Is it possible to circumvent memory limitation in DVD Architect 7 (build 100)?

I've been working on a dual layer blu-ray project in DVD Architect 7 (build 100). I'm using Sony .avc files exported from Vegas Pro 14 with .wav files exported from Premiere. It seems I'm unable to add more than three videos to the project, though, which sure is throwing a wrench into my special features plans. From googling around it, it seems like this has to do with the memory limitation of DVDA7. I tried the 4gb patch tool from ntcore, but it makes it so the program won't launch and then I have to reinstall it.

In short, is there any way around DVDA7 crashing when I try to insert more than three media files?

Hi SporksonSporks
Sorry I missed your message on Facebook. I've been very naughty and haven't checked Facebook in a long time.
I always direct everyone to use the forum here instead, because it's easier to use and more people will see it here.

I haven't used DVD Architect in a long time now. It is only a 32bit program.
That being said, I've never had a problem of being limited with the number of videos I can add to a DVD or Blu-ray.
The most important thing is that the overall Total File Size of any videos added, does not exceed the total capacity of the DVD or Blu-ray disc you are going to burn the project to.

If you have pre-rendered your videos with VEGAS Pro, using a DVD and/or Blu-ray friendly format, you shouldn't have a problem.
If you have randomly imported videos direct from a Phone or Video Camera into DVD Architect, that could possible cause a problem.

I need to know more information about your workflow and project, before I can comment any further.
1. Where are your videos coming from ? How were they created ?
2. What is the file size of each video you used ?
3. Are you making a DVD or Blu-ray disc ?
4. What size discs are you using ?
5. What are your DVD Architect project properties ?

You can upload a copy of your .dar DVD Architect project file to the forum, so that I can inspect your settings.

Regards
Derek

No problem about the facebook message of course! I very much appreciate the quick response here!

1. My video files were exported from premiere pro as prores hq files, then transcoded to h264 with handbrake (because video artifacts were showing up when I brought the prores files directly into Vegas Pro 14), then transcoded to sony .avc files with Vegas Pro 14 (because DVD Architect wouldn't accept mainconcept .avcs as files that didn't need to be re-encoded). 
2. Files sizes for the .avcs are as follows:
21.2gb
453mb
1.51gb
586mb
9.34gb
326mb
(total: 33.415gb)
2a. Files sizes for .wav files are as follows:
2.56gb
57.4mb
599mb
70.8mb
1.14gb
47mb
(total: 4.47gb)
(here's hoping I did all of that addition correctly, but it sure looks like all of the media together is under 40gb.)
3. This is for a 50gb dual layer blu-ray.
4. I haven't even gotten to the point of trying to burn a disc, but I'll be working with PlexDisc BD-R DL 6x blu-ray discs.
5. I tried to attach the project file but I'm getting some red text that says "Attachment file size exceed limit allowed by configuration". 

It looks like this problem has been discussed on the Vegas forums . Maybe there's just no solution? After all, DVD Architect hasn't been supported for years. I don't know. It's a bummer because I spent a great deal of time figuring out how to get DVD Architect 7 to work. It seems to get very gltichy these days unless you provide it with files that are of very exact specifications (hence all of the transcoding that I'd have preferred not to have done in the first place!).

The workaround of course is just to put all of the special features into one, longer video file (and then include chapters, presuming DVDA7 can handle another set of chapters beyond the set for the feature), but that would likely come across as a bit less professional (this is for a short run of blu-rays that I'm doing myself for a feature documentary I made, so I'm hoping the final result will be of a certain quality).

Anyway, any help you can provide would be appreciated. Who knows, maybe there's some way to solve this one, maybe not.

 

It may not be relevant to your problem but how much empty drive space do you have?

DVDA needs at least twice the size of your final disk in order to produce its final iso file for burning.

323gb free on my C drive and 10.6tb free on my external drive,so that's not the problem. I do have some of the files that make up the project (the background images) on my C drive and all of the video/audio files on my external drive, though. I guess I could always try moving everything onto the same drive to see if that makes any difference.

Basically the program freezes every time I try to add the fourth video file. I think at one point I was able to add a fourth video file (the smallest one), but then I'd get an error when I tried to save the project. Oddly enough apparently that person in the Vegas forums link had this problem when adding six or seven videos? Maybe the size of the videos also plays some role somehow? (Edit: Just made sure everything is on the external drive, and it made no difference.)

Thanks for sending the .dar project file.

.DAR Project file size?
The first thing I don't understand is why your .dar project file is so LARGE ?
A standard DVDA .dar project file is just a text file, and is normally 50KB - 300KB range.
I can't work out what is adding to the size in your project?

Try resetting DVD Architect first
While I was writing my long reply to you and experimenting in DVD Architect at the same time, I started to experience a similar problem.
Every time I tried to import more than 5 videos, the program would crash. I never experienced that before.
Immediately I was worried that a Windows update may have broken the program, then I tried a full program reset and the problem disappeared.
I highly recommend you do a full program reset. Reset instructions here:
www.moviestudiozen.com/free-tutorials/doctor-zen-faq/how-to-reset-sony-software-to-default-settings#a1

Re-configure settings after reset
After you do a reset, remember to change these settings:
Go to Options / Preferences / Preview
Set Aspect Ratio = 16:9

Go to Options / Preferences / General
Turn OFF Automatically open last saved project

Drives in use in your computer
I noticed that some of your source media is coming from your C-Drive and some is coming from an external O-Drive.
DVD Architect prefers a standard configuration.
Under certain circumstances, if you have references to folder locations where there are "gaps" (g ap s) between words, it can make DVDA freak out.
I don't think this has anything to do with your problem, but you should check this.
Read this old forum post here:
www.moviestudiozen.com/forum/dvd-architect-studio/2249-error-when-trying-to-burn-blu-ray-disc-tempuri-error?start=10#11481

Relocate project onto C-Drive only
I recommend you try moving ALL your source media into the SAME folder on your C-Drive, and operate your project out of the ONE folder.

Your .DAR project file may be corrupt ?
To rule out the possibility that your project file is corrupt (it can happen), I recommend starting a NEW TEST PROJECT first, after you reset DVDA.
Experiment with adding 7 videos into a brand new .dar test project file, before going back to your saved project.

DVDA Disc Tree setup
This is an important experiment to try.
DVD Architect works best if you import ALL your media into the Root of the Disc first, before you start creating menus.
In the top left Disc Tree Menu, right-click the disc and select Insert Media.
You can then simply drag video files onto menu screens and links will auto-create.

If you can import 7 or 8 videos in a new file after the reset and DVDA does not crash, you will know the original file is corrupt and to start again using this method of importing videos.
 

Importing Video files only!
Remember you only have to Import your video only files into DVDA.
You don't need to import those .wav audio files - DVDA will automatically find them, if they have the same file names as videos and live in the same folder.

Scripts in Blu-ray discs
The next thing I saw in your project is a Script file.
Script functionality only works in DVDs (as far as I am aware).
You can't use Scripts in Blu-ray discs - I know that sounds ridiculous, but that is the way it is.
I would recommend you delete this.

Re-rendering video multiple times
The next thing that concerns me is all the re-rendering.
If you had the latest version of VEGAS Pro, you could import the ProRes files directly and render just once.

Using Sony AVC is a bad choice.
Back when folks were regularly making DVDs and Blu-ray discs, I recommended that no-one use Sony AVC.
The better option for making Blu-rays is Mainconcept AVC or MPEG-2 for Blu-ray.
When I was making loads of Blu-ray discs, I found MPEG-2 for Blu-ray to be the best option.
One of the main reasons for this was because you could accurately use a Bit Rate calculator to render video files that would perfectly fit on one disc, without guessing.
This is the online tool I used for working out bit rates for MPEG-2 1080p video output:
dvd-hq.info/bitrate_calculator.php#Calculator
In the Bit Rate Limit section, set to one of the BD options.

Make sure the Frame Rate you rendered all your videos to, is the same Frame Rate setting in your DVD Architect Project Properties.
If any videos you import don't use the identical frame rate, DVDA will think it has to re-render stuff.

Regards
Derek

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

After resetting DVD Architect I was able to add five mainconcept .avc files (and the accompanying wav files) to a new project. I went ahead and did a test to see about preparing the project to a folder, and received this error message about halfway through the process:

File name: 00001.m2ts
Status: mscorlib.dll::ThreadHelper::ThreadStart_Context::Video buffer underflows. - 

Any idea what this might mean? I believe this was the same error I received when I initially attempted to set the project up with mainconcept .avc files (I was mistaken above when I said that DVD Architect wouldn't accept mainconcept .avc files as files that didn't need to be re-encoded; the green checkmarks in "optimize disc" look fine; in fact I'm pretty sure I stopped trying that route because of this error message when I was working on this a while back).

I guess I can always switch over to mpeg-2 files and see how that goes, although I hear they take up significantly more space than .avc files do.

I'm back with another update. I went ahead and re-encoded the files as mpeg-2s and it's looking like this is going to work now. I did a test and created an iso of a version of the project with five videos included, and it seems to play just fine in VLC media player.

One other quick question, in case someone has an answer: If my final iso that I export is under 47gb, should it burn just fine to a dual layer blu-ray disc? The test ISO I created is 46.9gb, but I want to mess around with the menus a little more (and I'm considering adding some audio to the menus) so my final project will presumably be a little bit larger.

And thanks again for the help and advice I've received here.
 

Be careful as computer GB is different to your disks.
1 GB is equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes.  So your 47gb is 50,465,865,728 bytes.  Your disk only holds 50,000,000,000 bytes so it won't fit.
If you want to know how this confusing situation exists search the net.

When burning a single layer 25gb disk I never have more that 23gb which gives a small amount of spare space.

Good to know. I guess I'll have to do a little more re-encoding yet.