Join two DVDs with preserving original menus

[regret]

Originally Posted by broxburn

I found it too general for my level of understanding.

Mate, I didn't understand what they said at all. Here is a guide that's REAL specific.

outline the steps needed to reauthor misfits series 1 dvd set containing 6 episodes and extras into one dvd containing 6 episodes. Original dvds are DISC1 7gb 4 episodes, DISC2 6gb 2 episodes + extras. DISCS are PAL and set up to display for wide screen tvs and 4:3 tvs (as letterbox). No pan and scan option. DISC1 has some titles at 704*576. The rest are 720*576

Step 1: Copy the two discs to hard drive

Start k9copy
Copy both disks to hard drive. No compression.
Save to MISFITSFULL/DISC1
Save to MISFITSFULL/DISC2

The combined size of both discs is about 13gb

Copy both disks to hard drive. Compress video 3:1 leave menus 1:1
Save to MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1
Save to MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC2

The combined size of both discs is about 5.4gb

DISC1 contains 7 vts vts 2-5 are episodes 1-4, vts6 is a warning clip, vts7 is a logo clip.
DISC2 contains 23 vts. vts 2 and vts 23 are episodes 5 and 6.

Shrunk discs will be used as a source of the structure, navigation and menus of the dvd.
Full discs will be used as a source for encoding video.

The advantage of shrinking the disc is all navigation burn testing can be done with normal rewritable dvds.
When burn testing is complete encoded video is added and final output burnt to dual layered dvd.

Step 2: Import Titles

Start pgcedit.
Open MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1.
Import title MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC2/VTS_02_1.IFO
Import title MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC2/VTS_23_1.IFO
Import the root menus of vts 2 and vts 23.
Rearrange the titles so that vts2-7 contain the episodes 1-6.
Save.

DISC1 main menu contains four buttons: Play All, Episodes, Scenes, Subtitles
The main menu doesn't need to be changed.

Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 1: Edit SCENE Menus: Add SCENE Menus

There is no menu for Scene 5 and Scene 6
Clone pgc for Scene 4 8button TWICE and rearrange to be under pgcs for Scene menus 1-4.
The buttons for the two new scene menus point to pgc to handle scene menu 4. Clone twice the pgc that scene 4 buttons point to. Rearrange to be below pgc that scene menu 4 buttons point to.
Alter code of new cloned pgcs to work for the two new titles.

Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 2: Edit SCENE Menus: Replace Images Of SCENE Menus

Scene menus 5 and 6 show the image of scene menu 4.

Start vobblanker

Open MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC2/VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.IFO
Untick process titles, process menus, remove puos

Select the DVD menu
Click MENU
Select Scene Menu 5 8 Button
Click CELLS
There is only one cell.
Click EXTRACT
Save to /EXTRACT/SCENE5

Select Scene Menu 6 8 Button
Click CELLS
There is only one cell
Click EXTRACT
Save to /EXTRACT/SCENE5

Open MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1/VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.IFO
Untick process titles, remove puos
Tick process menus, use input folder

Select the DVD menu
Click MENU
Select Scene Menu 5 8 Button
Click CELLS
There is only one cell
Click REPLACE
Replace with /EXTRACT/SCENE5/VTS_01_1.VOB

Select Scene Menu 6 8 Button
Click CELLS
There is only one cell
Click REPLACE
Replace with /EXTRACT/SCENE6/VTS_01_1.VOB
Click APPLY, PROCESS

Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 3: Edit SCENE Menus: Extract SCENE Images

There is one SCENE menu for each episode.
Scene menu for episode 4 has no NEXT in image.
Scene menu for episode 5 has no PREVIOUS in image.

Start pgcedit

Open /MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1/

Double click Scene Menu 4.
There is only one cell
Preview the cell.
Save cell frame as bitmap
Save to /DEMUX/SCENE4/episode4.bmp
Click OK

Double click Scene Menu 5.
There is only one cell
Preview the cell.
Save cell frame as bitmap
Save to /DEMUX/SCENE5/episode5.bmp
Click OK

Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 4: Edit SCENE Menus: Edit SCENE bitmaps

Start GIMP

Open /DEMUX/SCENE4/episode4.bmp
Save as /DEMUX/SCENE4/episode4NEXT.bmp
Add NEXT graphic to bitmap. (The NEXT graphic from Scene 6 is easy to take)
Save

Open /DEMUX/SCENE5/episode5.bmp
Save as /DEMUX/SCENE5/episode5PREVIOUS.bmp
Add PREVIOUS graphic to bitmap.
Save


Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 5: Edit SCENE Menus: Extract SCENE Highlights

The menus for episodes 4 and 5 only have eight highlights. We need to copy the highlights from say episode 3 menu and mux them into menus for 4 and 5.

Start pgcdemux

Open MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1/VTS_01_0.IFO
Tick Menu
Select Scene Menu 3 9 Button from the drop down box.

Choose to extract only subtitles.
Save to /DEMUX/SCENE4
Save to /DEMUX/SCENE5

VobBlanker can help identify the correct pgc to extract.

Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 5: Edit SCENE Menus: Remux Scene Menu

Start muxman.

Video: Select /EXTRACT/SCENE4/episode4NEXT.bmp (720*576,Letterbox only).
Audio: Select nothing.
Subtitles: Select stream1 /EXTRACT/SCENE4/Subpictures_20.sup (letterbox)
stream2 /EXTRACT/SCENE4/Subpictures_21.sup (wide)

Save to REMUX/Episode4NEXT/

Video: Select /EXTRACT/SCENE5/episode5PREVIOUS.bmp (720*576,Letterbox only).
Audio: Select nothing.
Subtitles: Select stream1 /EXTRACT/SCENE5/Subpictures_20.sup (letterbox)
stream2 /EXTRACT/SCENE5/Subpictures_21.sup (wide)

Save to REMUX/Episode5PREVIOUS/

The remuxed scene menus have correct image, highlight. Wrong color scheme, no buttons.

Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 5: Edit SCENE Menus: Replace Scene Menu

Start Vobblanker

Open MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1/VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.IFO
Untick Process titles, Remove PUO's
Tick use input folder, Process Menus

Select the dvd menu and click cells.
Select PGC for SCENE menu episode 4 8 Button.
Click replace and choose REMUX/episode4NEXT/VTS_01_1.VOB
Click apply. Close

Select PGC for SCENE menu episode 5 8 Button.
Click REPLACE and choose REMUX/episode5PREVIOUS/VTS_O1_1.VOB.
Apply. Close.

Click PROCESS.

Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 6: Edit SCENE Menus: Add Scene Menu Buttons

Replacing SCENE menus 4 and 5 causes them to have no buttons and muxman has changed the color scheme of the menu.

Start pgcedit
Open /MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1/
Double-click Scene Menu 2 9 Button

Export whole menu - save as SCENE2_9Button.clb
Export color scheme - save as SCENE2_9Button.cls

Double-click Scene Menu 4 8 Button

Imort whole menu - import from SCENE2_9Button.clb
Import color scheme - import from SCENE2_9Button.cls

Double-click Scene Menu 5 8 Button

Imort whole menu - import from SCENE2_9Button.clb
Import color scheme - import from SCENE2_9Button.cls

Step 3: Edit SCENE Menus
Part 7: Edit SCENE Menus: Edit Scene Menu Navigation

Each menu button points to a pgc. The two imported Menus point to the wrong pgcs. Look where the menu for episode 4 points. Clone that pgc twice and rearrange to be under the original pgc. Edit the button pointers for the two imported menus to point to the two cloned pgcs.

The pgcs that the SCENE menu buttons point to were originally intended to handle 4 titles. Need to edit them to deal with the two extra titles.

Pgcedit provides useful aids REARRANGE PGC, TRACE, and CLONE PGC.
Once the trace works save and test with software player that can handle dvd menus.

totem dvd:///media/disk/MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1

Step 4: Edit EPISODES menu
Edit EPISODES menu:Part 1 - Video

The EPISODES menu is a group of 3 video/audio clips: before, choose, after. Choose has 5 buttons. Need to make a still from the choose clip and add 2 buttons and highlights.
In pgcedit preview EPISODES menu cell 2. Save as episodes5Button.bmp. Save whole menu as episodes5Button.clb. Save color scheme as episodes5Button.cls

Use a graphic editor edit episodes5Button.bmp Add "EPISODE 5" and "EPISODE 6" to the bitmap. Save as episodes7Button.bmp
Use pgcdemux to extract subtitles and audio from choose menu. Save to EPISODES/5Button/DEMUX/
Start muxman:
Video: episodes7Button.bmp (720*576 Letterbox only)
Audio: EPISODES/5Button/DEMUX/AudioFile_80.ac3
Subtitles: stream1: EPISODES/5Button/DEMUX/Subpicture_20.sup (letterbox)
stream2: EPISODES/5Button/DEMUX/Subpicture_21.sup (wide)
Remux to EPISODES/7Button/5Highlights/

This gives us correct video:audio, 5 highlights, no buttons. Wrong color scheme for highlights.
And its not a menu, just a title.

Edit EPISODES menu:Part 2 - Higlights
Open EPISODES/7Button/5Highlights/ with pgcedit
Double click Title 1. Import color scheme from 9button.cls. Save.

Start dvdsubedit

Open /EPISODES/7Button/5Highlights/VTS_01_1.VOB
Select subtitle1 stream.
Edit with Paint.
Reposition the 5 highlights and copy and move two more highlights.
Close and save changes.
Select subtitle2 stream.
Edit with Paint.
Reposition the 5 highlights and copy and move two more highlights.
Close and save changes.
Save the vob to /EPISODES/7Button/7Highlights/VTS_01_1.VOB

Close dvdsubedit. Thankyou.

This gives correct video:audio:subtitles:color scheme. No buttons.

Start pgcedit.

Open /MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1.
Select EPISODES menu. Export whole menu and color scheme to episodes5Button.clb and episodes5Button.cls.

Start vobblanker.

Open /MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1/VIDEO_TS.IFO
untick process titles, remove puos
tick use input folder, process menus.
Select the dvd menu vob.
Click MENU button.
Select the 5 button menu vob.
Click CELLS button.
Select Cell 2, the CHOOSE clip.
Click REPLACE.
Replace with EPISODES/7Button/7Highlights/VTS_01_1.VOB
Click APPLY. CLOSE. PROCESS.

Start pgcedit.

Open /MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1/
Select EPISODES menu.
Import whole menu from episodes5Button.clb
Import color scheme from episodes5Button.cls.
Save.

Now use pgcedit to edit the menu buttons. Each button has two sets of sizes, one for letterbox, one for normal(widescreen) Make sure size and position changes are applied to both button sizes at the same time.
Start editing by repositioning and resizing original 5 buttons. Then copy a button and paste it into the menu and reposition it. Do the same for the seventh button. Check button navigation.
Save.

Test highlights with software media player that displays dvd menus.

Edit EPISODES menu:Part3 - Add Titles
The Episodes menu selects four titles. Need to link it to two more titles.
Need to trace through what happens when say episode 3 button is clicked. Follow the pattern difference between episode clicks and clone extra pgcs and continue the pattern for the extra two titles. The pgcs were originally written for 4 titles so they need to be extended to handle six episodes.

Once the trace works properly test with a software player.

Step 4: Play All menu.
Play All menu should play the first four titles. In pgcedit Trace through the structure to find the patterns and clone new pgcs or edit pgcs to add the extra two titles.

When the Trace works save and test with software media player.

Step 5: Create ISO
Open DISC1 with pgcedit.
From pgcedit's file menu select create iso/burn.
Save as DISC1.ISO

The resulting iso should be small enough to fit on a rewritable dvd R5.

Step 6: Burn
Start imgburn. Choose Burn Image to Disc
Select DISC1.ISO and burn.

Test disc with dvd player.

[regret]

Step 7: Import Titles

Each episode is between 45 - 48 minutes long. All have annoying "this is what's happened so far" and "this is what will happen next time" clips. They need to be removed. Perhaps it makes sense when the series is broadcast but it makes no sense to have reminders and teasers in the series dvd.

All reminders, teasers and gratuitous logos will be removed.The episode and credits will be kept. Subtitles and audio will remain in sync. Video will be encoded once. Audio and subtitles will be copied.

Start pgcedit.
Open MISFITSFULL/DISC1
Import the two vts episodes from MISFITSFULL/DISC2.
Import the two root menus for the episodes from MISFITSFULL/DISC2
Rearrange the vts so the episodes are in vts 2-7
Delete all vts from 8-23
Save

Step 8: Edit Title
Part 1: Edit Title: Cut and Split Titles:

Start vobblanker.
Open MISFITSFULL/DISC1/VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.IFO
Untick process menus, remove puos.
Tick use source folder.

Select vts 2 and click CELLS

There are seven cells representing the seven chapters of episode.
Because this is episode one there is no "reminder clip".
The last chapter is .12 seconds long
Select the second last chapter and press SPLIT

Before anything else untick add program chapter. This can not be ticked and unticked willy nilly.
If you forget to do it at the beginning cancel everything and reopen MISFITSFULL/DISC1

Scan through the preview till the first frame of the "teaser"
Press MARK
Scan through the preview till the first frame of the credits begins.
Press MARK
Scan through the preview till the first frame of the "gratuitous logo" begins
Press MARK, OK. APPLY

Select vts 3 and click CELLS
Select the first chapter and press PREV/CUT

?Untick add program chapter?
Select cut.
At the start of the cell click START MARK
Scan through the cell till the end of the "reminder". Click FINISH MARK
Click OK

The last cell is .12 seconds long.
Select the second last cell.
Click SPLIT

Untick add program chapter

Scan through the preview till the first frame of the "teaser"
Press MARK
Scan through the preview till the first frame of the credits begins.
Press MARK
Scan through the preview till the first frame of the "gratuitous logo" begins
Press MARK, OK. APPLY

Do the same for the next four episodes.

Finally press PROCESS.

Step 8: Edit Title
Part 2: Edit Title: Blank Title:

Reopen MISFITSFULL/DISC1/VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.IFO
Untick process menus, remove puos
Tick process titles, Use input folder

Select title 2
Click CELLS
There are now ten cells
Select the first cell that has no program associated. Preview it - it should be the "teaser" clip
Press BLANK
Preview the next cell. It should be the credits clip
Preview the next cell. It should be the "gratuitous logo" clip.
Press BLANK

Click APPLY

Select title 3
Click CELLS
Select the first cell that has no program associated. Preview it - it should be the "teaser" clip
Press BLANK
Preview the next cell. It should be the credits clip
Preview the next cell. It should be the "gratuitous logo" clip.
Press BLANK

Click APPLY

Do the same for the next four episodes.

Click PROCESS.

Step 8: Edit Title
Part 3: Edit Title: Extract Video, Audio, Cell Times, Subtitles

Start Pgcdemux.
Open MISFITSFULL/DISC1/VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_1.IFO
Select by VobID
From the drop down box choose the whole episode
Extract Audio, Cell Times, Subtitles, Log to DEMUX/EPISODE1

Open MISFITSFULL/DISC1/VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_1.IFO
Select by VobID
From the drop down box choose the whole episode
Extract Audio, Cell Times, Subtitles, Log to DEMUX/EPISODE2

Do the same for the next four episodes

Step 8: Edit Title
Part 4: Edit Title: Encode video

The encoded video must be dvd compliant. Make sure you encode the audio as well as the video otherwise the encoder might be tempted to drop some frames. Audio attached to encoded video wont be used.

Encode Episode1 Try:
mencoder -oac copy -ovc lavc -of mpeg -mpegopts format=dvd:tsaf \
-vf scale=720:576,harddup -srate 48000 -af lavcresample=48000 \
-lavcopts vcodec=mpeg2video:vrc_buf_size=1835:vrc_maxrate=9800:vbitrate=5000:\
keyint=15:vstrict=0:aspect=16/9 -ofps 25 \
-dvd-device /media/disk/MISFITSFULL/DISC1 dvd://2 \
-o /media/disk/DEMUX/EPISODE1/episode1.mpg

Encode Episode2 Try:
mencoder -oac copy -ovc lavc -of mpeg -mpegopts format=dvd:tsaf \
-vf scale=720:576,harddup -srate 48000 -af lavcresample=48000 \
-lavcopts vcodec=mpeg2video:vrc_buf_size=1835:vrc_maxrate=9800:vbitrate=5000:\
keyint=15:vstrict=0:aspect=16/9 -ofps 25 \
-dvd-device /media/disk/MISFITSFULL/DISC1 dvd://3 \
-o /media/disk/DEMUX/EPISODE1/episode2.mpg

Do the same for the next four episodes

Step 8: Edit Title
Part 5: Edit Title: Demux Encoded Episodes

Demux Episode1 Try:
mpegdemux -d -s 0xe0 /media/disk/DEMUX/EPISODE1/episode1.mpg media/disk/DEMUX/EPISODE1/episode1.m2v

Demux Episode2 Try:
mpegdemux -d -s 0xe0 /media/disk/DEMUX/EPISODE2/episode2.mpg media/disk/DEMUX/EPISODE2/episode2.m2v

Do the same for the next four episodes

Step 8: Edit Title
Part 6: Edit Title: Remux Encoded Episodes

Start Muxman.
Select video: DEMUX/EPISODE1/episode1.m2v (720*576,letterbox only)
Select audio: DEMUX/EPISODE1/audio80.ac3 (English)
Select subtitle: stream1: DEMUX/EPISODE1/Subpicture_20.sup (letterbox and wide)
Save to REMUX/EPISODE1

Restart Muxman.
Select video: DEMUX/EPISODE2/episode2.m2v (720*576,letterbox only)
Select audio: DEMUX/EPISODE2/AudioFile_80.ac3 (English)
Select subtitle: stream1: DEMUX/EPISODE2/Subpicture_20.sup (letterbox and wide)
Save to REMUX/EPISODE2

Do the same for the next four episodes

(Note Muxman has the ability to import cell times but I had no luck with that approach.)

Step 8: Edit Title
Part 7: Edit Title: Save Chapter Times

Start Pgcedit.
Open MISFITSFULL/DISC1
Double click vts2 Title 2
View cell times as hhh:mmm:sss
Save cell times to REMUX/EPISODE1/chapters1.txt

Double click vts3 Title 3
View cell times as hhh:mmm:sss
Save cell times to REMUX/EPISODE2/chapters2.txt

Do the same for the next four episodes



Step 8: Edit Title
Part 8: Edit Title: Add Episode Chapters

Start Vobblanker

Open REMUX/EPISODE1/VTS_01_1.IFO
Untick process menus, remove puos
Tick use input folder, process titles
Select title 1
Click CELLS
Select cell 1, there is only one cell.
Click SPLIT
Before anything else make sure add chapters programs is ticked.
Using REMUX/EPISODE1/chapters1.txt as a guide scan through the cell and mark the split points
Click OK, APPLY, PROCESS

Open REMUX/EPISODE2/VTS_01_1.IFO
Untick process menus, remove puos
Tick use input folder, process titles
Select title 1
Click CELLS
Select cell 1, there is only one cell.
Click SPLIT
Before anything else make sure add chapters programs is ticked.
Using REMUX/EPISODE2/chapters2.txt as a guide scan through the cell and mark the split points
Click OK, APPLY, PROCESS

Do the same for the next four episodes

The REMUX folders now contain episodes with correct video, audio, subtitles, chapter points. Wrong color scheme.

Step 8: Edit Title
Part 9: Edit Title: Replace Titles.

Start Pgcedit.

Open MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1
Select Title 2
From the file menu choose Replace Vts Titles
Replace with REMUX/EPISODE1/VTS_01_1.IFO
Go with default answers except:
When asked to backup say no.
When asked to move or copy vob say copy.

Select Title 3
From the file menu choose Replace Vts Titles
Replace with REMUX/EPISODE2/VTS_01_1.IFO
Go with default answers except:
When asked to backup say no.
When asked to move or copy vob say copy.

Do the same for the next four episodes

Step 8: Fixvts
Start fixvts
Open MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1
Choose to fix whole disk in place, no backup

Step 9: Burn

Start pgcedit

Open MISFITSSHRUNK/DISC1
From the file menu choose Create ISO/Burn
Pgcedit will work out where to place the layer change.
Follow the defaults and save as MISFITS.ISO

Start Imgburn
Choose burn image
Open MISFITS.ISO
Burn.

There you go.


Some lessons learned.

Editing the EPISODES menu is too much work. The smart thing to do is not touch the EPISODES menu. Navigation to episodes 5 and 6 can be achieved through SCENE menu and the amount of work involved is dramatically reduced.

Before trying to do this I knew nothing about DVD Authoring. I still know nothing.

About the Tools.
All the Tools used are free.
Most of the Tools used are native to win32 systems.
All of the Tools used run on linux systems (either native or under Wine) except DVDSubEdit.

Tools Used
PGCEDIT
VOBBLANKER
PGCDEMUX
DVDSUBEDIT
MSPAINT
MUXMAN
MPEGDEMUX
MENCODER
GIMP
IMGBURN
K9COPY
TOTEM

Disclaimer:
This guide was written from memory, after the dvd reauthoring. So there are errors and omissions.