How to make Chapters in Videopack 4.0?

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(Please do not email me...post response here)

Videopack documentation is the craps. (Perhaps something got lost in the translation from German?)

Anyways, I've checked the archives and whenever someone asks how to do chapters on VCDs, the response is 'use Videopack' without any explanation as to HOW?

So far, I've been able to successfully create a VCD with Videopack. The question is how do you specify chapters?

I've tried defining 'Entry Points' for each track but the program errs out when trying to create the CD. Is there a limit to the number of chapters and do the entry points have to be set to specific frames in the MPEG stream?

Any help on chapters would be appreciated.

Can someone explain how menus work when the VCD is played? Can I specify a background graphic for the menu on which buttons are placed? Videopack allow you to define a background for the button (?) but not the background for the menu. I just want to create a simple one level menu similar to DVD movies.

-- Trinity (TrinityDVD@Matrix.com), December 04, 1999

Answers

Entry Points are the first step.

Then you have to define play objects that start the video stream at those entry points and plug them into your menu structure.

There is a bug in videopack that occurs when you have more then one Mpeg video segment and you define entry points. For some reason when you define an entry point for one stream it defines it for all the others. Then you go to build the disc and it chokes because one of the entry points is set past the end of one of the segments. The key is to go through and make sure all your video segments do not have extra entry points set.

But, if you save the project and then re-open it all those entry points get reassigned and you have to do it all over again. Major PITA. If you are making a VCD with a scene index, it's best to use one big Mpeg file instead of several shorter clips.

Now, has anyone figured out how to enable fast forward, rewind, index points, time display, etc?

-- Sean (sean@magnuminvestments.com), December 06, 1999.


Chapter without menu : 1. Every video clip must be separated in different MPEG file (you can use Video Cutter) 2. Just drag and drop the MPEG files to the below area in Videopack 3. Create CD ! Every MPEG will put on different track on your CD.

Chapter with Menu (without VideoPack Button) 1. Prepare the image menu (704 x 408 NTSC) with options in the image, like : 1. Travel to Paris 2. My little boy 3. ....... 2. Prepare MPEG files asociated with each menu options 3. Create Menu 4. Drag and drop the image file to Menu Icon 5. Add Menu (right click on the menu icon), .... 6. Make path from icon menu to MPEG files 7. Create CD

I have already try 2 level menu. It's working !

-- A A Arman (aa@elga.net.id), December 07, 1999.


Thanks guys I finally figured out how to make a vcd with a menu and even succeeded in making one with buttons. Needs a bit of refining but at least I am now past first base with Video Pack 4.

Gee the instructions are really something to understand. Pity they do not just take it in simple steps instead of trying to make us all "fly before we walk"

Cheers

-- Ross McL (rmclennan@esc.net.au), December 14, 1999.


oops forgot to add the menu works with Cyberlinks PW PowerPlay!

-- Ross McL (rmclennan@esc.net.au), December 14, 1999.

Got a question that I have had trouble finding the answer from the Video Pack 4 documentation/help.

I want to create two tracks of highlights from an existing track - I cannot quite see how to create the outpoints for each in VP4, it only seems to play right though:

Let me explain another way: I have a highlight at 15:06:17 which extends to 21:45:05. Can I somehow call up those in and out points from the existing file in Video Pack 4 and use it as another "track" in a "container"? If it is possible, how?

The VCD does not have enough room left to encode just those sections from the main source avi and create it as a menu item for later playback.

Thanks

-- Ross McL (rmclennan@esc.net.au), December 20, 1999.



When you create your play item you can set the duration. It's on the playlist node properties sheet. change it from infinite to your desired length.

-- Sean (sean@magnuminvestments.com), December 21, 1999.

Gee thanks Shawn, sometimes ya wonder about yourself to miss that. Otherwise the interactive bit has worked fine.

I guess I set an input at 15:06:17 and play for just 6m:39s.

Thanks

-- Ross McL (rmclennan@esc.net.au), December 21, 1999.


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