DVDauthor GUI Error

Just click 'CreateDVD' before you start to burn...

'Play all' is more or less 'default' if you set the end action to next movie in the project settings.

What kind of download did you use?
If the button 'CreateDVD' is grayed out, GfD could not find the path to the dvdauthor binaries. You can only set the video type (PAL/NTSC) at the start in GfD (before anything is added). If you want to make a "mixed" PAL/NTSC DVD you will be warned, but it is possible.

Either use one of the install packages:
https://www.videohelp.com/~gfd/#Downloads
or the dvdauthor windows binaries version 0.6.12-alpha-2992-GfD-4:
https://www.videohelp.com/~gfd/edcounter.php?file=download/dvdauthor_winbin.zip

What happens if you use a soft player like PowerDVD, WinDVD or Media player classic? ATM I have no idea why your DVD behaves like this. I don't have NTSC material either, therefore I cannot exactly try to reproduce the error. The only thing I could offer you, is a closer look at the control files (the xml files and the saved GfD project file) and the log file, if you would send me these files (preferably as zip). My email can be found in the log file.

As mentioned, I don't have these problems (both on PC and stand-alone player!).

Concerning the m2v file: Which player did you use? WMP is probably the worst choise for that purpose... Try it with VLC or MPC or a 'real' soft player like WinDVD.

If that should work (and it really should!) you could (at least for testing) try to author your streams with muxman. The multiplexing engine of muxman is deemed to be one of the best. In addition, muxman is very 'strict' concerning DVD standards.

BTW: The next version of gfd will support muxman (freeware version) as 'alternate authoring engine' with more or less the same functionality as dvdauthor (Multi-VTS, menus, buttons...) if really DVD compliant streams are used.

Ok. So it SEEMS to be any kind of encoding problem. Unfortunately m2v files are usually to big to be transferred (otherwise I would ask you to post/send an example), the first thing we should compare is the tmpgenc version and all settings. Maybe we can agree on some free source (trailer or similar) to use the same source also. I cannot believe, that this problem isn't solvable...

First results...

1. I use TMPGEnc Plus version 2.524.63.181 (Core version 2.04.169)
2. My 'testmovie' was/is the Hitchhiker's Guide Trailer (AVI version): trailer_hitchhikers.avi (can be found here: http://slashdot.org/articles/04/07/27/1231251.shtml )
This avi has 'similar' properties as your source (29.97 fps, 320*240, Divx v5) and is free.

For the first test I just copied your settings.mcf as a new template into my TMPGenc\Template folder and used it without any changes. The resulting m2v can be played with VLC and WinDVD (ver. 4.0.11.105) without any problems. MPC can play it, but freezes if speed is changed or skiped. Authoring the file with dvdauthor is possible, results are similar (MPC freeze, WinDVD no problem).
MuxMan cannot author the file and exits with the error: Multiplex operation failed, GOP contains more than 36 pictures at 213850 of (null)

3. I rerun the encoding with a standard template: DVD for NTSC 4:3 (North America and Japan), but changed the output type to ES (Video only). No other changes to the defaults. Result: No problems with any player/authoring engine.

4. I rerun the encoding several times by adjusting the standard settings to match yours more and more...

5. I rerun the encoding with your settings.mcf with only one change:
Tab: GOP structure
Output interval of sequence header: 1 (instead of 0)

Result: No problems with any player/authoring engine.

=> It's the missing sequence headers that causes the problems.
(Which is 'understandable' as FF/skip usually 'jump' to a new position and need some infos about the new GOP)