wanting to join and convert files for dvd

[whitenoise]

Im at a loss. The worst thing is I used to do this sort of thing without problems in the past, but I must be getting forgetful because I'm finding it hard to find a starting point.

A mate of mine, (who is even more clueless than me!), has given me his portable hard drive full of mpg and avi files. He wants them converted to a format compatible for authoring onto dvd.

Problem 1: I have two mpg's that I want to join together. TMPGEnc will not let me merge them and get this error "illegal MPEG video stream".

From what I have read in other posts it may be because the video is not in the correct format. But I have not seen a way of correcting any faults and still leaving the file as an MPG.

Media player properties tell me that this file is:

Video Size: 375x288.......Audio Codec: MPEG Audio Decoder.......Video Codec: MPEG Video Decoder.

Once that problem is sorted and I have merged the two files do I need to convert the video size to 720x576? I seem to remember this sort of thing going on with TMPGEnc could you give me a step by step until I am back on my feet?



Lastly I would like to apologies for taking up your time on such trivial questions. I know this post must be like groundhog day, but you must excuse me as Im using a new pc and a lot of the programs I used to have for playing around with video's are gone. Although I can't imagine I would have remembered how to use them even if I still had them!

Thanks for your help.

[redwudz]

Download AVIcodec and check the file. It will give you better information. It seems an odd size. Check the DVD specs in 'What is' to the left and see what are the DVD option sizes. Usually TMPGEnc will accept files of odd sizes, so there are apparently other problems with the files. You won't know what to do with them until you know what they are.

[DereX888]

Problem 1: I have two mpg's that I want to join together. TMPGEnc will not let me merge them and get this error "illegal MPEG video stream".

how about crazy glue to join them together?

[whitenoise]

Ok so i have downloaded AVIcodec and both files report the following:

Video: 343Mb, 1150kbps, 25.0 fps, 352*258 (4:3), MPG 1 (VCD), Supported

Audio: 38Mb, 128kbps, 44100 Hz, 2 channels, 0x51 =Mpeg-1 audio layer 2 [0xc0], Supported

I'm wanting to, (convert if I have to), join, change into a format able to be authored onto a dvd.

Next steps please....

[ZippyP.]

Your files are vcd mpegs and it's not necessary to join them to put them on a DVD. Click on the green "all guides" link over there <-<- then select vcd to dvd in the format conversion box. Lots of good guides on the subject.

[whitenoise]

ok so I looked then I tried then I tried again and this is how I finally got tmpgenc to notice my mpg's, although the results arent right yet!

I used svcd2mpgdvd to convert (MPG->ES). I still couldnt get the Video part to be recognised in (Maestro or tmpgenc).

I used the video and audio files I had just created in tmpgenc and created a mpeg 2 format file.

This was still audio and video, so I multiplexed them and tried the resulting file in "merge&cut" and it is recognised!

Only thing is that when I checked the new Mpg file the audio is ever so slightly out of sink.

So after seeing the above attempts at trying to figure this out myself, can you please put me out of my misery. Before I hav to jump out of the window.

[DereX888]

both files report the following:

Video: 343Mb, 1150kbps, 25.0 fps, 352*258 (4:3), MPG 1 (VCD), Supported

Audio: 38Mb, 128kbps, 44100 Hz, 2 channels, 0x51 =Mpeg-1 audio layer 2 [0xc0], Supported

I'm wanting to, (convert if I have to), join, change into a format able to be authored onto a dvd.

Had you bothered to check the guides ZippyP. already told you so, you would have discovered that DVD-Video format supports your MPEG-1 VCD files, and all you need to do is just upsample audio to 48000Hz.

If you still insist on a more troublesome route to do it - go get that crazy glue and try it that way

[whitenoise]

Sometimes I think there is a little TOO MUCH information here. It can be hard to find exactly what your after, especially if your not 100% sure of the steps required.

I have looked at several guides that seem to be what im after, but after closer inspection aren't.

But i did manage to find a little guide showing me how to use tmpgenc to firstly de-mux then up the audio sample to 48000 Hz.

I am left with two seperate files, the audio is accepted into Maestro no problems, but the video is still saying illegal stream!

Now I know you are probably screamnig at your monitor right now, (DereX888), but I just dont get it. (I may be being dense but it aint getting through!)

please can you point me at the guide i need, (it looks to me as if there is a problem with the video stream? although it does seem to play ok)

If all else fails get me some of that crazy glue, it may be easir in the long run.....

[whitenoise]

So I have just finished outputting a es video stream from the original m1v file and guess what....the resulting file is recognised by Maestro!

Now I thought I would check that the files were still in sink so I Multiplexed them and everything seems to be ok. Though the original file was 431,913 and the resulting file is 416,821......I wonder why that happened?

Im starting to mumble to myself, so be kind.....

[FulciLives]

I hate when my A/V has sink problems.

What a bitch!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[whitenoise]

So just to be certain I thought i would join the two converted files together. So I went into tmpgenc to merge them and Im told that part 2 is not compatible with part 1!

Now they started off with the same settings, Im gonna have to go through this all again and keep a check on where Im going wrong.

someone find me a rope

[DereX888]

the only 'abnormality' in your original files is 44.1k 128kbps MPEG-1 Layer II audio in your files, otherwise theyre regular VCD-compliant files.

If your original file does not have sync problem, your upsampled to 48k audio have to be in sync as well.

Don't reencode video, keep it as is, just use TMPGEnc as frontend for shibatch (get it in Tools sections, set in TMPGEnc environment to use it) and create just 48k audio file.
TMPGEnc DVD Author will let you choose your original MPEG-1 video and this new audio (instead of original audio), you don't even need to demux your original file to extract video stream.

Heck, even TMPGEnc DVD Author would do its own audio upsampling for you as well if you just add your original MPEG-1 files (although shibatch is *the* best tool for it).
In TMPGEnc DVD Author you can "join" them both by adding both to same track (they will be played like they were single file - if thats what you need).

That would be simplest and fastest way to put them both on DVD, "joined" and "converted" as you originally ask.
I just cant figure out what exactly problem you have with it all, Im sorry if I cant help ya better.

[whitenoise]

Im using ssrc to convert audio as stated, but in tmpgenc dvd author I still get "this is an invalid media file, can only use mpeg-1 or mpeg-2"?

So basically im doing it right, but for some reason the video file isnt getting accepted, even though it is a playable file?

I'm gonna try encoding the video agian, (as this seems to make it recognisable?), see what happens.

BTW This is my first attempt, but i did have a look at a few other mpg's that I have been given and they seem to be recognised no probs!

I guess its just one of those weird "its gotta be you, computers dont make mistakes" moments..... :P

[redwudz]

whitenoise: This is about the same as Derex888 said.

You may be doing this the hard way. I took a similar VCD format MPG file with 44Khz audio and put it into TMPGEnc DVD Author. It said the audio needed to be changed, I said OK and it converted the file to DVD format in a few seconds. (1.5MB file) I could have also burned it at the same time with TDA.

If I had a second file, I would have just added it and the two would play one after the other on the DVD. My files were NTSC, but PAL should work the same. As you can see, the changes are to the audio rate and the change of the video to MPG2, although all else reamains the same. Very quick and easy if your original file is OK.

AVIcodec info from original file:

File : 1.53 MB (1.31 MB), duration 0:00:08, type MPG, 1 audio stream(s), quality 63 %
Video : 1.9 MB, 1150 Kbps, 29.970 fps, res. 352*240 (4:3), MPG1 = MPEG 1 (VCD), Supported
Audio : 218 KB, 224 Kbps, 44100 Hz, 2 chan., 0x51 = Mpeg-1 audio Layer 2 [0xc0], Supported

AVIcodec info from TMPGEnc DVD Author output file:

File : 1.58 MB (1.31 MB), duration 0:00:08, type MPG, 1 audio stream(s), quality 63 %
Video : 1.9 MB, 1150 Kbps, 29.970 fps, res. 352*240 (4:3), MPG2 = MPEG 2 (SVCD/DVD), Supported
Audio : 218 KB, 224 Kbps, 48000 Hz, 2 chan., 0x51 = Mpeg-1 audio Layer 2 [0xc0], Supported

[whitenoise]

the file cant be okay! it plays ok and AVIcodec seems to like the look of it, but I try to add file in tmpgenc dvd author and i am told the following:

"This is an illegal video file. For DVD standard you can only use MPEG-1 video or MPEG-2 video."

Ive tried it in tmpgenc and tried it demuxed in Maestro and none of them accept that this is a valid Mpeg. None apart from AVIcodec which is quite happy with it!

I havent finished playing yet, so Ill repost in a bit. (if I dont leave a reply, the computers gone outta the window!)

[DereX888]

since you have (s)vcd2dvdmpg, you can right click on any mpeg file and get more proper information about it with MPEGinfo shell extension (part of this proggie). Maybe you have mpeg-4 'rebadged' ( ) as .mpg ? Could be many other reasons.

Demux original file, and try to use just the .m1v or .mpv (just the video stream) in TMPGEnc DVD Author. If it is accepted then theres nothing wrong with and it is MPEG-1 (or -2) file, if not - it is obviously something else.

Also: audio on your original might be VBR, which sometimes makes problem for TMPGEnc to encode, and you may need to use i.e. VirtualDub to save audio in .wav format first (i.e. any .mp3 VBR usually need this step), and then encode it to proper .mp2 format at 48k and desired bitrate.

[whitenoise]

MPEGinfo tells me this..... "mpeg system file [2 video/ 2audio]" no other information at all.

Its starting to get on my nerves now, im sure i have picked the only files on the entire HD that are dodgy! But Im not going to give up! even though it would be easier, and probably wiser, to go onto the other files and give them a go first.

Its gonna bug me until I get this working.

Anyway, thanks for all the help. I'll try virtualdub, although im not wanting to have to learn too many progs in one go, (its bad enough trying to work out whats going wrong with the progs I know how to use!), if you know what I mean......

[modtang]

After having a lot of problems trying to do the same thing as you're describing I discovered one piece of software that does it all. It's called WinAVI Video Converter. Just load the file in, select VCD, SVCD or DVD and off it goes. Takes around 50-60 mins to turn a 700MB avi into DVD compatible files. Then burn with TMPGEnc DVD Author. So simple, compared to all the other ways to do it. And fast! Just author your two halves of the movie as two titles. You get a bit of a break in between but it's not a major issue as far as I am concerned.

http://www.winavi.com/

[DereX888]

whitenoise, Im rather sure now your files are not standard MPEG-1/2 files (either not MPEGs at all, or MPEGs that are f***d up somehow - bad copies, "kwaq vcds", "matroska mpegs", or some intercepted alien signal... )

Out of sheer curiosity I'll be glad to have a sample of it. Anything less than 1MB can be sent to me here: derex888 AT hotmail DOT com.

ANyway - keep us updated what you do/have done to these files

[whitenoise]

oh good god.......

Ok so i used tmpgenc to de-multiplex video and audiom, (then upsampled it to 48000 Hz).

(because of header and GOP structure errors in dvd author) i used the project wizard in tmpgenc to convert to new dvd ready files. (both set to the same audio and video bitrates).

mpg 1 plays perfect full screen, audio in sink, etc.

mpg 2 plays the audio seems to play ok, but the video stutters!

That was it (the last straw). I knew that there was an error, somehow, with the files, but I thought there would be a way of getting around, (repairing) them.

I've got plenty of other files to trawl through, so Im giving up. Fingers crossed that the rest of the files are ok!

anyway, thanks a lot for the help, (i'll post to say how its going with the next batch)

[whitenoise]

Im back....

I thought I would post here, as this is a continuation of the earlier problem.

I have moved on to trying to do a 3 part svcd movie, but am still having problems.

I joined all three in tmpgenc, (mpeg2), and the file was recognised and joined with no probs! "wayhay!" i thought, but when i put it into tmpgenc dvd author I am told that my GOP file is too long, (this also happens if I put the files in singly).

I know I can re-encode using tmpgenc limit the GOP to 15, but it was gonna take 4hrs! (and I would have lost quality?)

Is there a quicker way to sort out the GOP problem? Can you do a merge in tmpgenc while limiting the GOP, (this option is only available while encoding).

Is there a prog that will easily fix this? What about Womble mpeg2vcr, I have read bits and pieces on it, but am still unsure whether it will sort out this problem.

I imagine that if I can do this simply, i shoudl be able to sort out the problems I had with the first files. At one stage it was the GOP size being rejected with those files aswell!!

Again, thanks for the help....one of these days i'm gonna get one of these files onto a dvd and wonder why I had so many problems. Or Im gonna give up and tell my mate to sort out his own $%^%"£$ problems!!!!

[redwudz]

It's pretty common that SVCD files are reported as 'GOP is too long". I have ignored this warning and the files burn fine to DVD and play with no problems.

[whitenoise]

hello again

Ive been messing about trying this and that with some of the different files I've been given and they all seem to have different problems! Not one seems to want to convert and author without firing somne sort of error at me!

The last bunch I got together was joined and audio converted, then I was tolds that the £$%^&*( video format was "not a dvd compatible format"!!!

The latest 3 file mpg is throwing up a weird problem. When I demux them in tmpgenc I am left with Part 1&2 throwing out files adding upto 780MB or so, (the original size), but on the third section it only throws out 480mb worth of files, (thats nearly 300mb less than the originbal file!!!)

I know that this is a bit of a cheek, (but I have been through the different guides, (and am getting a huge amount of different progs on my poc now!), and nothing I try seems to be worrking.

Is there anyone that could walk me through a conversion, (step by step), so that I can try and find out what I'm doing wrong?

BTW I have tried winAvi, (and upgraded to 5.7 beta), and have had error messages and shutdowns.

Thanks for the help.

[DereX888]

Is there anyone that could walk me through a conversion, (step by step), so that I can try and find out what I'm doing wrong?

Don't think Im being sarcastic - but its really kinda hard to help ya, or much less walk ya through, when you don't even know and aren't sure what kind of files you have there...

[whitenoise]

Hi Derex

Well the first step would be to check them to see what we were dealing with....... :P

I'm gonna go through the hard drive today and find the smallest, (quickest to play with), mpg's to join. I'm not at home atm, so I cant post 'till later.

PS: Is there a program that can fix damaged mpg's? A lot of the files I have been given seem to one fault or another!

??? tmpgenc is obviously demuxing to a smaller filesize, because of some error in the original audio/video???

Oh happy days....... (I'll post with mpg properties later)

[whitenoise]

Ok these are the properties.

In AviCodec:

Part one:

File: 740mb (0.0) duration 0:43:18, type: MPG 0 audio stream(s), quality 70%
Video: 791mb, 2556kbps, 25.0fps, 480*576(16:9) mpg2=mpeg 2 (svcd/dvd) supported
Audio:

Part two:

File: 734mb (869mb) duration 0:43:43, type: MPG 1 audio stream(s), quality 80%
Video: 799mb, 2556kbps, 25.0fps, 480*576(16:9), MPG=MPEG 2(svcd/dvd), supported
Audio: 70mb, 224kbps, 25.0fps, 44100 Hz, 2 channels, 0x51=Mpeg 1 audio layer 2 (0xc0), supported

Part three:

File: 709Mb (0.0mb) duration 0:00:00, type: MPG 1 audio streams(s), quality 66%
Video: 0.0B, 2556kbps, 25.0fps, 480*576(16:9), MPG=MPEG 2 (svcd/dvd), supported
Audio: 0.0B, 128kbps, 0 hz, 2 channels, 0x53 - unknown [0xc0], supported

In Mpeg Info

Part One:

Mpeg 2 program stream file [video/audio]
Muxrate: 2.36 Mbps
Estimated duration: 43:18.485
Aspect ratio: 4/3 (tv)
Non interlaced, chroma format: 4:2:0
Video Format: PAL
Size [480x576] 25.00fps 2.56mbps
Audio: Mpeg 1 layer 2, 224kbps, 44100Hz, stereo, no emphasis

Part Two:

All same apart from Muxrate: 2.32mbps

Also includes following User Data:

(c) 1997-2004 Womble Multimedia Inc. Mpeg-Vcr v3.14 (08/2003) Feb 23 2004

Part Three:

Muxrate: 2.28mbps

Also includes same user data

I am a little confused by all the conflicting info. Please note that all three of these files play in media player, but there does seem to be 1/2 seconds overlap. Also the name of the files seem to be identical, (apart from part 1, 2, 3 of course!), but i suppose that this does not mean that they come from the same original source.

Other files that seem to 100% come from the same source are also showing similar problems/errors?

Any ideas?

[whitenoise]

Bump.......thought I would get the topic viewed again.... I havent had the heart to try anything else, but I would like to try to convert some of the other files; even if its just to say that I managed it!

Go on you know you wanna help....