MPEG2 Integrity TEST

[Chris Barnard]

I've had a few clients complain that either their DVDs do not work at all or they are skipping and freezing (although they test out fine before I send them out) and I have not changed encoding or authoring procedures.

Is there a software solution for testing the integrity of the MPEG2 file? All I can find on the net is a solution in a server environment.

Pls Help if you can!!

Thanks,

Chris

[THoff]

It may have nothing to do with the MPEG2 encoding at all. The most common cause are problems with the media (PI/PO errors).

Have you changed anything in your burning procedure, switched media, changed write speeds, or anything like that?

I would try reducing the burn speed and stick to 4x even if your drive and media are capable of faster speeds, and then test-read the entire disk.

[Edipus Rex]

Try lowering the data rate on encode. Also you might think about using Procoder 3 because the AC3 encoded audio makes disks more compatible.

[Chris Barnard]

It may have nothing to do with the MPEG2 encoding at all. The most common cause are problems with the media (PI/PO errors).

Have you changed anything in your burning procedure, switched media, changed write speeds, or anything like that?

I would try reducing the burn speed and stick to 4x even if your drive and media are capable of faster speeds, and then test-read the entire disk.

PI/PO - what's that?

I use TU disks. I burn at 6x usually, but I'll go to 4x.

What's the most reliable way to test-read the disk?

Thanks for the help!!

[Chris Barnard]

Try lowering the data rate on encode. Also you might think about using Procoder 3 because the AC3 encoded audio makes disks more compatible.

With Pc 3, can I export from Edius timeline directly to an MPEG2 that carries AC3?

That would be cool.

Would ULEAD DVD WS support the AC3?

THanks!!

[Chris Barnard]

OK.

I use Edius Pro 3.

Does Procoder 3 fully integrate with that?

I have a downloaded version of PC Express, which does NOT qualify me for the promotion upgrade price to PC3. So given I'd have to pay nearly $500 for PC3, I'd rather see if I can make AC3 work with what I've got.

Do I need to export the audio seperately with another program and then combine it in ULEAD?

What do I do??

Thanks for all help so far!!

PS, did my profile get wiped when they shut down the forums? I was bionictypist or something!

[Chris Barnard]

Is there any other advantage of me getting PC 3 given that I am nowehere near HD and I plan to keep working with Edius Pro 3 for sometime.

I do a lot of PAL-NTSC and vice versa conversions. Are the exporting results better all round?

Thanks!

[GrassValley_KH]

I use Edius Pro 3.

Does Procoder 3 fully integrate with that?

I have a downloaded version of PC Express, which does NOT qualify me for the promotion upgrade price to PC3. So given I'd have to pay nearly $500 for PC3, I'd rather see if I can make AC3 work with what I've got.

ProCoder 3 works with EDIUS Pro 3. And because you own EDIUS Pro 3, you have ProCoder Express for EDIUS (in addition to the separate downloaded product). ProCoder Express for EDIUS is a qualifying product, so you have the option to upgrade.

[THoff]

PI/PO - what's that?

PI and PO are the short names for Parity Inner and Parity Outer errors that can be detected using the ECC block scheme used by DVDs. For details, have a look at this.

I use TU disks.

Did you mean TY (Taiyo Yuden)?

What's the most reliable way to test-read the disk?

If your drive came with any software specific to the drive, use that. I'm partial to Plextor drives, and they come with a utility called PlexTools that can do all that. Nero also is capable of media diagnostics.

[Chris Barnard]

ProCoder 3 works with EDIUS Pro 3. And because you own EDIUS Pro 3, you have ProCoder Express for EDIUS (in addition to the separate downloaded product). ProCoder Express for EDIUS is a qualifying product, so you have the option to upgrade.

Wow, cheers for that!

I'll look into that. Is it available for download?

THanks!!

[GrassValley_KH]

No, because you can't download a dongle. *grin*

[Chris Barnard]

No, because you can't download a dongle. *grin*

'K. Forgot about the dongle!

Been a while since I had one. It goes on the parallell port, right?

Do I just contact a dealer, give him serial #'s etc, and then he/she sells me PC at the upgrade price?

In the meantime, where I do I find info on how ot create AC3 files from Edius timeline and then author the whole lot in Edius.

Thinking about your responses, it MUST be an audio problem. So I must get this AC3 sorted and up and running as quick as possible.

Thanks,

Chris

[GrassValley_BH]

Modern dongles are USB.

[peterC]

I've had a few clients complain that either their DVDs do not work at all or they are skipping and freezing (although they test out fine before I send them out) and I have not changed encoding or authoring procedures.

Chris

G'day Chris.
One of the more obvious and not mentioned is the client. Are they keeping their discs up to scratch so to speak? Clean too? These will do it - skip/freeze. Same with your burns. Forgot to check one today, 'going in' and came out with dud. Dirty, but only just dragged from the spindle! so there you go.......

[Phoenix]

Chris
I am still running Edius Pro 3 on an old machine and recently upgraded PC2 to Procoder 3. The grid encoder will not help your encoding speeds if you only have an old single cpu system. I have not found PC3 to be any faster in any way than PC2 for DV projects and I had trouble with the ac3 files from PC3 when exporting from within Edius - (Reel DVD would not take them).
If I was you I would wait another couple months and upgrade your Edius Pro 3 to Edius 4.5 instead - Edius 4.5 will have ac3 export, but not sure if it will only export as elementary streams or whether you can go straight from the timeline and burn a DVD using ac3.
I have always kept up with the latest Procoder upgrades, but to be honest this was a waste of money for the software and hardware I am running. (I still have Edius 4 on the shelf with my NX board awaiting a new system).
Hague