Two video files merge but only part 1 can be viewed... need help!

[Djard]

Here is the road I took to my problem of not being able to view a split movie, after merging the two parts in the burn process:

1. I used Aegisub to edit subtitles for each of the two AVI files.

2. I saved the subs in the .SRT format but also tried .SSA and .ASS when the project using .SRT failed.

3. I used ConvertXtoDVD to convert the files to DVD and hardcode the subs (I also tried the same with AVS Video Converter).

4. Both DVD parts play fine on my PC.

5. I used the 'Merge" option in DVDFab that has always worked for me to burn the two parts onto a DVD disc, but on this occasion only part 1 of the movie will play after burning to DVD media.

6. The DVD disc that plays only part 1 contains 4.35 GB of info (IFOs, BUPs, VOBs); so I figure both parts were burned onto it, since each part is about 2.2 GB when converted separately to DVD.

7. I tried to hardcode the subs with VirtualDub, but the subs appeared fuzzy, even though they looked crisp in VDs preview feature.

8. I also used ConvertX to merge the two parts and wasted another disc. For some reason. only part 1 will play once the two parts are merged and burned to DVD media.

I did burn the movie on two DVDs, which play fine. I suppose I could use the break to change disks as an opportunity to make some popcorn. But I'd like to learn how to overcome this problem. Has anyone encountered this issue before?

[guns1inger]

Why not join them in convertxtodvd and save yourself a step. Add the first part, append the second, and convert.

[Djard]

Thanks for the response. Yes, I tried that; but it didn't work the first two times.

I ended up overcoming the problem by using additional steps, firstly double-checking the parameters for placement of subs in ConvertX are identical to those in Aegisub -> merged the two parts with their subs using ConvertX, used DVDShrink to reprocess the movie (it grew to 4.58 because I encode with a setting of 4800 MB to overcome too much compression--ConvertX converts a 4.3 GB MKV to a < 3 GB DVD, reducing image quality). Then I used DVD Decrypter to burn the movie to disk. The only difference was avoiding DVDFab and using DVDShrink to re-rip and burn with DVD Decrypter.

I saved the same SRT file in SSA and ASS formats, but only SRT worked, which is also strange. I suppose occasionally some small encoding error fools even the best apps.