Maestro DVDs not compatable?

[rallynavvie]

I started doing DVD authoring with Ulead MovieFactory as just a simple way to get my videos on disc. Now I'm using Maestro for the ability to make far better-looking menus as well as more precise command controls. Problem is now that I'm using Maestro the DVDs I author with it aren't compatable in any of my standalone players whereas the ones I did with Ulead MF worked with them. I'm using the same spool of Accu DVD-R that I used with Ulead and the only difference is that I'm authoring Maestro to video/audio_ts folders instead of making a disc image like I did with Ulead. I'm using the latest version of Nero to burn the folders to the media (using UDF 1.02). I think I used Ulead to burn the discs before, but I would think Nero would be more compatable with standalone players than Ulead's burning software.

So in short:
Authored with Ulead MovieFactory
Disc image created with MF
Disc image burned with MF on Accu DVD-R
Result: works in PS2 and crappy Orion standalone

Authored with Maestro
DVD folders compiled by Maestro
DVD folders burned with latest Nero (in UDF 1.02) on Accu DVD-R
Result: only works with my software DVD player

[jm78]

Your problem is burning with Nero. Try RecordNow Max.

John

[dcsos]

I'll say don't use RECORD NOW MAX..but use nero 5.5.17 (NOT BELOW or COASTER)
NERO, when in DVD VIDEO burn mode, actually sorts the DVD files to play in a settop..dont use nero udf MODE OR ITS THE SAME AS RECORD NOW MAX
RECORD NOW MAX recognizes them and only if they're in the right order to begin with makes a setop playble

or make an ISO and use MAXor ULEAD- that'll work TO MAKE SETTOP PLAYABLES

[Vejita-sama]

Hundreds of people (myself included) use Maestro to author DVDs without problems so I suspect the problem is at your end

1) Did you delete the project.lay file in your VIDEO_TS dir? Maestro adds this file to the VIDEO_TS folder when it complies. It's not a DVD standard file and it confuses some players.

2) You say that you can play the VIDEO_TS folder from your HD (w/ PowerDVD or WinDVD I assume). So the problem is most likely with the burning. Try d/load IMG Tools (http://www.doom9.org) and make an ISO image file of the VIDEO_TS folder (remove the maesto.lay file). Then try burning the ISO image file (I'd recommend burning with DVD Decrytper - IMHO Nero is no good for burning DVDs although the newest verison does seem to work, previous verisons have had TONS of bugs).

[rallynavvie]

I have no doubt the problem is on my end I thought the doom9 Maestro guide referred to burning the folders in the latest Nero in UDF mode, or maybe I've been reading too many guides and they're all starting to coalesce

I know Maestro has an image writer, which I'm assuming creates an ISO image. It asks for a .lay file and I never knew where to find it. So it puts it in the VIDEO_TS folder? What is it's purpose there? Do I need to compile the folders before making the disc image in Maestro or can I use a dummy .lay or something else when it asks for it right from the DVD project? I agree that making an ISO image would save me some troubles, especially for archival purposes. I'll look into those apps for making an ISO from the DVD folders and remove the .lay file from the VIDEO_TS before trying another burn that way.

I swear I'm gonna end up eating half this spool of media getting this right. But at least I'll get it right then for future projects

[spidey]

You could also try burning the TS dir's with Primo Prassi DVD, that has worked for me, as Nero would not.

[disturbed1]

Hundreds of people (myself included) use Maestro to author DVDs without problems so I suspect the problem is at your end

1) Did you delete the project.lay file in your VIDEO_TS dir? Maestro adds this file to the VIDEO_TS folder when it complies. It's not a DVD standard file and it confuses some players.

This has to be done if your burning with another program besides Maestro. If not, the .lay file, layout file, includes info about your project for use with Maestro only, will be included in the VIDEO_TS folder when burnt.

Why not just burn with Maestro?

Hit ALT-D, browse to the directory of your VIDEO_TS & AUDIO_TS folders, put a dot next to DVD-R media. This requires a correct ASPI layer, Maestro will tell you if your ASPI is good or not.

You could also create a disc image from the same menu, then burn with DVD Decryter, or mount with Daemon tools to preview.

[rallynavvie]

OK I created the disc image in Maestro using the compiled TS directories (which took surprisingly little time) and burned to disc with DVD Decryptor and it is now playable in all the standalones I had used before (except I haven't checked the PS2 since it's packed away right now).

New problem now that it's playing to a television:
The menu is chopped off, but I assume that's from my ignorance regarding those dotted lines when I was creating the menus in Maestro. But if the bitmap I import is 720x480 pixels isn't the a 4:3 display which should show everything on a TV? I checked player settings and they're all proper. Funny thing is the actual video is cut off as well so it isn't just my sloppy menus. Is there a force 4:3 option I didn't check in Maestro? It looks as if my 352x480 m2v stream is being cut off equally on all sides equally. Any ideas?

[Mr Zippy]

A TV will overscan the image, hence if you do not use the safe area within the dotted lines the image may be overscanned off the edge of most TVs.