Importing MPEG into Pinnacle Studio 8

[kn1]

I'm a newbie (and proud of it, for the moment at least).

I installed Pinnacle Studio 8 (mostly for the capture card, but that's another story). The problem is that when I import an MPEG file that I had encoded using TMPGenc the audio appears to play at what seems to be twice the video rate.

Is there a known issue importing MPEG files into Studio 8? I checked their support web site and nothing leaped out at me. I have a bunch of MPEG's I'd like to import into this tool to author and burn DVD's. My understanding (in reading some of the forums here) is that TMPGenc is the best (or one of the best) MPEG encoders so I'd like to continue to use this if possible.

Thanks in advance for any advice/tips/pointers in the right direction.

- Kevin

[donpedro]

Did you make any progress on this ?

BTW, why don't you capture in AVI, edit in Pinnacle Studio 8 and then covert to MPEG in TMPGEnc ?

[kn1]

I have two machines. The machine "upstairs" is the general family machine and is what I use for editing. I'd prefer not to do any mpeg encoding there.

The machine in the basement (the old machine, but still a decent box) is where I do the encoding simply because I don't care if it's pegged for days at a time.

I just want to add chapter points to avi's (home videos) - and I would like to have nested menus. That's basically my requirement. I'm not sure how to do the editing in studio and then to the encoding - I was thinking the other way around so that studio wouldn't encode during a "make movie" or "make disk".

- Kevin

[donpedro]

I just spend some time yesterday on Pinnacles forum and I believe that only way how PS8 will accept mpeg file and it will not try to reencode is:

1. mpeg file have to be in proper format (what exactly it is I am not sure, but I am assuming that at least bit rate has to match)

2. You can add menu only at the beggining. Before mpeg file.

3. You can't place "return to menu" flag anywhere in the middle. Only placin it on the end of the mpeg file will result "no re-encodig"

4. And of course... You can't edit your mpeg file. No transition, titles and so on.

Does it help ?

[kn1]

Yep - this is helpful and I think I fit inside those parameters.

My real problem is that the audio plays faster than the video - I think the suggestion I've had on the Pinnacle board was to set the bitrate on tmpgenc to 224 - it's currently 384 and I'm not exactly sure how to change it - but to be honest - I've had other issues that have gated my progress anyway so I haven't gotten to this one.

I'm having problems getting it to make a proper VIDEO_TS file with make movie such that I can play it back using winDVD. You can find my post here:

http://webboard.pinnaclesys.com/read_messages.asp?WebboardID=1&ForumID=689&SectionID=1...read=416&lng=1

I can get a correct VIDEO_TS w/the CD version of studio 8 but the latest patch (8.3.18) does not work for me. I also have a Sony DRU-500a which Studio seems to have an issue for (at least for me) - so bottom line - I'm using the bundled myDVD to make simple stuff for now and I'll save the more complex stuff for later once they iron out the bugs in Studio8.

Thanks again.

- Kevin

[donpedro]

I will read your Pinnacle post later. But now.... You are scaring me !!! I am planing to use my (unpacked, waiting for me at home) Sony DRU-500A with Studio 8 (still not upgraded from Studio 7). Are you saying that this combination doesn't work ? BTW there is new firmwere for Sony.

[donpedro]

No help there ..... Pinnacle forum Last udpade 11/06

[kn1]

Sorry - a bit behind in keeping up with posts.

I've had multiple problems with Studio 8 (most documented on the Pinnacle forum site).

My approach is to sit back and wait until Pinnacle sorts it all out. Some have had success but I have not. I am not willing to spend a ton of time loading and reloading stuff either (as was suggested by Pinnacle tech support).

So - bottom line - I'm just going to wait it out w/Studio 8. I can use MyDVD (which came with the DRU-500) successfully - or at least I could until I upgraded the firmware on the DRU (which I need to now back off).

At some point it will all come together. I'm happy with simple projects until it gets sorted.

- Kevin

[BLGinsburg]

I'm about to get a new Sony DRU-500A and want to be able to use it with Pinnacle Studio 8. So, are you saying that it doesn't work at all?? Do the guys at Pinnacle know about this??

Thanks,
Brandon

[plange]

I have not been able to go the full distance in Studio 8 - capture edit render compile burn - but I can get close. When in "Make Disk" mode I save the project to my hard drive. I then use Nero to burn the DVD on my Sony DRU500A with no problem. I used to use TMPGEnc for my mpeg-1 VCD encoding but find Studio's mpeg-2 DVD files excellent and convenient. While Nero does create an extra step, I actually prefer to be able to test my video_ts file before burning it so it isn't all bad to break the process up.