VCD menu

[bryan2923]

Sorry if its been asked before but I created a mpg menu just a still picture with sound. Then used the newest version of TSCV and added the menu and the chapters. I used the preview option in tscv and it worked great. So I created a bin file and burned it to a disc using cdrwin 4.0. Then I tried it out on my panasonic dvd-rv31, it played the sound to the menu but it did not display any video of it. It worked just like the menu was suppose to except for it did not show any video. I then poped the cd into my computer and used windvd 3.0 and the menu showed up fine. Is the problem in the dvd player, or is there some way to fix it? Thanks for your time,

Bryan

[bleemer2]

I have tried various methods of menuing VCDs, most standalone players, including VCD players, ignore the menues.

One method that worked for me (with a collection of short movies) was to create a still mpeg (VCD compliant mpeg 1 frame long) with the menu, I loaded this as track one in Nero, set the wait time to infinite. that way all the following tracksare held untill you select play, or a track number - remember when creating the menu that your first video will be track 2.

My prefered method now is MiniDVD (1/4 DVD or 1/2 DVD) unfortunately not all players will support this standard. I have full DVD function with it, including subtitling, layered menues and multple audio tracks.

[vitualis]

Just about EVERY VCD compatible player WILL play menus as intended if you author and burn the VCD correctly.

How did you make your MPEG still/audio? There is a good chance that you've done something wrong somewhere.

Regards.

[gromitlad]

I too have had problems with TSCV menus/chapters not working properly on a Panasonic RV31. Like Bryan, I have the problem of the audio in my menus playing fine but the video not displaying at all. Also, the chapters don't work.

I created the menus as follows:
1. created a 704x480 BMP in photoshop
2. created a short WAV loop in Cool Edit Pro
3. using these, I created an mpeg-1 using TMPGEnc 2.02.31.119 (704x480, 23.976fps, CBR 1150kbps, Layer-2 44100Hz 224kbps)

Then, for the actual movie:
I used the technique described in Vitualis' tutorials to demux my MPEG, run MPEGSequencer on it, and remux it, so I could use TSCV to create chapter stops.

The menu and chapters work absolutely beautifully in WinDVD and on my Pioneer-DV343 standalone. But I have the problems described above when I try the VCDs in my friend's Panasonic RV31. This really sucks because I burned a ton of VCDs for her for Christmas, and none of the TSCV-generated menus or chapter stops work on those VCDs.

On the other hand, the simple menus I created with Nero (on other VCDs) worked fine on the RV31.

I'd appreciate any help anyone could give.

gromitlad

PS, vitualis, thank you SO MUCH for your tutorial "Chaptering with Entrypoints"! Before I saw that I had no idea why I was having so many problems with creating chapters with TSCV - now they work great - at least at *my* house! Now if only I can get them to work at my friend's!

[vitualis]

I can't explain why the chapters don't work on the Panasonic unit... I don't use TSCV personally, but I would presume that it creates the chapters in the same or similar way as in the article. These should work on all true VCD compatible players. The only thing that I can suggest is that perhaps the Panasonic unit's VCD player firmware has a lot to be desired (but then, I can't say for sure because I don't own or have access to that player).

As for the still menus, the method you described in creating them are not VCD compliant.

Follow the link to "Still Images" and the to mikk's webpage on creating MPEG Stills: http://www.geocities.com/medinotes/vcd This is one way (using completely free software) of creating real MPEG still images for VCDs.

Regards.

[gromitlad]

Hmmm... if the still menus I made are not VCD compliant, that would certainly explain why they work on some players and not others. I guess it would simply mean that the Panasonic RV31 requires VCDs to adhere more closely to the VCD standards than my Pioneer DV343.

Looked at mikk's tutorial for making still menus with audio. Damn, it looks like a lot more work than the method I used! I'll certainly try it though. Will report back.

As for the chapters, I have no idea. I haven't yet tried your demo VCD on my friend's machine, I'll try that too and if the entrypoints on there don't work on the RV31, I guess I'll just assume it can't do entrypoints.

thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!