Advice on burning tv episodes

[neolithic]

I have season 1 of the X-files in .avi format that I would like to burn across 2 DVDs (total size of each disc ~4gb). To convert them to DVD I have Cucusoft AVI to DVD Converter Pro. I have three questions. Is there a user friendly authoring program for me to make menus (just a .jpg background and either motion previews or thumbnails) and the ability to just drag and drop my files into the program. Currently I am using DVD-lab Pro but I can't get it's menu system to work properly. Secondly, should it take 4.5 hours to convert from .avi to DVD per file? I'm running XP Pro on a P4 3.06ghz with a gb of ram. Finally, is there an easier more streamlined way of doing all of this or is this the best way? Thanks for your help in advance.

[DVD_Ripper]

Welcome!

Season 1 of the Xfiles... how many hours is that? 16, 18 hours of video? You will not be able to fit that on two DVD's. IMO.

But if you wanna try ... try converting your AVI's to 1/2D1 MPEG Files and then use your authoring program dejour to process them.

I'm using Movie Factory V3 and am very happy.

[neolithic]

They are about 40-45mins apiece x 20 for about 14 hours of video. I'm still having trouble with the menus though. Is there a tool available like Nero Express SVCD creator? With that all I had to do was drag all my files over, choose a background and template. Also, is the 4+ hours for converting one file normal?

Would Movie Factory be good for burning episodes or better for larger single files?

[sacajaweeda]

352x240 @ 1321 VBR w/128k audio should do the trick. 7 hours per disc, albeit VCD quality.

HTH

[neolithic]

I appreciate all of your tips but you still haven't really answered my original questions:

1) Should it take so long to convert?
2) Is there a more user friendly menu creation system?

[sacajaweeda]

I encode 2.5 to 3.5 times real time on my system using AVISynth and Cinemacraft Encoder. Not familiar with the one you're using so I can't say what is normal for that particular app. Some go for hours or even days on end. I encoded something with TMPGEnc once when I first started doing this that was three hours long and it took 70-some hours to encode it all. Of course that was with a 1.33 cpu and before I learned to frameserve and steer clear of the filtering options in that program.

DVD Lab is pretty cut and dried. You'll not find a simpler authoring app that's as versatile as it is, IMHO.

[pudds]

Why not buy a divx player? I know its not answering your question but ive just finished downlaoding the first series of the x-files and ive burnt them on two dvd's as the original avi files (with ac3 sound) and i can play them perfectly on my divx player (a yamada dvx-6600).