menu freezes

[omega6666]

I have a problem with the root menu when backing up my LOTR FOTR ext. ed. PAL to dvd-5.

I used Clone-dvd to strip some audio/video/subs from the original, then used DVD-remake to strip some warnings/menu's/buttons. After this I used PGC-edit for the "Fix number of streams" macro. After all this I used DVD-RB w/ CCE SP to compress the outcome to DVD-5. When I use the soft player everything works perfectly, but when I burn it, and play it with on standalone, it doesn't work anymore.

What happens on my standalone, is that the 45 sec menu video starts just fine. The last part of this menu video also contains some buttons in which I can start the main movie, change languages, etc. But after this 45 sec video it goes to a still menu with the same buttons and background as the last part of the menu video, but with this the menu freezes on my standalone, and no button can be selected anymore. Because this only happens on my standalone (Panasonic DVD-S27), I already made a LOT of coasters after trying out several things. :mad:

The original DVD has the exact same trace according to PGC-edit, but the original works just fine on my standalone; very strange. Does anyone have any idea what happened here, and especially how it can be solved (/prevented)?

[edit:] I'm not sure if it matters, but the menu isn't 4:3, so I'm not sure if I can use this guide; http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=99306
Also, I tried to set the still to 'infinite' in DVD-remake, but that didn't work. In The Two Towers and ROTK, there was a menu that was very alike, which didn't give any problem. But in those two the menu contained a 45 sec video plus 2 (seemingly) identical stills and only the second still repeated infinitely.

[omega6666]

The problem could be caused by DVD-Remake. I've used an old freeware version. I just found that an update had this fix;

* problem with dissapearing menu buttons when still menu is in VMG

I have to check at home (I'm at work right now), but even if this solves the problem, I still don't understand why a soft-player wouldn't give any problem, and the standalone does. This could become another coaster, so if anyone has ANY idea on the problem here, before I try, please let me know...

[r0lZ]

Not sure if it's related to the problem, but I've read several times that the Panasonic players have hang problems with tiny cells.
Can you try your backup on another standalone?

[omega6666]

Thx r0lZ, I'll give that a try when I get the chance. But what should I do if the Panasonic indeed does hang on the tiny cell with the still menu? Is it possible to put that still menu in an extra program right after the moving menu? Now it goes from PGC 2 to PGC 11, which contains that single frame menu. Can I put the still from PGC 11 at the end of PGC 2, maybe? And why would the original then be ok on my standalone?

Yesterday I tried the most recent version of DVD-Remake, but I wasn't able to play the outcome of that, even on my softplayer. Just gave me a black screen on startup. So I'm not even gonna try that one. Had enough of coasters by now.

Is there any know issue where a simple still menu with buttons will show no buttons on a standalone (or hangs)?

[r0lZ]

Well, I really don't know. I don't have a Panasonic player, and, of course, I don't use DVD-Remake!

The Panasonic tiny cells problem was reported by several users of RipIt4Me. If you have used it (with the option to remove unused cells), it might be the culprit.

I have also had a similar problem after shrinking a menu to still with MenuShrink without the option to remove the STOP commands. In this case, the menu works normally, but the buttons highlights disappear after the original duration of the cell. I don't think your problem is the same, but you might want to post the information given by DVDSubEdit for the subpics of that cell.

You can also try your idea of appending the tiny cell after the original menu. It's easy to do with PgcEdit, but you will have to modify somehow the VM commands to play it and bypass the tiny cell.

IMO, it is probably easier to re-rip your original DVD, and avoid using DVD-Remake.

[omega6666]

... and, of course, I don't use DVD-Remake!
Really!? Why not? :P
The Panasonic tiny cells problem was reported by several users of RipIt4Me. If you have used it (with the option to remove unused cells), it might be the culprit.
Haven't used it
...you might want to post the information given by DVDSubEdit for the subpics of that cell.
I can't figure out which one goes wrong, because these three look exactly the same as the menu it crashes on;
Subpic# = 0____________________________ Subpic# = 2___________________________Subpic# = 6
StreamID = 0x20________________________ StreamID = 0x20_______________________StreamID = 0x20
LBA = 6248_____________________________ LBA = 22232__________________________LBA = 28523
V/CID = 1/2_____________________________V/CID = 2/1___________________________V/CID = 9/1
PTS = 1242654__________________________ PTS = 30304__________________________PTS = 25854
Duration = infinite________________________Duration = infinite_______________________Duration = infinite
TimeCode: 00:00:13,519 --> ?_____________TimeCode: 00:00:48,000 --> ?____________TimeCode: 00:01:42,480 --> ?
DCSQT: 0_______________________________DCSQT: 0_____________________________DCSQT: 0
Forced Start___________________________Forced Start___________________________Forced Start
Set Color: e2=1 e1=0 p=2 b=3____________Set Color: e2=1 e1=0 p=2 b=3____________Set Color: e2=1 e1=0 p=2 b=3
Set Transparency: e2=0 e1=0 p=0 b=0_____Set Transparency: e2=0 e1=0 p=0 b=0_____Set Transparency: e2=0 e1=0 p=0 b=0
Set Display Area: sx=0 ex=719 sy=2 ey=574 Set Display Area: sx=0 ex=719 sy=2 ey=574 Set Display Area: sx=0 ex=719 sy=2 ey=574
Set field indexes________________________Set field indexes________________________Set field indexes
IMO, it is probably easier to re-rip your original DVD, and avoid using DVD-Remake.
Yeah, I know, it's an old (bad) habit. I like the intuitive part of DVD-Remake, plus I'm chronically too lazy to start something new. Maybe the time is now... There is more than enough info about PGC-edit on the internet.

[omega6666]

Damn, another coaster. I've tried FixVTS from Jeanl, but with no succes. Where can I find how to move the still-menu to PGC 2 with pgc edit? So far I haven't found it...

[edit:] I managed to 'move' the still menu to PGC 2, but unfortunately another coaster. I'll try one of the coasters on the dvd-player of a friend of mine; I don't know what I'm hoping...

[r0lZ]

Double click on the PGC of the first (long) menu, and click Create New Cell. Select the VOB/Cell IDs of the tiny cell. Accept.

[omega6666]

Thanks r0lZ,

Unfortunately it didn't work out. What I still don't understand is why the original still menu works just fine on the Panasonic, but the (seemingly exact same) still menu from the backup goes wrong.

My next try is going to be the demuxing of the original menu and, muxing it back together in the backup (somehow). If that doesn't work out I'm thinking about duplicating the moving menu and converting that one to a still and setting it to infinite.

Thx for the help so far...:thanks:

[Edit:] Made up my mind; I'll try another rip, but this time I'll use PGC-edit instead of DVD-Remake :)
[Edit2:] I guess Vobblanker is more made for this job?
[Edit3:] Wow, me like! Vobblanker & PGC-edit can do the same & more!

[Dr.Khron]

Yep, VobBlanker and PGCEdit are a powerful combination!
98% of what a I need to do I can do with just those two programs.

Using Vob Blanker on a clean rip MIGHT fix your problem, but I can't say that I know much about how these programs work on a cell level, which is where your problem is.

All I know is that Vob Blanker is very careful about the changes it makes, and that I've never had a problem with it. Also, Vob Blanker has fixed problems for me that FixVTS couldn't.

[omega6666]

Yay! It was that #@$^$#$# DVD-Remake after all! I'll never use it again! VobBlanker & PGCEdit junkie from now on!

[blutach]

It most certainly is within the size limits. Use ImgBurn (www.imgburn.com).

Regards

[r0lZ]

Yay! It was that #@$^$#$# DVD-Remake after all! I'll never use it again! VobBlanker & PGCEdit junkie from now on!:goodpost:


:)

[omega6666]

It most certainly is within the size limits. Use ImgBurn (www.imgburn.com).


The size I mentioned was without the AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS folders. Including the folders it was just a bit overweight. :(

[blutach]

Those folders are part of the filesystem and do not have any "weight"

Regards

[omega6666]

Then I don't understand. Selecting the files > rightclick > properties gave me the size I mentioned (somewhere< 4.700.000.000 bytes). But selecting them within Nero, it said it was a little over 4.700.000.000 bytes. I presumed it was because of bytes used for the folders itself or something.

[setarip_old]

Hi!

The difference is likely the small amount of overhead space required for the DVD structure itself...

[r0lZ]

A folder uses 2 sectors on the DVD. One sector is 2048 bytes, so VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS consume 8192 bytes. In other words: nothing! Anyway, the folders are required (although AUDIO_TS is only required for old DVD players), so you cannot remove them.

If Nero says that the size increases dramatically, either you have some "alien files" in the folders that you should remove manually before burning, or you've found yet another bug in Nero!
Burn with ImgBurn. It is a lot smarter than Nero, and will warn you if there are alien files in a folder.

BTW, AUDIO_TS must be empty, and VIDEO_TS must contain ONLY VOB, IFO and BUP files.

[omega6666]

No, it really was about the 2 folders. Guess I was really working with on-the-edge settings in DVD-RB. Thx fr the help, btw!