please ignore-reposting

[clancey]

I need to create MOVs with H.264 codec on a mac and AVIs with Mjpeg codec on a PC that are small enough to get two hours worth of material on a DVD data disc. I don't want to import and then have to post process to get the size that i want. I want the processing to occur during the import so once the file is created I simply need to drag and drop it onto the DVD and then burn. Is this possible? What I image is some sort of firewire and/or USB video card with a processor on board. Does such a thing exist?

Thanks

[mpcengineering]

Well, thats just a case of calculating the max data rate you can encode at according to the size of the storage and length of video you want to fit onto that storage.

So 4.7GB or 4700MB storage, 2 hours of footage or 7200 seconds, remember to multiply by 8 for Mb/s rather than MB/s....

What do you mean by 'import'? If this is a capture process then sure with sufficient CPU power you can encode on the fly as you capture the material. H.264 is pretty processor intensive to do real time, so you will just have to try with the hardware you have and see if it works, if not you will get dropped frames. Try encoding at that data rate or lower with a sample and watch the results to see if you are happy with it.

[clancey]

thanks mpc

For instance. If I use Quicktime Pro to import from what ever source, I do have some import options. Those being device native which gives me monster sized files, a SD h264 option that gives me a lot smaller files but still about 8 times larger than the 7-8 Mb/s that you mention, and an mpeg 4 option that still isn't nearly small enough. I do realize now the error in my question. It's not specifically the analogue video card but the import software that is the concern.

So let me put that another way, Is there import software that allows me a lot more options then Quicktime Pro as to file size and codec. We are primarily Mac based but I think to do this right we will need a PC as well for AVIs so I am interested in software for either or.