Unusual Problem experienced with authored DVD, Need Help Please

[RKelly]

Hello All,
I have a method of burning DVDs that up to now has worked perfectly. I have a Sony Vaio computer with gigapocket recording software. I imported mpeg 2 files from my camcorder to the computer via RCA cables using gigapocket. To edit the video (cut some things out, add fade in/out), I use a program called mpeg-vcr. Then I use TMPGEnc DVD Author to create the DVD, then Nero to burn. This method has worked for me several times over, never once a problem.

THE PROBLEM LIES HERE: When I have taken the above steps, the burnt dvd will not play correctly. It will play the first few seconds of the video, then freeze, but continue on with the audio. It does this with every scence. What I decided to do was recode the files using TMPGEnc Plus. When that is done, the files will play fine on a newly authored dvd, the problem there is that the files are huge using the recommended settings within the Plus program (In fact, it takes up about 2x the space of the original MPEG 2 file) and would unfortunately make my project 4 dvdrs long instead of 2. So what I tried next is to recode again using the Plus program, but encode the files at approx half the size so they could fit on the dvd as the original files did. Of course, I am not happy with the results, with pixelation problems clearly evident.

What can I do? I am sorry for being so long-winded, but I have spent untold hours of this project, and I want it to come out correctly! Please help if you are able.

[redwudz]

If TMPGEnc encodes them and then they work, the first thought I have is that they were not DVD compliant before that point. Have you checked them after each process with a program like Gspot?

If your camcorder outputs compliant MPEG-2, then where in the process does it go out of compliance?

I'm assuming 720 x 480 pixels MPEG2, with MPEG-1 Layer2 or AC3 audio. Is the bitrate too high?

The DVD spec is to the upper left in 'WHAT IS' DVD. As long as it meets those specs it should play fine after authoring.

[RKelly]

I will have some time later today to use GSPOT, I'll post results then, thanks.

[SingSing]

If your camcorder outputs compliant MPEG-2, then where in the process does it go out of compliance?

Sony Gigapocket is a video capturing device that used to cap the analog video output of the camcorder.

[RKelly]

Here is a snapshot of what one of the files which freezes looks like in GSPOT. Everything looks correct, am I missing something?

snapshot.bmp

[RKelly]

sorry that pic doesn't show up very clearly, I don't know how to post the pic in the message itself. Heres a hopefully clearly pic attached.

untitled.bmp

[BJ_M]

the bitrate is to high

[RKelly]

Thanks for the input, can you recommend what bitrate to encode at? I could accomplish this using TMPGEnc I am hoping? Also, would that be a reason why the files, when burnt onto disc, freeze while the audio continues? I still don't understand why it is doing that.

[BJ_M]

use a bitrate calculator , use 8500 as max anyhow ...

yes, video would freeze at to high a bit rate