Merging clips and removing commercials

mlaviolette · #1 11-09-2004, 01:04 PM

I want to take multiple MPG files recorded using my Hauppauge PVR 350, merge them, and remove the commercials (or remove the commercials and then merge them), all without re-encoding. I tried the nanoEdit software from the Hauppauge website but I get audio sync problems. I then tried the latest Womble MPEG2VCR. I removed the commercials from each of the 3 files, saved them under new names, then used MPEG2VCR to edit the first file and insert the others at the end. I saved the result and used Ulead DVD Moviefactory 2.0 SE to author and burn to DVD+RW. No re-encoding was done at any step. I can play the result on my PC using Microsoft's DVD player without problem, but my standalone DVD player is giving me headaches.

If I set up Ulead to create a menu I can select it and only the video/audio from the first file plays, and the DVD player stops and returns to the main menu. The first file has 2 sections (where I removed commercials) and the entire file plays properly. But I do not see the inserted files.

If I set up Ulead to bypass creating a menu then the video is completely garbled (yellow and green horizontal lines) but the audio is good.

Maybe there is a better way to do this, or maybe I have to set other options. Any suggestions?

admin · #2 11-09-2004, 01:13 PM

When you merge files, the resolution, audio and bitrate must match from clip to clip. You likely mixed something. Womble MPEGVCR does not use a "safety protocol" of any kind to warn you against this. Their software is not really aimed at newbies.

MPEG Video Wizard silently re-encodes the mismatched pieces, as well as all audio into MP2 format.

mlaviolette · #3 11-09-2004, 02:32 PM

I used GSpot to check the 3 files. They all have the same attributes:
6200 kbps video
720x480 resolution
48000hz 384kbps audio
8100kbps system bitrate

Everything seems to work if I play it on my PC.

admin · #4 11-09-2004, 02:37 PM

Hmm....

Something with Ulead MF may be doing it. That software has varying bugs that are a pain to deal with. This could be one of them.

I would install the trial to another authoring software. Maybe TMPGENC DVD AUTHOR, or even ULEAD DVD WORKSHOP 2. See how that goes. If it's fine, then we know the problem. If still NOT fine, then more to study.

mlaviolette · #5 11-10-2004, 06:27 AM

TMPGenc DVD Author gives the same result.

I may have stumbled onto something. My original 3 files have the attributes mentioned above (one video stream and one audio stream for a system bitrate of 8100 kbps VBR). But MPEG2VCR creates files that have a video stream, an audio stream, and some other stream for a system bitrate of 10080 kbps VBR. Even if I do no editing whatsoever by opening my input file and saving it using MPEG2VCR it seems to add a stream and change the total bitrate. I don't know why it is doing this.

I did more testing. I used MPEG2VCR to add the 3 original clips to the clip list then saved the result. I used Ulead MF to create a menu and burn the DVD. Perfect result. Looks like I am able to do what I want. When I have time I'll try to recreate the failure. It may have something to do with not creating a menu. - mlaviolette

admin · #6 11-12-2004, 05:11 PM

Yeah, this problem has left me scratching my head. I just have no idea. Probably something easy, but unusual.

A no-menu system is tricky. It basically makes the firstplay and VIDEO_TS.VOB point to the first VTS set. Then it can only play a single track. Ulead MF may have been putting in separate tracks? Did you drop all the files into a single track in TDA? Or separate ones?