DVD authoring from multiple sources?

[architectofpain]

Hi everyone.

I have a few questions about a fairly decent scale 'project' I'm about to ndertake. I'm somewhat unsure of what to do as this will be my first time authoring a DVD of this manner. What I intend to do is join a video (which has been demuxed into m2v and ac3 files) with another video (parts of the same film, long story. This separate part is still in vob form). What I will need to do is as follows:

Demux the single vob into an m2v file and cut it so I only have the part I need. Is there a program that will do that (the vob is on my hard drive. I've also only ever come across programs that will do entire vob sets)?

Cut out a part of one of the demuxed m2v files.

Add in the video from the separate vob, and join the videos together as seamlessly as possible (the videos are the same dimensions).

Sync the videos together up with a soundtrack. I've experimented with this and always had it result in being out of sync.

I've had a look at a few helpful guides from this forum (mainly the one about adding multiple audio streams) but I'm really still a novice at this. If anyone can offer any guidance, any programs that will aid me in accomplishing this (free if possible) and if anyone has any experience doing this I'd be extremely grateful.

Thanks.

[Baldrick]

Syncing video from different sources is not easy. You can demux single vobs using vobedit. Then cut using cuttermaran. But I haven't seen any good free mpeg2 joiner....

Maybe try Mpeg video WIzard, it's not free though...but trial available.

[architectofpain]

Thanks for the help!
I'll see where it gets me.

[architectofpain]

It seems that the mpeg joiners I have tried (mpeg join and mpeg video wizard) speed the joined files up. Is there a way to perform this without incurring speed up?

[borax]

Demux all files you need (I would recommend pgcdemux)
Check if the properties of the parts are really the same (resolution, aspect, fps...)
Load the files in either cuttermaran or mpeg2schnitt. There you can cut and join all parts together. You can also load your soundtrack, but if it is out of sync, it is a lot of work to recync it with the video. It is quite easy, if there is a 'constant' timing difference (then just cut a part of the audio away or add some silence), or if the audio is constantly increasing or decreasing the time gap. In this case you can slow down or fasten the audio track with audio tools (audacity, besweet...).

[architectofpain]

Is there a guide for mpeg2schnitt? I'm having trouble trying to join the files.

[borax]

Yes, but AFAIK only in German:
http://www.mdienert.de/mpeg2schnitt/Forum/M2S-Hilfe/Mpeg2Schnitt.html

Maybe you can try to translate it with google or another online translator (but I'm not sure that you will get something useful )

[architectofpain]

Ahh.
Thanks. I've got a new problem to get through before that now though: It seems part of the movie (when in m2v format) is unable to be read for some reason. It just seems to skip through it. The funny thing is, the wav file demuxed correctly. Is there a way to get past this?

[borax]

Which program did you use to demultiplex the m2v file?
Is the whole file readable in the original movie (vob)?
If a part of the movie is unable to be read, I would try all available demultiplexers (projectx, dgindex, pgcdemux, vobedit) to get this fixed before trying anything else.

[architectofpain]

I used DVD Decrypter to demux it. The whole file is readable as a vob, and when I watch it in my dvd player. Will give the other demuxers a go.
EDIT: VobEdit didn't work.
EDIT: Nothing else listed worked. If I make an mpg of it, it plays fine. However it seems that the problem lies in the demuxing. For example: DVD Decrypter cut it into 3 parts, and projectx cut it into 5 parts (some of which overlapped).
Is there a way to do this (i.e add another audio track, I don't so much care about the additional scene) by just using the mpg? It seems that I won't get anywhere with any different demuxing software.