VCDEasy still images not displayed on Pioneer 444.

[SuperFabius]

Hi all,

I have started to use VCDEasy 1.1.1 to make SVCDs. The structure I use is simple: one mpeg stream (with chapters) with a still image before and an other still after.
These SVCDs play fine on Philips DVD750 (with FW 7.22), Yamakawa 788 and others, but NOT on Pioneer 444.

On this player, only the still images aren't displayed (black screen), but the PBC is executed with the correct sequence and timing.

The still images (both hi and lo resolution, the problem is the same) were done with the utility of VCDEasy 1.1.1 (MjpegTools 1.6.0-beta) from a .bmp file.

Then, I tryed to make the same SVCDs with TSCV. The result was perfect an all players I tested, including Pioneer 444. Note that this time I used TSCV to make stills.

At last, I made some tests using:
1) VCDEasy with the stills made by TSCV;
2) TSCV with the stills made by VCDEasy.

The result was that SVCDs "1)" play fine also on Pioneer 444, and the SVCDs "2)" have the same problem (black stills) ONLY on 444.

At this point, I don't know if the problem is MjpegTools (used by VCDEasy) or a strange incompatibility inside Pioneer 444 (or other?).

Anyone has experienced similar problems or some ideas about?


Thanks

[mguru]

I've had the same problem here for ages. Nothing I have found works...I just burn with the images anywayz as I'll probably upgrade DVD players again in another year or so. Then it might work.

mGuru

[SuperFabius]

Thanks for your reply. Because I make SVCD also for my friends, I'd like to be more "compatible" I can... So, I will use the method described at point "1)" (TSCV is funny but to much buggy) because it works without problems also on 444.

Note for Pioneer 444 owners: using I-Author the still images work, but... the PCB loops after the last item (and they do not work at all on Philips DVD750 too!).

Bye

[mb1]

Yes, if iAuthor doesn't the job nothing does it :)

For Philips: Maybe try to change your mpg directory on svcd from mpegav (standard-vcd) to mpeg2 (svcd) ...

PCB loops after the last item: did you set it correct in iAuthor (what settings) ?

[smiller667]

TSCV basically uses tmpgenc to encode the images and then their header (?) is patched.
Maybe use the freeware Philips VCD toolkit - a description of the process can be found here: http://www.geocities.com/mikk999/VCDStills.htm

[taudule]

@smiller667
In it's latest version, it uses mpeg2enc instead of tmpgenc.

The method wich you link to, with Video CD 2.0, is the one i use, with good results; I had previously the same problem (black screen for stills) with my Thomson dth4200.

[SuperFabius]

Thanks you all for yours suggestions!


@mb1

For Philips: For I-Authored SVCDs, the player simply ignores stills and plays ONLY the mpeg stream. If I remeber, stills aren't stored in "mpegav-mpeg2" dir, so I think that it shouldn't make much difference.

For loops on Pioneer 444: In I-Author, in the last item, I fill with blanks the "next" and the "return" fields. But the PCB loops. The same SVCD plays without any loop on Yamakawa 788!


@smiller667

The link you posted is VERY interesting... A lot of usefull infos about stills! Now it's time to do some tests with stills made by the Philips VCD toolkit. I'll post here the results.


@taudule
So I'm not the only one who had this problem....:rolleyes: ! THX you too.



Some thoughts:

I-Author has probably the most reliable SVCD mux, but as authoring tool, is to much old. It is based on old specs, and (for example) it doesn't support chapters with numeric keys.

So, up to now, the most "compatible" way (for me) to do SVCDs is:

1) join the elementary streams using I-Author mux (-> "PS format" checked);

2) use VCDEasy or TSCV for authoring process;

3) make stills with TSCV (but probably this item will be substituted with VCD toolkit);

4) avoid using stills with audio (eg. not correctly played on 444 and probably on others Pioneer models).


Bye

[smiller667]

@taudule: Thanks for updating me re tscv ... guess I have to take another look at it ...

[Bubba]

SuperFabius,

I have a same problem like you when convert a BMP to mpg using VCDEasy tool. My Sampo-611 doesn't display it. So I converted the BMP to JPEG, and used VCDEasy to convert the JPEG file, and my SAMPO-611 display it. Don't know why, but since then, I only use JPEG file for VCDEasy to make still image.

Don't know it will work for your Pioneer-444, but hope this will help.

Cheers,

[SuperFabius]

@Bubba: Thx for this suggestion... I'll try that this week. (I'll post here the results). - BYE

[Bubba]

SuperFabius,

I have a same problem like you when convert a BMP to mpg using VCDEasy tool. My Sampo-611 doesn't display it. So I converted the BMP to JPEG, and used VCDEasy to convert the JPEG file, and my SAMPO-611 display it. Don't know why, but since then, I only use JPEG file for VCDEasy to make still image.

Don't know it will work for your Pioneer-444, but hope this will help.

Cheers,

[SuperFabius]

Hi all,
I've done some tests based on the various methods to make a still image suggested here.
The test SVCD (PAL) has a still image at beginning, then an MPEG2 stream and an other still at the end.
I used VCDEasy 1.1.2 to author and burn.
I have used a soft player too (WinDVD 3.0), to check the burned SVCD.
Here is the results table:

| Still maker
|
Player |
| VCD 2.0 Toolkit (*) VCDEasy 1.1.2 TSCV .84 R1
| (from a .jpg) (menu gen)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
WinDVD 3.0 OK OK OK
Pioneer 444 x - OK
Yamakawa 788 - OK OK
Philips 750 - OK OK


Note: "-" means that stills are ignored or played as a "black screen", but MPEG stream is played;

"x" means that SVCD isn't played at all.

(*) for this test I used TSVC .84 R1 to author, instead of VCDEasy.

So, based on these tests, the most compatible still generator seems to be TSCV.

Bye

[Karovaldas]

I have the problem of vanishing SVCD stills (stills are not displayed at all) on a Sony 655P DVD 5-disk changer. I have been making the stills with VCDEasy 1.1.5. Additionally, I've used NeroVision from the Nero 6.0 Ultra to make a SVCD slideshow. Same outcome: the slideshow accompanied by the music plays fine, but the header still is simply ignored.

I am not sure how Nero handles the slides. I assume it makes a regular MPEG2 file and that is the one that shows on the DVD. The still header is ignored.

Nero Showtime shows the still.

I will try the TSCV as the still maker and post the results.

Thanks to all.

[frank]

Stills generated by VCDEasy have too much bitrate! (>8.5 MB/s)
Limit the length of MPEG2 still file in VCDEasy to ~56 kbyte, and all players will show the picture.