Importing chapters in Maestro err

[cinephile]

Occasionally, when I import my .chp chapter list file into Maestro, I get "0 chapters imported" or "# chapters imported" where # is usually half the number of chapters.
I get around this by manually setting the (rest of) the chapters nut I wonder why it does it.

For background, I use ChapterExtractor with the correct FPS, saving to DVDMaestro format preset. In CCE, I ensure the start timecode is 00:00:00:00. I'm not using any offsets anywhere.

It's not a burning issue ('scuse the pun) but it bugs me occasionally.
I'm sure one of you guys has an explanation for me.

Cheers.

[slk001]

Chapters have to hit an "I" frame everytime. It could be, that since you re-encoded the original video, that the chapter points in the original are no longer on "I" frames, so Maestro rejects your chapters.

[Taz69]

I normally see this when I import a clip or film into Maestro which I have not encoded with CCE.

On the GOP screen in CCE set M to 3, N/M to 4, Seq header every 1 GOP without ticking either of the other two boxes and you should not have any problems.

Just one final note. Occasionally I import a m2v file into Maestro without needing to re-encode it and sometimes I get the same problem you have just discribed.

One way round this is to import a different clip (something Maestro is okay with) into Maestro, import your chapter points then remove the other clip and replace it with the intended one. Strange but this has worked for me on a number of occasions and it seems Maestro doesn't have a problem once the clip has been imported
(Same thing works with Subtitles as well ;) )

[Matthew]

Originally posted by Taz69
Just one final note. Occasionally I import a m2v file into Maestro without needing to re-encode it and sometimes I get the same problem you have just discribed.

Yeah I had that happen to me a couple of days ago. I just added the chapters manually, took like 5 mins.

[cinephile]

Hmmm, I have been using those GOP settings in CCE (robshot method) but still get the problem occasionally. Looks like it is to with the IFrames being slightly misaligned after re-encoding, although I'm sure it has happened with non re-encoded streams.
Thanks for the tips guys - at least I now know I am not the only one with this problem.