scenarist and audio delays, maestro and subtitle woes...

[Matthew]

2 problems very much related (for me that is).

1. I use the bitmap method for subtitles. When I use Maestro they are rather shaky (only in the standalone player), although still quite watchable. When I use Scenarist the subs are still a little shaky, but on a par with retail dvds subs' shakiness in my player (Pioneer 344).

Now the solution then you'd think is simple - use Scenarist to author (even if it is a bit more of a pain in the ass - I'm only authoring reencoded video stream + ac3 subs though). Which brings me to the second problem.

2. Correcting for audio delays in maestro is easier (just drag audio to right - after using ac3 delay corrector on negative delays to make them positive e.g. turn -80 into -80 + 3(32) = +16). Anyway with scenarist it is much less precise, the minimum delay points are significantly greater (1 video frame: 40ms in PAL, as compared to 2ms in Maestro). SO I would like to know how to get perfect sync in Scenarist.

Ideally I'd like the first problem solved, but I'll settle for solving number 2 =)

Any ideas?

Thanks :)

[011]

I'm using headAC3he and have no problems with audio resync. Very easy to handle any type of delay 'cause it makes a rebuilded AC3 stream automaticaly.

[Matthew]

Well I have to correct you on that, like AC3 delay corrector it can only cut off a frame at a time, which equates to 32 ms intervals.

So a file with -75 delay, for example, when cut would either have a -11 [-75+2(32)] or +21 [-75+3(32)] delay.

My approach is to cut off 3 frames (in this case this is the minimum required to get a positive delay) and then sync in Maestro by dragging the AC3 to the right. At worst it would be only 1 ms off.

After fiddling with scenarist I've found the chapter-related problems are an irritation as well.

So it looks like I'll just keep using Maestro, even for DVDs with 0ms delay. It's just so much easier.