I've split a DVD9 to 2 DVD-R's but subtitles does not work!

[jxsam1@yahoo.com]

Here is what I have done so far and hopefully someone may have ran into this before. I've read many postings in this forum and didn't find a thread related to this. If there is, I apologize.

I'm sure everyone has tons of issues with the DVD9's on longer movies or movies with tons of extras. Everyone has their own method and whatever works for you, that's great. I decided to opt for the splitting of a DVD9 into 2 DVD-R's which I can live with as the only big issue is that I have to get up and change to Disc 2 for my movie. Time is more important in my case.

I'm trying to Back up Minority Report which is a 2:20 Minute movie. I used Decrypter to rip the VOB files along with the IFO. However, I didn't see the need to keep the IFO as I use IFOEdit to create new ones. So, only VOB files of the main movie in my HD.

I proceeded to create two separate folders. Half of the VOB files in one and the other half on the other folder.
So the first folder contains VTS_01_1.VOB - VTS_01_4.VOB.
The second folder contains VTS_01_5.VOB - VTS_01_8.VOB.

In the second folder, I renamed VTS_01_5.VOB to VTS_01_1.VOB, proceeded to do the same with VTS_01_6.VOB to VTS_01_2.VOB, then the same for the other two sequentially, catch the drift?

Now I launch IFOEdit and just hit the create IFO button. I would go to the first folder and pick VTS_01_1.VOB and then destination of IFO should be same location. When done, I would click on create IFO button again and this time to create for the VOB files in the second folder. I would pick VTS_01_1.VOB but the one in the second folder and destination of IFO should be in the second folder.

Once done, I just use NERO and burn each disc.

Here lies the problem, the video is flawless, the sound is superb and it does have all the audio tracks included so I can toggle to whichever sound track I want, BUT, BUT, the subtitle is screwed up. It's not clear and it appears smudgy. It's quite green in color and not sharp at all and very hard to read.

Anyone have any idea as to what causes this? Any easy solution to this? Have anyone tried this method and have it worked flawlessly? I didn't keep any menus or any other additional extras as indicated in the Doom9.org guide of splitting DVD9 to 2 DVD-Rs. Though I did try that guide and that worked and no issues with subs but that method includes menus, chapter selection, extras and it's not as simple as this one above. Only this method is causing me a lot of headache.

[akis]

Yes this is the known problem with using "Create IFOs" from IFOEdit. I have been using this technique for quite a while and it has these problems:

(i) Subtitles and audio streams lose their descriptions (eg English, French, Director's comments)
(ii) Sometimes some audio streams disappear altogether
(iii) the subtitles appear smudgy and green

Some comments:

(i) the technique of "Create IFOs" is superb as it allows you to get rid of all extras except the main movie. You simply put in the DVD and watch the movie.
(ii) You can still rip the VOB files of extra audio streams and audio titles beforehand, to create smaller output that might fit on a single disk. What I mean is that youopen the title set on IFOEdit, do a simple rip, then see if the VOB files will fit onto 1 disk and if yes just do Create IFOs . If not copy them manually to 2 disks and do Create IFOs twice.
(iii) The subtitles color can be fixed but you have to manually edit the colors - the answer is explained in a reply to a topic in this forum (hmm I can't remember the title, but it was posted by me).
(iv) Since "Create IFOs" is buggy in this way, it is better to follow the "normal" splitting guide which has so far worked for me.

[jxsam1@yahoo.com]

Thank you akis!

I like this method because it is literally the easiest and I don't have to unpackage the VOB files, reencode, and tweek around with all these other apps such as Maestro, Scenarist, etc. I think I'll be happy when I find out your reply on how to tweek the hex in IFOEdit to fix the subtitle.

I am still a noob so I haven't really played a whole lot with the other IFOEdit features such as ripping additional audio tracks and subs that I don't need. I will work on that this coming weekend.

As to your comments, the "norma" way of splitting, is that the one at Doom9.org that you are using? Found here:

http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg/ifoedit-2dvdrs.htm

Also, another question, have you been splitting in two discs more often than encoding? And if splitting in two discs, do you generally just use the "normal" guide? Any other issues that you may have found?

Thanks in advance akis!

[akis]

I agree. Create IFOs is very powerful, even though buggy. Saves you lots of hassle.

To strip extra audio just follow the normal "stripping" rules, then delete all the IFO files and re-create them using "Create IFOs".

And yes this is the right URL for "normal" splitting. I have not found other issues except what I have mentioned above.