dvdauthor, frontend GUIs and nav packets

[wuurp]

I've been trying two GUI frontends for dvdauthor and have what are probably really basic questions. If it makes a difference, I'm working with Hauppauge PVR250 captures.

The first one, DVDstyler, works quite well for the most part. Easy to use, takes output mpgs from VRD directly, and can do pretty much everything for you. You can stop at DVD folders, or go on to an iso, or all the way to a burned dvd. There is a bug in creating multiline text buttons though which stops me from using it for now.

So, I've been working with GUI for dvdauthor. It also works well, but only goes to dvd folders (without nero), which isn't a big deal but it means extra steps. It also doesn't handle VRD mpgs. I've read the discussion about the nav packets and that's where my questions lie. So far I see two solutions. I can save in elementary streams from VRD and then GFD will run them through mplex (I guess DVDStyler must unmux the files, then remux for regular VRD files). Or I can save as type vob (with blank nav packets) from VRD and rename to mpg for GFD.

Finally my questions:

1. Is there any difference in the final output for the two options, vob type vs GFD muxing the streams?

2. If I use streams in GFD, it has a built-in option to requant the video. How does this compare to using dvdshrink on the resulting dvd folders?

3. Is the vob type output a true vob file and how is this different than the normal VRD ouput?

...and a related question,

4. If I want to save the video for future use, can the vob type be used the same as a regular VRD output mpg, or should I keep the original, and just make a temporary vob (or streams) for GFD? Would quickstream fix return a vob to original?

[DanR]

If you download the latest beta build (#320) of VideoReDo you can save a VOB file with blank NAV packets. These can be used directly with DVD Author.


1. Is there any difference in the final output for the two options, vob type vs GFD muxing the streams? There shouldn't be.


2. If I use streams in GFD, it has a built-in option to requant the video. How does this compare to using dvdshrink on the resulting dvd folders? I don't know, perhaps others can comment. Personally, I'm a DVDShrink or Nero Recode user but only because I haven't spent the time and effort to try something else. In the MPEG world, when something works you tend to stick with it.


3. Is the vob type output a true vob file and how is this different than the normal VRD ouput? The VRD VOB file is simply a normal VRD output with blank NAV packets at the start of each GOP. But you'll have to use our later beta builds to get this feature.


4. If I want to save the video for future use, can the vob type be used the same as a regular VRD output mpg, or should I keep the original, and just make a temporary vob (or streams) for GFD? Would quickstream fix return a vob to original?QuickStream fix, or simply editing will convert the VOB back into a program stream.

[Lester Burnham]

So, I've been working with GUI for dvdauthor. It also works well, but only goes to dvd folders (without nero), which isn't a big deal but it means extra steps.



True - you could use dvdshrink, imgtool classic, or the command line mkisofs (which imgtool classic is a GUI front end for).




It also doesn't handle VRD mpgs. I've read the discussion about the nav packets and that's where my questions lie. So far I see two solutions. I can save in elementary streams from VRD and then GFD will run them through mplex (I guess DVDStyler must unmux the files, then remux for regular VRD files). Or I can save as type vob (with blank nav packets) from VRD and rename to mpg for GFD.



I use gui_for_dvdauthor probably exclusively now, and that's what I do - I save as the "VOB" type, but manually put the filename in ending with mpg.

Question for Dan - after the last discussion on this, wasn't it agreed that the VOB option (blank NAV packets) would actually still use mpg as the file extension? I thought you mentioned that some people had complained that it was confusing?




Finally my questions:

1. Is there any difference in the final output for the two options, vob type vs GFD muxing the streams?



Dunno - wouldn't have thought so - just seems more work. As I hardly ever use anything but gui_for_dvdauthor, now, when I edit, I always save with the VOB option.




2. If I use streams in GFD, it has a built-in option to requant the video. How does this compare to using dvdshrink on the resulting dvd folders?



Personally I've not compared. I would have thought there's that much in it, unless you have to shrink more than a small amount.

Somehow, using dvdshrink just seems better for this - but that's just gut feeling.




3. Is the vob type output a true vob file and how is this different than the normal VRD ouput?



It's not a true VOB (true VOBs have IFOs that are used for navigating them), it's just an mpeg file with potential - ie blank nav packets because the underlying dvdauthor command line utility requires them.




...and a related question,

4. If I want to save the video for future use, can the vob type be used the same as a regular VRD output mpg, or should I keep the original, and just make a temporary vob (or streams) for GFD? Would quickstream fix return a vob to original?



Personally, if it was a mpg I was keeping, I'd make a temporary copy for authoring with NAV packets. But I suspect it doesn't really matter. I suspect that saving it again from VideoReDo as a normal mpg file would remove them - but if you want an original, that's just pure mpg, then use a temporary one for authoring.

A question for you as you are a GUI_for_dvdauthor use - I use the animated buttons for the titles and chapter thumbs. The title animated button loops continually, but the chapter animated thumbs don't - they just play once, then stop. I don't suppose you know how to change that, do you (ie make the chapter animated thumbs loop permanently).

When I get time, I'll just have it create the batch files then take a look, I just wondered whether you as somebody else who uses it may know?

[DanR]

Question for Dan - after the last discussion on this, wasn't it agreed that the VOB option (blank NAV packets) would actually still use mpg as the file extension? I thought you mentioned that some people had complained that it was confusing? Yes I did say that, but before I do that I've got one more thing to try. I'm looking at the possiblity of filling in the NAV packets of VOB output. If we can do that there might be chance the DVDLab will import the VOBs without remuxing. That would be a very nice thing.

Then we could offer an option, save VOBs with blank Nav packets as MPEG or stuffed NAV packets as VOBs. Or something like that.

[Lester Burnham]

Question for Dan - after the last discussion on this, wasn't it agreed that the VOB option (blank NAV packets) would actually still use mpg as the file extension? I thought you mentioned that some people had complained that it was confusing?


Yes I did say that, but before I do that I've got one more thing to try. I'm looking at the possiblity of filling in the NAV packets of VOB output. If we can do that there might be chance the DVDLab will import the VOBs without remuxing. That would be a very nice thing.



Just out of interest, wouldn't that require IFOs as well?




Then we could offer an option, save VOBs with blank Nav packets as MPEG or stuffed NAV packets as VOBs. Or something like that.



Sounds good.

Then you'll be part way along to having an authoring package ;-)

[DanR]

Just out of interest, wouldn't that require IFOs as well?
No it doesn't. Still experimenting.

[Lester Burnham]

Just out of interest, wouldn't that require IFOs as well?



No it doesn't. Still experimenting.



I guess what I meant, was isn't the NAV information meaningless without IFOs?

[DanR]

I guess what I meant, was isn't the NAV information meaningless without IFOs?You may indeed be correct. We are still analyzing what exactly goes into a Nav packet.

[wuurp]

DanR,

Thanks for the reassurances. I am using build 320. Actually it's the first update I've done from the version I bought from your main site, and I hope I did it right. I just ran the program and let it install over the old version. Everything seems to work, but the view menu seems shorter and there is a menu separator at the end with nothing below. Just a cosmetic bug?

Lester,

Perhaps you're right about dvdshrink. The docs say the built in shrink is based on an older requantizer. And it might be better to look at size of the whole disk rather than individual files.

As for the animated menus, sorry, I've had maybe an hour or so of experience with GFD, just enough to go through making a dvd with simple menus and find out it works for what I want to do.

[DanR]

view menu seems shorter and there is a menu separator at the end with nothing belowThere was no view menu in build #284, those options were on the Tools menu. The Tools menu has been split between view and tools.

Regarding the seperator, there are new features in development and testing for V2, thumbnails, preview, and more. Those items occur below the seperator, but are removed dynamically except during testing. Couldn't figure out how to remove the seperator easily.

[wuurp]

view menu seems shorter and there is a menu separator at the end with nothing belowThere was no view menu in build #284, those options were on the Tools menu. The Tools menu has been split between view and tools.

Oops, guess that's why things looked different :oops:

Can't wait for V2. Thanks Dan.