Markers, Regions, and Chapters

MAMF wrote on 4/11/2005, 7:21 AM
I searched the forums and the help files but found no real answers.

What's the difference between markers and regions in VMS? Also, is there a way to define chapter points in VMS so when you export the mpg into DVD Studio, it makes chapter marks for you? It seems a little silly to put in markers in VMS and then have to do them all again when in DVD Studio. However, I understand that the mpg file might not support markers. What makes it more confusing is that DVD Studio has a button for "importing" markers, but the help file doesn't tell you what kind of files support markers.

Any help here would be appreciated. Thanks!

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 4/11/2005, 7:35 AM
Well, let's see ... I'm not using VMS, having the full versions of Vegas & DVDA instead, but i can give you some ideas that may apply.

A marker is an instantaneous point in a file. A region is a duration from one point to another. A marker could signify where a DVD chapter starts. A region could contain a track for an audio CD. Of course, there are many other uses as well. The important thing to remember is that a marker defines a point and a region defines an area.

Vegas & DVDA use markers to define DVD chapters.

You are correct that MPEG files don't support markers. However, when rendering in Vegas you are (or at least should be, since i don't have VMS in front of me to look at) given the option to "Save project markers in media file". With this selected Vegas will create a .sfl file along with the .mpg file to contain the markers. DVDA will then read this file (import it) along with the .mpg file and use it for creating the chapter points. If you don't check the "Save markers" box when rendering there won't be a .sfl file for DVDA to use.

Hope this helps! I'm not sure where you might have to click to get to this option. In the full version of Vegas it's right in the first dialog box that pops up when starting a render.
MAMF wrote on 4/11/2005, 8:04 AM
Thanks for the reply.

I don't remember seeing "Save Makers with file" during the export. Perhaps in VMS it is in Advanced settings. I'll have to check on that when I get back home tonight.

So, if I understand you correctly, when I import the mpeg file into DVDA, it will NOT automatically find the .sfl file to add the chapter markers? Is that when I use the "Import Markers" button to add the info from the .sfl file?
Chienworks wrote on 4/11/2005, 9:19 AM
It should automatically find the .sfl file. The requirements are that the file name be identical to the .mpg file, except for the extension, and that it be in the same directory. Vegas fills both of these requirements by default.
MAMF wrote on 4/12/2005, 7:27 AM
Well, I checked and there's no such option in Movie Studio. I guess I have to re-do the chapters in DVD Studio. Or am I missing something here? Anyone using VMS have the answer for me?

Thanks
PaulS wrote on 4/13/2005, 5:57 PM
Yes, you are missing something. After you set up your project with markers:

In VMS:
1. Select "Make Movie"
2. Choose "Save it to your hard drive" and Next
3. Leave the format as MainConcept MPEG-2. You should see a description that includes "Use this setting to create an MPEG-2 file with an NTSC DVD-compliant video stream, and and MPEG layer 2 audio stream."
4. Select "Advanced Render..."
5. Make sure "Save Project Markers in Media File" is selected
6. Select "Save" to render.

In DVDA:
Now this next part in DVDA Studio is not so intuitive. If you want to quickly generate a menu item for each chapter, you will need to:

1. Insert the MPEG media that you just rendered to your project
2. Right click on the inserted media and choose "Insert scene selection menu..." The new scene selection menu looks just like the original inserted media.
3. Delete the original inserted media.
4. Double-click on the scene selection menu to see the chapter menu.
5. If you wish to have the chapter menus at the main menu level, then perform a copy and paste of the chapters back to the main menu, and delete the scene selection menu.

Hope this helps,

Paul
MAMF wrote on 4/19/2005, 6:39 AM
Thanks for the detailed response Paul.

Turns out I was just being silly. The "save markers with media" was always selected, but I went and moved the mpg files into another folder where I was compiling all the files for the DVD, and didn't move the .sfl files with it. Once they were together, it imported the markers with the media.

Thanks for the help guys!
BusyBee wrote on 4/21/2005, 12:26 AM
Let me jump in to complete your information with the eventual presence of script commands in wmv, swf and rm video files.
These 3 video formats allow indeed the inclusion of script commands embedded in the video flow.
Such commands trigger all sorts of possible events (like pop-up windows, synchronized slides, etc.) at a particular moment of the time-line.
For example, one way to insert script commands in wmv files is to use Windows Media File Editor.
I wonder how Vegas and VMS will treat these inclusions when rendering a file that would hold script commands...