DVDA 5 only showing first frame in some of my videos?
 

I'm finally finishing this project and putting it on a dvd... I just went through and rendered out almost two hours of video (about 8 files) and when I import them into DVDA they all show up with only the first frame of video.

I had similar problems when I was creating some video transitions for the menu but had been using dv video renders for that and just decided to rerender it all as mpeg2 as that is what dvda wants anyway and the problem went away. This time I started with mpeg2 and I got the problem on every video. Oh and when I had the problem with the dv files they would sometimes be first frame when I opened the project and sometimes not. Very quirky.

I also previewed the project thinking this might just be a timeline glitch or something and it comes up as just first frame only. Audio plays just fine and you can see the wave form in the time line just fine.

BTW, all these videos look just fine when viewed with a media player.

I did this project last year on this VERY machine and had ZERO problems... this is the first time this has EVER happened to me.

Anyone have any ideas? Googling turned up nothing, granted it is a hard query to form.

Well, I went a head and did a test of the DVD... wrote it to ISO then mounted in my linux server as a loop device. Used Power DVD to open the Video TS files and the dvd worked! So it looked like it just wouldn't let me preview in DVDA... I can deal with that.

So off I went to just crank this thing out... WAY behind deadline. Well, guess what... All my chapter markers are not being brought in either. So I either have to solve this problem are put all my chapter markers in manually inside DVDA.

This is EXTREMELY frustrating!

Sounds like you're having an awful time of it.

Thanks for keeping us posted, I've not used DVDA much yet, but any info you have about solving the issues you're having will be appreciated by someone, I'm sure.

Good luck.

I may have been my own enemy on the markers.

In my attempt to fix the first frame issue I deleted all the "extra" files generated. This obviously included the sfl files which apparently have the marker data. ;)

Easy fix, I renamed the original mpg files and then rendered out black (muted) video again to make it "quickly" rerender the sfl files. Then deleted those files and renamed the original files back. (Sometimes I'm smart. ;) )

Never did fully solve my first frame issue. I did install DVDA on a laptop to test and it was working fine there (just opening up the same project file over the network). I reinstalled DVDA on the main system and some files came back right, others didn't. *shrug*

Though that was only previewing so I was able to hammer through it and just assumed it all worked. I built the dvd and tested it (FYI, when you write the ISO it also builds a Video_TS folder in "My Discs" that you can use Power DVD to view without needing to mount the iso.) It all worked in the end.

I'd still like to know what is up with this first frame only preview crap though. :(

So nobody has ever seen this or has an idea of what I can try?

I just rendered a completely separate project and started a new project and imported this media (mpeg2 with AC3 file, I'm importing the mpeg file). Same thing... first frame of video and nothing else in the video. Audio gives me the wave form and plays just fine when previewing but the video shows only the first frame.

Well maybe we can brainstorm thru this.
First, what program are you rendering to MPG/AC3 in?
Second, is the bitrate set correctly? (I'll assume it is but ya gotta ask)
Third, what are you starting out with (actually should be first but I'm just thinkin' out loud here) DV- AVI, AVCHD, or...?
Which version of DVDA are you using? (you might have mentioned it and I missed it) Ah never mind, just realized you said right in the title version 5. I'm a little slow today.

Once we have that we might be able to better help although I have to admit I have never seen or heard of this type of glitch before.

Thanks Don... anything is help... lets just hope we find a solution.

My setup is pretty boring.

Filmed with DVX-100a (mini-dv) in 30p (had some footage from a flip HD and SD) then dumped into Vegas 8 Pro, rendering out at about 5,000,000 average bitrate default top and bottom (I start with the DVDA template. Only other thing changed was on the first tab I set render quality to "Best".

Basically this is the same way I did it on the EXACT same gear last year. :(

OK so the final total length is about 2 hours. So for 120 minutes with AC3 the bitrate should be MAX:8,000,000 AVG: 4,826,000 MIN: 2,000,000. This is according to Edward Troxels newletter for many years ago and te numbers still hold true to day. Also use the DVD NTSC template, then go to the CUSTOM tab set the bitrate name it save it (for future use) and you should be OK regard less of whether you're using Good or Best quality, 1 or 2 pass. Maybe you could try that, then bring it into DVDA and look to see if the entire rendered clip on the timeline or not. If you can see it on the timeline it should burn just fine. Notice I said should BTW is this single play or menu based?
Anyway try this and see what happens. Let us know.

Again Don, thanks for the help.

Actually this is exactly what I do. The first project I spoke of was about 1 hour 45 mins that is what I used the 5mbs average bitrate (I use videohelp.org or whatever it is for the calculations). This was a menu based dvd... though it doesn't much matter. As soon as I import the video into dvda (root of the dvd) and double click on it to "load it up" and look at the time line or preview I get nothing but the first frame. This is just previewing THAT clip. Previewing disc results in the same... going through the process of making a dvd ends up working just fine.

The second scenario I spoke of was just a 1 hour 10 min single video that I rendered with 4mbs? (it was harder than the calculator said I could do because I didn't trust TOO fast of a compression and wanted to stay close to default. This file also had problems... I imported it in and then double clicked so I could load markers (I just wanted to test the chapters out) and it only loaded first frame.

As I have said, I have some clips that don't do it and NEARLY identical clips that only show first frame. I did some transitions that were literally mute one layer and unmute another and rerender... same motion just different location basically... but they are the same timeline and mpeg2 profile (all the same as I saved it for the project). One would work and one wouldn't. Close project and reopen it and the other would work and the other wouldn't.

I really feel like this is a DVDA thing and not my files being rendered, granted I'm willing to try any ideas you got because I have no clue where to go from here and I won't be stubborn or closed minded just because it doesn't SEEM like something you are suggesting.

Yeah I'm just throwing everything I can at it because as I said I've never seen this before and I've been using DVDA for as long as it's been out.
As for compressing it too fast, I'm not quite sure what you mean by that. Compression is compression and no matter what the numbers are it's going to take a certain amount of time to do and if the numbers are set right the DVD will play properly without being crushed to the point of unplayability. I've actually done almost 3 hours on a single DVD and it not only played it surprised the hell out me and looked pretty good on a 50" plasma.
Anyway back to the issue at hand. After reading what your wrote here I think it's a render thing and not DVDA. DVDA (especially SD stuff) will bring in the mpeg as it is rendered. At least in the hundreds and hundreds of projects I've done using Vegas and DVDA that's what has happened. If I have a bad deal in DVDA it has always been tracked back to the render in Vegas, IOWs I messed something up.

Lets try this. IF and I'll assume you do, still have the original project render it to AVI with audio. Bring IT into DVDA with chapters etc and let DVDA render it. Optimize or fit to disc and lets see what happens. The most you'll lose is some time right?

I'll be out most of the weekend shooting but I'll stop in here Sunday before I go and see if you have any further info.
Good Luck

Actually Don, I just remembered (well, you reminded me) that when I first imported those transition clips they were AVI's (mini dv template) and they had the same issue.

You did see where I pulled the project in over the network to my laptop and had no problems on the temp install of DVDA there right?

Also the project renders out just fine (I've already given the client the dvd master) I just can't do any previewing in DVDA.

BTW, what I meant by too fast I mean by not enough compression? I am not sure if that is possible... I just don't trust players to be able to stream the data that fast. I have also attempted to put too much on a dvd and it wasn't pretty.

What I can do is do some renders of straight dv no effects or anything and put it into default template renders of mpeg2 and see if I have issues then.