TMPEG author and sound issues

[davidra]

I'm new to this stuff. I am giving TMPEG Author a trial run, and my first try confused me. I included a number of VOB files from different places (some were from old VHS tapes, captured and encoded) and some were from my concert DVDs. All of these VOB files played perfectly individually. I loaded them in, using the standard settings. I got a message saying that several of the files were too large, which didn't make sense because there should have been plenty of room. I chose to ignore the message at which point the program said I would burn a nonstandard DVD. Fine, I was using a RW disk and just wanted to see what would happen. I set up a simple menu. I used a new track for each clip, which I thought was what you were supposed to do. AFter burning to file, I then burned it to DVD. I got a DVD that started playing on clip 1, but if I clicked menu I could see the menu, which functioned; it just didn't start out with it. Second, several of the tracks had no sound; one had hissing sound. The old taped files all had sound intact. What did I do wrong? What settings should I use for audio in this situation? Thanks for any help....Rick

[ormonde]

" The old taped files all had sound intact. What did I do wrong? What settings should I use for audio in this situation?"

I assume you are having problems with the individual VOB files. What program did you originally use to "Rip" the DVDs and or separate the VOBs?

[davidra]

The concert clips I ripped and separated with DVDShrink. The old tapes I captured, then encoded with MyDVD. I also had some old video clips from Kazaa, which I also encoded with MyDVD. All the clips played perfectly well when I opened them individually with PowerDVD. For some reason, the files from DVD Shrink, when burned using the authoring software, had the sound problems. I had expected the problems with the other files, but they worked fine......

[ormonde]

"For some reason, the files from DVD Shrink, when burned using the authoring software, had the sound problems."

I assume you used "Re-author" mode in DVD Shrink when you made your clips. Was this the case? If so, that is probably were the problem is. The easiest method would be to make a fresh rip in Shrink, but before you start, go to the preferences and uncheck "Split VOB File Larger Than 1 Gig" (if using 3.1 or higher, this will be under "Preferences" > "Output Files" > "Split VOB File Larger Than 1 Gig". This will give you one large VOB file that will represent the entire movie (instead of the usual 4 or 5. Now "Re-author" your clips as you normally would. I have found that if you re-author across VOB files, (parts of a chapter in one VOB can carry over into another VOB) it somehow creates a bad header in the ac3 file (audio). That is why TMPGEnc DVD Author is being fussy about accepting the file.

[davidra]

These are video clips, so there's no chapters in the middle of the clips. I did use reauthor. I've tried several again: I will rip the clip using DVD Shrink. In one example, I cut a clip out of a concert movie using Reauthor. The audio had two streams: AC3 2 ch and AC3 5 Ch. I saved it to a file, then opened it with TMPG Author. I selected AC3 2 channel, added the clip to the authoring box using the ADD DVD wizard. However, when I click on "Edit Clip", the subsequent box says "There is no audio" under clip information. Does this have to with the fact that I don't have the AC3 Plug-in? I looked at the clips that do have sound (for example, one from Hell Freezes Over) and that gives me the option of Linear PCM for audio selection. Does this mean that any DVD clip with AC3 sound cannot be included in a TMPG Authored disk without the plug in? I also tried to include one file with PCM and got an error message saying that it had an Illegal Linear PCM stream. I thought this program was supposed to be flexible....it sure doesn't like different types of audio files.

[ormonde]

"These are video clips, so there's no chapters in the middle of the clips"

If they were original commercial DVDs, then they should have chapters.

"I cut a clip out of a concert movie using Reauthor. The audio had two streams: AC3 2 ch and AC3 5 Ch. I saved it to a file, then opened it with TMPG Author"

In "Re-author" mode, in DVD Shrink, It does not save the clip as a single file, but a "New" DVD structure (.IFO, .BUP, .VOB). So I'm a bit confused when you say "I saved it to a file". In TMPGENc DVD Author, did you "Add DVD Video"? which is what you would want to do if adding a new "DVD Package" created with Shrink, or did you "Add File" and import a single VOB file?

[davidra]

Sorry...not as single file, but as Video and Audio TS folders. I imported them using "Add DVD Video". Because these are music videos the chapters are set at the end of each clip (commercially). This must be an issue with the kind of audio on the initial disks? If a disk contains only AC3, and you rip a clip out of it, can you not author it with TMPG Author without the plug in? And also what to do about clips that turn out to have too large a bitrate?

[ormonde]

"If a disk contains only AC3, and you rip a clip out of it, can you not author it with TMPG Author without the plug in?"

I would purchase the Ac3 Plugin if you are a licensed owner of DVD Author. This plugin is supposed to give DVD Author greater flexibility with Ac3 files.

[Moobar]

Heh, I was researching this very same problem with using DVDShrink with TMPEG Dvd Author. I too am trying to make a mix Dvd compilation blah blah what ever you want to call it (clips from diff dvds to one dvd with menus). Well anyways, I did find a guide that mentions DVDShrink and the AC3 delay thingy, forgive me, all this dvd terms are all still new to me.

And again, anyways, I found the guide at dvdrhelp.com , very helpful for the newbie but also very overwhelming. Here is the guide www.dvdrhelp.com/forum/userguides/198813.php . I havent tried it yet and hope it helps someone out maybe.

[davidra]

Great minds think alike....I found that yesterday and used it. It works! Using Rejig seemed to solve the problem. One of the crucial aspects of this is when you get it loaded into Author, you may get messages about sound inconsistency....go to the audio (which may say no audio) and click Browse, then load the Rejig audio in. It worked. However, I still am running into some audio that won't....it's linear PCM at a faster rate than author accepts, and I'm not sure if there's an easy way to convert it....

[ormonde]

"it's linear PCM at a faster rate than author accepts, and I'm not sure if there's an easy way to convert it...."

Use a free program called "BeSweet" and convert the PCM stream to an "Mp2".

[davidra]

Great, I'll give it a try.....thanks. Great board and support.

[ormonde]

"Great, I'll give it a try.....thanks."

Glad to be of help