How can I find out where a DVD9 layer break is timewise?

[sdsumike619]

I used GEAR to write a DVD9 project to DLT tapes. Then I restored the tapes to the drive and followed their procedures in order to burn it to a disc. I know the exact number of sectors where the layer break is, but if I want to see the layer break happen while the DVD is playing, how do I figure out what title and chapter and time where it occurs?
Thanks

[filmboss80]

Did you set your layer break through your authoring software or Gear? Some authoring programs actually let you see the break point, although Gear might not honor the exact setting. (DVDlab Pro projects and Adobe Encore projects, etc. may be treated differently by Gear.) The latest version of Gear should automatically pick what it thinks is the most optimal place for the layer break. In most cases, that shouldn't be a problem.

Unfortunately, Gear doesn't seem to have that nifty feature that ImgBurn has, in which you can visually preview the DVD program content at the layer break point, as well as a few seconds before and after. It's a great feature that the Gear developers should think about mimicking.

The forum and knowledge base a Gear don't seem to be handy in the area of layer break visualization, but there are some good tips, nonetheless. Ideally, if you have several titlesets for your disc, it would be best to set the layer break between them. But that may not be possible.

All the same, I'd call or e-mail the Gear support people and drill them about this issue. Lord knows, their software is expensive enough.

As an aside thought, most viewers have come to accept DVDs that have a brief pause before layer breaks. If you trust the Gear software to place the break point and replicate your discs that way, it probably wouldn't be a crime to have a brief pause in your discs. If you're willing to spend a little extra with your replicator, you should include a test disc in the replication order. That way, you can see how it will turn out before committing to mass production.

[sdsumike619]

Well, Encore creates a layer break automatically but it's not always right or to spec which is why I started using GEAR. There was discussion about ImgBurn and the same thing was said, had to do with issues regarding the start sector. GEAR support said that I could view the position of the layer break with IfoEdit but they don't give support on that program.

When I look at IfoEdit, I know that the layer break happens in VTS_04_1.VOB And according to their calculator, the layer break happens in cell 37 somewhere. Here is the info from IfoEdit - will any of this help me see in the video where the layer break happens?

			
 			
[0000046e] 	  Cell_37: Cell type (Angle)	9	[09]
   	    type	normal	
   	    Block type	normal	
   	    seamless playback linked in PCI:	yes	
   	    interleaved:	no	
   	    STC discontinuity:	no	
   	    seamless angle linked in DSI:	yes	
[0000046f] 	  Cell_37: Cell restricted?	0	[00]
   	    restricted:	no	
[00000470] 	  Cell_37: still time (seconds, 0xFF = Infinite)	0	[00]
[00000471] 	  Cell_37: command Nr (0 = no command)	0	[00]
[00000472] 	  Cell_37: playback time (BCD)	9664	[000025c0]
   	     playback time (hh:mm:ss.frame)	00:00:25.00 / 30 fps	
[00000476] 	  Cell_37: entry point sector	804884	[000c4814]
[0000047a] 	  Cell_37: first ILVU VOBU end sector	0	[00000000]
[0000047e] 	  Cell_37: start sector of last VOBU	812338	[000c6532]
[00000482] 	  Cell_37: last sector of this cell	812476	[000c65bc]

[filmboss80]

I just thought of something that you might want to experiment with. Get a blank double layer disc, slap it in your burner, and load your authored VIDEO_TS folder in ImgBurn. That should throw up ImgBurn's "Create Layer Break Position" window. Using that function, you can pinpoint a good layer break (pre-visualizing breaks, noting cells, running times, chapters, VTS info, etc.), then write down the numbers to see if any coincide with Gear's chosen layer break numbers.

This is complete theory on my part, as I haven't done it myself. But that's what I'd do right now if I were in your shoes. ImgBurn is free, and there is a great guide (written by Lightning UK!) on how to write DVD video files to a double layer disc (using that layer break position feature) somewhere on the Imgburn forum site.

Couldn't hurt to try. Please let us know how it's going. All of us who replicate DVDs have an interest in one another's experiences.

[sdsumike619]

That was a good idea, but it seemed to confuse me even more. Nothing seemed to be right as I was comparing.. Arrrgh there's got to be a way to figure this out. I posted in the IFOedit forum so maybe some guru in there will answer..

[sdsumike619]

I got a reply, and I understand it now:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1211899

I guess the layer break is ok, because at the spot, there's no pause or anything, assuming I'm looking at the right spot haha...