#21  
12-27-2009, 10:27 AM
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When it comes to conversion and renaming, I never assume anything anymore. I've been in and/or seen posts all over the place online where a person says they are "converting" a file, but it turn out they "convert" by just changing the extension.

Always double-check these days!
Good to know that you're aware of the very important difference here!

The .mpg file exported from SoundForge may have been a multiplexed MPEG file. There was no video, but it had other junk in the file beyond the audio stream. Try to properly demux the audio in TMPGEnc or BatchDemux (TMPGEnc suggested).

MPEG-2 refers only to the video format. There is no "MPEG-2 Audio' format.

There is not an "MPEG-1 Layer II audio" either. Gspot reports the name wrong, the creator of the software just doesn't know any better (or made a mistake when creating the software). MPEG-1 refers only to video. It's simply "MPEG Audio" and you want the Layer II version (mp2), not the Layer III version (mp3). Both mp2 and mp3 can be renamed to "mpa" as the mpa extension is generic. Same for "mpv" and MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 video. This is one reason I truly detest mpa and mpv extensions.

Your choice of 48khz and 384kbps was correct.

I would take some screen shots of these things for you, but I don't yet have SF9 installed on this system. Other systems with SF installed currently unavailable. Will see about getting the SF10 demo here.

You mentioned DVDWS2 in the above post, but I'll assume you really meant SF. There is no "save as" in DVDWS2, aside from saving the entire project (menus, asset locations, etc).

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  #22  
12-27-2009, 03:42 PM
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I hadn't thought that SF might mux the output.

Of course I've seen a lot of comment about TMPGEnc throughout the site. Can you synopsize what it's best use is and where it makes sense in a workflow. I think I had a version of it back in 2003 on my old computer.
I don't know what the software price is these days, what should I expect?
Is there anything else that can demux I might already have? Perhaps not as well eh?

Yes, I meant SFPro10...not DVDW2...it was late.

Thanks for the MPEG clarifications.

I re-rendered from AP6.5 successfully for vbr (6500kbps min; 7500 avg; 8000 max )...ended up a little smaller (3.0Gb vs 3.1) and 98 mins vs. 100mins. This time DVDW2 let it fly with the .wav audio for title and menu.

No sweat using ImgBurn first time. I even remembered to set the burn to 8x for my 16x Verbatim DVD-R...approx 12 mins including verify.

***

One problem...and I think it goes back to the NLE.
(this might need a new thread started on subject)

I use Photoshop .psd stills for some graphics with text.
I also use AP6.5 generated titles on the timeline as well.
The still text looks crappy in the end result. The AP6.5 titles do not.
They both look bad in DVDW2, which I just wrote off as a really lousy preview resolution. The menu background still (also using a .psd) looks fine in the preview though. So I figured since the menu is prepared by DVDW2 it's going to look cleaner than the main title video .m2v file displayed in the final preview.

The thing is...I checked Ap6.5 and it's preview is great.
I checked the .m2v through the windows media player, and it looks great.
So how come I get into DVDW2 and the preview doesn't look so good (all the video preview is somewhat low resolution) and the output for DVD is worse? Am I re-encoding inadvertently?

I didn't notice anywhere that I missed or had a wrong setting for the burn to DVD folder.

Again the titles from AP6.5 are fine as are the titles in the DVDW2 menu including it's .psd still background.
Should I have flattened the .psd files before rendering out of AP6.5?

Are the layers in the "active" .psd(s) creating problems? This doesn't seem likely as the .m2v output from the encoder plays well...oh...uh...on the computer screen. (hmmm...).

The DVD result for the .psd still-based text is slightly doubled (not blurred) like someone (me) with an un-corrected astigmatism would see it...just slightly offset from itself.
No redundant file, no inadvertent drop shadow with same color. Remember, its looks fine in the native .m2v.

Any thoughts?
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  #23  
12-27-2009, 04:02 PM
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TMPGEnc Plus encoder is an MPEG encoder. In 2009, it's not the best for encode quality HOWEVER it does have a lot of good video filters in it, to restore video. It has very strong basic NR filter, and some nice color correction options. VirtualDub does some of the same things (and some worse, and some better).

TMPGEnc also has the built-in MPEG TOOLS for simple editing and mux/demux. This last process is what I use it for most.

It's all of $37 at this link: http://edge.affiliateshop.com/public...7389&BID=12418
There's a trial, too. Most people end up buying it, even pros. I've seen it mentioned in everything from DV to VideoMaker to Broadcast Engineering magazines. Useful little tool, and it's been around almost a decade now.

Yes, DVDWS2 preview is crappy. Most every authorware preview, even well into high-priced pro stuff, looks crappy on preview. It's just a preview.

If your video takes longer than 15 minutes to author (assuming simple non-motion menus), then you're re-encoding. If you're making motion menus, it can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes on average.

All menus are re-encoded in DVDWS2. All menus are re-encoded in all authoring programs.

For DVDWS2, you need 720x540 stills, not 720x480. DVDWS2 also has an anti-alias blurring filter enabled by default, in the project settings. You can increase or decrease the filter, or outright turn it off. (I turn it off, for most of my work!)

Also use a BMP for background stills -- not PSD. While DVDWS2 does support PSD, sometimes they don't look as good as the pre-flattened BMP image. Don't use JPEG either. Encore is the only program that really handles PSD well. Even DVD Studio Pro isn't historically all that great with PSD.

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  #24  
12-27-2009, 04:56 PM
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I'm under the 15 min. authoring time, so I'm assuming there is not re-encoding going on based on what you said. But we decided on .psd to help the NLE process. So...bmp huh? Can I alias these for the .psd just prior to MPEG export from AP6.5?

DVDW2 wants 720x540? where does THAT come from?? The menu looks ok even though it uses a 2304x1296 .psd background. The computer screen gets the right 16:9 on DVD playback, but the TV doesn't show the full width even though other wide format DVD media does...including the AVCHD playback from the camera.

I didn't find the anti-alias setting - even though I was looking for it last night in the project settings! Is this another trial version fiasco?

You know...I just realized those .psd stills are 2304x1296. But wouldn't this be reconciled by the AP6.5 timeline MPEG export?

I've used .jpg stills before without this hassle...but maybe my taste has matured or I forgot how they really looked. ;-)

Thanks again for your ongoing help.
I need to correct all this before burning 10 DVDs.

Are you suggesting I image size the .psd stills to 720x540 and SaveAs flattened .bmp right in photoshop before I use them in the AP6.5 timeline - even though I'm using the AP6.5 720x480 16:9 NTSC preset?
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  #25  
12-27-2009, 05:02 PM
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You can use the PSD in Premiere, but Premiere isn't going to output a PSD -- it puts out video files. DVDWS2 needs video files or BMP images for best quality. Only use PSD for icon buttons -- not backgrounds, in DVDWS.

The PSD in the Premiere timeline has no effect on DVDWS.

I thought you were trying to use some PSD images in the DVDWS menus. That doesn't seem to be the case, based off the last post.

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  #26  
12-27-2009, 06:51 PM
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Yes...I know Adobe Premiere doesn't output a .psd...so let me clarify.

I have a single menu in DVDW2 and the background is a .psd.
I understand what you are saying about a flattened .bmp being better for the still backgrounds for DVDW2 menus.
But as it turned out, the menu is fine in the output DVD...really.

I used .psd(s) in the Adobe Premiere and they were composited in the timeline export to .m2v by AP.
As I said, the .m2v file looks fine until DVDW2 uses it to author the DVD files.

So I'm not sure I'm getting anywhere here trying to understand what went wrong in with the .m2v through DVDW2 and the appearance of the text graphics. Ok going in by .mv2; crappy going out from DVDW2.

I'd be curious what another authoring program might do. Any suggestion as a test?
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  #27  
12-27-2009, 07:00 PM
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DVDWS2 encodes menus using the default MainConcept setting. I believe this is about 6.0Mbps bitrate, 1-pass VBR, which may not always be adequate for all sources.

At this point, I'd want to see the video clip used in the menu
.... upload some samples using one of these service: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/show...large-1834.htm

Or show a handful of still images of the video. Screen caps taken via VirtualDub (MPEG2-capable version). Are you familiar with that process? Or what method would you usually use to take screen caps of videos? Seeing stills won't be as good as seeing the video in motion, but it may be adequate enough.

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  #28  
12-28-2009, 08:46 AM
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Ok...I'll get to work on that. I'll figure out something. I'm not sure I have the MPEG2 version of VirtualDub. I'll look into it.

Looking at the incoming .m2v vs. the authored video out from DVDWS2, there seems to be a distinct attempt to "anti-alias" and it's wreaking havoc with the "still" titles during the main video playback (not the menu).

Did you say there is a blurring or anti-alias feature in DVDWS2 set by default? (see your 12/27/09 5:02 pm post) I have looked in the project settings and the preferences and can find nothing even close. Is this something that doesn't present the option to turn off in the trial version?
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  #29  
12-28-2009, 09:52 AM
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VirtualDub is here: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/show...-pre-1727.html
Load the MPEG file, scroll to the frame you want, and then go to
  • Video
    • Copy Source Frame to Clipboard
And that will copy the video frame to the system clipboard, which you can paste into Photoshop or Paint, and save as JPEG to attach to the forum.

When I answered last night, it was late (for me, at least), didn't go into much detail there, did I?

I'll have to install DVDWS2 in a VM real quick, and look at the settings. I don't have DVDWS on this system right now. Will post back later today.

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  #30  
12-28-2009, 06:43 PM
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It seems I owe you an apology.

I have attached the .jpg(s) of the incoming .m2v, the outgoing .vob (from DVDWS2), as well as a screen capture of the dvd playback in InterVideo WinDVD 5.

The text problem was with the song title "Wachet Auf..." (and others later) on the semi-transparent graphic bar band. The titles on the right were not in question. As you can see, the .m2v and .vob are indistinguishable.

They all reveal an expected, and reasonable outcome. That exonerates DVDWS2. AP6.5 is likewise not a problem...I expect a little anti-aliasing or resolution adjustment from the NLE. Even the DVD playback is acceptable.

My problem?

My outdated Panasonic DVD player (model RV-32).
Yeah, and worse, I used a playback of the DVD in Windows Media Player (which was horrid) to help judge the outcome. Sorry...really sorry.

After your request to see the .jpg captures, I thought I should see if I got similar results from other computer players. I did not.
And I tested with running those computer/players to the same TV with acceptable results. Sigh...should have used the scientific method. Can you forgive me?
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  #31  
12-28-2009, 06:44 PM
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Here are the attachments...


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  #32  
12-28-2009, 07:05 PM
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WinDVD filters video with deinterlacers, so what you see there is not necessarily "true" to the MPEG either.

The best player for previewing MPEG DVD-Video is VLC. It will show the interlaced signal, and then you can opt in to a deinterlacer for actual watching on a computer.

Windows Media Player is good for high-def WMV and ASF files, and that's about it -- just the Microsoft proprietary formats. WMP was good in the 90s, but that ended .. well... a decade ago.

Glad you got it figured out!

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  #33  
12-30-2009, 12:55 PM
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VLC ?
Sometimes you just have to spell it out for me...
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