DVD workshop seems to be unreliable. I input DVD compliant MPGs (no re-encode), authored menues, created title set, burned within DVD Workshop, tested: last 20% of DVD played terrible if at all on all of my players, even the PC that burned it.

I found that title set final few VOBs were bad!! This is a first for me. Source is perfect.

Anyone have similar issues? Any work arounds? Any Ideas?

strange, i use workshop and have had no problems, even backing up all episodes of only fools and horses from well worn vhs as come out better than expected, are you sure it's not the media, which brand are you using?

Its not dvd-workshop - and its not the vobs

Its the media you burned on. Buy another/better media and you will not have problems with playback of the last 20% of the disc.

You can verify my statements by creating the dvd-folder on harddisk before burning - and play this in windvd or powerdvd and you will see it plays just fine.

I have informed about this many times on this and other boards - but usually just gets unpopular for saying things that people dont want to hear, namely that often cheap media are also poor media

Media cant be a factor here. Unless DVD Workshop burns first then READs the media to write the title set to the Harddrive....<grin>

I have repeated this , my best guess is that I need to change a default setting that everyone else did but forgot about. I am using ALL DEFAULT EVERYTHING. I have un-re-installed the program, no change.

Another Idea is there is a ????? incompatibility with my files that cause DVD Workshop to choke towards the end of titles sets...

The program LOOKS good and I would like to use it, cheaper than alternatives also, but only if its robust!

out of interest, what version workshop are you using,
mines 1.0.0.1,
like i said i've had no problems, and if you've played the title set and that is buggy before you burn, it cannot be the media - i don't see any advantage as to why the program would burn before creating title set, infact it can't unless you tell it to,
have you tried burning straight without making title set

Sorry nap - as I read you first post it definately looked to me as the fault was on the burned dvd when played afterwards.

DVDWS allways first temporarily create titleset on harddrive before burning - all software do. No software can burn directly to dvd without first creating a temporary titleset or image on harddrive - because it needs to mux to vobs and create ifos before it can burn.

The only difference in your options is that you can select to keep the titleset or image on harddrive and not burn the dvd. Then you can test this for playback before you burn with DVDWS or NERO or whatever.

I have never ever seen any problems with playback of the last 20% of created titlesets on harddrive from any software and I have tried them all. I have no idea what might cause this problem for you. The only thing that comes to mind is that I have heard of some software having problems if the imported file were bigger than 4GB - how big are the files you import to DVDWS ??

Hey Nap,
That's why I suggested that you NOT burn with Workshop in the thread about " 352x480 caps" I don't find my burns with Workshop are unplayable, but EVERY one has a lot of artifacts that just aren't there in the original file OR the VOBs.It is an awesome program for authoring, but it's burn engine is questionable. I found the exact same thing with DVD Movie Factory before Workshop came out. I burn 4.32G ( pushin the envelope) files all the time, and never have a problem if I author and make the title set with Workshop, and then burn with Nero.

Tim

There are 2 burning engines that come with DVD Workshop..On is the "Ulead" Butning engine Which has Never burned a proper Disk for me ..and there is the "NTI" Burning engine which is a Great burning engine which has never cause me a Problem, so try just useing the NTI Burning engine...

I happened to come across your post, and it crossed my uninformed mind that the problem might reside on the capacity of your hard drive.

Is it big enough ? Have you defragmented it lately ?

Maybe I´m beeing too nahive but it´s often the very insignificant details that produce the worst errors.

Anyway, it doesen´r hurt to defragment and retry . .

Good Luck

Luisifer,
Very interesting about the 2 different burning engines with DVDWS. I was not aware of that.How can you tell which one you're using?

Tim

I see it now.....Mine only shows the NTI burning engine as being available for CD-R(w) with my CD burner.Only the Ulead engine is available for my DVD burner.

Tim

where? to find it?? Where to switch it???

Uh....guess I could have shared....brain no workie sometimes. If you go to the " finish" tab, and then select "burn disc image" your recorder will show up in a drop-down list. You can choose from there which burning engine.

Tim

Created SAME menus within Spruce up with same JPGs and same MPEGS (demuxed in Womble). Output VOBs ran perfectly, burned DVD played perfectly.

Conclusion:
My ULEAD v1.0 trail (cracked) is not reliable. Do NOT pass "GO" with this program, do NOT pay "$200".

I wish it would work but what other conclusion is there. I'm glad its working for some forum-go-ers. Still open to ideas.

Nap,
Have you tried yet just creating the VOB's with Workshop and then using Nero to burn? Works for me every time.I think you'll find it works no problem.

Tim

yup, tried it and output VOBs are still bad. No need to burn since the VOBs are no good.

To be more specific: DVD Workshop outputs a ton of VOBSs, unlike Spruce up that outputs no more than 4 (5?). When I open the raw VOB all is OK until I start to get toward the last few files (#20,21... out of 25) then the sound drops an octave and slows to 1/2 speed (about)! One VOBs stops playing after a few minutes!!

I even RECREATED the entire menu from scratch with the same source files and got the same problems in the same places. I can only guess that there is a compatibility issue between the ATI captures MPEGs and DVD Workshop.

I should have re-ordered the menu so that the troublesome MPEG appear earlier in the VOB list.

I also noticed that v1.3 is latest and I ahve v1.0

well why dont you update it then - there are many bugfixes - its likely yours is one of them.

Nap,
Hmmmm that seems odd. It only makes 4 or 5 VOBs for me, perhaps one of your settings is whacked? I'm not at home, so I can't check where, but I believe there is somewhere to set the VOB size.Perhaps yours is set 200meg/VOB instead of 1gig? It seems to me the earlier versions of Workshop had problems with chapter points over 20 or so, perhaps this is related.

Tim

My crack is for v1. Have not found one for the latest. I will never pay big $$ for a program before fully testing it! I trust Ulead (or any developer) less than I trust BUSH with my TAXES (now thats a crack I would like to see )

Even most programs that work lie unused on my HD becuase they are rendered impractical by minor isssues or incompatibilities. Some I regretably paid for. When they work nicely and fit well they are rewarded with my $$.

Thanks Tim and all for the patience and ideas!