TMPEGEnc DVD Author - can you use a mpg movie on the menu

[oduck]

Hey All

I have a quick question for you TMPEG Dvd Author users...can I use a mpeg for my menu...i notice i tried it but it just stays in one image...i want it to play..is this possible? please advise

thanks

Ollie

[christaltips]

i don't think tmpgenc dvd author allows you to use a background video on the menus. i chop and change between ulead dvd moviefactory and tmpgenc depending on my audio source, as i prefer to keep the ac3 if the movie has it. i know that ulead moviefactory does however allow you to use background videos on menus.

[BobK]

From TMPGEnc DVD Author Help:

"Select whether to use BGM for the menu or not When a picture in an MPEG-1 or an MPEG-2 file is specified as a background picture, the audio from these files will be played. The audio has to be MPEG-1 Audio Layer2 or Linear PCM. (AC-3 cannot be used).
Set the length of the motion menu You can select from 1 to 300 seconds in 1 seconds increments. The animation will continue for as long as specified and then repeat itself."

[BobK]

I just tried it and it worked fine. I even mixed file types- used an mpg-1 file for the motion menu for a standard DVD.

What settings are you using in the Motion Menu section of the Menu Display settings?

[oduck]

Thanks Bob!!! Woo Woo!!

I want to confirm that I did try what Bob said..and it WORKS!!!

You must have your file to be mpeg 1 that was key for me since i saved everythign mpeg 2...so yah you can use a video background for your menus...

o

[BobK]

No- I tried both mpg-1 and mpg-2 for the motion menu and either one works fine.

[dwiesel]

Can you have an MPEG that was muxed with PCM audio? How would you do that, I tried and it wouldn't let me? I want and try to use PCM instead of MPEG2 audio....thanks.

[jimmalenko]

As I understand it:

TMPGEnc DVD Author will accept MPEG-1/2 without AC3 for the motion menu, period. Any tracks on the DVD can retain AC3 and will be output as such as long as you have the AC3 plugin.

[dwiesel]

Thanks...it's funny, I can used DVD Author with AC-3 sound for the actually movie, but not the main menu...guess I should go buy the plug-in.

[Roderz]

you only need the plug in if you want to MAKE an ac3 file
TDA without the plug in WILL accept ac3 in the main movie (not tried in menu's)

[dwiesel]

thanks roderz...I thought so.

I'm thinking --and I've read in another thread --that for the background menu, only MPEG or PCM audio is accepted by TMPGenc DVD Author. I'm still trying to figure out how to use PCM with an MPEG video file...is this even possible?

[classfour]

Yes: TDA 1.5 will use an mpeg as a background for motion menu. The only limitation that I've found is the audio must be encoded to mpg standards instead of ac3.

Set you video, set the display time of the motion menu in seconds - and away you go.

I've been using these for a few months without a hitch.

I started with the stationary menu - with motion thumbnails - discovered I could use pieces of my movie - then discovered the audio had to be mpg, since my dolby produced NO sound.

[jimmalenko]

I'm still trying to figure out how to use PCM with an MPEG video file...is this even possible?

Yes, very possible. Change the audio format to PCM. You can definitely do this in later versions of TMPGEnc Plus. Load the template you want to use. Load the Unlock template. Go to settings, audio tab, and under Audio stream setting you can set the stream type. You have the option of MPEG-1 Audio Layer 1, MPEG-1 Audio Layer 2, or Linear PCM. Set this to Linear PCM.

[classfour]

Actually, what I've been doing is this: demux the video clip with MPEG2VCR (saving the audio as an ac3 extension - MPEG2VCR tries to call it .mpa). convert to wave with HeadAche, and create a new (mpeg2 & TDA compliant) video file with Ulead MediaStudio Pro from the video and audio files created. Ulead will automatically encode the .wav file as an mpeg compliant audio track.

[dwiesel]

Classfour -- I can easily create an MPEG audio, but am interested in using PCM for the main reason that it sounds better (ironically I spent the last couple of months going from MPEG audio to AC-3 in my projects, just to find that I still may have to use MPEG audio for a background menu).

Jimmalenko -- thanks for the info…I have a fairly new version of TMPGenc Plus, but I guess I need the latest…the problem is, I only have an existing MPEG video clip to work with, so thought my only option for changing the audio was to MUX it with an existing audio file --my version of TMPGenc Plus won't let me do this for PCM audio. Hopefully the latest version will. If I'm wrong in my thinking/approach, please let me know…mucho thanks.

[dwiesel]

Jimmalenko - I have the latest version of TMPGenc...I don't believe it is possible to use PCM audio with a background image in TDA (this image being either a BMP, MPEG, etc). I think you're stuck with MPEG audio. Can anyone else confirm/deny this with certainty?

Thanks.