A working process to import DirecTiVo video into DVD Studio Pro 2.0

[NoCalME]

Here’s a process for Mac users not running Virtual PC that enables DVD Studio Pro 2.0 to import DirecTiVo 480x480 video without re-encoding the original source. The process involves patching the header to a DVD compliant format AND modifying the bitrate using a combination of PC and Mac applications. Unlike DVD Studio Pro 1.5(and older) where patching the header was all it took to “fool” the program into thinking the source file was DVD compliant, DVD Studio Pro 2.0 requires the usage of both “hacks”.

I’m going to assume you already have a working DirecTiVo to extract the program of your choice(we’ll call our extracted file test.mpg) and have de-muxed said file into elemental streams--test.mpa(audio) and test.mpv(video). Additionally, you'll need to install DVDPatcher on your PC and Gumby on your Mac. The audio elemental stream test.mpa imports directly into DVD Studio Pro 2.0, so we can leave that file as is. Test.mpv requires two modifications as shown below:

Step 1) Launch DVDPatcher and drag test.mpv into main working window under the “Browse…” button. Or, you can select “Browse…” and import the file.

Step 2) Under “Patch MPEG2 File to:”, set “Bitrate” to 8.0 Mbit (DVD) and also make sure “Patch” is set to First header only.

Step 3) Select the Patch now! button and a new window will open showing the old and new file parameters. Double-check the bitrate has been correctly set to 8.0 Mbit, header only and select Start. The bitrate for test.mpv is now set to 8.0 Mbps.

Step 4) Now we need to patch the header of test.mpv to mirror that of a DVD compliant 720x480 File using the Mac application Gumby. Begin by transferring the test.mpv file you patched in Step 3 to your Mac via an external hard drive, FTP, home network, etc.

Step 5) Launch Gumby and select the MFIX tab to open MPEG FIXER. Drag test.m2v from Finder into Gumby, select Patch DVD Video, then Process. . .
You now have a .mpv file in a format that DVD Studio Pro 2.0 will accept. Leave Gumby open, as you'll use this app. again in Step 6.

Step 6) Launch DVD Studio Pro and import the asset test.mpv. Now drag test.mpv from Finder once again into Gumby’s MPEG FIXER to change the header back to it’s original format. Select Restore SVCD Video, then Process. . . That's it!

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Hardware
Series I DSR6000 DirecTivo with TurboNET

Software
TyTool or TyStudio
DVDPatcher 1.06 (PC application) http://www.dvdrhelp.com/tools?tool=154
Gumby 1.0 Beta 47 (Mac application) http://gumby.misplacedmac.com
DVD Studio Pro 2.0.4
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[eastwind]

Why not use DVDPatcher for both tasks? We used to do this to get the files into Spruceup two years or more ago. What do you need Gumby for?
ew

[captain_video]

What does DVD Studio Pro 2.0 offer that's any better than Maestro or DVD-Lab? There's a wealth of excellent authoring packages out there that don't require all the extra work so there's got to be one heck of an upside to make one want use a software package that is so much trouble to set up.

[NoCalME]

Why not use DVDPatcher for both tasks?Without Gumby, I don't have a way to re-patch the header after insertion into DVD Studio Pro. If I were running DVDPatcher on my Mac, then yes, I could eliminate the usage of Gumby.

[machead]

What does DVD Studio Pro 2.0 offer that's any better than Maestro or DVD-Lab? There's a wealth of excellent authoring packages out there that don't require all the extra work so there's got to be one heck of an upside to make one want use a software package that is so much trouble to set up.

Among other things, it runs on OS X, whereas the other two packages you mentioned do not. :)

[Roger Dylan]

Without Gumby, I don't have a way to re-patch the header after insertion into DVD Studio Pro. If I were running DVDPatcher on my Mac, then yes, I could eliminate the usage of Gumby.Well, there is res_toggle or the derived droptoggle, but Gumby was nice.

The current (public) version of Gumby seems to have lost this capability and older versions are time-stamp-disabled.

Any Gumby fans know how to reactivate the older versions?

Or is there something equivalent to DVD patcher for the Mac?

[alfonzotan]

Thanks much, I've been looking for a way to do this.