Re: [Encode2mpeg-users] transcode, mpeg2enc and dvdauthor woes

[Giacomo C. <enc...@us...>]

On Tue, Jan 10, 2006 at 09:39:16PM +0000, Douglas G Mckendrick wrote:
> I received a copy of this e-mail, it might be better suited for someone
> here to answer.  I will forward the answer.  E-mail below.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Doug
> 
> Hi All,
> > 
> > Every now and then I try to hand-build DVD menus with dvdauthor.
> > 
> > Almost invariably I've been stumped by the same error message:
> > 
> >    'WARN: Skipping sector, waiting for first VOBU...'
> > 
> > Up until now, googling has never been much use, i.e. all the search results are
> > simply other people pleading (unsuccessfully) for help with the same error.
> > 
> > Today I finally found a promising lead ...
> > 
> > $ man mpeg2enc reveals an option:
> > 
> >   -f 8 DVD MPEG-2 for 'dvdauthor'
> > 
> > This 'special' variation of DVD MPEG-2 apparently  "adds special dummy
> > navigation packets into the output stream that the dvdauthor tool fills in to
> > make a proper .VOB for authoring."
> > 
> > So now all I have to do is convert my standard DVD MPEG-2 files to dvdauthor
> > format using mpeg2enc, extract the audio tracks, and remux the audio with the
> > video, right?
> > 
> > It's not as straight forward as I'd hoped.
> > 
> > mpeg2enc seems to assume YUV input ... so I thought of using transcode to
> > stream YUV to its own mpeg2enc export module 
> > 
> > ... no such luck!:
> > 
> >   [import_vob.so] v0.6.0 (2003-10-02) (video) MPEG-2 | (audio) MPEG/AC3/PCM | (subtitle)
> >   [export_mpeg2enc.so] v1.1.10 (2003-10-30) (video) MPEG 1/2
> >   [transcode] warning : (encoder.c) audio codec not supported by export module
> >   [transcode] warning : failed to init export modules
> >   [transcode] critical: plug-in initialization failed
> > 
> > Can anyone tell me whether this suggests that I'm using the wrong import module
> > or that there is something wrong with my export module?
> > 
> > Alternatively, can anyone suggest a different tool/method for giving mpeg2enc
> > the kind of input stream that it wants? 
> > 
> > Or simply a tool to convert existing VOBs to dvdauthor compatible VOBs?
> > 
> > Is it too fanciful to imagine a tool that simply 'blanks' the existing
> > navigation packets in the vob so that dvdauthor can write over them, without
> > any re-encoding or re-muxing?

Easy answer: use encode2mpeg.

encode2mpeg -o DVD source.mpg -mpeg -dvd -encode 0:0:1 -mpegonly

This will remultiplex the stream and should make it a valid mpeg for dvdauthor.

If you do:
encode2mpeg -o DVD source.mpg -mpeg -dvd -encode 0:0:1 -imageonly

then also dvdauthor will be executed. Check that there are no errors from dvdauthor.

Sometimex dvdauthor may show errors. In such case adding the option -replex to
encode2mpeg should make everything ok.

The previous example assumes that the source mpeg is already a valid dvd stream
(correct resolution/bitrate/audio-video/codec, etc). If that's not the case you need to
reencode with the correct -encode option.

Complex answer: you need to remux the video/audio streams. The best tool to use
is mplex. But you should learn how to use it correctly (demux the streams first and
then remux them with appropriate options).

Giacomo