Mpeg2 / DVD Authoring Software: A few questions

[Prospero]

I'm currently doing my captures via a G450eTV to HuffYUV, doing filtering in VirtualDub, and outputing back to HuffYUV. What I do from there is in a bit of a flux right now. I bought Uleads DVD Movie factory, and Tsunami professional. My problem mostly lies in the multisegmented files generated by VirtualDub. I can't seem to find a program that will recognize them as whole instead of individual files.

Here's my wish list for authoring software.

Ability to recognize segmented AVIs

Generate AC3 and MPEG Audio files that are DVD compatible

Able to use multipass VBR encoding to fit a single disk (self calculate)

Less important, is menus and intros. Ability to select specific clips and sound seperately would be nice.


Any thoughts? I've seen DVDit PE recomended, but they sure are proud of it. Thanks for your help.


Edit: Another thing. I tried just rendering as one file (NTFS), but the audio would crap out at the 2 gig mark. Video was fine, but not audio.

[Dr Mordrid]

I'm not using DVD Movie Factory any more so I can't be sure, but if it works like MSPro just shift-select the files in the import video file dialog. IF it does work this way then you'll next get a smaller dialog. Press the bar over the filenames and they'll be sorted for importation in order.

TMPGEnc can also import segmented files if you first install the AVISynth scripting tool from VideoTools.net;

http://www.videotools.net/index.php?rub=pub&PHPSESSID=49ab18d0e22fa0289ab2bd4fb4420e78

AVISynth scripts can perform numerous functions, among them frameserving (streaming multiple *.avi's to another program).

To get an idea of the procedure just read my Frameserving101.txt tutorial (attached below). The last section pertains to frameserving segmented files off a HDD to TMPGEnc.

Dr. Mordrid

[Prospero]

I wondered if avisynth would handle it. I've played around with decomb and tomsmocomp on a project, so I can sort of script. Which of the programs can handle AC3? Thanks Doc.

[wkulecz]

DVD Movie factory will take multiple files, no problem, just repeat the add files operation.

Problem is, it won't play thru multiple files, it returns to the main menu at the end of each file!

DVD MF is a waste of $50 IMHO, Get your money back if you can!

--wally.

[Prospero]

Problem is, it won't play thru multiple files, it returns to the main menu at the end of each file!

It will, but you have to start on the play button in the menu. If a file is highlighted when you press play, it will only play that file. I had that same problem and played around with it. The disks it ouptuts won't chapter search while playing either.

[wkulecz]

Its, broken. You've mapped out some more specific details of its how its broke.

--wally.

[Brian Ellis]

Wally

Don't understand you. After you have imported all the files, you have the choice of either putting them in individually or playing them as if they were a single file. At the moment, I'm rendering a large project, which I don't want to interrupt but there are two buttons whose title I forget. The top one is for the individual files and the bottom one (I think it may be called Make movie) is for merging them. Works for me.

[wkulecz]

Brian,

Is this for importing AVI or MPEG?

I'm importing mpeg encoded in another program to avoid the "pulsating artifact" problems in the Ulead version of the MC encoder.

On the WWUG Ulead Forum someone thinks installing the 6.51a powerpatch after installing DVD MF fixes the "deadzone" chapter point problem. I hope to try it tomorrow. I've had 6.51a installed before getting DVD MF. The DVD plugin gets replaced by DVD MF without warning -- it can set chapter points in the DVD MF deadzones but can't use a different frame for the thumbnail :-(


It seems none of the authoring packages and demos I've tried can do the simple things I want from DVD authoring.

I hold Warner Brothers "The Road Warrior" DVD as an example of the "way it should be":

You pop in the disk an it displays the WB logo which fades into actually playing the movie, gasp!

If I hit chapter advance it skips forward or back as I command to the next chapter. If I hit menu then I get the scene selection (random access) menu and special feature options.

That's all I want to do on DVDs I make.


OTOH I'd better never meet the ID10T who authored the Simpson's Season 2 set in a dark alley. This is the most obnoxious use of DVD menus I've seen yet! I'd like to rip his stinkin' head off and spin it on the 3-eyed fish!

--wally.

[Brian Ellis]

Good question! I can't remember whether I rendered the files to avi or mpg before pressing "Make Movie". Since installing megagigabytes and W2k, I've never had to use the feature, as I render whole projects from massive files.

I don't believe that installing 6.51a after MF will make a ha'porth of difference. I'm sure I did that and I still get chapter point problems. I don't see why it should, either, as the MF does not have its codec changed, only MSP. Sorry

[wkulecz]

So far it seems the "dead zones" only appear once you get beyond the 1GB point in the file as far as I can. So anyone using multiple "small" files won't see this bug. I'm conveinced Ulead never tests anything with more than a couple of minutes worth of video or all their slider controls would have a more reasonable behaviour instead of moving a fixed percentage of the total file size per minimum mouse movement increment -- fine for 5 min clips, really poor for a 1 hr capture.

I could live with encoding one file per chapter -- its a PITA and a disimprovement in workflow to get around a bug that Ulead won't even own up to -- but I can't seem to make DVD MF play thru from chapter 1 to chapter 2, when I do this -- it always returns to the menu at the end of chapter 1. If there is a trick I'd like to know how!

--wally.


PS I can't install the Powerpatch on this system as it says "MSP 6 not installed, can't proceed". I installed MSP 6, the 6.5 update and DVD MF with the goal of testing if going to 6.51a after installing DVD MF made any difference. I agree with you that I don't expect it to, but because of more Ulead installer bugs I can't even find out!

[Hulk]

Wally -

I agree with you completely. At the beginning of every new phase of computer software (word processors, spreadsheets, audio editing, audio authoring, video editing, and now video authoring, just to name a few) it seems like it takes quite a while for the programmers to get the simple things right.

I guess there is such a rush to put competing products to market, just to grab some market share, that a lot of thought isn't put into the actual product, or should I say how useful it will be.

Only after a competitor adds this feature or that, and everybody switches to that brand of software will the other company add those features and a few more, and again everybody switches. After a few revisions, there is a lot of good software on the market.

I'm demoing MovieFactory right now. I like it, but I think I will grow tired of it's restrictions rather quickly. I'm considering MovieStudio but still researching. If it's going to cost me $300 to get what I need then so be it. I just want to make sure.

Anybody have any other thoughts on DVD authoring software?

--Mark

[Brian Ellis]

I think the real problem with Ulead is that they think they know better than the users what the users really want! They compound this error by simply not listening to the users, in case their developers have their minds corrupted by really useful stuff. Don't get me wrong, I like MSP and I use MF as my main authoring software (having tried several others), warts and all, but I do wish they would listen to what guys like you and me have to say.