That's how I do it. Reel DVD is the authoring package

Jamz: Just to clarify, you can or cannot get what you need by saving each stream separately?

To clarify, Reel DVD requires two streams-one for audio & one for video. Apparently the problem is Main concept does not produce ELEMENTARY STREAMS. It produces a program stream instead. Elementary streams have a .m2v extension. I understand DVD-It will accept a program stream but that would be a step down. Reel DVD is clearly superior over DVD-It even though I did not check out the updated version even though I downloaded that 150 meg update. I was looking forward to VV3 because I like Sonic Foundry's products-I got enough of them but not being able to use VV3 with Reel DVD is a problem. Premiere isn't as user friendly as VV3 even though I have no problems with it. The Ligos plugin works fine in Premiere. Why couldn't SF open up the Ligos plug-in? I prefer a VBR file instead of the CBR file the VV3 Ligos plug in provides. But then again the problem-UNABLE TO CREATE TWO SEPERATE FILES!!!

"...UNABLE TO CREATE TWO SEPERATE FILES!!! "

...in a single step you mean. You can still do what you want, albeit in several steps, right?

We'll try to address this in an update in any case.

The only way I could do what I want is through Premiere & Ligos plug in. There is no way that I see in any series of steps to be able to get a mpg2 file from Main actor to Reel DVD. The audio (wav) files is accepted by reel dvd but the video file has to be an elementary stream. Nice program but until this problem is addressed it's back to premiere-I have no other options. Anyway, I was curious since I never heard of Main concept's mpeg encoder but how does it compare to ligos since I'll never know personally?

You can retrieve the elementary streams from the program stream by using an MPEG demultiplexer. For example, using command line utility bbDMux included in bbTool19.

Shouldn't a real encoder already have the capability to do this without finding some freeware on the net?

Just a note if you like encoding in VV but need seperate streams. TMPgenc will demux the streams for you from a program file. It is a very quick process.

k

I too have similar problems with the MPEG encoding. I started a different thread under the heading "MPEG DVD Template" and a number of issues have come up. I can render twice and get the files that I need (I use MyDVD - a crappy program by the way - made by Sonic "Solutions" not Sonic "Foundry"!!!!!). But it would be nice if the template would generate the seperate audio and video files that most DVD authoring programs prefer (if not require). Finally, the MPEG NTSC DVD template states as a comment that it generates a "DVD Compliant" file. This is very misleading, since the template defines an embeded layer-1 or layer-2 audio stream. Either of these streams make the MPEG "Non-Compliant" for NTSC. Further transcoding of the file must take place to strip the audio out.

I haven't had any issues with the Elementry vs System stream yet. I think Sonic needs to bring in an MPEG/DVD expert to look these things over and tweak some things for us. Or at a minumum, develop a tutorial demonstrating how to "render" a project for inclusion into a DVD authoring program. Selling VV for $149 means lots of non-experts will be using it and a good tutorial would go a long way to answering a lot of questions.

"DVD Compliant File" Yea by whose standards? I started out trying to use My DVD only because it was what came with the Pioneer A03. I quickly found out about its shortcomings. Ended up using DVD-It with no problems before upgrading to Reel DVD. The better authoring programs REQUIRE a separate audio stream. TMPGE has a demultiplex tool to create the necessary files I need so I get to see if Main Actor was even worth the aggrevation. I'll let you know.

Hi from MainConcept.

The issue of separate files for video and audio should be addressed shortly. As you've seen, there is a workaround that will enable you to create separate files if necessary for the time being.

For the user experiencing problems with DVDit!, we have tested extensively with DVDit! and never had a single problem, so there might be something related to your system. As for Reel DVD, we will work with Sonic to try and resolve any compatibility issues.

>> Has anyone heard of Main concept anyway? It's not
>> even listed as a product on their websight!!!

MainConcept is a leading provider of multimedia technologies such as MPEG encoding and decoding. You don't see this product on our website because it's not a standalone retail product -- it is technology which is licensed, then Sonic Foundry incorporates it into their software.

There might be a few issues to pin down at the beginning, but we feel that our solution offers the best blend of quality, speed and versatility.

Best Regards,
MainConcept Tech Support