Using CCE and Sonic DVD-it pro

[uniks]

I encoded .avi movie using Cinema Craft Encoder SP2 with four passes, after it finished two files were made-the movie itself in .mpv format and .wav file(almost 1.5GB).
I inserted .mpv file in Sonic DVDit pro to make menus, but when I tried to simulate the DVD there was no sound, obviously somehow I have to join it with that .wav file, how?

And when I encode with CCE do I always have to get two files, one for movie and one for sound, because they are very large files?

Is it even necessary to decode the .avi movie with CCE because the Sonic DVDit pro has the transcoding, but considering that CCE is the best encoder would it be significantly less of a quality to use that?

[guns1inger]

You are encoding with CCE, not decoding. You are producing elementary streams - one for video and one for audio. You need to bring them together when you author with Sonic. If Sonic does not allow you to do this, get a better tool.

I would also suggest that you convert the wav to AC3 using ffmpeggui, as this will be a lot smaller.

[lordsmurf]

Son DVDit! PE allows for that. But you have to import both audio and video streams. Maybe check out the guide here:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/authorburn/dvdit/dvdit.htm

[legion78]

I would also suggest that you convert the wav to AC3 using ffmpeggui, as this will be a lot smaller.

Rgr that. I use ffmpeggui also, its simple to use and gets the job done. Your almost there bud, the hard parts over. Just need to import that audio stream and your good to go.

[uniks]

OK, I converted .wav to .ac3(also got a file with .ses_V011 extension) with ffmpeggui, they are both named as the .mpv file and are in the same folder, then I added the movie in the Sonic DVDit, in project settings-->transcoding I marked the check box to convert all compliant video and audio files.
Then I started the simulation but there is still no sound, what do I do now?

And btw what does that video transcoding setting mean, it ranges to max. of 8000kbps, but I have to put it on 5600 so it can fit on one layered DVD(the .mpv file is 4180MB), does that affect the quality?

And can I import additional menu templates from somewhere?

Thanks for your help.

[guns1inger]

If your .m2v file is compliant, Sonic should not have to transcode, and it is preferable that it does not. Don't use this option unless you absolutely have to.

[uniks]

You mean this .m2v file is .mpv?

And what about the sound?

Btw, does Ulead DVD Workshop have animated menus? Or is it perhaps better than Sonic DVDit?

[guns1inger]

.m2v/.mpv essentially the same thing - a video elementary stream. Same witht he audio (.ac3/.mpa etc).

Yes, DVD Workshop 2 supports motion menus. Is it better than Sonic ? Eye of the beholder time.

[uniks]

So you are saying that with Sonic I can't have sound from CCE which took 5 hours to encode?


Too bad, I really liked Sonic and thought of using it on a regular basis combined with CCE...

[legion78]

Uniks, I know your frustrated but your making it harder than it has to be. You encoded your video with CCE, after that your video should not need to be touched anymore. If your authoring tool is wanting to transcode your video again then your need to find the settings/preferences and disable that. For the record every time I use tmpenc dvd author with cce output it tries to tell me that my bitrate is not compliant ect... Ignore it and don't let it transcode your video again. As for your audio issues I would recommend 2 things.

1. De-mux your audio from your source before encoding your video.
2. Un-check audio in your cce options so it will only do the video.

I have never used sonic but I would have a hard time believing that it does not allow you to import audio. It has to be there somewhere. Keep working at it and keep us updated.

[lordsmurf]

Realize I refer to "SONIC DVDIT! PROFESSIONAL EDITION (PE) version 2.54". The newer "SONIC DVDit Pro 6" is a piece of trash, a software abortion. Sonic destroyed DVDit starting with version 5. The v2.x and v6 are the only "Pro" versions I know of to date.

.......................

For those trying to give advice, it helps when you know the software....

- Sonic DVDit! PE does not re-encode video if it is DVD-Video compliant MPEG-1 or MPEG-2. Sonic DVDit! also prefers closed GOP video, not open GOP video.

- Sonic DVDit! PE can only work with WAV or AC3 audio, no MP2 allowed.

- Sonic DVDit! PE requires "M2V" (MPEG-2) or "M1V" (MPEG-1) files. If you have MPV files, rename them. Easy as that.

- Sonic DVDit! PE requires demuxed audio/video assets. You must use separate audio and video files. They are also imported separately and you have to add audio to the same link as the video, after video is dropped.

I upgraded from Sonic DVDit! PE to Ulead DVD Workshop 2, when it came out. Ulead DVDWS2 is a perfect software to graduate too, if you have the money for it. But Sonic DVDit! PE is no slouch, I used it for several years (2001-2004). The advantages over DVDit! include: multiple VTS, motion menus, MP2 audio support, and no need to demux assets.

Your video from CinemaCraft (CCE) should be fine, as long as you used DVD-compliant settings. I also suggest closed GOPs for DVDit! to better accept the stream.

The preview function in DVDit! PE, also, for the record, tends to not always work correctly. It was especially troublesome when I imported AC3 files I made in Besweet. The final authored folder turned out great (played in DVD player software, or burned to DVD-RW and tested on a player), just the preview in DVDit! acts up.

I think you'll be fine. Author out a disc to a folder, burn in something else (I don't like the DVDit! burning engire, it can fail) onto a RW disc, and test in a player.

You might want to look at these guides:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/authorburn/intro.htm
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/authorburn/dvdit/dvdit.htm

And good luck!

[uniks]

I have Sonic DVDit Pro 6.

1. It's not possible to turn off transcoding, just put it on the lowest setting-2000kbps
2. There is no option for inserting/importing audio whatsoever.
3. I don't know what this means-

1. De-mux your audio from your source before encoding your video.

So as you can see there are only to menus with options-


and neither one has anything that you are talking about, now I'm gonna burn the video to image disc to see if the simulation doesn't work regarding sound and that's it, if it doesn't work I'll switch to Ulead DVD Workshop.

[lordsmurf]

Yep, version 6 is trash. Throw it away, it's worthless.
Go get yourself Ulead DVD Workshop 2.

[uniks]

All right, I have Ulead DVD Workshop 2 now, everything works fine, the AC3 sound file was very easy to insert.

Just one more thing, could someone please write me the link to additional menu content(especially motion) and then we can close this topic.

[uniks]

btw you misled me, DVD Workshop doesn't have motion menus, it has motion backgrounds, menus are static.

Motion menus are like the ones in Nero Premium(monitors, cubes and pillars)

[guns1inger]

You can only do motion backgrounds in DVD. I don't know what's Nero's look like, but actually moving menu choices around etc is done by a technique called switched menus, which either use separate cells or clips to give the illusion of motion. You have to build these yourself in your editor.

[uniks]

The menus in Nero Premium are the best, especially Monitors, upon selection they slide, fold, zoom in, have sound effects. You can't get more professional and cool looking than that.

But unfortunately Nero Premium regarding DVD authoring is a piece of crap.

I'll keep this topic alive so someone might put similar(or any) animated menus on rapidshare or somewhere else to download from.

(I don't know why some people call motion backgrounds motion menus )

[guns1inger]

They are called motion backgrounds because in terms of how you build the menu, that is all they are. Because of the effort required, and because they are often tailored specifically for a task, I doubt you will find many people handing over freebies. I know that most of my motion work takes a fair amount of time. If you search with google you will find a few sites that sell motion menus in various formats, although for the most part they are fairly cheesy.