Hi...

I downloaded the trial of TMPGenc dvd author 3 - very impressed but...

Say I have an AVI file which is 200mb, I can then add this file to my project but at the bottom of the screen the dvd size goes to nearly 1gb. Obviously this is because the avi file will be converted and the file size will increase... BUT is there a way to limit this size?

If I allow a program to auto convert a 200mb avi file into mpeg2, it will end up at about 900mb. Though what I usually do is restrict the output size and lose a bit of quality in order to get more on the dvd.

So is it possible to implement a conversion size limit?

There is a transcode setting at the Output stage where you can set the target output size for your whole DVD. So if you go over the DVD's capacity, you can make it fit with these settings. The available settings are single layer DVD, dual layer DVD, or custom where you can set whatever size you want in MB.

If you want more control over the bitrates of each track, you can go the track settings in the Source stage by clicking on the "Settings" button for a track in the track list. In the track settings window, click on the "Video" tab and you'll be able to change a bunch of encoding settings that will affect the output size. You can also adjust audio settings here too.

I have a home-movie that has a MPEG-II audio track.

Is it possible to use TMPGEnv DVD Author 3 to create a DVD and have the audio automatically converted to 2 Channel AC3 format?

Yes, you can set the audio output format for each track in the Source Stage.
Just click on the "Settings" button for the track and a new window will appear.
Click on the Audio Settings tab and under "Audio 1" change the Encoder mode to "Re-encode all as below."
You can then change the Audio Stream Format to Dolby Digital (AC3) or Linear PCM.
Upon output, it will automatically convert it to the format you specify.

Fantastic - thanks for the pointer.

That's exactly what I was after.

I recently rebuilt my computer due to my hard drive failing. After installing TMPGEnc 3.0 Xpress, I have been attempting to encode an AVI file from my digital camera. After adding the file to the project, TMPGEnc will hang (not responding). This is normally when I see the dialog regarding the field order. The CPU usage is 0, so I know the program is not in some sort of infiinite loop. It appears to be waiting for something. TMPGEnc was working fine on this same machine just prior to the reinstallation of new OS hard drive. My best guess currently is that TMPGEnc has some dependency on something else that I just haven't installed yet. I am looking for any suggestions on how resolve this.

I am using the very latest version (3.3.8.17). I also have the AC3 encoding installed. My machine is AMD 4600x2 with Vista premium. All other software appears to be working fine on my system.

When you make an update of PC all will be deleted included thos codecs which were compatible with xpress3, so when the program starts it looks for usable codecs in your PC but when there are not finded it hangs up or something weird happens.
I recommend you to install codecs which were present before, also I think that old TMPGEnc products do not work well at Vista.

good luck

Hello.

Just starting on this application, I want the following:

1 main menu with 4 options.
When clinking one of these options, then I want a submenu.
Within this submenu I want to see tracks that contain clips.
So, from the submenu I want to start playing tracks.

All I have found is only 1 toplevel menu and then track menus (menu showing tracks). I want one level in between ot categorise.

How can I do this?

I don't think this is possible. It basically sounds like you want 4 different sets of menus linked via a main menu.

Call me dumb, but I've had DVD author 3 for 2 days now, and still can't cut out bits of film I'd like removed. Everytime I click on the scissors icon, it flashes up with the message that this is an impossible operation. Any help would be much appreciated.

Have you set your start and end frames? You will get an error like the one you're describing if the whole clip is selected.

To select your start or end frames, move the playhead to your start or end frame and then use the appropriate button located to the left or right of the scissor icon, bottom row.
The part of your clip selected will be highlighted purple in the thumbnail film strip ; this is the section that will be cut when you click on the scissor icon.

If you're getting a different error message, please let me know what the whole message says and maybe I can help you further.

Fantastic! Many thanks for having the time to help an old git out! It works a treat now! very much appreciated.

No problem ! Glad I could help!

Will TMPGEnc Xpress 4.0 run with Vista 64 bit?
Thanks
MachineGun

Some people have used it on their Vista 64 bit systems with no problems, but it's not officially supported so it's up to you if you want to risk it.

I recommend downloading the trial version first to see how it works on your system.

Thanks for the reply.
I already have bought it for my 32 bit Vista, but I would like to switch to 64 bit when I build my new system.
Speaking of new system would I have any problems installing it on a new computer assuming that I first remove it from the old one?

Thanks
NachineGun

You shouldn't have a problem installing it on a new system as long as you're not installing it multiple times in a short time period.

I'm running Vista 64bit and it works perfect with Xpress 4.5.2.255!

Great, thanks for the info.
MachineGun

I have started making a template like this; Top menu, three chapters - first got four subchapters, second got three subchapters and third only one subchapter.

I got the four subchapters for chapter one showing nicely on the source part of the program but it wont show up in any way under the menu part of the program - anyone experienced this or know what might be causing it?

Thanks alot for any help.

Best wishes
Marcus

What menu template/layout are you using? Some layouts may not show the chapter thumbnails. Also, did you choose "Top and track menu" in the Menu structure settings? You can check this in the "Global DVD menu settings" accessable in the Menu stage or in the Menu Wizard.

Let's also clarify your terminology. By "chapter" I'm assuming you mean track, and by "subchapter", I'm assuming you mean clip/chapter. At least, that's what it seems like you're describing.

Hi,

I have a collection of video clips that I'd like to have played back in a random order each time. Is this possible?

Thanks.

Sorry, I don't think this is possible.

Hello,

I'd like to make a DVD with just a Top menu.
Example of how it would look when run:

Title
_____


Video1
Video2
Video3
and so on

I can't get just 1 page.

In the Menu Wizard when you get to the DVD Menu Structure Settings, choose "Top Menu Only."
(You can also set this in the Global DVD Menu Settings)

That's it!

These would be mpeg-2 & H.264 transport streams.

Some 720p & some 1080i.

Occasionally some TV recordings have weird time sync issues & I'm looking for something I can use to repair them.

I wanted to convert a 720x576 format DVD to a 720x428 format MPEG4 AVC

In "Source" I edited all the 5 clips for the movie to use a crop to remove 74 pixels from the top and the bottom and they showed fine in the program.

In the "Format" I changed the resolution accordingly but the output format is still 720x576, pretty big downer after a 4.5 hour long encode to find out the program screwed up.

Is this a known bug in the free version, or a general bug in both free/paid version? I wanted it to remove the black bars since they take up a lot of space and are useless, especially when viewed in mediaplayer in windows, making the actual movie even smaller when in full screen then when playing the DVD.

Any solutions?

I was just about to buy the full version since I like how it works, but the final trial encode messing up like that is very critical and means no purchase from my side until I have a solution to fix it, so any help is much appreciated.

Same behavior here. I have a registered version of TMPGEnc Xpress 4 and tried different codecs to ensure its not the codecs fault, but TMPGEncs...

I think I found a solution.

In the filter list, select the "Picture resize" filter.

Next, select "Center (custom size)" for Picture position.

Then input your desired output resolution.

In the Encode stage, click on the Preview button to see a sample of how the output will look to make sure it's bar-free.

Actually, I may not be having the same problem as you guys; my output is always at the resolution I set it at in the Format stage.

So your output resolutions are always the same as your source resolutions, even if you change it?

What version are you guys using?

I created a compilation of chapters from few different (non-encrypted) DVD's and burnt it to a DVD (all from the DVD Author tool). When I play the DVD in PS3 with Audio Settings as Linear PCM (under BD/DVD Settings), I am get crackling sound. Feels as if the bass is not getting reproduced properly.

However if I switch the PS3 audio setting to "Bitstream", the audio plays fine and smooth.

Is there any setting in DVD Author that I can tweak so it works fine with LinearPCM mode as well?

Thanks!

You can try changing the audio settings for your tracks to Linear PCM.
In the Source Stage, click on "Settings" for your track(s). This opens the track settings window.
Go to the Audio Settings tab.
In the drop-down for Audio 1 (and Audio 2 if necessary), select "Re-encode as below if necessary" or "Re-encode all as below".
For the audio stream format you can now change it to Linear PCM.

I haven't tested any of this, but it seems like this should work. I'm also not sure how linear PCM audio will work with the bitstream setting on the PS3.

Thanks!

I was sceptical to try the LPCM alternative, as being uncompressed, it would probably have made the file larger.

However upon some more playing around I realized that the crackling was happening because I set the PS3 volume level to max (+2). This affects only the LPCM mode only, as in case of Bitstream the PS3 volume level has no effect. When I reduced the level a bit I wa able to get the sound I was expecting. Actually the base was still somewhat weaker than Bitstream, but that is probably because of different DACs in PS3 vs the Onkyo receiver that decodes bitstream.