DMW 5 TBYB - freezes when trying to create chapters.

[JohnCraick]

I have TBYB version of DMF5 & have been trying for days to set chapter points in an MPEG-2 clip. The system hangs for a very long time showing the hour glass. Just sometimes it eventually comes back but then none of the controls are working on the set chapter points screen and you can't do anything. Note that this is a very LONG MPEG file. Might this be the problem ?

A few more details are given below.

Is the "create chapters" function broken in DMF5 or have I missed something elementary ?

Any help on this much appreciated

JohnC
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More info ...

I'm using the "standard" method for adding chapters - i.e. select a clip in the main timeline and click on the "Add/Edit Chapter" button to open a new window where (theoretically !) you can add & delete chapter points. This window has a complete set of "transport" controls but often it seems that the jog bar works (just for a while) but not the other controls. (They all work very nicely in the main timeline window)
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Details of the file being "chaptered" ...

Program: DM5 TBYB V 5.0.0189.0
File: AWtestimonial-V2.mpg

File Format : PAL DVD
Size : 3,557,048 Kb
Duration: 5732760 seconds

Video

Video Type: MPEG-2 Video, Lower Field First
Total Frames: 143,319
Attributes: 24 bits, 720 x 576, 4:3
Frame Rate: 25.000
Data Rate: Variable bit rate (Max 6068 kbps)

Audio

Audio type: Dolby Digital Audio
Total samples: 275,172,480
Attributes: 48000 Hz
Layer: None
Bit rate: 256 kbps

[DVDDoug]

I've had this happen with corrupt MPEG files.* Most of the "bad" MPEGs would play-back OK... So, I call it "sneaky" corruption.

Where did you get your MPEG? Can you re-capture to another format? (AVI/DV is preferred.)

Are you editing the MPEG? MPEGs are not meant to be edited, and editing them can corrupt them.


* I don't have MF5, but I've had this problem with other Ulead programs. I've also had A/V sync problems and occasional crashing. In my case, the files were corrupted during editing. I had to get a special-purpose MEEG editor.

[JohnCraick]

"Doug",

Thanks for the reply. A corrupted mpeg file is possible, esp. if Ulead itself creates corrupt files. All the following operations were carried out in DMF 5. Footage was from a Sony Digital 8 camcorder captured via firewire direct to mpeg2 format. The only "editing" was to cut out 3 mins from the begining of the file. ( Is that enough to corrupt a file ?). A basic DVD with no chapters was successfully burnt using a Pioneer DVR109 burner. To fit the footage on a single disk, DMF 5 recoded from the original, I think, 4000 kbps fixed rate to 6000 kbps variable rate. To make the new, "chapterised" DVD I have attempted to use both the original mpeg capture and the recoded version with equal lack of success. I still have the original camera tape so could re-capture entirely if needed.

I know a little bit about mpeg and am curious about the corruption you mention. Are there any tools or tests for corrupt files and/or means of fixing them ? I guess I should Google it & see.

For me, this work is a test of the new DMF 5, which I'm thinking of buying. At this stage it's starting to look like a non-purchase ! I've had better results previously with DMF 3 SE !!

I wonder if these are know problems & if Ulead will be issuing fixes.

Any point in talking direct to tech support ?

Thanks again

JohnC

[sjj1805]

"Doug" .....All the following operations were carried out in DMF 5. Footage was from a Sony Digital 8 camcorder captured via firewire direct to mpeg2 format. .....

There's your problem. Try 'capturing' to DV type 1.
actually it's transfering when you do this.

Please view the tutorial that I have currently under construction.
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=13421
scroll down tothe section entitled
MPEG2 Capture –v- DV Type 1 Capture (and other formats)

where it is all explained.

[JohnCraick]

Problem Solved - Thank You

Following a suggestion in one of the tutorials, I downloaded a trial version of the Womble MPEG editor & DVD maker.

( I may be missing something but it seems to be a far superior product to the Ulead DMF 5 & VS10- and it costs less.)

I didn't need to recapture the DV video into AVI and recode the whole lot (thank heavens !). I took the original mpeg file created by DMF5, edited it slightly in Womble, just cutting out some of the worst footage, and writing it back as a new file to disk. That new file works fine with the chapter insertion procedure in DMF 5 - or within the Womble DVD maker.

So, yes, as suggested, the problem seems to have been corruption of the mpeg file by DMF 5 when used as an mpeg editor. Given that I didn't have to re-capture or recode, it seems that the original capture & mpeg encoding in DMF5 may have been ok. All very interesting but very bloody time consuming !

I have read & bookmarked the various suggested articles & tutorials. Thanks too to the authors of those.

Regards,

JohnC

[/code]

[sjj1805]

Problem Solved - Thank You
I may be missing something but it seems to be a far superior product to the Ulead DMF 5 & VS10- and it costs less.

If you look at my signature below this post you will see I have a large collection of software, in fact more than I have listed here.

The different video editing products all have their good points and bad points.
Dependant upon the source of your video and what you wish to do with it in the form of editing, then DVD authoring determines which is the best software program to use for that project.

One is not better than another, they are all different.
Womble is superior at editing MPEG files but cannot handle AVI files or any other format in fact.

The DVD Menu authoring in Womble is hopeless and so I export the edited MPEG file and then import it into a Ulead product for DVD authoring.

Like everything else in life you pick the best of whats available.

Last year I created a DVD for Charity. I placed end credits and in those end credits I listed the software that was used in the production of that DVD.

This list is no reflection on the abilities of one over another, it is simply what I had available to me at the time but here is the list as shown in my end credits:

Adobe Photoshop CS
Audacity
Dimadsoft Menu Edit 3.2.1
Memo Session Recorder
Nero Burning Rom 6.3.15
Ulead DVD Workshop 2
Ulead Media Studio Pro 7.0
Ulead Photo Impact 10
Ulead Video Studio 9
Womble MPEG Movie Wizard
Windows Movie Maker 2.

All that software and for just one DVD!