Comments

vonhosen wrote on 3/16/2003, 10:41 AM
I think what you are supposed to do is render the MPEG-2 .mpg file (but make sure that the include audio on the audio tab is UN-CHECKED) & a render of just the soundtrack as an .ac3 file (same filename as your .mpg though) and DVDA should deal with them.

DVDA won't accept an elementary (.m2v) video file, it needs a .mpg containing video only. The reason it has to be .mpg is that apparently the .mpg file contains header information that is needed for tranfering markers for chapters etc when transfering from V4 to DVDA.

I'm not using DVDA myself at the momment until it's feature set increases & bugs decrease.

There is a script to render the required video only .mpg & .ac3 file in one go.
Check this thread for details
http://www.sonicfoundry.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=157558

Won't help you now - but will in the future.
Udi wrote on 3/16/2003, 10:51 AM
Double clik on the video thumbnail - in the left side you can replcae the audio.

If you will remove the mpeg video and re-enter it, dvda will link the ac3 to the video (provided they have the same base name).

You should also go to optimize and change the audio for the video to the correct ac3 format, as it will try to convert to PCM by default.

Regards
BillyBoy wrote on 3/16/2003, 11:23 AM
I double clicked on the thumbnail on the main menu page. All that happens is the object window on the RIGHT pops up. This allows you to change the BACKGROND music that plays while you're still on a menu page. I see no way to change the video's sound track from the default MPEG-2 to AC-3 which is what I'm trying to do.

Nothing appears to the left. To the left of what? There are only two window panes.
The left ALWAYS contains the workspace and shows the menu pages. The right window page has two tabs and shows either the details of a page or a object. There is nothing on either that allows you to change the audio track, other than backgroud music for a menu.
Udi wrote on 3/16/2003, 11:30 AM
When you double click on a video thumbnail, or you can right click and select navigate into.
You enter the mode where you can set in/out and chapter points. On the side you can see the video/audio files used. You can change the audio there.
BillyBoy wrote on 3/16/2003, 12:15 PM
Thanks for the tip.

But oh my God, how lame! Now since I have a complex project I have to go to each sub menu thumbnail (over fifty) and do this over and over after I first re render every video sound track. How much more stupid can this get?

SoFo, PLEASE go back to the drawing board. DVDA is embarrassingly clumsy. It may be fine for Mickey Mouse projects, but for more complex projects where you nave lots of sub menus its a joke in how clumsy it is.
Spot|DSE wrote on 3/16/2003, 11:37 PM
Billyboy,
2 comments...
1. Don't render to MPEG in Vegas. Render to AVI. Render using same filename for audio as you do video. OR, if the audio is NOT surround sound, render a normal, vanilla plain avi. In DVDA, go to FILE|OPTIMIZE and choose AC3 as the render form. You'll find a slightly faster render to MPEG, and the AC3 is created for you.
I think you are thinking too hard/too fast with DVDA, because it IS a different workflow, but if examined from a 'Sonic Foundry' perspective, (remember I've been using SOFO for nearly 12 years) you'll see the workflow is actually faster. Or at least I find it so.
Aje wrote on 3/17/2003, 2:51 AM
I always render to avi first but after a lot of work with kilometers of scanned home movies (D8,S8 films) I also do as follows.
I edit every single project mostly 1 - 5 minutes long and add music in VV4.
There must be up to 500 projects for now (and even more to come)
Render every project to avi and then render the avi file to mpeg2 videostream + audio AC3 with same filename and place them in the same folder.
Burn a secure DVD data disc with those video and AC3 filesfolders.
Make a secure tape recording (DV)of the avi files from timeline.
Then I can erase all material from harddisk to make room for new films.
When I want to make a DVD I can choose and compose what I want from this material already rendered to suite DVDA.
If a dvd data disc gets lost or destroyed I have the DV copy left.
Perhaps this could benefit others doing lots of old moviestuff.
Aje