DVD-Lab Pro branching: pause on playback

[arnie.d]

Hi,

I want to use the branching option in dvd-lab pro to create fan edits with the option of playing the "normal" version of the film or the extended version (deleted scenes pasted back in).

First I make one big .m2v file of the movie with the deleted scenes pasted back in, then I make chapters in dvd-lab pro. Some chapters correspond to the deleted scenes. Then I use the movie branch option to make a chapter play list.

The problem is when I burn the movie and play it, at the start of every chapter there's a slight pause. Can I get rid of the pause?

[Susana]

I don't use dvd lab.

If that branching is by means of cell-commands, the transitions between cells will be non-seamless. The transition betweet not consecutive cells is also non-seamless. So, for example, is deleted scene is number 4, when you play "normal version", the jump between cell 3 and the next (normal) scene in cell 5 will be non-seamless.

You must decide which version will play seamless and which not. For example, if you want "normal" with all the transitions seamless:

PGC_1: normal scenes
PGC_2: normal scenes (copy, duplicate)
PGC_3: only new scenes

PGC_2 & PGC_3 are linked by cells commands getting "extended version".

if you want "extended" with all the transitions seamless:
PGC_1: all, normal+new
PGC_2: all, normal+new (copy, duplicate)

PGC_2 with cell commands to bridge new scenes , (f.e. in cell 3, the cell-command "link to cell 5")

[arnie.d]

Thanks for the reply.

Only one version seamless... That sucks!

So there's no way to make a jump from chapter 3 to 5 seamless?

[Susana]

No. If you want both version seamless, you must double contents in VOBs, i.e, double GB, instead of PGCs refering to same cells in VOBs.

[mpucoder]

Or use seamless branching, but that is not available to most people.

[arnie.d]

mpucoder, what pc programmes can do seamless branching?

If I make a branching dvd with dvd-lab pro do I need another program to make the dvd content seamless with a different program? Or is there a program that ca do this?

[mpucoder]

mpucoder, what pc programmes can do seamless branching?
None that I'm aware of can do true seamless branching. Sony and Panasonic have proprietary authoring programs for multi-story seamless, I'm not sure what platform they run on, but they are not available to the public.
Trai Forrester has a program that runs on Macs (DvdAfterEdit) that can remux an existing multi-story non-seamless to make it seamless.
And for pseudo seamless (ie, works for some players depending on the length of the skipped material) there is a PC program (can't remember the name) to rearrange cell order which combined with some ifo tweaking works somewhat. And MuxMan version 0.17 (and later) supports pseudo seamless with multiplex directives (http://www.mpucoder.com/Muxman/mxp/muxdir.html) (also editable from the gui).
It is called pseudo seamless because it does not properly interleave the cells. Its success depends on the length of the skipped material, if that length is within the spec for a seamless branch and the bitrate is 8M or less then the playback should be seamless on any player despite the lack of ilvu flags.

[Dimad]

There are some tests described with pseudo-seamless branching here:
Poor man's seamless branching with DvdReMake (http://www.cdr-zone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3156)

[Susana]

VEry interesting. I didn't know "Move left/right" functions in DRM.

This reminds me seamless layer break because those cells will have seamless flag (?) although they are not consecutive in vob.

[mpucoder]

Apologies to Dimad for not remembering which program did the psuedo seamless branching, and inspired the directives in MuxMan. And the results, as far as the vob file are concerned, are very similar. The only difference is that MuxMan is aware of the branching during the multiplex and uses seamless joints.