Problem importing video and audio into Sonic MyDVD and Adobe Encore

[Xorcist]

I have some tv shows in avi format (4:3 progressive 23.97 fps) I want to put on DVD with a nice menu, and I found that the easiest for me was to use DVD2SVCD to convert the files into DVD-compatible files and encoding with CCE. The output quality is satisfactory but the problem arises when I try to author this DVD.

I first tried Sonic MyDVD and whenever I import the muxed final file DVD2SVCD created MyDVD wants to transcode, and the episodes won't fit on the DVD. I figured it might be because DVD2SVCD didn't mux ac3 into the stream so I made an ac3 with AC3Machine and imported the pulldowned .mpv file DVD2SVCD created. MyDVD didn't want to transcode it so everything is good until I try to add the ac3 track. MyDVD tells me it doesn't support the file type. I have checked the ac3 for compatibility by importing it into both Scenarist and Encore, and it seems ok.

I then tried to import the muxed file into Encore and it tells me I need to transcode immediately since the file is 23.97fps. This is really strange because the mpv used when muxing is pulldowned and 29.97 fps. In Encore I am able to import both the ac3 and the pulldowned mpv without having to transcode, but I would prefer to use MyDVD..

I have tried to use Mplex.exe to multiplex the pulldowned mpv and my ac3 file but I still get errors about it being 23.97 fps.. I have tried setting pulldown in Mplex to both AUTO and DO 2:3, but neither produce a stream that Encore or MyDVD accept.. :(

[mudda_t]

MyDVD didn't want to transcode it so everything is good until I try to add the ac3 track. MyDVD tells me it doesn't support the file type.
From my experience with ac3machine not all apps will accept the created ac3 file. Why? I don't know.
.
Some standalones don't like it either. If I used ac3machine to create audio for menus some players wouldn't play it or the music skipped. When it was muxed into a vob the players had no problem playing it.
.
Hell, I had one player (picky pioneer) freeze up when I used ac3 created by ac3machine.
.
I'm not sure if ac3machine is even supported anymore.

...I found that the easiest for me was to use DVD2SVCD to convert the files into DVD-compatible files...
Tmpgenc DVD Source Creator is very easy to use. If you continue to have problems with your files from dvd2svcd you might consider giving it a try.

[Xorcist]

I ended up ditching Sonic MyDVD and did all the DVDs in Adobe Encore instead. It accepted both my pulldowned mpv and ac3 and the dvd plays back nicely on both my computer and my standalone dvd player.

[neil wilkes]

You cannot - or definitely should not - use multiplexed MPEG-2/AC3 files in Encore, as it will get very sad.
You MUST use elementary streams instead, as it will do it's own multiplexing.

[Xorcist]

Yes, I did only use elementary streams. I know I previously had tons of problems with multiplexed streams in Encore.. the final ifo files were empty and there was a lot of shit going on. Maybe the streams were the problem back then..