VCD would like uninterrupted stream but with chapters!

[Ender11]

Hello all.

I have finally managed to burn a proper running VCD with 55 odd minutes of video (PAL) by using TMPGenc on the PC to create the MPEG1 files (weird to discover that I can not get proper running MPEG1s encoded on the Mac using all of the tips I have found here, they keep on looking shakey... but you can imagine I feel bad about having had to resort to a PC!)
Then I used VCD builder (again, only using this tool did I get a proper running VCD. Using the Toast VCD option by simply dumping the same MPEG1 files in Toast didn't give a good result) to make a nice menu with slide show and a nice looking index (great little tool!)
And finally let VCD builder run Toast for me. Great result!

However, sorry for the long intro, the question is about this. Even though the actual tracks themselves run very well... there is still a little hiccup in between tracks. The image freezes, there is a pause... and then it continues. What I would like to be able to do is have one (1) 50 minute stream of video uninterrupted... but still be able to set marks for where a next chapter/track should start.

Is there anyone who knows how to do that?

[miket29]

If you use Nero, there is an easy solution. I am sure this solution will work with other burning software as well. When you have your layout complete prior to burning, select all of your tracks and make sure that the interval is set to 0. There is an automatic 5 second gap between tracks on most burning programs. The same is true of music. It inserts a 2 second gap by default. You just have to change the gap to 0 seconds and everything should work fine.

[vitualis]

No, that is NOT the solution.

Even if you set the wait time to 0 seconds, you will still get a pause between tracks.

In fact, you are making what I refer to as a "multitrack" VCD rather than a "chaptered" one. You will always get pauses between tracks.

To make chapters, you will need to use entrypoints in the following fashion: http://www.michaeltam.com/chapters.html

On Windows, there are GUIs that can automagically do this for you (e.g., VCDEasy) but I'm not sure under the Mac. Perhaps some of the other Mac devotees can help you with this. You could always just write the XML manually (that's what I do)...

Best of luck.

Regards.

[I have a cunning plan...]

I have luck using VCDEasy to make entrypoints w/out any delay.... but I use a PC - not a MAC.... however since you're using a PC for part of the process you could use VCDEasy to build the XML file - then transfer it to your MAC perhaps....

p.s. - sorry to suggest using PC tools in a mac forum, but I figured since you're using a PC for part of the process it may be ok....

[jchansen]

MissingMenuGen from homepage.mac.com/rnc

[Ender11]

Hi all. Thanks for all these inputs. Of course I don't mind getting hints and tips from PC people! To me it is not a ally/enemy thing you know. I have worked with PCs a lot longer than Apple and I can still appreciate them for what they do well. It's just that I way prefer Apple.

Missing Menu Gen: thanks for that suggestion. I have already used that and tried. Doesn't give me a playable VCD sadly, even though I am using the same MPEG1 files (see original posting). I did notice the chaptering option but my impression is, please tell me if I have got this wrong, that you can only set entry points (see how my jargon is improving!) at regular intervals, not exactly where you want them. Is this a right assumption?


VCDEasy: thanks for that. I may give that a try.


Vitualis: thanks for that link. Even though at the site it says there are already new tools available that may make life a lot easier (with regards to setting entrypoints) I will print that and read the very elaborate documentation. If it is no longer needed then it will still give me valuable background info on how it all works.

Thanks all.

Still: if there is anyone out there who knows more on this topic (and hopefully how to deal with this on the Mac...) please don't hesitate to contribute. I know there are more people out here as well who are interested in this subject.

Another thing is that with Final Cut Pro apparently you can set markers in the source files ... if anyone knows how to use that I would also be happy to hear about it.

Take care !

[miket29]

Sorry,
I didn't pay attention and realize this was in the MAC forum. I don't know much about MACs but contrary to the previous arguments, this does work for me. When setting the tracks to a 0 interval in Nero, there is no pause while I am viewing the VCD on my APEX DVD player. I am open to believing what you are saying, I am just reporting what I have experienced. Thanks for the input.
Mike

[Ender11]

As far as I am aware.. Nero is to a PC what Toast is to Mac. I have Toast but I don't think there are options for setting the interval/pause to 0 for VCD. Supposed to be the easy to use thing that Apple goes for. (Not that OSX has made things more intuitive!!!)

[jchansen]

Actually there is Nero for the Mac, but it is stuck at an older version. It does VCD but not SVCD. I'm not sure how it would work for this situation. I can't figure out why MissingMenuGen wouldn't give you a working disk. You are also using MissingMpegTools with it to Mux and image?

[sterno]

I did notice the chaptering option but my impression is, please tell me if I have got this wrong, that you can only set entry points (see how my jargon is improving!) at regular intervals, not exactly where you want them. Is this a right assumption?

Technically, yes, you can't set an entrypoint just anywhere. If you use vcdimager (or some front-end to vcdimager) it will tell you when the entrypoint you want can't be set and automatically use the closest one available. From a practical standpoint, I've never had one off by more than a tiny fraction of a second.

[Ross]

Use MissingMenuGen to rough in a templete for the entry points, then edit the XML as needed to set the entry points where you want them. Be sure to save as "plain text".

I could add the feature if there was enough demand for it.
RNC

[Ross]

Ender11
Email me with details as to why VCDs made with MMG don't play.

[phoney]

With the latest version of VCD Builder (1.1) you can make chapters!
You said you were already using that app, but you must have an old version.
For those who haven't tried it: It is a *great* app!