Convert AVI to MPEG-1 without losing quality: What tool?

[GeekyChocolate]

I have a movie in AVI format that I want to put on DVD using DVD Lab Pro. What tool should I use to convert it to MPEG-1 without losing its quality?

Thank you!

[guns1inger]

WHat are the specs of the AVI ?

Why Mpeg-1 ?

Mpeg-1 on DVD is restricted to VCD resolution and low bitrates. Unless your source is very poor, you will lose quality as VCD is an inherently quality limited solution.

If you want to create a DVD, I would use AVStoDVD to do the encoding, setting it to output elementary streams. These can be loaded as video and audio assets into DVD Lab Pro, and authored into a DVD.

If you really do want VCD resolution then I would use FAVC and select VCD resolution for the output and keep the working files. You can use these when it is done for authoring. FAVC will encode using mpeg-2 but give you better quality than standard VCD if the running time is not stupidly long.

Again though, it comes back to what your source is, and what you are trying to create.

[GeekyChocolate]

Actually, I just want to put the movie (900 MB) on dvd and add subtitles. For the past weeks, I've been reauthoring video files from VCDs to DVD using DVD Lab Pro and I haven't got a problem. Now that I have here an AVI file, I don't know what to do... I thought that converting it to MPEG-1 would cause me no problem like my VCD files.

Hmm.. I think I'll check out AVStoDVD since you said the output files can be loaded into DVD Lab Pro.

Thanks a lot, Guns1inger! I'll be back when the wheels got busted. Heh heh.

[guns1inger]

VCD transfers across because the files are already DVD compliant. No re-encoding is necessary, so no quality is lost.

Your AVI file does have to be re-encoded, so quality loss is always a risk. 900MB tells me nothing of real value. The running time is more important. If this is a just a standard movie length file, then AVStoDVD can encode it to DVD compliance. Expect it to fill an entire disc when authored.

If you don't need a fancy menu (or a menu at all), AVStoDVD can in fact encode and author a disc, with subtitles, ready to burn.

[GeekyChocolate]

I tried AVStoDVD but I just can't tweak some preferences coz I dont know them... I'm afraid I might damage the file. I used Xilisoft Video Converter Ultimate and I guess it's more user-friendly than AVStoDVD.

Just one more thing... what's aspect ratio?

[guns1inger]

https://www.videohelp.com/glossary?A#Aspect%20Ratio,%20Display%20Aspect%20Ratio,%20DAR

[lordsmurf]

MPEG-1 on DVD allows up to 1856kbps, better than VCD. But it's still lackluster compared to 352x480 @ 2500kbps ("CVD/SVCD quality"), a 4-hour DVD. And even that can be pushing it depending on the MPEG encoder and the source material.

[dannyboy48888]

take a snapshot of the avi readout in g-spot and post plz so we can go from there. (hit prtscrn, goto paint hit paste, save, post)

[guns1inger]

Try Alt-PrtScrn so you just get the g-spot screenshot, not the whole screen . . . . .