right through all the tracks without stopping. Does anyone know how to do this?

I also noticed some sound quality loss (background noise)when splicing an SVCD MPEG clip into two SVCD MPEG2 clips using the Video ToolBox. It seems that the only way to splice an mpeg clip into two is to use the mark in/mark out buttons on the orginal SVCD mpeg clip and then select 'make movie' and save it as SVCD. Are there any quicker or easier alternatives to this?

[EugenL]

I downloaded the 30 day trial version. looks very promising only it kept crashing in W2k. Never able to make a DVD.

I use TMPGEnc and MYDVD and a HP 100i to make great DVDs from my Sony 900.

[JackDVD]

If you press play at the main menu all selections should play.

[Lamont Cranston]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-12-01 19:00:20, digibat wrote:
This problem will apply to most DVD MovieFactory users:

I made an SVCD with 5 MPEG2 tracks totaling 640MB. I also made a menu with 5 thumbnails using the templates provided in MovieFactory.

I also noticed some sound quality loss (background noise)when splicing an SVCD MPEG clip into two SVCD MPEG2 clips using the Video ToolBox. It seems that the only way to splice an mpeg clip into two is to use the mark in/mark out buttons on the orginal SVCD mpeg clip and then select 'make movie' and save it as SVCD. Are there any quicker or easier alternatives to this?
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Splicing or merging mpegs is a problem in general. The sound noise or blip at the splice is covered in many posts on the subject. One solution is to demux the mpeg with VirtualDub creating a wave file. Demux the mpeg file with TMPGEnc tools to get the video or mv1 file. Load the wave file into a sound editor like CooL Edit Pro and remove the noise. Then remux the wave file and the mv1 video file using TMPGEnc with the mv1 file as the video file and your edited wave file as the audio file. Load the VCD template in TMPGEnc and remux your file. There is also one additional problem. None of the Ulead editors identify the I frame. If you edit or merge on any frame but the I frame the file will be rerendered or encoded at the splice. This can cause blocking to occur at the splice. I frames occur every 15 frames. Ain't nuthin easy with this stuff.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Lamont Cranston on 2001-12-01 21:56:07 ]</font>

[digibat]

I have merged all the MPEG tracks into one MPEG file and then added the chapter marks in with DMF SVCD Wizard.

I wanted to burn a trial copy of WinDVD 3 on the SVCD also (this can be done in Nero) but I cant see anyway of doing it in DMF. It it posible to create an image file in DMF and then edit it in Nero or any other app?

Thanks for the previous tips!

[wolly]

Thanks for all the hips and tints in here, particularly Mr. Cranston.

I successfully created am MPEG-1 VCD using the Ulead download, once I found that my burner preferred the alternate NTI engine to ULEAD's own. Then tried for higher resolution, being greedy. Whatever I tried, I got the "mpg out of spec message".

I guess the problem is the three editing suites that I use:

Ulead VIIISE
MGI VideoWave V4,0
PureMotion V2.05 (no MPEG2 support)

They all seem to include default templates that are out of spec. I tried hacking around the mpeg settings in VideoWave but all I got was a blocky, jerky VCD with stuttering audio.

Rather than use a conversion tool, I'd prefer to keep it simple:

Source Editing Suite Master
DVCam -> capture/edit/convert -> author/burn

Do the latest versions of the editing suites have the correct (S)V(X)CD templates? I realize that there are no standards, but one might hope that output from Ulead's V5.0 editing suite drops seamlessly into their own DVD Authoring program. Unfortunately nothing can be taken for granted on the bleeding edge of home DV.

Thanks,

Colin

[Lamont Cranston]

The templates for SVCD is in DVDMF and VS5 (with all the patches applied). Both will allow you to create XSVCDs and XVCDs. The DVD plug-in in VS5 and DVDMF will burn the XSVCDs and XVCDs. Both will allow you to choose which file and folder naming convention you want for your SVCD. Here are the specs for VCDs and SVCDs for Ulead's DVDMF:

Read general MPEG-1 (for VCD), and MPEG-2 (SVCD and DVD).
No VCD, SVCD, or DVD MPEG required.

Requirement for VCD:
NTSC: MPEG-1, 352x240 progressive, 29.97 fps,
pel_aspect_ratio = 12 (CCIR601, 525line)
PAL: MPEG-1, 352X288 progressive, 25 fps,
pel_aspect_ratio = 8 (CCIR601, 625line)
Audio: MPEG-1 Layer 2, sample_rate = 44.1 kHz

Requirement for SVCD:
NTSC: MPEG-2, 480x480 interlaced, 29.97 fps,
pel_aspect_ratio: 4:3,
video_source_format: NTSC
PAL: MPEG-2, 480X576 interlaced, 25 fps,
pel_aspect_ratio: 4:3, video_source_format: PAL
Audio: MPEG-1 Layer 2, sample_rate = 44.1 kHz

Requirement for DVD:
NTSC: MPEG-2, 720x480, 704x480, 352x480, 29.97 fps,
pel_aspect_ratio: 4:3,
video_source_format: NTSC
PAL: MPEG-2, 720X576, 704x576, 352x576, 25 fps,
pel_aspect_ratio: 4:3, video_source_format: PAL
Audio: MPEG-1 Layer 2, sample_rate = 48 kHz

XVCD, if data rate exceeds the VCD specification,
the output will become XVCD. For example, many DVD player
supports XVCD at 2400 kbps data rate.

XSVCD, if data rate or frame size exceeds the SVCD
specification, the output will become XSVCD. For a MPEG-2 file with DVD resolution (720x480, 704x480, 352x480, 720x576, 704x576, 352x576), the program will create XSVCD if the audio sample rate is set at 44.1 kHz.

----------------------

THe Ligos encoder in the Ulead DVDMF and VS5 does not produce mpegs of the quality of TMPGEnc, Ligos LSX35, Panasonic, or CCE.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Lamont Cranston on 2001-12-05 10:15:36 ]</font>

[EricB]

Colin:
Just use the default TMPGenc SVCD template to produce a ULEAD DVD Movie Factory compatible SVCD file.

For whatever reason, mine will offer to create an XVCD if the mpg file is out of VCD specs, it will not do the same for SVCD. Thus, I have to keep it within standard frame sizes.

[draganong]

About Ligos encoder, I noticed a worse quality than TMPGEnc. I wonder if there is any way to use an external encoder like TMPGEnc instead when cutting video segements in DVDMF...

[ejai]

bertmartin, I feel your pain. I had a similar problem but now I have found a solution. I purchased the ADS Instant DVD device and started creating VCDs and SVCDs with great results. The SVCD quality was really outstanding and worked great with Ulead's DVD Factory.

I've made 3-4 movies in one day on 2-3 disks in real time with quality that rivals most anything on the market. Remember this is done on the fly, the project was completed, disks were burnt and labels applied.

I had Nero and had compatiblity issues playing SVCDs on certain DVDs. I am glad to have a program (Ulead DVD Factory) that creates SVCDs that work in all players I've tried them in.

If you could find a resolution to your problem you will find Uleads DVD Factory a godsend.

ej

[Lamont Cranston]

You do not have to use the DVDMF mpeg encoder. You can use any encoder that produces a compatible mpeg file. TMPGEnc, LSX35 work fine. DVDMF will accept and burn XVCDs and XSVCDs. Read the specs for creating a XSVCD I posted above.

[wolly]

Eric, Lamont, et al

Many thanks for the additional info. TMPGenc is very impressive for a download - I can't wait to give it a go tonight.

I'll probably hold off on upgrading the Editor. Of all of the editors, I prefer Puremotion (which has no MPEG-2
support) but if TEMPGenc can do the conversion, no worries.

Until the next worry, that is.

[draganong]

I know that I can use any other external MPEG encoder. My question is:

Can I open the DVDMF editor an MPEG captured by Dazzle2, select the portions that I want, do a batch process and use another encoder BUT the LSX version bundled ? This is different than adding a bunch of MPEGS and creating a DVD with DVDMF.
I just like much more DVDMF's editor than cutting chunks with TMPGEnc's MPEG tools and having to sit there one by one...