[VCDImager] Creating still picture mpeg-2 files?

[Olli Ryhänen]

Hi,
I am playing around with creating SVCD-menues, but I ran into a problem when
I tried to create still picture mpeg-2 files for the menu. I tried encoding
a .bmp file with resolution 704x480(NTSC HQ still picture)  in tmpgenc 12h
with stream type 'System (Video only)', which encodes the image as a 1 frame
long mpeg-2 video file. But when I used it in the image that I build with
vcdxbuild, vcddebug reports it being a 'NTSC motion' video file.
(SEGMENT[1]: audio: no stream, video: NTSC motion, continuation no)
The only file that  I have found, which  gets reported as a still picture
video mpg file is the sample 'hvrlab_ntsc_mpeg2.mpg'. (SEGMENT[1]: audio: no
stream, video: NTSC still, continuation no)
Even with the sample vcdimager gives one warning when creating the image "++
WARN: mpeg stream contained no scan information (user) data", but it
probably doesn't matter that the menu image is missing scan information.

I have tried searching Internet extensively for information on how to create
those mpeg-2 still image videos, but I found none that would have proved
useful. So I would like to know what programs and what options/settings were
used in creating the sample mpeg-2 still picture video file. I would also
like to hear,  if someone knows of other possible programs that can be used
to create mpeg-2 still video items, that get reported as 'NTSC still' in
vcddebug.
Also is it possible to create still video mpeg-2 files with .mp2 sound
multiplexed into them with any current software, so that the menu files
still get reported as 'NTSC still' and does vcdimager 0.7.7 support them? In
vcdimager manual it says: "A segment item can be - MPEG encoded still
pictures with optional MPEG audio.", which is why I am asking.

I have made one test disc using menu-files created with tmpgenc 12h and
after playing around with demuxing/muxing I managed to mux them with .mp2
audio in bbmpeg. The menu's play fine on Pioneer DV-535, but they don't play
for example in Apex or Skyworth that a friend of mine has. I suppose it is
due to the fact the menu-files aren't reported as being 'NTSC still' type in
vcddebug. And I think the reason why Pioneer plays them is that it can
probably can play xsvcd mpg-2 files with resolution 704x480.

One thing more I would like to know is that what should be the behaviour of
a DVD-player if I use tags like this on a selection list: '<wait>-1</wait>'
and  '<loop jump-timing="immediate">1</loop>'. Will the DVD-player play the
segment item specified in '<play-item>' tag once and pause and wait for user
input indefinitely? (the point I am going after with this is, that will it
'flash' the menu-image quickly by and then start waiting for user input with
blank-screen instead of showing the menu-item.) Or should I use the tags
like this: '<wait>0</wait>' and '<loop jump-timing="immediate">0</loop>',
which makes the player loop the still picture video over and over again
while waiting for user input?

Any help and information about these issues are much appericiated, thanks.

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Olli Ryhänen, address@hidden