The menus for this iw worthless (never worked right) but the editing is great. Is there a way to export just the edited mpeg video so I can write the menus with a different program that works?

Sure, create a TitleSet without Men27Ô. Put the VOBs together as MPEG2-Files (Smartripper can do this).

From "Source setup" select "Add DVD video".
Scroll to the VIDEO_TS folder and highlight it.
When Wizard appears click "Next".
Uncheck "Reading chapter information" and check "Copy the clip video data to HDD".
Select a folder to save the file in and click "Ok".
After TMPGEnc DVD Author has finished copying the MPG file to HD close it down.
Open up your favourite Authoring program - load in the MPG created by TDA and create your menu's.

There are still some errors in authoring with TDA.

If I set chapter-points TDA compiles layer breaks. This is terrible, cause many DVD-Players stop seamless playback at layer-breaks, search for new entrypoint and playback again. There is a pause of about one or two seconds.

Chapters must be compiled as cell-breaks.

The Menustructur in the ifo-files every time is compiled as NTSC. In europe we have PAL-sources and menus. This entry is to be compiled the same way as the source by the way.

Menues always compiled as panscan and letterboxed. So i Have tu manually unset them.

For the Moment TDA is un anproduktive tool, because I have to recompile the layoutet DVD with ifo-edit in the right way.

I see no way to spend my money for such an unproduktive tool.

At first I thought this configured the output file aspect. I don't think so. When I load up a source video clip to be encoded, TMPG automatically selects a source aspect for me. This setting only makes a small difference in the output video file right? My guess is that it sort of helps with the encoding and slight improves quality.

What?

The source aspect ratio is VERY important, if you don't get this set right your image just won't look right and will be distorted in some way (I.E stretched or compressed), it has nothinfg to do with hepling with encoding or improving the quality.
It's function is to make sure that your image is displayed correctly.
No matter what output aspect ratio you choose the input ratio should be set relating to the source.

For example either 4:3 or 16:9 in most cases. DVD is 16:9 and some AVI's, full screen sources are usually 4:3. Don't trust TMPG to set the source aspect ratio correctly as it very often gets it wrong.
Anyway it's not hard to tell which one it is, just set the source aspect ratio to whatever you think it should be and check it with the preview option - File>Preview, if looks right then your ok, if not change it until it does.

As for the output, if you are making VCD/SVCD then it should be 4:3 regardless of the input. If it's for DVD then 16:9 is usually most appropiate.

TMPG is able to start up on my Windows XP system. However, when I trigger an encoding task, it simply close totally; not in the task manager at all. Any advice? Thanks.

I have experienced this problem before on a Win 2k machine. TMPGEnc is crashing most likely due to a codec problem. It might help if tried to reinstall the particular codec. If you post what codec your file is encoded with perhaps we could give a more specific answer.

VideoGuy

I folks I hav been trying to get DVD Author to Burn Video_TS Folders to DVD But it doesn"t see My Sony DRU 500A Burner, When I go into the Help files that Burner model shown there is the same model that I have But it doesn"t work on Mine....Does anyone know how to get It to work....Cheers

Got warning "The video GOP is too long" while importing an MPG into DVD Author 1.5.13.44. Strange: the MPG was created with TMPGEnc Plus 2.513.53.162 and *standard profile* (Project Wizard/Video-CD/PAL/Standard-VBR).

If you realy used the Standard-Template, it must be OK.
But you wrote Standard-VBR. VBR isn't alowed for VCD-Format-Videos on DVD. They have to be encodet in CBR (max Bitrate 1850 kbps Audio+Video).

Sorry, I *meant* CBR. I used the wizard, there is no VBR entry.

The DVD plays fine, though. Older versions of DVD Author did not give this warning...

TMPGEnc refers to the "unlock.cfm" in the "Extra" folder so I would like to know where is this located in the program.
Thank You,
Matt

The unlock.mcf unlocks all the settings after a template has been loaded.

The "EXtra" Folder is Located in the "Templates" folder....

I think your software is great. It might not have great menus, otherwise it always delivers. I have no problems.

BUT,

I was very happy to see motion menus, but have not been able to get audio to play in it.

I placed a valid Mpeg2 file with PCM audio, not ac3.

Why no audio?

Hum, Motion Men27Ô will work on MP2- and PCM-Audio. Only AC3 is no use.

Sorry but audio does NOT work with PCM sound (PAL), only layer-2.

Hello guys, question, what is a very good quality low cost DVD-R media? I use Prince but the quality is not consistent some of the DVDÃÔ have problems such as blocking, freezing etcEwhile others are just fine.

For the best quality and consistency there is no better than RITEK disks, usually under the DATASAFE brand, Datawrite and Bulkpaq also have one made by RITEK, DATAWRITE are also made by Princo and may be the best deal for the price.
Some people say Princo disks work fine others have less success which are also made under DATASAFE brand.

Don't be tempted to buy the low priced disks because they are not Grade A disks and in the end you just have more problems with them and plenty of coasters.
Always buy a Grade A disk.
Here is a site which has the RITEK disks under a brand called CloneDisc, these are the cheapest I have seen in the UK for the RITEK disks yet and well worth the money, unfortunately are available in the UK only at the moment.
http://www.dvd-and-media.com/dvdr%20media.htm

You can also get cheap RITEK here:
http://www.blank-cd-cdr.com/dvdr-media-dvd-r.html

I have had some really Bad Luck with DVD Media ,I rescently bought 20 DVD-R"s for the Unreal Price of $8 but when I finally got the disks and tried them they were total Crap, I would burn a Movie on the didk then put the DVD I just burned back into the DVD Drive on my PC and it couldn"t even read the disk that it just finnished Writeing, I have burned about 5 of these disks so far with not a Single one working...I have had Pretty Good Success with "Sony OEM" DVD-R"s and they are Quite Cheap anywere from $.75-$1.25 each on E-Bay and I have had Success with "Memorex" DVD-/+R"s But they are about $2-$3 each and I have some Totally generic 1 speed DVD-R"s that I got for about $1 each, they have no Brand Name that I can find But I haven"t had a Failed Disk yet accept a Couple of the DVD"s would have the Ocational Little glitch in it while Watching the Movie...But From what I have heard Ritec are Probably the Best You can get for a Cheap Price....Cheers

Hello Ash, why did i know ritek's would be your 1st choice, :), anyway very good information. The site you gave me (blankcdr.com) is a good site it has the princo on there that i am buying, cheaper. I do use riteks but only for my master's, i think that maybe i will start coughing up the extra bucks to stop the boomer rings! Thanks again ash!

Thanks Minion, i think your right about the riteks, i have used a lot of riteks to keep my masters on and have burn quite a few, i can't remember a single issue with the riteks, only that they are higher in price.

Maybe you would also like to take a look here, these are the cheapest I've seen them:
http://www.yesbuy.net/pr4dv21.html - $24
http://www.e-tronicdepot.com/pr4xdv425501.html - $28.75

The strange thing is that both seem to be the same supplier, yet the first is cheaper and has slightly cheaper shipping even though they use the same service.

I've tried several Disc-Types. The best ones are manufactored by Matsushita. Unfortunatly, you have to have a Disc to get the Information about the Manufactorer.
As an example: I have several Discs from TDK - they are from different Manufactorers. And they are not the same quality.
I've also tested some cheap Discs (Princo), they are junk.

I have some Genaric Disks that seem to work pretty good and they were Only about $0.75 each But I don"t know what Brand they are ,So is there some sort of Program that can tell you the manufacturer of the Disks?? and if there is can you please tell me were I can find it?? ThanXX

I agree, Princo wouldn't be my choice either. Ritek are generally considered the best and have to agree, far better to pay the extra and get no coasters.

Minion you need ADVINFO or DVDINFOPro, which is now the preferred program over ADVINFO.
You can download it here: http://www.dvdinfopro.com/index.php
Also check this page for DVD media codes and reliability of certain disks:
http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdmedia?advdinfo=1

I have a question about the file size of the mpg files made. I'm converting an avi file and a separate wav file into svcd format. The length is 21m 24s. Using 2 pass vbr and an average video bitrate of 2350 kbits/s and an audio bitrate of 192 kbits/s should give me a file of about 395 mb. Thats what it says in the estimated file size in tmpgenc also. However, the file it creates is only around 363 mb, which happens to be about the size if i just encoded the video. The audio encoded would be around 30 mb, adding up to the around 390 mb size. The mpg file does have the encoded audio though. Does anyone know why the file size is less than what it should be?

Thanks

What difference does it make if it works ok? It's only meant to be an estimated size.

Well i'm just wondering why the file sizes don't calculate correctly. So i want to know if it's actually encoding at less than the average video bitrate it says.

Yes the bitrate will vary slighty even though it is using a CBR method, but the average will be whatever you set it.
Check it with 'Bitrate viewer'

I is Quite well Known that Tmpgenc does not have good bitrate controll so the Bitrate will vary a Bit from what you set it to which will make the File size vary a bit also, and there isn"t much you can do about it....

Thanks Ash, those are 2 good sites!

Hi, after i've edited a scene at the end of my movie, audio sync goes out by about 1 second. Other edits have been fine. The audio is uncompressed to wav.
Anybody got any ideas on how to fix this? Thanks

What do you mean you edited a Scene out of your Movie?? Useing what Editor??? You can"t use the "Merge & Cut" to edit mpeg files with Wav audio ,If you are talking about the Source Range"s "Cut Editing" then I would sugest editing the Scenes after encodeing the file or even better is to edit the Source file before encodeing, If it is an AVI file then Virtual Dub is good for editing AVI files....

I am having a problem with dolby digital 5.1 sound. What happens is I can only bring in certain clips that have AC3 but sometimes I get audio differs error and there is no audio when I check in clip settings. I have triple check that there are all Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Anyone know what his might be?

Got similar problems, with demultiplexed AC3s, sometimes. A small program named AC3FIX does the trick, usually. Try to search for it via Google and use it on demultiplexed AC3s.

This happens if the AC3-File do have errors on some Frames. AC3Fix will help.