Why is it sooo big?

[JustSomeGuy]

(Knew that would get your attention)

Ok I have an avi file that I'm converting to mpeg so that I can burn it to dvd.
its 521,000Kb as an AVI but when converted to MPEG its over 7 gig and won't fit on a dvd.
next... the avi a 720x480 pixels... should I be converting this to mpeg1/2 or dvd. (I'm trying Mainconcepts MPEG encoder)

[bottle-necked]

You didn't say but I would assume that file is about 2 hours maybe a tad less, it's encodec in ahhhhh....XivD, it's probably 2:35:1 wide screen 640x272, and it has Ac3 audio. You loaded the file in MainConcept, clicked the DVD template and started encoding. You have the audio compression set to LPCM. All the other setting are default value.

Hows that!!! Was I close....

I would say the bitrate is set to high and maybe the audio also. How long is the movie? Take the movie length in seconds and divide that number into 4350. Then multiply that number times 8. This willl give you the average bitrate you can use (minus the audio bitrate). Set the audio to say 256k, so minus 256,000 per second from the above number. Set that number as average video bitrate. I would try Max at 6, avg at your number, and min like 1000 or so. and try that.

What would be nice to do is load that file in VirtualDub, set in-out points and direct stream copy out a 5 minute clip. Take that clip to MainConcept to test your settings. Encode that clip, do your math to see if the whole movie would fit on a blank. (4,350MB)

Or, author that 7G file and create a HDD folder, then run DVD Shrink on the folder to make it fit. I did that today on a 6.4G 2-movie hdd folder. Looked good.

GOod luck.

[Chuffster]

Why is it soo big?

Because I didn't have any toys to play with as a child

8=========================================D

[JustSomeGuy]

Wow that was a mouthfull.
Pretty good...

DivX avi file.
Frame rate 29.970
Size is 720x480
48000 Kz, 2 channels 16 bits.
2h 6m 12s. = 7572s
7572 / 4350 * 8 = 13.93 hu?

4:3 display.. (But my TV is 16:9) I'm not sure if this setting is to
say what the output is to be displayed on or weather it was authored
to be displayed on a 4:3 display.. Follow me?

Sooo what should I set the bit rate to?
6000 kbps? max and 1000 min?
and drop the audio to 3200hz?

I havn't got the virtualdub but I'll try it ....

[bottle-necked]

7572 / 4350 * 8 = 13.93 hu?

no. 4350/7572=.574*8=4.6Mbps average.
((total blank size divided by total seconds)*8=Mega Bits per second allowed.)
(the 4350 number allows for overhead. Disk size is like 4489?)
minus audio (normal 256k) = 4.344Mbps
You might be able to add a little bit. Like 4.5Mbps.
So 6 max, 4.5 average should be close.
The idea behind having a short 5 minute clip to test with will mean alot if your setting are not correct. Encode a 5 minute clip then take the file size of it, do the math, and see (at that rate) if the whole 2 hours will fit a blank. 126/5=25.2*(your clips size)=x. If x > 4350 then movie will be too big.

4:3 display.. (But my TV is 16:9) I'm not sure if this setting is to
say what the output is to be displayed on or weather it was authored
to be displayed on a 4:3 display.. Follow me?

I would say that is the aspect ratio of the output. If it was ever a wide screen movie then those black bars on the screen are in the video taking up bits.

and drop the audio to 3200hz?

No, you want 48k just like it is. The audio bitrate is what you need to look at. I put in 256k bitrate as the standard I use. You can use whatever you like. What is the bitrate now? If it's lower now then leave it there. If it's AC3 you can also leave it as is and author that to DVD. Use AVICodec program or some other application to find out, then decide.

I havn't got the virtualdub but I'll try it ....

I couldn't make it without this program. I use it all the time.

But like I said before. Just author that first 7G MPEG2 file you already have to a DVD hdd folder then run DVD Shrink on it. I've did that a few times with good results. Amazing program to say the least. Will save you a lot of struggling with these numbers lol

Best of luck.

[spectroelectro]

Yes, the simplest and easiest way to deal with overlarge MPEG-2 files is to author 'em so that they look good (don't worry about bitrate calculators ) and then run a program like DVDShrink (an excellent app) or ReJig (an even better app) on the resulting MPEG-2 file to squish it down so it fits onto a single DVD-R.
I've found that using a high bitrate to generate overlarge MPEG-2s and then using ReJig to compress 'em produces a better-looking DVD-R with fewer visible encoding artifacts than cramping the encoding rate to shorehorn the MPEG-2 file onto 4.2 gigs worth of disc space.

[bottle-necked]

Well, I said that but only because he posted he had already encoded the 2 hour movie once and to save another encoding I suggest he just shrink the project folder. I think this would be faster, but I do not know if the end result quality would be better than calculating the bitrate properly and encoding the AVI again. 7G down to 4.4G is like 60% compression?????

I put 2 full length captured movies on 1 disk yesterday with good results. Total time 3 hours 40 minuts. The bitrate calculation says 2.6Mbps. I think the compression was around 70%. Although I can see some quality loss the output still looks ok on my TV so I was happy.

Good luck

[bugster]

Save yourself a lot of work with the calculator and go Here

[JustSomeGuy]

Calculator is cool...

However the program is asking for three bit rates.
Maximum, Average and Min.
What has the calculator calculated?

[bugster]

Calculator is cool...

However the program is asking for three bit rates.
Maximum, Average and Min.
What has the calculator calculated?

Average.

For DVD use 2000 min and 8000 or 9000 Max (only use 9000 max if your audio is compressed, i.e not LPCM)