Problems Authoring with DVD-Lab Pro

[ryan_n_waggoner]

I've got some DVDs with Chapter Breaks, but no menus. I've got some other DVDs with bonus features that would go quite nicely on the discs the movies are on.

Problem: I was trying to reauthor these movies so that I could have the three movies, plus some of the bonus features on the same disc, as well as a chapter selection menu (one disc contains one movie, chapter selection, and bonus features). (There would be a fourth disc with all the leftovers) This is not the first time I've authored a DVD -- I've got seven or eight under my belt, so I have a fairly good idea of what I'm doing, and I know that what I'm doing now has worked in the past.

I backed up all the materials I needed for the first disc using DVD Shrink, imported them to DVDLAb Pro, set about making my menus, linking everything, mapping it all out, etc. It came out to be around 5GB of info. (No problem, I can pull it back into DVD Shrink and shrink it down a little bit). So I click "Compile", and walk away from the computer. About 20 minutes later, I come back to look at the progress, only to find it says it's done. When I check properties on the file folder it was compiling all this into, it tells me I've only got 1.0 GB in there.

I've tried building this DVD several ways, and the best I've come up with is 2.33GB (which was done by breaking it all up into to VTSs). Is there anything I'm missing? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

[reboot]

Use a separate VTS for each portion.
Make sure all audio is the same format.
Test compile to check menu structure.

[ryan_n_waggoner]

"Make sure all audio is the same format. "

Could this really be a problem? I had tried to use all .vob files, but for one of the movie files, i wound up having to demux and transcode the audio to a PCM. Would i be better off demuxing everything?

[guns1inger]

Why did you have to transcode the audio to PCM ?

So long as you have like with like within each VTS you should be OK. Make sure the video with the PCM audio is in it's own VTS. Better still, transcode it to mp2 to save (a lot of) space.

[ryan_n_waggoner]

i transcoded to pcm rather than mp2 because, for some reason, everytime i try to transcode to mp2, DLP closes out on me.

i set it all up with every movie having it's own VTS, bridging everything where it needs to be, and compiled, and after almost 2 minutes of work, it said it was done, and when i checked the size, it was under 20MB this time! So I test compiled, leaving absolutely everything the same as it had been, it took about 25 minutes, and it looks as though everything is fine. I haven't burned the test compile to make sure all my menus work properly, but i at least don't have any .vob files of 0 size now. what was done differently between the test compile and the actual?

[reboot]

Transcode all your audio externally. Actually, prepare all your assets properly BEFORE adding them to DLP.
It's an authoring tool, not a magic dvd maker.

The test compile only has to compile still images with your menus, thus the 2 minutes.
Test on a good player such as WinDVD, or PowerDVD.
If the menu structure works, then compile the whole thing.
Test again, before burning.
If you're still not sure, use a DVDRW the first time.

[ryan_n_waggoner]

i don't think you quite followed me, reboot. it actually took *longer* to do the test compile than it did the so-called "finished product", and the test compile seems to work absolutely fine, as opposed to the "finished product" (once again, the only thing i did differently was check the "test compile" box)

[Chronic]

I'm having close to the same problem as you ryan. But i am using 2 VTS files for one movie since nero wont let me burn and Vob files over 2 gigs. I have made a again 6 or seven DVDs with about 9 or 10 seperate video's with menu
I have never had a prolbem, but i am having problems getting 2 seperate vob files to work as one

[ryan_n_waggoner]

Unless we can get some help, Chronic, we may be on our own here. Best chance is probably to compare notes. I'm currently converting/merging the four VOBs that make up the movie portion of my disc to mpeg2 using Womble Wizard. I'll demux that mpeg, adding chapter breaks, and try compiling that, and post back with the latest.

[guns1inger]

The DVD spec does not allow for vob files over 1 gb in size. Look at any commercial DVD and you will see that that are all 1gb or less.

What you guys (Chronic, ryan, and any other wannabees) don't seem to understand is that DVD Lab Pro is aimed at professionals. Professionals don't use SVCD and vobs from other DVDs as source material. If they do need content only available in this format, they demux and prepare the assets so that when they open up DLP, all they need to import are video and audio files, not vobs and mpegs.

The basic model is simple

Desisgn your structure - menus, assets etc. as a flowchart
Prepare you assets - encode movies and audio seperately, resize stills etc
Author disk in DLP

[ryan_n_waggoner]

Gun, I gotta ask --

I see from your profile that you use XP. That would have to be the home edition, right? Because only someone running an office out of their home would use the Pro edition on their home computer.

Point being (in case you couldn't follow) that in case you didn't notice, there's quite a few of us using DVD Lab Pro, because it's considerably more powerful than the standard version. I'm sorry if i missed your letter from God about the only right way to author a DVD, and i'm sorry i don't live in the forum, and only posted when i had a problem i couldn't figure out (which at least one other person seems to be having the exact same problem i am).

Is it too much to ask that you at least occasionally give people the benefit of the doubt? Or is there no one on the planet who knows more about the DVD architecture than you?

And, as a side note, i've never wanted to be a bee. I simply don't look good in yellow. (i think you meant "wannabe", not "wannabee")

[reboot]

As passionate as a few of us are about DVDLab Pro, those of us that have been using it for a long time, have never encountered most of the error's you guys describe.
If DLP won't compile the project properly, there are two reasons:
1) Your structure is faulty.
2) Your assets are faulty.
In the 2 years I've been using DLP, the only time I have had problems has always been due to user error. Never once, has DLP not done exactly what I told it to do.
Time to stop blaming the software

[guns1inger]

I use XP Pro, DVD Lab Pro, After Effects, Vegas, CCE SP. All paid for. For my business. Digital video production and DVD design and authoring.

God doesn't send letters on my behalf. We have an understanding. I refuse to acknowledge his existence, he stops representing me. It's all cool.

Trust me, you're a wannabee. You buzz around trying to blame everything else for your problems, but wont slow down and listen to what you are being told.

As with Reboot, I have never had DLP not do what it is supposed to do.

[Chronic]

Gun you can call me a wannabe all you want. I do this for fun and for learning. I like to you Vob files because it is easier and i don't have to mess with audio and video sets. Again all the the errors i have had is because i have done somthing different then i should. Now Ryan i am having the same prolbem as you. i like to try things over and over again with different way of doing it. I have encoded The same file 4 times all different. From high quality to low. Now i have a Vob file over 5 gigs. It will not complie the whole way. I have lower quality video file encoded from the same file, the same programs and it has worked. I dunno if it is the software, but ryan i would split the files up into many Vobs under 2 gigs each , then Shrink it with DVD shrink . Then join them in DLP and see if that does anything. It is just an idea but i'm about to try that and i'll let you know how it works. learning a program requires 2 things Reading and trial and error. I am getting pretty good with DLP just form all my Trial and errors, and i thank everyone for there help here

[jimmalenko]

I see from your profile that you use XP. That would have to be the home edition, right? Because only someone running an office out of their home would use the Pro edition on their home computer.

Why ? I use Pro so I can have a mini-LAN at home. AFAIK the Home Edition doesn't have all the networking stuff.

I think what gun and reboot are trying to say is that you're trying to run your V6 on diesel. Now while it may run, you'd be much better off (and the engine would be a lot happier) if you just fed it regular gas. You're trying to use it in a way for which it isn't really designed, so naturally you're not getting the results you crave (or deserve). Use it the right way and I'm sure it will come to the party

[reboot]

DVDLab requires that all your assets be prepared to DVD specs (or at least, very near. Although it does allow for some non-spec things).

Audio should be AC3, and must be at 48khz.
Video should be mpeg-2, and either all NTSC, or all PAL, and that means framesize, aspect, and framerate.

If you have two .vobs, and you want to make ONE movie, then you should be demuxing the vobs to m2v/ac3 externally. Join/edit in a good NLE that doesn't skew audio, and then import the finished m2v/ac3 into DVDLab.

[guns1inger]

To paraphrase some dead geezer ;

There are none so deaf as those that will not listen""

[Stormin Norman]

reboots guide: https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=220092

Just started working with and figuring this program out. This guide is an excellent starting point.

[ryan_n_waggoner]

for those keeping score at home, i gave up and have begun using TmpgEnc DVD Author. I'm not getting nearly the results I wanted, menu-wise, but at least it seems to be working.

and i can pretty well guarantee (which should make most of you happy) that this will be the absolute last place i look for answers next time i have a problem.

[Stormin Norman]

Your welcome dude! geez.