Looking for DVD tool for motion menu authoring
 

Hi guys,

I use DVD-Lab Pro for authoring and I am backing up 2 DVD's to one KDVD.

I wanted to make some interesting motion menu as opposed to plain still backgrounds.

The only thing I really need to know is. Apart from Cuttermaran are there any other tools both Freeware or Commercial that can cut sections of the movie that I want to use for the menu and then save the resulting M2V and AC3 file for me.

Cuttermaran works good but I have two real problems with it:

1. Installing that Damn .NET framework when I do it messes up XP and XP doesnt automatically log in and I get the welcome screen with my Username and Icon which I have to click to enter XP.

2. The sound seems to come out very loud in comparison to the original AC3 and I don't know why that is.

I would be very greatful if anyone could help me out with this.

Thanks in advance guys. :)

Beside cuttermaran you could also look for "mpeg2schnitt"
http://www.mdienert.de/mpeg2schnitt/

I use that one for cutting DVB streams.

BUT! It would be better you do that job via avisynth, means frame accurate trimming, and reencoding to m2v.

I do not understand why AC3 contend "could" result louder out of a Cuttermaran procedure? As the AC3 normally is just splitted/cuttet/merged when doing the process in such "I" Frame accurate cutting tools like above.

Another option is doing the cutting in tmpgEncs new mpeg/editing cutting tool ... but I didnt tested it till now by myself.

Also do look at mediachance's page for those motionmenue guides ... they do provide a lot of informations ;-)

look on the tmpgenc website (pegasys). there is a new tool call "mpeg2 cutter" or something like this.
I never tested it but it seems great.

YEP, thats what I meant .... looks promising:
http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/tme.html

http://www.digitalfaq.com/archives/error.gif

Its mentioned that it supports "rendered" cutting, means you are not only allowed to cut at I frame points, but also at B or P frame ones, where the resulted new startpoint would be rerendered to "I" frame state.

And in combination with that TmpgEnc AC3 plugin it will at least end up in a 2ch AC3 audio stream (which is ok for a motion-menue imho).

Thanks for the info guys much appreciated.

That tool you guys mentioned from Pegasys looks amazing and looks like what I am after and at a reasonable price.

@Inc

I don't know why Cuttermaran does that with the Audio but on the Menu I have to turn down the volume and then turn it back up when the movie plays strange I know. :?

Also How could I accurately cut the precise section of footage I need within AviSynth? What sort of script would I need to use and how would it deal with cutting the Audio at the same points?

If you do it with avisynth, you got the command:

trim(xxxx,yyyy)

But how do you find out "where" to cut?

Easy .... do load that "d2v" via "load source via avisynth" and so set there the right decoder "mpeg2dec" in the open window message requester.

Now you got the video in Vdub mod. Do your cuts as known from VDubs editing functions.
THEN do go into "script editor" above to the right in the window bar menue.
Now you see your avs script. Go with your cursor below the import line and choose from the edit menue "import framesets as trims" and *pong* the right trim commands will be insertet - ready. Use "safe" and the generated avs in the same folder like the orig d2v is updated in its added trims ;-)

You also could do that using the cutting function in DVD2avi but that would result in a fix cuttet d2v where in other workout when using Vdubmods avisynth section you easely can inverse wrong trims or if you find a different/better scene you want to trim ;-)


BUT! A direct fitting/cutting of the untouched original mpeg/vob would be more economic as theres no need to reencode. AND if that orig cuttet mpeg/vob via that tmpgenc editor/cutter does result in too much filesize, you can pre-treaten it by using "Rejig" to get a less filesized motionmenue footage before importing in your DVD project :D as "rejig" supports mpeg2 files directly.

Thats also an option which (IMHO) should be available in DVD-RB as it leaves the VTS_0.VOB incl. the menue intact by just re-merging it. As a simple transcoding of a big orig motionmenue would make sense anyway IMHO.

Thanks for the info Inc really appreciated.

I agree with you on that point about DVD-RB I think that is a weakness of DVD-RB otherwise it's an excellent tool.

Hmmm,
I wonder if DIKumciser by Karl would help you also.
It is a bare-bones mpeg cutter, so you don't have a way to know what you're cutting but it's free.
Cheers

Hi rds_correia and thanks for your input but there are a couple of problems with Karl's tool that I can see.

1. It only works with Muliplexed Mpeg streams to my knowledge.

2. I dont think it's possible to cut sections of an Mpeg file with this tool.
For example it cuts from the beginning to say a point of 700 meg.

I dont think it cut from say 10 mins into the movie to 10 and 30 seconds.

I could be wrong but I dont think I am in this case.

Hi there :)
You're right Michael.
Cheers

No Problem Rui, thanks for your input though I do appreciate you trying to help me out. :)

@Zyphon: With DVDauthorgui, http://www.videohelp.com/~liquid217/....pl?p=download
you can do something like (preview vts01):

http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=57...101A2376F51EB4

If you need texture loops for background:

http://www.mainconcept.com/texture_loops.shtml

Hi Prodater64, thank you also for your help I shall look into those links you posted and see if can help me out.

I appreciate all your help here guys some really good info. :)

I personaly prefer GFD
http://www.boraxsoft.de/GUI_DVDauthor_eng_01.shtml

Thanks for that link Abond that looks like a nice GUI I shall look into that also. :)