Maestro: scan of merged m2v displays smaller than actual length

[Chetwood]

I've merged some selfmade mpgs (720x576 CBR video + cbr audio @ 192 kbit) with mpeg2vcr to a single 800 MB file that runs about 6 minutes. Now when I split it to m2v/mpa and load the m2v into Meastro the scan only displays the file as being 1:2o min long.

Curiously enough this is the exact point where I merged the second part of the file. It appears as if Maestro stops scanning the file at this point for some reason. For a test I imported the file into DVDlab and this one displays the correct length of roughly 6 mins.

I would use DVDlab but I wanna add my own subtitles which DVDlab is incapable of. So how do I make Maestro recognize the complete file?

[SomeJoe]

Your MPEG files probably have the sequence end code in the last GOP. Reencode your MPEGs and use the option in your MPEG encoder to not "Add Sequence End Code". When you merge them, Maestro will probably see the whole file.

[Chetwood]

Sorry but what do you mean by reencode? I've recorded some scenes from TV with my Hauppauge card which directly encoded to mpeg2. So this is my source material. I've then used mpeg2vcr to merge these samples to one large mpeg2 file and after that demuxed it with both mpeg2vcr and TMPGenc to m2v/mpa. Whereas DVDlab interprets the file length correctly Maestro srews up in both cases.

Is there any tool that can correct the sequence end code on an already encoded file? I've already scanned the file with mpeg2vcr's GOP ficer for

- gop time code
- audio pts
- gop size errors

but it did not find any.

So in case it is not a problem of sequence end codes what else could it be? Thanks again.

[SomeJoe]

Ah. Didn't know they were from direct capture. I thought you encoded them from other material with something like CCE.

I know of no program off the top of my head that can remove the sequence end code. Maybe ReStream? Pulldown.exe could theoretically do it with some source code modification, but you'd have to do that yourself.

Alternatively, you could do some other things:

1. Make separate movies in Maestro instead of merging the files. You can get sequential playback if you author it correctly.

2. Use Scenarist instead of Maestro and merge the tracks together by adding them as separate programs or cells in scenario editor.

3. Extract all the audio, merge that together into one file. Use Maestro, which will let you place MPEG video one after the other on the timeline, and then add the merged audio file.

4. Run the merged file through DVD Shrink or one of the other transcoders. The new MPEG file it creates should be a continuous file with no sequence end codes.

5. Fully reencode the merged MPEG file with DVD2AVI and CCE or some other equivalent combination.

Just some ideas ...

[Chetwood]

I've tried this first:

- authoring the merged file with DVDlab
- shrinking it by 5% with DVD Shrink
- demuxing this with DVD Decrypter

but STILL DVD Maestro only reads the file up to the point where I initially merged the second sample. Kinda weirds me out.

I'm gonna try Scenarist and Adobe Encore next to see if they can read the merge file completely as DVDLab does. If they don't another (tedious) way seems to be placing the various samples on Maestro's timeline as you suggested. However, how do I seamlessly merge .mpa files without recoding them? Thanks again.

[SurfDrifter]

If you have the separate files, import them in Maestro.
Then place the video files in the SAME timeline in the order you want them.

Now, right-click in the movie and select "Export MPEG file"
Maestro will export a single MPEG.

now import the file again in Maestro and use the audio you already have

[Chetwood]

@SurfDrifter

That's a nice way to make one file out of the video again, however, what I need is to make one file out of the audio samples. You see, you cannot place the audio files on the same timeline as I can with the video files. So currently I'm ending up with a merged mpeg of roughly 12 min but with 6 .mpa's of different lenght of which I can only place the first one of 1:12 min on Maestro's timeline.

[auenf]

Originally posted by Chetwood
@SurfDrifter

That's a nice way to make one file out of the video again, however, what I need is to make one file out of the audio samples. You see, you cannot place the audio files on the same timeline as I can with the video files. So currently I'm ending up with a merged mpeg of roughly 12 min but with 6 .mpa's of different lenght of which I can only place the first one of 1:12 min on Maestro's timeline.

right click, create sync audio track

Enf...

[Chetwood]

Originally posted by auenf
right click, create sync audio track


Thanks for the hint. However, from reading the help file I'm getting the impression that:

You can only create a synchronous audio track with either PCM or AC-3 audio

which means that my mpa/mpeg2 audio files would be reencoded upon creation in Maestro and therefore degrading in quality?

[auenf]

Originally posted by Chetwood
Thanks for the hint. However, from reading the help file I'm getting the impression that:

You can only create a synchronous audio track with either PCM or AC-3 audio


yes, create sync audio track in maestro ONLY works with LPCM or AC-3


which means that my mpa/mpeg2 audio files would be reencoded upon creation in Maestro and therefore degrading in quality?

maestro doesnt reencode, it will just simply refuse.

Enf...