I've spent a great deal of time studying and playing with every type of transcoding software, and I'm now satisfied with using TMPGEnc to turn into MPEG-2 files and then DVD-Lab Pro 2 to transcode those files to DVD-format. My issues now are only slight. It appears that on stand-alone DVD player models made pre-2000-ish, you get an error while trying to play the DVDs. This is pretty weird, because when I transcoded and burned with Nero's DVD-maker software, the DVD played *PERFECTLY* on these older players, whereas now with my more advanced decompressing (MPEG-izing) and transcoding, I'd think it would have better compatibility, but it has worse compatibility, with more features.
Here are the problems I've tried and addressed: many people talk about open GOPs, or "Group of Pictures," and how they need to be closed for greater compatibility. I fixed that and closed my GOPs with TMPGEnc; it still don't work on older players.
I thought about the problem being the burning software, using Nero to burn already transcoded files. I thought that maybe I needed to specially burn in ISO-9660, non-Joliet, for full-compatibility with all systems. I fixed that, and still, I get DVD errors.
The other errors, like using drop-frame rate, 48000 hz audio, 720x480, above 1600kbit rate and below 9600 kbit, I've tried everything, exhausted every piece of software and all their help files. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I might try a Nero burn again. Using Nero Express it defaults to what Burning Rom calls 'DVD-Video' (I think), for these older players maybe using one of the UDF modes is the correct choice. I thought one of my apps would actually list the burn method used... no joy though.
UDF (Universal Disc Format) -- The file system used for DVDs (technically, the condensed micro-UDF). Designed to be uniform across all DVDs and be flexible enough to support a wide variety of uses of DVD. See also ISO-9660, UDF Bridge. It appears that ImgBurn defaults to ISO9660 + UDF, but they version of UDF is not listed. I thought I read that 1.02 is preferred.
UDF Bridge -- A DVD file system combining the older ISO-9660 file system for CDs and micro-UDF for DVDs to provide backward compatibility for DVD players and computers.
If your resultant files are VIDEO_TS, you might try ImgBurn's 'build' mode to create an ISO and let ImgBurn burn it. I believe ImgBurn defaults to ISO9660 + UDF, I think I've read where UDF 1.02 is best. But it does give you 5 burning choices to try.
Thank you so much, MysticE! Your suggestion worked!
It really was Nero. I used the PGCEdit to create the ISO file with 32kb gaps, and it worked beautifully! I tried two test DVDs. On one, I made the ISO with PGCEdit and then burned with Nero directly. On the other, I made the ISO with PGCEdit and then burned it with IMGBurn. Both disks worked perfectly fine on both new and old players. Thank you so much.
