how do I create a dvd (with simple menu's) from VOB files

[fsas]

Hi everybody

(Sorry if my question is already answered in another place: due to a disability I am not able to search or type much.).

I am trying to put all my (original) VHS tapes to DVD because I want to get rid of the videorecorder but I have encountered a lot of problems. I found out that most of them were copyprotected so I bougth a stabilizer to solve that. I have recorded some tapes on my dvd-recorder and wrote them to dvd's. These dvd's are fine for the dvd-recorder that made it, but don't work or give problems on my other dvd, the menu's are really ugly and typing titles for the movie etc is not easy. I have copied one of these dvd's to the hard disk of my pc (so I have video_rm and video_TS with all files in it). The VOB files in the video_ts folder are ok. I can play them on my pc (powerdvd). The pc also contains a program to make your own dvd's (powerproducer) but if I make dvd's with this program the audio and video are out of sync. I tried to burn the (original) copy again with nero and that works fine (I mean not out of sync) but then I am still stuck with the original menu's of my dvd-recorder.

Does anyone of you know how to solve this problem? Is there an easy-to-use simple piece of free software in which I can make simple menu's and which can work with the VOB's that are on the dvd's I copy from the dvd-recorder?

thanks!

(On another pc I have studio 9 but it does not work with VOB files. I have already tried to rename them to mpg but then it complains about some missing key. And I think it is too much for the job. A simple solution will do)

[Baldrick]

I would use Tmpgenc dvd author, choose add dvd video and select the video_ts folder on the dvd. Recreate new menus. Author and burn.

[mats.hogberg]

I think the easiest method is to use TMPGEnc DVD Author, Add DVD Video (and select the VIDEO_TS you've copied to your HDD). If it will stay in sync - only a test can say.

/Mats
<edit>Baldrick beat me to it.</edit>

[fsas]

The problem is that Tmpgenc dvd author is not freeware. I don't want to buy yet another piece of software (I already bought two which don't work properly) and the trial version will only work for 14 days. I will certainly need much more time to process the video's I have.
Is there also another tool which is good, simple and free? I have already looked in the tools section of the site but there are a lot. I tried a few but did not succeed yet..

thanks, Anjo

[Baldrick]

No, no tool is as simple and good as tda.

What tools have you tried? guifordvdauthor, dvdauthorgui, dvdstyler?

[fsas]

I tried a lot, also earlier for demuxing so I am not sure which ones I tried for authoring (is it called authoring?), but amongst others it was ifoedit (did not quite understand it) and dvdauthorgui, but I am not able to read the VOB. It reads mpg files but I have VOB

edit> sorry, it is called gui-dvdauthor (i chose the full install) <edit

[mats.hogberg]

To create mpg from VOB, try vob2mpg.
But again, TDA is well worth the money IMO. Give the trial a spin, to make sure it suits your need.

/Mats

[fsas]

I can try recoding the vob to mpg. Did not try that yet. But that will take a lot of extra time, I 'm affraid. (?)

I believe that TDA will do the job but I have already spent a lot of money on the process and I don't want to buy this one additionally only to overcome the ugly menu's....

I did not try dvdstyler yet. Perhaps that will fit my needs?

[mats.hogberg]

I can try recoding the vob to mpg. Did not try that yet. But that will take a lot of extra time, I 'm affraid. (?)

vob2mpg doesn't reencode - it just extracts the mpg out of its VOB wrapper (mpg video + some kind of audio is already the main ingredients of a VOB) so, it will take some time, but far from the time it takes to reencode.

/Mats

[t0nee1]

As mats stated, it will not take too much time! I did one last night using VOB2MPG, took approx. 15min.

[fsas]

didn't know that it did not reencode it. (vob to mpg)... as you may already have noticed: I am new at this field and don't know a lot about it.
I will give it a try (as soon as my sons let me on the other computer again...)

thanks, Anjo

[t0nee1]

@ Anjo, good luck! with taking the PC from your kids, LOL. Hey I'm still learning everyday!!

[fsas]

I finally managed to get (a simple!) first menu. I tried a lot of possibilities but dvdauthor finally (...) gave good results for me. It still is a pity I cannot use powerproducer (making a dvd is only a matter of a few mouseclicks) but async audio/video is terrible to look at.

thanks for your thinking along with me...