"Nice" error message

wstagner · Post by **wstagner** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:27 am

Video Studio 10+ with current directX software. Every time I attempt to burn a DVD or ISO file I get the message: "Convert step got some problems."
[257:0:0]

Anyone ever see this before? What's it mean?

It gives the same result regardless of whether I use AVI or mpg files.

TIA

Walt

Post by **Ken Berry** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:47 am

Alas, many people have seen that message over the years! And what it means essentially is that your workflow probably needs examining. As it is, you are apparently editing in VS, but then jumping straight to the burning stage (Share > Create Disc > DVD). This works for some people, but all too many people find it doesn't and get the same message as you. That workflow means that what you are (usually) processing in the burning module is not video as such, but rather the project file (.vsp) which you were working on in the Editor. Depending on what exactly was contained in that project by way of video format (mpeg-2 -- what are its exact properties?; ditto for avi but even more so as there are a huge number of video formats which use that extension), Video Studio is having to carry out the conversion of the project to DVD-compatible mpeg-2 on the fly as part of an overall already very complex process of converting the menu to video, multiplexing the video and audio and actually burning the DVD or disc image or DVD folder.

What we suggest is that when you finish your editing, then while still with the Editor open, you choose Share > Video File > DVD. This will produce a DVD-compatible mpeg-2. If you don't want to use the default properties, then you need to choose Share > Create Video File > Custom, but here you have to be careful to use properties that fit within the international standards for DVD.

Note also that after you produce your new mpeg-2, you go to File > New Project. Don't worry about giving your new project a name. The objective is just to clear the timeline of your current project.

Once that is done, you can now select Share > Create Disc > DVD. The burning module will open. Use the Add Media button at the top to insert your new mpeg-2 in the burning timeline. Then go to the middle of the three icons in the bottom left of the burning screen. There is a little box beside the words 'Do not convert compliant mpeg files'. Make sure that box is ticked (it usually is by default). That way, your already compliant mpeg file will not be re-encoded. Then build your menus and burn. This time, hopefully, that message will not appear.

wstagner · Post by **wstagner** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:57 am

Thanks, Ken....this is wayyyy more complicated than it should be.
I've done this some months before w/o this much complexity.

Like many here, I've wasted many hours on something that should be intuitive. Not to mention the clumsy way that files are handled w/o a good way of organizing/assoicating files and their locations w/projects.

I'm currently looking at other editing software, but alas it seems there is no nirvana.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:56 am

It's not really *that* complicated...

The Ulead/Corel paradigm, followed by other editing packages as well, and thus by users such as yourself, seems to be Capture > Edit > Burn. That of course sounds simple, but as everyone soon discovers, contains a steep learning curve. But it is a workflow which, as I say, works for some people all the time. For others, it works most of the time. But for others it never works at all.

For people in the last two categories, we have developed a slightly amended workflow which goes Capture > Edit > Convert to DVD-compatible mpeg-2 > Burn. This is adding one step to the process, yes, but it's not a hard step. And in effect it does not alter the time taken by the whole process either. Your project is going to have to be converted at some stage or another to DVD-compatible mpeg-2, and that will take the same time whether it is done as a separate step or as part of the burning process as you have been doing. It's just that doing it your/Ulead/Corel's way seems to cause problems for some users by further complicating what is an already complicated enough process. Our workflow lessens the burden on the computer a bit and usually leads to a successful outcome.

wstagner · Post by **wstagner** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:15 am

Just tried what you suggested and the program consistently hangs @ 3% rendering....it's done that to me before.

Here's what I did earlier 2day and HAS worked before:

1)take an existing DVD (pal format)
2)extracted 4 clips to 2 different file formats: avi and mpg.

What I want is a DVD with 4 videos that I can select from a menu, in other words an edited version of the original DVD.

The existing DVD has NO chapters, but I want mine to have 4 chapters...each an individual video that I can select from the menu or with the forward/back button.

I know I've done this same thing before. If on the screen where I select BURN DVD, I select make a file....I get the same error.

Seems like Ulead 10+ no longer likes me.

skier-hughes · Post by **skier-hughes** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:08 am

Have you done the exact same thing with the EXACT SAME FILES?

I suspect not, or you wouldn't be doing this now, so perhaps one or more of your files is corrupt.

Could you give us full details of all the files you are using?

As you have ripped files from a dvd it could be this process which hasn't worked properly leaving you with one or more files corrupt. Please give details of the emthod used to do this.

Take one file out of the project at a time and make a test ISO on your hard drive.

This will tell you which if any of your files is corrupt.

Test by removing each file in turn, don't stop at file one if it proves to be a problem as in the end they all may be.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:16 am

wstagner wrote:.....

Here's what I did earlier 2day and HAS worked before:

1)take an existing DVD (pal format)
2)extracted 4 clips to 2 different file formats: avi and mpg.
.....

If you extract files from a DVD they will be in MPEG2 format not one of the avi formats. To extract the files correctly please view:
Importing VOB files

wstagner · Post by **wstagner** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:14 pm

I wil try theeze tings an reprot back.
Part of the truble heer, is that I rarely use this program (obviously).
The printed manual is next to worthless, and it's only this forum that has saved this program from Xtinction.

There's a quickstart manual some guy wrote and I thot I saved it, but I can't find that ether....

skier-hughes · Post by **skier-hughes** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:10 pm

sjj1805 wrote: If you extract files from a DVD they will be in MPEG2 format not one of the avi formats.

Depends on what programme he used to extract the files, VS will produce Mpegs, but there are hundreds of other programmes that produce everything.

wstagner · Post by **wstagner** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:17 pm

I'm past the initial failure. After I made the clips in vs10, I didn't save the clips as individual files.

I've now saved them and it converts the files during the burn process (takes 12 mins to convert them) but now it appears to fail when making the menu.

Dunno what this has to do w/anything.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:25 pm

Video Studio 10+ with current directX software.

When you say 'current', can you confirm that you actually went to the Microsoft DirectX website and downloaded and installed the June update?

wstagner · Post by **wstagner** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:48 pm

The directX tool says version 4.09.0000.0904

and many of the files it displays are dated 8/20/08.

This whole procedure has worked as recently as April of this year.

I did upgrade to XP service pak 2 sometime between now and then, however.

That probably broke something.

wstagner · Post by **wstagner** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:54 am

I don't need a menu this go round....I'll try to burn 1 w/o a menu.

wstagner · Post by **wstagner** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:20 am

Worked fine w/o the menu option enabled. I was careful to ensure that the music files for the menu were of the mp3 variety...I know I've used my own previously and they worked.

I'm also a little mystified as to why the dvd plays fine on my component player and not my pooter, but I'd rather have it that way than the other way around.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:40 am

One little thing you might want to look at is in the menu creation stage in the burning module. When you open the burning module (Share > Create Disc), you first insert your video in the burning "timeline". If you want to add Chapters, then click the Add/Edit Chapters button. Then you click next, and the page where you choose a Menu template appears. Once you have selected a template, you click on the Edit tab on the same page to select background music, change the background photo etc.

Down in the bottom left corner of the Edit page, though, is an innovation in VS10, and I have found that it slows down my burning stage enormously, and even brought it to a complete halt. Now I never use it.

There are two icons, one above the other, labeled Menu In and Menu Out. Using them is supposed to animate the transition from the menu to a selected video clip. You will see that the Menu In icon is disabled by default (circle with diagonal line through it). But the Menu Out button is enabled. And this was the culprit. Click on the icon and it brings up a choice of animations. Choose the disabling one identical to the default for Menu In. Then proceed to burn.

I would be interested to know whether this might have been your trouble...