TSCV Motion Menu/Chapter creation problem

[spyhawk]

Hi! I've been having problems using this new TSCV v0.84 beta rel 2, since I'd like to try motion menu, background music options. I already tried the Nero, VCDEasy, DVD2SVCD methods, so I thought I would move to the more complicated thing. I have already created 2 part MPEG (SVCD format) movies (to fit in 2 CDs), animated main menu (mpg), background audio (mp2) for the chapter menu.

Here's my list of problems:

1. Upon adding an MPEG file under Menu tab, double-click it which brings me to the Chapters tab, I use the track bar to scroll to the right to see the preview, it hangs if I scroll fast! Also I don't see any picture. If I scroll slowly and release, it's ok. But if I hold down the mouse after 2 or seconds, and release it, it hangs (giving busy hourglass)! If I scroll all the way to the right, the displayed frame is incorrect, giving very huge numbers, way past the estimation. Anyone encounter this problem and how to solve this?

2. Since I have 2 part MPEG files, how do I determine how many frames to put in the CD frame section for CD1 and CD2? The framebased section of the ChapterXTractor import (Plugin menu) displays only the start of a new chapter, correct? Also, the "Load Chapters" button does not work.

3. Under MenuGen tab, as I finished creating 8 chapters, with background loaded, I notice Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 show the Frame start at 0. Is this correct? I thought Chapter 2 start at some frame #. This doesn't really match with the Chapters tab. Also, I don't see the border background around the chapter, after I load it. Nor can I see any preview of it.

4. When I hit the "Create Menu" button, I selected 180 frames for motion menu, and added the audio as the background to be muxed into the menu. I selected mpeg2enc option (in TSCV Menu Generator window) under General Options menu. It successfully created, but after I entered the filename, I do not see it being created, even though it's inserted back in the Menu tab, but still the menu file is not physically stored on HD. What's going on? So I switch to using TMPGEnc, with option "Standard sequence-files mask...." and "Save as BMP files..." being checked. And this is the error I get:

Start: 11/26/2002 10:14:04 PM
End: 11/26/2002 10:14:04 PM
Dealing time: 00:00:00
-------------------------------------------------------------
D:\Image\Ani_Chap.mpg
Format: MPEG-2 480x480 29.97fps CQ 65
Video: D:\DVD Installed Tools\TSCV\seq\seq-.*
Audio: none

Result: File "D:\DVD Installed Tools\TSCV\seq\seq-.*" can not open, or unsupported.
Dealing time: 00:00:00
-------------------------------------------------------------

I tried unchecked the above 2 options, still do not work. So, what did I do wrong here? I follow what the guide says. Each guide has a different way of creating, due to the time it was written and what version of TSCV is. And it is for only one MPEG file. What 'bout the 2nd MPEG file as in 2nd part of the movie -- Chap9-16 (CD2).

I've read and reread, and tried different methods, but couldn't get it to work -- for several days. I'll be so happy if anyone can help me solve this problem. Thanks in advance.

[vitualis]

I don't personally use TSCV (is that project still active??) but I do know how to use VCDImager manually (i.e., authoring the XML scripting by hand)... With some of the more complex projects, you may find it much simpler to learn how the XML system works and just "do it yourself"...

Once you have the source files, you can author the VCD the way you want it -- not necessarily how the GUI designer though it could work.

http://www.michaeltam.com

Regards.

[spyhawk]

I'm not sure if TSCV project is still active. I went to its website, but couldn't get to the Forum link, giving me the error: File not found. I don't think it's been maintained for months. But I see that some people is still using it.

yeah, maybe it's time to learn XML, I've been putting this off a long time. With little HTML and other programming and scripting background, I think I would pick up this learning curve in no time. I just thought with the tools already available, why not use it, so I don't have to know the inner workings of it: encapsulation is the key. But I still like to try TSCV, if at all possible. Any tips are greatly welcomed.

Michael, thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into VCDImager part.

[vitualis]

In terms of automated XML generation, VCDEasy is probably the most mature VCDImager based GUI at the moment... I know that TSCV has some clever tricks as well (e.g., motion menu generation), but if you want to hold off delving into the XML as long as possible, I highly recommend you take a look at VCDEasy.

Best of luck.

Regards.

[zargo]

Hi,

I make svcd with mpeg 5.1 and with 2 subtitle (non-permanent). For authoring mpeg2 I use TSCV. I have problem too with visualization my mpeg in window media player in menu "Chapter" - I don't see any pictures, when I use the track bar to scroll (I enable Media Player in menu "Settings"). Movie go on ~ 47 min, but Movielenght show 399:00 (!!). Maybe it is result from audio mpeg 5.1 (384 kbs).
When I use mpeg-1 (standart) it's ok.
I find (www.ttool.de) info about MediaPlayer Acivator (TSCVMediaPlayerAct.zip), but link is dead.
Maybe anybody know when this soft be present and maybe anybody help me?

Thanks,
zargo

[PlaiBoi]

Michael,

I think im ready to start the learning the XML needed to author VCD's on my own. Which gudie do you recommend that i start with?

[vitualis]

Great!

You won't regret it (well, actually, you may when you first start but not afterwards)... 8)

Try going through the guides here: http://www.michaeltam.com in order. The "Structure of the VCDImager XML file" article will give you your framework... The other guides will give you a starter on how to actually apply it.

There are some XML samples that I wrote that are available here: http://www.vcdimager.org/pub/vcdimager/examples/xml/ (save them to disc and use a text editor to open them, up... don't use a browser!!). They are full XML descriptions of VCDs I made quite a while ago so they should give you some help as well.

Of course, don't forget the VCDImager manual! Lots of good resources in there...

If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to post here or in the VCDImager Forums...

Best of luck.

Regards.