Having trouble joining VOB files...

[TALK6000]

Ok, so im having trouble joining up 3 vob files. they are three parts of a movie-part 2 picks up right where part 1 ends and part 3 picks up right where part 2 ends. each one of the three files is exactly the same size-about 1 GB. However, the runtimes are different, part 1 is about 26 minutes and parts 2 and 3 are both the exact same length-about 14 minutes. the video quality, resolution etc are the same for all three files.

when i join them up(using a simple VOB joiner application which is freeware that i downloaded), the combined file is 3MB, as expected. It plays back fine, with no seeming noticable transition between where one of the joined files would end and the next would begin. the problem is, when i play it back, the little timer thingie which tells you the runtime for the movie and where you are in it says the film is 42 mintues long. thing is, its not 42 mintues long, it actually runs for 54 minutes like i would expect it too.

I'm thinking the problem is due to the ratio of the file size of the individual parts to their respective runtimes-all three files are the same size, but part one is 26 minutes unlike the other two parts. Is there any way i can correct this-that is, join the three parts and then have a file which media players actually read as being its actual 54 minute runtime? id appreciate any help.

[blutach]

Use IfoEdit to create IFOs (this will recreate the time maps, too). You really do not need to join the VOBs.

Regards

[Cropsy]

Merging vobs

I have bought a HDD videocamera recently, and have used it on one vacation. I have filmed 99 minutes. The problem here is that every time I stop filming the camera creates a new title. So now when I transferred the files from my camera to my PC I have 264 files. These files was separated into 3 folders with 98 in 2 and the rest in the third.

I used a freware called VOBmerge. I have merged all 264 files into one big VOB (6.45 GB). Then I created new IFO's and did a mock strip to split it into a title set of 7 vobs.Everything works fine but all programs tells me that the running time for it is only 23 seconds. And when playing it in PowerDVD the total running time is jumping all over the place.

My question is. Is it safe to keep it this way. (I don't want to loose my movie) Or is it a way to get the time right? Or do I have to use 3 discs to be on the safe side and save it as it was made in the camera.

[gonwk]

Hi Cropsy,

So, is your Origianl Output format from the Video Camera .vob? Or somethign else? If so, what is that output format?

G!

[Cropsy]

Original format is .MOD. And I have to use the software that came with the camera to get the files to my PC. And with that software I can choose to create a DVD or just make a backup of the original format. I chose to create a DVD.

At this very moment I'm trying to merge with VOBEdit, using Blutach's tutorial on how to join clips. [Join a flipper].

It is in his signature. I'll be back with the result.

[gonwk]

Hi Cropsy,

If that did not work ... try the following probably easier ...

1) Rename .MOD to .mpg

2) Then add all 3 or xx MPGs to "DVD Flick" and convert files to DVD Compliant output ... make ISO (My personal preference not to do it all in one se=itting with DVD Flick.

http://www.digital-digest.com/software/dvd_flick.html

3) Then separately Burn ISO with ImgBurn at no faster than 8X.

http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

Post back your results!

G!

[Cropsy]

It worked

I don't know if it has anything to do with the DVD specs, but I could only merge 264 vobs. So I made one big vts set and one small one. And it workes like a charm now. It is of course very time consuming to rename all vobs before running them trough VOB edit, but now it is done. After it was made, DVDShrink would not have it. I just ran it through VOBBlanker and after that, DVDShrink took it. (I did that just to check if DVDShrink wanted it.) I'll try DVD flik soon and post back. I'll have to rename all the .MOD files first. So I'll be back with the result later.

[r0lZ]

IfoEdit has some bugs when it joins clips. I hope that having processed the resulting DVD with VobBlanker is sufficient to fix them. Anyway, be sure to burn the DVD on a RW first, and check it in your standalone player. See especially if the player can play the joint between two clips without problem.

[Cropsy]

Sorry, it didn't work.

I guess I was to early in saying it was successful. I was on my way to work when I made my last post, and was in a bit of hurry. At the time it was tested through DVDShrink, VOBBlanker and PGCEdit, and no errors. And I thought everything was ok. So now I tried to play it with Power DVD before burning, and no success. I get the message that the program has done something illegal and has to close down.

[blutach]

Do as r0lZ says and burn onto an RW and see if it plays on a standalone player.

If you have DVD Remake Pro, load the completed project in that. It has a very good verification system.

Regards

[gonwk]

Hey guys,

@ r0lZ and Blu ...

What about my shortcut of Renaming .MOD to .MPG would it work or I am smoking something!

Thanks,

G!

[Cropsy]

OK. Here is what I did, and now it is working. Instead of merging it into one big one I merged 100 into one vts, 100 into another and the last 64 into a third. Then I prosessed everything into VOBBlanker and then I used DVDShrink to reauthor it into one disc. And last I ran it through PGCEdit. Wich gave me an known error made by DVDshrink in reauthor mode. PGCEdit cleaned that error and I saved the project. Now I burned it onto a dual layered Verbatim DVD+R, and it plays in both my standalone DVD player.
It "pauses" a little when jumping from vts 1 to vts 2, and of course from vts 2 to vts 3. The rest of the compilation runs flawlessly. I have watched over an hour of.

I did not test burning the first project as I deleted the files.

I hope this procedure can help others. I will still try DVDflik.

[r0lZ]

Fine, Cropsy! BTW, maybe the problem when you have merged them the first time was the large number of files. There is a maximum of 99 chapters per title, so if IfoEdit has created a single title per VTS and a new chapter for each file, it has exceeded the limit. (However, 100 is still too much! I wonder why it worked the second time.)

The pause between two VTS is normal.

gonwk, I have never played with .MOD files, so I have no idea if your procedure works. But since IfoEdit has been able to merge them, I suppose that the .MOD files are MPEG2 files. Therefore, your procedure should be OK, but it should also be possible to merge them without having to re-encode them with Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD or VideoReDo. They have the advantage over IfoEdit that you can cut a part of each file, add transitions (with Womble only), define yourself the chapter points, and preview the result in a visual interface before launching the process. But they have the inconvenient that they are not free!

[Cropsy]

@r0lZ

You are correct about the chapters. I now have 3 title sets with 100 chapters in the 2 first and 64 in the third. Powerdvd shows only 99 chapters in the display but plays all with no problem. My standalone shows all 100 chapters in the display. So maybe if someone wants to use my way it is safer to merge maximum 99 files to meet the DVD specs. or have IFOedit create only one chapter.

BTW: I did not merge the .MOD files. I used the software that came with the camera to create .VOBS

I'm renaming the .MOD to mpegs at this moment to try out DVD Flik

[r0lZ]

I think that limitation to 99 chapters (and 99 titles BTW) has been imposed because most led display on the standalones can only display 2 digits. Most players will be able to play the additional chapters, but may display a wrong number. However, since this is a real limitation, imposed by the DVD-Video specs, some picky players may crash, or refuse to play the chapters > 99, or even reject the whole DVD. It is certainly safer to respect that limitation.