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Visit and read my impressions of VP5's DVD Capabilities.
This page modified 29 Dec 2001 - changes in this color. Full page edit carried out.
INTRODUCTION
Be aware that the following is applicable to SVCD authoring with VP5: not all DVD players will play the authored SVCD with an operating interactive menu. This problem has also existed in files encoded and authored using I-Author and seems to be relate to the DVD player or software being used - set top or computer software.
Dan@an on the SVCD forum has (20 December 2001) pointed me to a section of the VP5 help file that deals with this probability and suggests that the problem exists because of the two known folder names that DVD players do or do not look for. The “old system” used the MPEGAV folder as the source of the encoded mpeg2 files. The later specification uses MPEG2 as the folder name for storing the files on the disk and unfortunately, if your software or set top DVD player only looks for one, and it is the wrong one, then there will be a problem in what is seen on the computer or on the TV.
Since these are known problems I wonder at the requirement to change computer registry entries to cope with a problem that is forced on us by an industry that refuses to consider the end user and provide a product that will cope with all options. Given that it is necessary to change the registry and that most users are not adequately experienced in this aspect, it’s a black mark against the program provider and the industry itself for such logic. Nero acknowledged there was this situation and provided a simple choice in its burner software – do you want the MPEGAV folder or the MPEG2 folder? Simple, and far less hassles than carrying out the suggested correction to the computer system registry:
Set [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cequadrat\VideoPack] “svcdVer”=dword:00000001
This will invoke an encode with the MPEG2 folder instead of defaulted VP5’s MPEGAV folder and the problem is said to go away or will it? It may induce a problem in other areas, for example, the Philips 725 DVD player and other models only seem to work well from the Mpeg2 folder, the Pioneer 535 reads from both folders and works well. My Hollywood Plus decoder card software will only work from the MPEGAV folder, it locks up from the MPEG2 folder. Marvelous, one is not ever meant to have an easy solution. I hope your better off with your equipment choice.
Be aware that: the program does a comparison check against the standard, VCD, XVCD, SVCD or DVD and it will probably find TMPGEnc and CCE encodes are not compliant. It found LSX encodes compliant. However, in the case of the SVCD, the check will also say a 128 kbit sound file is non-compliant and shows it in red. It then says "Video Pack will try to correct/convert non compliant files and this may lead to playing problems". VP5 only considers 192 and 224 audio as being compliant. Be aware also that in the conversion of a wildly out of spec file may well be incorrectly "corrected". In testing I have had interlaced encodes converted to progressive with the result the playing ability on a TV is destroyed.
One the most important checks in my testing was this: Sound sync? Well if you have had sound sync problems in the past then it is likely you will have them again with this programs output. I do not know what I-Author does in its processing but it sure fixes most sound sync problems. So those that have always used I-Author and have had no sound sync problems might just find they suddenly appear out of the woodwork if the switch is made to VP5. However, VP5 will accept a I-Author mpeg2 file extracted from a CD-R or RW and after re-authoring with VP5 sound sync is maintained.
THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL?
With this program – words of advice - “learn to walk before you fly”:
It is essential to take note and become very familiar with the little square tabs on the left of the element boxes. The most positive way to achieve a connection is NOT to drag and drop a file directly into the "tree". Instead, open an existing element box by clicking the little square tab on its left and then USE the tool button for "add a new item" - just click the button and an empty component will be added to the tree under the selected element. You maynot actually see it but each click of the tool button will add a new item. Now, expand the tree to show the new item, click on its little square tab to open it and drag and drop the appropriate file or image into it, most of the hassles will disappear if you follow this procedure. If you have several items to attach then add the correct number of "new" blank components first and then drag and drop the files in the order of the indicated numbering system. If you wish to delete an item use the "tool button" to "delete" the play item box. Be consistant and effective as a result.
Understanding the use of images in this program
Let me describe the use of images with a specific example. Assume we want to add an introductory image as the starting point for the project. The image is not intended as a menu so we use the "slide show" process. After selecting a new element via the provided button, simply drag the image into the open element and you will find the defaults for this image are a playing time of 10 seconds with a default "fit image to the screen size". The default "timeout" is set to zero. Timeout relates to how long the delay is after playing the image and before the next action occurs.
In the work area along side the element "tree" (to the right) select the option to show a slide show and double click the image. The drop down window will allow you to change the playing time, lets make it 5 seconds. You can re-define the operation of the image - select one of the 4 options related to how you present it in relation to the TV or computer screen, be very wary of changing this option as you may get some surprises. Spin the image sideways, upside down and even add text as a sub title if you wish. The authoring process will convert the image to a mpeg stream and burn up disk space as a result.
Another warning: if you decide to change the image by adding a new one over an existing one then be prepared for the fact that BOTH images will be part of the final project. The program thinks you want to make a slide show. Delete any unwanted images that may surprise as a menu. Incidentally if you want to make a slide show then load the images in reverse.
The Menu
You must also become familiar with the Button Editor and its use in building a set of buttons or for using the hidden button option to allow your own button images and backgrounds to be used. Buttons will only appear over the menu image as you add play items to the menu image. You cannot add buttons to a menu and manually make them refer to another item - its poor logic not to have this feature. You will find getting consistent sizing of the button and positions is quite frustrating and inaccurate. There is no option to do it by entered dimensions or on a grid. You must do it all with the mouse. The graded color button like that illustrated on my Video Pack 4 header page does not exist in this offering.
I can find no option which allows one to place an image into the button of ones own making. In SVCD the option to add an image, only seems to add an image based on the first frame of the track. There is no option to provide DVD style assets for button shapes. All in all very restrictive.
Set up a learning project: in relation to any images used, and if you have opted to use the default "fit image to the screen size" then be sure to make your final images the same aspect ratio of your video material, ie 720 wide by 576 PAL, 720 x 480 NTSC bitmaps for 4:3, developed from true 4:3 aspect ratio originals. If you want a 16:9 image for a 16:9 project then develope the image from a 768 x 432 PAL or 640 x 360 NTSC original and then compress or stretch the image to 720 wide and then to the screen height for each system, 576 PAL and 480 NTSC. If you leave the image at the 16:9 height then it will work on a 16:9 TV BUT will be double compressed in height in a 4:3 letterbox and you will end up with a 2.35:1 menu image - nothing is easy in this logic war.
Use one introduction page leading to the main menu page with the expectation of 3 choices from the keypad by using 3 small mpeg files attached to the main menu. Probably the most important key you will program is the “next” key as this will allow playing of separate tracks or menu sub pages in sequence. Do this little project a couple of times and gain a real benifit for what is to come when and if "we fly".
You can check the project by using the CDROM simulator. Create a c2d image file first by using the option in the record window. Having achieved that, load the generated file into the simulator and any software player is said to play the disk and therefore you can check that the menu options and operations are correct.
It certainly did so with my Hollywood Plus card, straight to the TV monitor and it worked well. How does one burn a disk from that image I wonder. Easy, just open the image (c2d) file and it will setup the burn as the end result, it will also give you an option to load it into the CDROM simulator.
Here is an accidentally discovered snipit: for those authoring 16:9 and using the Hollywood Plus card for playing the result, how is this? If you play a 16:9 DVD video track that has been authored in VP5 first and then play your SVCD images or disks, the HW+ player will play your SVCD in 16:9 format automatically letterboxed on the computer screen and on the TV including the images and menus when correctly formated.
Get out a CD-RW and burn your project either dirct or from the checking image. Be very careful if you have to alter it, frequent saving of something that is right and working is good house keeping, particularly in a big multi layer project.
Having worked the learning example I was able to quickly assemble a project consisting of 8 video play items, 4 layers of menu, 4 information pages and one introduction still page that required setting to a 3 second playing time. The test project was a sampler disk consisting of 4:3 video and images with 16:9 widescreen in letterboxed format as well as in full screen fitted in from appropriate menus. Unlike the DVD equivalent the 16:9 full screen is not self selecting on the TV via a stand alone DVD player.
The project showed as 733 megs and the time indicator said 83 minutes 24:28 seconds long. The indicator was totally red and I expected that it may not burn. It did, so whats the red all about? More investigation required something is wrong with the indicator logic.
I decided to take an existing I-Author SVCD which has a playing time of 40 minutes, 5 tracks, 5 menu pages one of which includes an option to play all tracks in sequence. The source mpeg2 tracks amounted to 800.4 megs. I copied the mpeg2 tracks from the SVCD to the hard drive and totally reprocessed the project in VP5 using full frame images. I used invisible buttons to allow my own preparations to show.
During processing VP5 said I had used 738M with a time of 84:03:53. The indicator was totally red. I burnt an image to check the operation of the project and that indicated 701M and a time of 79:46:01. There needs to be some adjustment that takes into account that a SVCD is not the same as a data disk, 700M of data equals 800M of SVCD source tracks. QED, someone needs to fix it so it tells the truth, but in the meantime just be aware of the problem.
OK, LETS FLY!
My view is that there should be a capability to play a scene list from an “in point” to an “out point” with accuracy and not to be forced to manually end the play as will be necessary with only defined in points. Both VideoPack 4 and I-Author have the option of playing scenes and therefore one can program a multiple scene list, maybe as a highlight package without adding to the space requirements on the disk. Only a dream with this program.
After loading the play item onto the layout you can open it with the leftside square box and then by calling the “Video” option in the window along side one finds the chapter point adding facility. This is the window on the right of the image below. It’s a wonderful consumer level graphics nightmare, it is inaccurate, leads to errors and frankly is un-professional in concept and operation. Let me describe why.
The film track is supposed to provide images of the video so that you can select your “in points” accurately (the blue flags), it does not. The image on the left of the player is a composite because in a screen dump the overlay image does not record. I have therefore positioned the clip viewer image from Premiere to demonstrate what was seen on the player (actually the whole frame was not visible, crazy). It shows how inaccurate the film graphic is. Note the key frame images are 4 frames apart and that the same image is contained for the width of the window. If you take the option to open up to single frames the same was evident. The image that should be seen at 1:15:01 in the film graphic is shown in the player on the left. I have also had images from other parts of the track displayed in totally the wrong positions. Something is wildly astray here.
The true point I wanted was found by playing the track and making a note of the timeline frame numbers and manually setting these by dragging the flag to achieve the correct position. Would it not be so much easier and more efficient to have the normal NLE facility for setting in points from the player, so you can see the frame or keypoint you want and then you can easily implant the blue flag accurately with an appropriate button. Those with small projects may not experience this but my test project certainly did.
Be aware then that the accuracy of the "inpoint" is suspect and needs checking, in my experience todate its at least half a second or more out. But here is the real crunch in this program - in SVCD you CANNOT ADD MULTIPLE CHAPTER POINTS IN THE ONE VIDEO TRACK and expect them to work. Oh yes you can add them, but you cannot use the "next key" to access them. Incredible logic. Try using this process as follows: repeat the play item by craeting elements attached to another menu and adding only ONE chapter point in the track, make sure it is blue and not grayed out when you save. Program the "next" key to go from track to track, DO NOT USE THE numeric keypad to do this. Remove the buttons associated with these tracks as appropriate. This process DOES WORK FOR ME and in a SVCD it does not lead to increased disk space being used. The program, fortunately uses only the original track as the basis. However, it most certainly adds to the skills required to achieve the end result, you may easily crash along the way.
As an illustrated in the repeated image above, I have actually set two in points in the track, one being grayed out at 0:50:08 the actual starting point of the scene with the second in point at 1:14:22. These points have been programmed as described from two play item tracks of the same source material.
You must also be aware of the brown set of arrows on the film track graphic as these can be dragged across the film to provide a starting point for playing the track on the computer with the built in player. If you do not shift the brown indicator playing will always begin at the start of the track or from where the brown indicator rests. The so called projector can also be dragged along the film track to show other parts of the film and that’s where the whole system can freeze on the one frame and only by using exit will the fault be corrected. The computer does not actually freeze and does allow continued use. Be aware also that the source thumbnail images may not provide accurate indications of what is truly contained.
I played the chapter point result in my Pioneer 535 and whilst is worked within the limits of available keyframes the sound came in ahead of the video, jerked and spluttered and was a distraction that I would not want at all in any production. That may well be related to the DVD player.
I also played the disk in the Philips, using the MPEGAV folder option and it jumped over the menu structure and played the tracks as authored. When re-authored with the MPEG2 folder the disk played correctly in the Philips and there was no jumpy sound at chapter entry. The next key would jump from chapter point to chapter point. I hate the word chapter, as I have already said, they are not chapters at all, there is no individual ending, it’s one common ending unless you intervene.
Whether meant too or not, the red flags which signify the start and end of the full track in the right-hand image above can be moved and I thought this might be a way of getting a single scene to work from a scene list. In other words create a play item with the start and end re positioned. The same inaccuracy in positioning these flags occurs as already described. I set up a typical scene again and went into the burn sequence. Firstly the program actually makes a new track, encodes (or does it copy?) the video and muxes the sound. We actually end up with a new track in addition to the original if used elsewhere on the disk. More disk space is needed as a result of this logic.
I played the result in my Pioneer 535 and I could not believe what came out. The sound was correct as marked but the video was so wildly out to be an absolute joke. It was totally from a different part of the video track. The same occured with the Philips so something is amiss in the program logic I would suggest. DO NOT use this to create or edit your mpeg tracks unless you want a real surprise.
Motion buttons are easy to produce by direct choice, but using the mouse to define the frame size and its position accurately is ridiculous. The play starts from the beginning of the track unless you use the brown marker to define the starting point for the play. The button plays for a few seconds, probably defined by the play time chosen for the menu as described at the head of this page so there may be some mismatching and fiddling required to achieve an acceptable result. Certainly you will end up squeezing and squashing the image way out of its true aspect ratio when viewed on the TV.
Give these critisms are not going to be addressed then we are probably stuck with it. The button aspect ratio is a problem and whilst there is a size indicator which changes as you drag the frame shape with the mouse it is very difficult to achieve accurate results.
I entered with high hopes of “Flying High” with the options but it all crashed in a heap – there is no way I would author a disk with these options for myself let alone for someone paying for the privilege. It is one out of 10 for these features and if you choose to use them, then do so with the probability that your skills will need a lot of fine tuning to achieve what you want from this program.
The SVCD verdict so far – Not as user friendly as VideoPack 4 and perhaps only capable with a simple menu. It requires considerable skill to achieve a complex menu based project with reliability. KEEP IT SIMPLE and DROP IDEAS OF DVD STYLE MENUS IN SVCD.
Unfortunately, importance these days is placed on whiz-bang interfaces when it should be on providing the tools leading to an efficient output. High skills will be required with the mouse or accuracy of size will be missing - VideoPack 4 allowed easier more positive construction of item routing. VP5, 5 out of 10 on the production of a simple menu by comparison, but effective once mastered for other reasons.
The special consumer level features that people will want are lacking in this version of the product, its merely a shaddow of VideoPack 4 and that is not really acceptable. But as is usual, the consumer will have to accept it as a product of the era that does not care about the output but places priority on the whiz-bang graphics as a selling point. Those that choose to use it, or have paid for it will have to get to grips with it and develop get-arounds for the problems as they occur.
It has at least one good feature - you can fully check the menu operation prior to going live with a burn and if this is done with the Hollywood Plus decoder card program you can go direct to the TV. This is a destinct advantage as you can actually test and see the results of your labour on the interlaced TV before comitting to a CD-R or RW and finding out later.
Will I be using it? Well I have just finished converting a dozen or so I-Author SVCD's over to reliable full size image menus with SpruceUp button assets and ........ its great.
I hope these notes make you aware of some of the pitfalls that may befall you in its use.
Now to Video Pack 5 DVD and its surprises in logic.
First written 12 November 2001
New boy indeed, but it is based on a 1996 concept, for it is hopefully in the true vein of the old Video Pack 4 of that era. VP5 is an updated version with a new interface that we "must have" these days, wanted or not. Unfortunately it has dropped some features that will be missed. Thank goodness the invisible button option is available in the button editor as that allows self generated backgrounds and buttons to be used and not to be forced to use a less professional "consumer" level concoction provided with VP5 that one never sees on a commercial DVD in any case.
Its difficult to know where to start and how far to describe the use of this program for authoring. It has a very good help file but as with all help files unless you ask the correct questions you will not get the correct answers and this is very much the case with this program. Its complex and you will need help. I will attempt to give my experiences with the program as they may help the newcommer. It will certainly be daunting for some and unfortunately the program thinks it knows more than you do about what you want and will do something you do not want or require. You can control this situation by being consistant and specific in your procedures and get-arounds.
Stay simple to start with. These statements are true of any new program but essential in this one. The interface we “have to have and do not need” will catch you out very easily, it lacks the freedom of positive freehand drawing that Video Pack 4 provided. You will spend time learning how to get your play item attached to the correct menu in the correct order. Your skills with the mouse will need to be fine-tuned to achieve this.
Surprise, surprise the defaulted use of the image in this program is to produce a "slide slow" and if you miss this aspect when you come to your menus then they will be less effective. This description is related to SVCD, be aware DVD requires a slightly different approach and this will be discussed on the DVD page.
Attach a new element to the first introduction image as described, add the menu image and proceed immediately to change the defaults to give effective use of disk space and menu operation. Set the playing time to the minimum of 1 second. Set the "timeout" from the properties option to "infinity" (inf) and you have the basics of a SVCD menu to work with.
How high do you want to fly? Most will want accurate chapter points that can be achieved easily in the authoring process. In VP5, chapter points are simple “in points” spread along a track that allows you to view from that point in a track to the END or with a manual exit if before the end. In theory you will jump to the “next chapter” with the “next key”. In SVCD authoring with VP5 its not that easy to achieve. A DVD, as we know, has the chapter point option. You will no doubt want them as well, frankly I do not, but will be forced by the program to accept the flawed chapter logic. How many books have chapters with only one ending? None!