You just confused me, Sonic Dennis. I assumed that if I rendered a project under VV3 using your default NTSC DVD template, that I could use the resulting MPeg file in DVD complete (my DVD burner is on order, haven't been able to try it yet). If this is not the case, what should we do, Render video only and then render audio as PCM and import these separate video and audio files into DVD complete (or other DVD authoring software)?

Any helpful answers are appreciated since I don't want to burn coasters.

Dan

If I'm not mistaken, if you render in VV to an mpeg file your authoring app will split the file into audio and video then re-multiplex as it wants. I prefer to render to native streams and then use my authoring app. to multiplex. DVD Complete allows the user to choose whether to convert audio to uncompressed .wav or compressed mpeg audio. The size difference is huge thus, you can render your video at a higher rate and get better results if you can save space with mpeg audio.

My pioneer set-top player played my first (mpeg audio) DVD without any problems so I assumed the mpeg audio issue was a small concern. Now I'm bummed.

I still consider it a small concern. Since May 2002, I have sold 7 different DVD's that I made in Dazzle DVD Complete. Those discs have been played in many players, i.e., Pioneer, Panasonic, Apex, Hitachi, Sony, etc., etc, and there has not been a single problem with the MPEG audio contained on them. I'm still waiting for that call saying "the DVD doesn't work." I'm beginning to wonder how many "older players" are really out there. In the early days of consumer DVD, a whole lot of regular folk just weren't buying DVD. The players were relatively expensive and there were few titles available. Perhaps others have some thoughts on the prevalence of older players. Anyhow, for now, I am very comfortable putting MPEG audio on my DVD's.

So far, I have not found one that my discs won't play on audio wise. Like you, I've tried Sony, Apex, Pioneer, Panasonic.

Al

I agree with the two previous posts. Any player old enough to have trouble playing back mpeg encoded audio probably isn't compatible with home burned DVDs anyway. Use mpeg for your audio and don't worry about it.

Laurence Kingston

I assume from what I have read here and other forums I wont have a problem with mpeg audio as I live in PAL land??? Still waiting on DVD burners to come down in price (Sony DRU500).

I think MPEG audio on DVD's is the norm in PAL land.

Well, just for safety's sake I go for the bigger file and PCM. I just did a wedding DVD at 5000vbr average and the Main Concept encoder works so well I can't see any difference between the original DV footage and the encoded MPEG. Using PCM I probably added about 350megs of data, but the bottom line is I can get up to an hour and 40 minutes on one disc, which is fine with me. If I go to 4000vbr avg I could get two hours, but after tests I DO see a little degradation in image quality at that setting.