When I insert Media into DVDA v5.2 (Blu-Ray Project) that was created in Vegas 10.0d using the Blu-Ray template for the Sony AVC render format there are no Chapter Markers in the DVDA timeline. The media was rendered in Vegas to include project markers.
I have seen missing markers with the Sony AVC codec in the past, but I just rendered a test with Vegas Pro 10.0e and it worked as expected. This might be a good reason to put on the "e" update.
As Peter noted on the DVDA forum, the Sony AVC format's Blu_ray template defaults to using an Elementary Stream container, at least in v10.0d of Vegas. The elementary stream container cannot carry project marker information.
So either changing the container type (Custom=>System=> Format) to M2TS (transport stream container) of the Blu-ray template or using the AVCHD template (which defaults to M2TS container) seems to bring the Vegas chapter markers into DVDA.
"The elementary stream container cannot carry project marker information."
The marker information for a Vegas render is in a file of the same name as the video file but with a .sfl extension. The output files should look like this:
videofile.avc
When you create a DVD Architect project, DVD Architect creates a file in the same folder:
videofile.avc.sfvx
For this discussion, don't get hung up on the container, but do apply the latest fixes to Vegas.
Thanks for straightening me out on this point. I never new the project marker information was carried in a separate file.
I think my DVDA problem was I placed the Vegas created *.avc file in a different directory from its *.avc.sfl file (not by design, just got sloppy). When DVDA imported the *.avc file it could not find the *.avc.sfl file (as it was left behind in another directory) and hence DVDA could not import the Vegas marker information.
I have just tested further and this is what I found:-
Using Vegas 10e, rendering to .avc or .m2ts produces a .avc.sfl or .m2ts.sfl auxiliary file respectively.
Loading the .avc file into DVDA 5.0b does not bring in the markers but the .m2ts file does. If I rename the .m2ts.sfl file, the .m2ts file does not bring in the markers.
With DVDA 5.2, both .avc and .m2ts bring in the markers provided that the respective .sfl file is present.
I initially tested with DVDA 5.0b, not 5.2.
So the marker info seems to be stored in the .sfl file and you must use DVDA 5.2 to read .avc.sfl.
I tried rendering with Vegas 9.0e but got the following error message:
An error occurred while creating the media file test.m2ts (or test.avc).
The reason for the error could not be determined.
'I never new the project marker information was carried in a separate file.
This subject comes up from time to time. I'm glad you solved your problem. I'm equally glad someone on the forum 'splaned it to me a few years ago. As in, "Lucy you've got some 'splanin' to do."
> "So the marker info seems to be stored in the .sfl file and you must use DVDA 5.2 to read .avc.sfl."
This is true for .avc and .m2ts formats, but, in general, this depends on the file format. For example .mp4 files store markers as metadata inside the file.
Is the .sfl format documented somewhere, or is it a secret known only to Sony programmers? Same question about the .sfk format.
By the way, those .sfk files can be a real nuisance. For example, when trying to make a quick test edit from a CF card containing files recorded by the nanoFlash, Vegas will rudely write its own .sfk files to the CF card, after which the nanoFlash will reject the card until it is reformatted. When that happened to me the first time, I really wanted to scream!