Trying to put a 2 CD VCD onto a single DVD. This a very old animation no longer available in any format. Quality is marginal, but acceptable.

From Vdub:

352x240 29.970fps (33367 us)
SAR = 12(1.095) 4:3 NTSC
# of frames(time) 164090(1:31:15)
44KHZ stereo, 224Kbps layer II

I have converted DAT files into MPG files and merged with MPEG Video Wizard. MPG file plays ok.

TMPGEnc DVD Author and DVD Lab cause reboot. I realize this is a MPEG2 rather than a MPEG1. All attempts to load into TMPGEnc result in very large blocks.

A man has to know his limitations, and I have obviously exceeded mine.
Anyone have any experience with something like this?

File size is not an issue due to DVD capacity, but retaining existing quality is critical.

nicksteel,
DVD spec requires 48 KHz audio. 352x240 can be mpeg1 or mepeg2.

DVDLab has transform to convert from 44 to 48. The program dies when I try to move the mpv file (From DVDLAB demux) into Movie within DVDLab, before I move the 48 mpa file (from DVDLab demux).

Also, VirtualDub-MPEG2 shows no Frame Scan errors, but if I try to save as AVI, I get "Error decoding MPEG audio fram" error.

Did you merge mpeg before with that software and did same as you are trying now.
Did you try to merge it with tmpgenc (mpegtools).
Avicodec will info you what mpeg type are files.

Merged the files with TMPGEnc and Mpeg Video Wizard (Womble). Both failed.

Just tried doing with Ulead DVD MovieFactory. It accepts the mpg file and directly produces a DVD folder where everything else failed. The resulting folder is acceptable to TMPGEnc DVD Author, so I guess this is the way to go. My only remaining problem is out of synch audio, but I can attack this problem. I'm now processing each of the DAT files from the two VCD's seperately and will try to merge with VOBMerge to solve the out of synch problem. If this doesn't work, I'll try other methods like VirtualDub, etc.

Thanks for your advice.

NickSteel

We basically have the same procedure but I still have to fail with mine. in my case I really don't need to merge the mpeg files as I let TmpGnc DVD Author do the work.

I first rip and strip the dat file to mpeg with vcd gear. I do the same with the second disc if it's a 2 disc vcd. I usually put three vcd movies in one dvd-r so i do this to all 3 vcds.

I then fire up TmpGnc DVD Author, click the "Add file" button and put the first mpg file of the first movie. I edit the files to put chapters and other stuff. When done, I click on the "Add file" button again to add the second mpg file. I do the same edits to it as the first file.

I then click on the "Add New Track" at the left column to put in the second movie and do the same procedure as the first movie.

If I want to add a third movie, I just follow the same steps as the 1st and 2nd movies.

I then put the necessary menu then let TmpGnc DVD Author do the work. Minutes later, I have a dvd with three movies in it.

I usually do exactly as you outlined. This film on 2 VCD's was just a little more difficult and would not process as usual as I kept getting out of synch audio in the VCDGear MPG files.

Finally processed each disc DAT file with Ulead into VOB (it changed from 44 to 48 Mhz). Sound stayed in synch.

Processed with TMPGEnc DVD Author (as you outlined above) as three clips into one track (two VOB files from disc 1, one VOB file from disc 2).

Done deal.

nicksteel
is raining here and internet is slow and i was trying to post a working link for you but the pages don't open.

take a look in doom9 guides or in dvdrbase forum that have
simple but very good guides just like you want!

best regards