Do I try to work with MF3 or do I spend the money for DVDWS

[Silver Surfer]

This expression would only BEGIN to show my frustration with MF3. I am a VERY literate user and can not imagine the pain newbies are going through. Enough of the rant:

P4 2.4 with 512MB and a 120GB (30% free) & 200GB (90% free)

PROBLEM STATEMENT: I have been able to succesfully create the opening screens and menus and these test fine. I have 4 x MPEGs on 2/menus. Not a huge project.

ERRORS RECEIVED: 1. The infamous (4507) error and 2. Failed to use converted cache error 0x800411da

WHAT I'VE TRIED: LOTS of reading and looking in this forum. I have followed previous advice that said it worked in regards to deleting the uw.dat and viofmt.dat files and deleting the DMF_TEMP folder based on this post:

http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=79

SOLUTIONS: Here is where I need some help. These are MPEG files and play fine in the preview mode.

1. Do I need to check the format and preconvert them in some other program to MPEG-2?

2. Is it me?

3. Is this a CODEC conflict and how can I resolve it?

4. There appears to be NONE of these issues with DVD Workshop. Do I plop down the cash for it and go on with life?

5. Sonic MyDVD Studio work great for me, but does not have anywhere the flexability and creativity of DVD Movie Factory. I want to make it work, but not at the expense of my time and frustration.

I appreciate in advance anyone taking the time to help clarify what I might be doing wrong and what I can do to correct this if at all. I have to wonder why so many people are having problems with a software package that charges hundreds of dollars. Thanks in advance,

The Silver Surfer
Surf East Coast Breaks, Inc.

[GeorgeW]

Hi,

Really depends on your Authoring needs (i.e. do you need subtitles, multiple audio tracks, complete menu customizations, etc...)?

Which version of MovieFactory 3.0 -- "Standard" or "Disc Creator" or "SE" or Other?

Have you applied all pertinent patches?

How are your mpegs created? Do they all share the same attributes (resolution, mpeg type, bitrate, audio type/bitrate, etc...)?

Is the error happening when actually burning to DVD disc, or when creating the DVD Files that will be burned to disc?

As a workflow, I do the following:

1) created a DMF folder on a separate hard drive. Then within that DMF folder, I create a NEW folder for every moviefactory project.
2) In MovieFactory, before starting a new project, I change the "Working FOlder" to point to the new folder for the new project (D:\DMF\NEWPROJECTNAME) This is done from the opening screen of DMF 3.0 DC -- the very first icon along the bottom allows you to assign the "WORKING FOLDER"
3) I then start the new DVD Project, and immediately do a SAVE AS to a file name in the new project folder
4) I then go through the authoring process, and burn the DVD FOlders (and sometimes DVD Image) to my hard drive -- I never burn directly to disc. When burning to my Hard Drive, I try to send them to another drive other than the drive that contains my sourve videos in the project (just for speed)
5) I check the DVD on my hard drive using PowerDVD (or Ulead's own DVD Player)
6) when satisfied, I burn the DVD Image (dvd.iso) to disc

p.s. -- forgot to mention that I disable my Virus Scanner and other non-essential software before authoring...

[Silver Surfer]

George,

Thanks for the quick reply. I am using DMF 3.0 Trial Version. I have very basic needs. For example I have created a slide from a .jpg and added a wav file to play for 12 seconds. I then created two additional slides from the templates attaching the MPEGs at 2 per slide.

The total project appeared to be about 670MB. It EASILY created the 1/5 portion, as it was the slide to a video. It gets to about 48% or so done with the conversion of the first MPEG and BOOM!!!!! errors as listed.

I do need to check the settings, as I found the GREAT Dr.Jones Tutorial.... I will have to try when I get home.

I understand a little more now that you need to force DMF to treat the settings of the project to the same as the file so you do not have these issues???????

OR I must PRE-CONVERT (which is OK) all to the same format and then use the DMF to author the final project. If this is the case, what do you recommend???

I do create the project itself on my new external 200GB drive for the reasons you mentioned. If I undertood you, I should select the output to that 2nd drive, and it will create the AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS folders and files? If this is the case then great, as I can use another software package to burn them..... or does it creat an .ISO - which is fine as well.... Thanks in advance again for all the help!

The Silver Surfer
Surf East Coast Breaks, Inc.

[GeorgeW]

I have very basic needs. For example I have created a slide from a .jpg and added a wav file to play for 12 seconds. I then created two additional slides from the templates attaching the MPEGs at 2 per slide.

I don't fully understand what you mean by attaching mpegs at 2 per slide???

Regarding the burning of the DVD to your hard drive, the software can do both -- create the DVD Folders (VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS) and it can create a dvd.iso image...