I captured my videos using the Ulead Media Studio Pro (MSP) video capture software. I edited the videos with MSP, somtimes with Adobe Premier depending on what I need from each (Premier has excellent text overlay and graphic manipulation, while the MSP has fast and clean trim & splice function, and easier to use). I export the videos into AVI files after the task was completed. I then used the Ulead Movie Factory to author the DVD and the DVD Shrink to reduce the file size to fit the whole movie into a single DVD+R disc.

Having said that, has anyone attempted to make a 2 disc DVD set and how is the picture quality? After the DVD Shrink, my video quality was poor but I don't know whether it is from the Ulead Movie Factory, or the DVD Shrink. Anyway, I decided to switch over the TMPGEnc Plus and TMPGEnc DVD Author to check out the picture quality.

Turned out that:

- All of the Adobe Premier AVI files will not be read correctly by TMPGEnc Plus, the m2v files have a black screen rather than the movie. The audio part is fine.
- For any of the AVI files that were made by Ulead MF, or by Adobe Premier but later edited by Ulead MF, then the TMPGEnc will read and process just fine.
- But if I run Ulead then run the TMPGEnc, then do back to do some more with the Ulead, next time using the TMPGEnc, I will get a black screen rather than a movie. Thus after using EMPGEnc, I would have to reboot my laptop before I go back to using the Ulead, and vice versa. Do you have similar problems on your computer?

Thanks in advance
dp

I have a 2.5 hour long program that needs to be on DVD. The program has 13 different AVI files that I've prepared earlier.

I used TMPGEnc Plus to convert the individual AVI files into m2v and wav files (there is a problem with this process, but I'll bring it up on another question). Now I have 26 of those files (both m2v and wav files).

Knowing that once I run the TMPGEnc DVD Author, these files will be combined and turn them into bunch of DVD files (VOB, etc...).

My questions are:
(1) How do I know the total size (of these files) will fit into the DVD before I actually putting the whole set up together? Is this TMPGEnc DVD Author going to compress it into the proper size?
(2) If compression as in question above is possible, then what is your experience in the video picture quality? Have you made any comparison with other DVD authoring software and what is your opinion on the "best" authoring software out there?

I have done the same set of AVI using the Ulead Movie Factory 2.0 and the picture quality was fairly poor after burning it into a DVD+R (single layer). I am not sure if the TMPGEnc will fare better in the picture quality department. The only thing I noticed so far was that TMPGEnc tended to process it at a much slower pace, required different software to do different thing.

Thanks in advance for your input.

dp

If you have no problems with converting files to M2V using constant bitrate, you can do this method. I find that it works best for me.

Go here for a free Java-based bitrate calculator:
http://www.videohelp.com/calc.htm

Use a normal calculator and add up the length of all of your AVIs that you plan to put onto the DVD-R. Add them all up and then add around 5-10 minutes extra (to ensure that it fits on one DVD-R). Input that time into the bitrate calculator at the top. It doesn't matter if it's in hours or minutes, you can even input it as 120 minutes or 160 minutes. For your audio bitrate, the standard is 384. If you have any 6-channel audio, select 448.

At the bottom where it says "Calculated Bitrate" and the box is in green, record that number. Open TMPGEnc and then open your video file. Go to settings and set the "Rate Control Mode" to "Constant Bitrate". Then right below that, enter your recorded number. You should set this to all the files you are going to encode! Then input them one by one as you normally do in TMPGEnc DVD Authoring and author. It will fit as long as you did everything correctly.

The only disadvantage is that the quality degrades if you have a lot of video. For me, the maximum I can do is around 5 half-hour video content. I can put 7 half-hour video content if it's animation.

If anybody has a better method, please share! :)

I made a mpg from an avi file and burned it to VCD using VCDEasy. The film has some text in it, and some of the text is clipped when it plays on a dvd screen. Is there a way to make a "border" of grey or black space around the mpg so that it will make the original display a bit smaller, but completely?

I see that there is a "clip" feature, but I think that does the opposite of what I want to do.

Positioning Methode Center (Custom size)

That's the Trick, but i suggest to use AVISynth or VirtualDub for the Resizing.

Thank you. Would I need to make the custom size larger or smaller to effectively shrink the picture and leave a "border" area. (I suppose I could just experiement.)

- Fred

Greetings
I am trying to convert quicktime mov files to avi so i can edit them in Studio 9 plus. My new digital camera records movies in quicktime ( about the only thing I didnt check out ). I've tried using a plugin but while it will convert the video I dont get any sound.
Advice very welcome.

regards Colin

Install the CoreAAC directshow filter or convert the audio to a wav first.

Is there a way to save the source range settings? Quite often I need to rework the conversion process from scratch, so loading a saved project isn't an option, and I have to go and do the source range cutting/editing manually, which is a hassle. If this feature isn't supported, then I think it makes a great request.

It saves the editing information anyway, even if you close TMPG. As long as you load the same source the editing points will still be there, you just need to re-check the 'Source range' box.

Greetings
I am trying to convert quicktime mov files to avi so i can edit them in Studio 9 plus. My new digital camera records movies in quicktime ( about the only thing I didnt check out ). I've tried using a plugin but while it will convert the video I dont get any sound.
Advice very welcome.

regards Colin

Hi,

Does anyone know how to convert .rmvb files to mpeg? I have tried using TMPGEnc 2.5 version to convert it. The video quality is good but there is no sound. Does any one of you here knows any solutions about this? Thanks in advance!

Try installing the 'Real Alternative 1.29' plugin first.

i've tried it. but i still couldnt do it. is there any trick or steps that i've done wrong?

Hi,

This is a really dumb question, especially given how long i've had TMPGEnc (though i've never needed to do this). I've got a bunch of AVIs which are 512x384. I wish to convert them to MPEGs, but how can I do that and keep the original size? Or can I...?

Thanks.

If you want to play it on a DVD-Player, you have to change the Resolution.

I'm not concerned with DVDs at the moment, I just wish to keep the resolution as it is... How can I convert to an MPEG without changing it?

Load the unlock.mcf from the template folder then load your source file.

I have TmpegInc 2.56.39.143-Free. Awhile back I have put it on a cd. And I've been using it for 2 years now from the cd and it opens and works fine. and all of sudden now I try clicking on it and it comes up very slow and then when I click browse it freezes up and stops responding. PLEASE HELP!

Why are you using it from a CD? The actual program is quite small.
Anyway I'm surprised you have ever been able to use it from a CD as TMPG needs access to HDD space for it's temp files and for it's config files.
It will freeze because it cannot write or correctly access it's config files.

TMPG always opens the the last location that a source was loaded when run. This location is stored in TMPG's config files in it's folder. With these config files being on your CD it is impossible for TMPG to open the last location as it won't actually exist.

nevermind now. I got it to work. I think I didn't let my whole cd load yet. Yeah its worked for me for along time off the cd without being on my hardrive. ^.~

Everytime I open up TMPG E.n 2.56.34.143. I click the option of I want for the video. Then whe I try inputting the file clicking on Browse it stops responding

can someone tell me where I can enter the serialnumber in tmpg that the expired mpeg2 file is available again ? or do I have to do an other step ?

many thanks
jan

Download TMPGenc plus not the free version.

I have previously used TMPGEnc to convert a video file to VCD (i believe it was an avi). This was about 2 years now. I tried to repeat the process last night and it worked fine, except there was no sound in the mpg. I cant find the tutorial i used before to do learn how to do this.

Could someone please give me a few hints at why this could be?

Thanks.

hi i used tmpgenc 2.521 to encode (from avi to mpeg/vcd), i also have this problem. the output has no sound. why?

The audio is likely either VBR MP3 or AC3.
For VBR MP3 or AC3 extract the audio to a WAV first or alternatively for AC3 audio only download the 'AC3 ACM decompressor'.