How can I create a 4 episode DVD?

[WIGO]

I have spent the last couple of days reading forums and I am still stumped. I have recorded several tv episodes using a DVD recorder that creates a compliant DVD. I use Shrink to cut the adds by chopping up the title in re-author mode and after backup end up with several Titles/VOBs with their respective IFOs and BUPs. The sound is recorded as AC3 by the recorder. How do I merge these VOBs, IFOs and BUPs so that there is only one title with one VIDEO_TS.IFO and one VTS_01_0.IFO for each tv episode I have recorded (this would be a great option for Shrink)? Menu authoring programs all seem to regard a Title as complete movie/show - not what I want. I would have thought this is something most people would want to do when TV ads are involved?? Please help. Thanks

[setarip]

"How do I merge these VOBs, IFOs and BUPs so that there is only one title with one VIDEO_TS.IFO and one VTS_01_0.IFO for each tv episode I have recorded (this would be a great option for Shrink)? Menu authoring programs all seem to regard a Title as complete movie/show - not what I want."

It's not quite clear as to what you DO want. If, for example, you have three episodes:

1) If you want one DVD with a separate TITLE for each episode (3 Titles), use "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (Different than "TMPGEnc") to load each episode as a separate track ("Add new track")

2) If you want one DVD with ONE TITLE encompassing ALL 3 episodes, use "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (Different than "TMPGEnc") to load each episode into the SAME track

[WIGO]

Sorry - I supplied too much info. Let me reduce it down to 1 episode first. I have recorded it , used Shrink to cut the ads in re-author mode and now have multiple titles for the one episode. When I try to use TMPGEnc DVD Author it lists each title seperately to be selected seperately. The first title selects OK I then select the second and it comes in without sound (the first title shows AC3), same, no sound, for the third etc. This process gives me a menu of 'chapters'. I want a menu showing the episode as on entry. Hence, why I want to combine the seperate titles into one (since it is the one episode) which would give me 1 title on the menu.

[setarip]

"The first title selects OK I then select the second and it comes in without sound (the first title shows AC3), same, no sound, for the third etc."

That's because "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (as well as most other authroing software) is very picky about proper .AC3 file headers. You'll probably have to use "AC3Fix" to correct the headers on all but the first. Once you've accomplished that, load all the same episode pieces into the same track...

[WIGO]

Thanks for the suggestion with TMPGEnc but this is still a 'workaround'. The real need is to combine the VOBs into one title and have the appropriate/correct IFOs and BUPs created so that any software I use will see only one title.

[setarip]

The suggested use of "TMPGEnc DVD Author", loading all the same episode pieces into the same track (assuming that you are able to fix the flawed .AC3 headers) is in no way a "workaround" and would result in exactly what you profess to be seeking - combining the VOBs into one title and having the appropriate/correct IFOs and BUPs created so that any software you use will see only one title.