trouble authoring 16:9 DVD

[feh]

I've been burning home movies to DVD for 3 or 4 years now, with no problems. The process used to be Hi-8 camera -> PC capture card w/ hardware mpeg encoding -> TMPGEnc DVD author. Never made a coaster.

Well, over the last few months, we've purchased a new widescreen HD tv, and an HD camcorder (Sony HDR-HC3). The footage was recorded in high-def (1080i).

I don't have a high-def player or burner, so I have the camera convert to DV format when transferring the tape contents to the computer via firewire. It creates a 16:9 mpeg file on the PCs hard drive.

I tried burning a couple DVDs using TMPGEnc through my usual process, but the resulting DVD would not play in my 4 year old Panasonic player. It also wouldn't play on my PC. The only difference in the process at this point is that I'm using 16:9 instead of 4:3.

So, I tried using Ulead VideoStudio to author (which I'm evaluating because it can handle HD content). The DVD created by VideoStudio does play in my Panasonic player, but in at least a couple spots in the DVD, the player hangs; it stops playing the DVD (almost like pause was hit) for a few seconds, and then returns to the menu.

My questions are: should DVD Author (which is an older version; probably 3 or 4 years old) be able to create a playable 16:9 DVD? What is causing the hiccups on playback from the Ulead created DVD? Is it the authoring program? Some problem with the player?

Any guesses or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

[guns1inger]

Most of the problems sound like either poor authoring tools or poor media.

Tmpgenc can certainly encode 16:9 material for DVD. It even has widescreen templates to do this. I can't vouch for TDA being able to author 16:9, however if the mpegs are correctly encoded, you can use other tools to change the DVD to 16:9 after authoring. IFOEdit can do this, for example.

[MysticE]

As was noted by guns1inger, in your first example.

It also wouldn't play on my PC

Authoring problem.


Your second example.

What is causing the hiccups on playback from the Ulead created DVD?

Does playback on your PC (from either the authored files on the HD or the burned disc) work properly and look good? If so it could simply be a media problem as was also noted.

[feh]

As was noted by guns1inger, in your first example.

It also wouldn't play on my PC

Authoring problem.


Your second example.

What is causing the hiccups on playback from the Ulead created DVD?

Does playback on your PC (from either the authored files on the HD or the burned disc) work properly and look good? If so it could simply be a media problem as was also noted.

I've about half way through a stack of 50 DVD-Rs that have never given me a problem, so it's unlikely to be a media problem.

The DVD will not play back properly on my PC either; it gets hung up at the same point. In fact, I couldn't get the DVD to play at all under Windows, but under Linux it would play up to the trouble spot. The xine (linux DVD player) error mentions expecting a NAV packet, but finding none (?).

So it looks like an authoring problem. Anybody have any guesses at what I screwed up?

Thanks!

[MysticE]

The DVD will not play back properly

Try playing the files off your HD, the ones you used (the authored files) to burn the DVD, not the burned DVD.

Depending on your software player either a 'Play from folder' option or try clicking on the VIDEO_TS.IFO.

It's always good practice to test the playback of the files before committing to disc.

[feh]

Try playing the files off your HD, the ones you used (the authored files) to burn the DVD, not the burned DVD.

The authored files on the hard drive play just fine. What do you think that indicates?

Thanks.

[dun4cheap]

While I have not messed with the sony Hd cam yet, I don't believe it will convert the 1440x1080 to 720x480 RT through the firewire. Are you sure the file its creating via firewire is not 1440x1080 mpeg2 or avi?

I know my Canon HV10 records DV 4:3 at 1440x1080 and the specs say it records HD/DV at 1920x1080 however the specifications are not correct.

I can output via analog in different formats but the camera will not change the tape format via firewire on the fly.

[feh]

While I have not messed with the sony Hd cam yet, I don't believe it will convert the 1440x1080 to 720x480 RT through the firewire. Are you sure the file its creating via firewire is not 1440x1080 mpeg2 or avi?

Yup, I'm sure. It's 720x480.

[Scorpion King]

I just got my Sony HC3 and have only did a few tapes so far. All my tapes are shot 1440x1080i HDV.

My best results were transferring through firewire using Ulead VideoStudio in 16:9 HD MPEG2 format. Then Lanczos4Resize to 720x480 with AVISynth script then reencoding with Tmpgenc, and authorizing with TDA. Results were excellent and were 16:9.

I found a few things in the camera I don't care for like its down convert from HD to DV. I can do better with script. The camera does not resize that well and leaves nasty looking interlace lines.

My DVD Recorder could record from the camera through firewire. I had it set for 720x480. The files came out 720x480 but all my programs reported the files as 352x240. There is a problem there I haven't figured out yet.... The down convert again I suspect.

Good luck.

[bobkart]

I've taken HDV from my Sony HDR-HC3 and used just TMPGEnc to encode to 720x480 widescreen DVD-Compliant MPEG2, and authored and burned to DVD, with excellent results.

I've also authored from the HDV without re-encoding to HD-DVD, using Ulead DVD Movie Factory 5 Plus, but that's another matter.

[guns1inger]

That you have used half a spindle without issue doesn't mean it's not media or burner related, especially if everything seems to play OK from the HDD.

[Scorpion King]

I've also authored from the HDV without re-encoding to HD-DVD, using Ulead DVD Movie Factory 5 Plus, but that's another matter.

OK I'm curoius. Tell me.........

[bobkart]

I've also authored from the HDV without re-encoding to HD-DVD, using Ulead DVD Movie Factory 5 Plus, but that's another matter.

OK I'm curoius. Tell me.........

The Official AVS Guide to HD-DVD Authoring

[GeorgeW]

I've also authored from the HDV without re-encoding to HD-DVD, using Ulead DVD Movie Factory 5 Plus, but that's another matter.

OK I'm curoius. Tell me.........

The Official AVS Guide to HD-DVD Authoring

I originally tried this back in May, 2006 -- I used MovieFactory 5 to create the HD-DVD *.ISO image, and then burned the image with DVD Decryptor (took it to local Bestbuy, and it successfully played as a valid HD-DVD on the Toshiba HD-DVD Player they had on display)

NOTE: Ulead subsequently removed the function in MovieFactory to create the ISO image file -- so you then have to follow the other path of creating the HD-DVD folders, and use software such as Nero to burn the folders...

Regards,
George

[bobkart]

Yeah that later path through Nero is how I do it. Also went to Best Buy to test the discs prior to acquiring a player of my own.

[Scorpion King]

Thanks