Newbie needs help on avi to dvd burning

[BlackAdder2TheRescue]

Hi guys I would really appreciate some help in this please

I have some TV show episodes (5 to be exact) that were all AVIs and I made them all into DVD format because I want them all in the same DVD. I used DVDSanta and since I wanted to put all the episodes together I didnt burn each episode I made, I want to burn them all.
Now all 5 are in DVD format. How do I burn them all into one DVD? Which program should I use for the burning? I already have installed: DVDDecrypter, DVDShrink, Nero 6.0.3 and Alcohol120. Can I use any of these programs to burn the episodes into one DVD? And also I want to make a simple menu in this DVD so as to be able to choose something form the menu ( I havent read any guides about authoring DVD menus nor do I know any programs to do that, so Im gonna have and check some out now).
Thanks in advance

EDIT: Ok I just saw in DVDSanta the choice for disk image or dvd video folder to dvd...my question is do I choose all the files that there are? (SInce I have encoded 5 episodes) in which order should I put them?

[jyn999]

The order in which you want to watch them?

[BlackAdder2TheRescue]

I mean I have episodes 4x01 4x02 and 4x03
For each episode I made the avi into dvd I have a different folder which each one has 2 BUP files, 2 IFO files and 3 VOB files.
I want to burn them correctly..wel..author them correctly...or I dont know exactly so that I can see in the menu 4x01 4x02 4x03 and then choose
not 4x03 4x01 and 4x02...
maybe Im making no sense huh? Well I just want to know how to burn all those files correctly because there are so many of them!

[macleod]

tmpgenc dvd author, movie factory 2 would be 2 that could do it for you.

[trickyman]

If i understand your question corrcetly, u have MPEG2 files that u want to author as a DVD.

How do I burn them all into one DVD? Which program should I use for the burning? I already have installed: DVDDecrypter, DVDShrink, Nero 6.0.3 and Alcohol120. Can I use any of these programs to burn the episodes into one DVD?

NO...

Sounds like a job for TMPGenc DVD Author...

[BlackAdder2TheRescue]

to be more exact:
I made an avi file with the use of DVDSanta into a dvd. Which resulted in a file VIDEO_TS which has 2 IFO files, 2 BUP files and 3 VOB files. All these things came from a single episode in .AVI.
I have to use TMPGenc DVD Author to burn this into the dvd as I can understand. But since I have made 5 diferent AVI files into MPEG2 (dvd) can I add them all at once? Or do I have to burn the dvd many times?
Im sorry if Im not making myself clear but Im from Greece :P

[Garibaldi]

Now all 5 are in DVD format. How do I burn them all into one DVD?

A free easy program that will do just that and allow you to create however simple or complex menus as you want is GUI for DVD Author. It will create VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders, which you just drag onto a data dvd and burn. If you need more info let me know.

[jyn999]

to be more exact:
I made an avi file with the use of DVDSanta into a dvd. Which resulted in a file VIDEO_TS which has 2 IFO files, 2 BUP files and 3 VOB files. All these things came from a single episode in .AVI.
I have to use TMPGenc DVD Author to burn this into the dvd as I can understand. But since I have made 5 diferent AVI files into MPEG2 (dvd) can I add them all at once? Or do I have to burn the dvd many times?
Im sorry if Im not making myself clear but Im from Greece :P

What is the total size of the .VOB files created from each .AVI? A DVD can only hold about 4.7GB (8.5 for dual layer media).

[Capmaster]

Actually a DVD-5 holds 4.37GB, not 4.7, and a DL DVD-9 holds 7.9GB, not 8.5

[Garibaldi]

Actually a DVD-5 holds 4.37GB, not 4.7, and a DL DVD-9 holds 7.9GB, not 8.5 wink.gif

Cap's exactly right. They only say that its a 4.7 GB to make it seem like it holds more. The "4.7" actually refers to the bit (I think) number, for instance 1000 KB is actually 1024 bits. Since its deciving you just have to plan your dvd with 4.37 in mind.

[jyn999]

No mas! No mas! I concede the point!

I only wanted BlackAdder2TheRescue to understand that all five MPEG2 files may not fit on one DVD without shrinking.

[BlackAdder2TheRescue]

Ok so lemme get this straight:

So far I have downloaded TMPGenc DVD author and Im gonna try it later today
As I can understand, I have to use DVDShrink in case all 5 MPEG2 files (all 5 episodes) will fit in one DVD.
The VOB files (for one episode it made three VOB files) are 1G maximum.
Now Im gonna download GUI for DVD author

So what I have to do now is:
Make sure all MPEG2 files will fit into one dvd
if not, shrink them with DVDShrink
Then burn them with GUI
Right?

[BlackAdder2TheRescue]

I downloaded TMPGenc DVD Author (AC3 was included the setup said) but I run the programm went to environment and it says that there is no AC3 plugin installed. Where can I find it?
The one you have in your site has a spyware

[Capmaster]

No mas! No mas! I concede the point!

I only wanted BlackAdder2TheRescue to understand that all five MPEG2 files may not fit on one DVD without shrinking.

Sorry. Didn't want it to sound like a pile-on The marketing types never fail to piss me off. This "4.7" thing is just a good example of lying to sell merchandise :P

[BlackAdder2TheRescue]

Erm..I think I have made a mistake.
The files that were created after I turned the avi file into a dvd are ifo vob and something else I dont remember..
Do I have to turn all these into 1 single MPEG2 file? I think Im too confused

[Capmaster]

Erm..I think I have made a mistake.
The files that were created after I turned the avi file into a dvd are ifo vob and something else I dont remember..
Do I have to turn all these into 1 single MPEG2 file? I think Im too confused

The third type is .BUP.

No. Those are the authored DVD files ready for burning

With DV the file type progression is:
DV/AVI(capture)>MPEG(transcode)>VOB/IFO/BUP(author)>disc

With MPEG hardware capture and editing the file type progression is:
MPEG(capture)>MPEG(edit)>VOB/IFO/BUP(author)>disc

With MPEG hardware capture with no editing the file type progression is:
MPEG(capture)>VOB/IFO/BUP(author)>disc

There are other specialized operations that can be done on files like demuxing, framerate conversion, transcoding, subtitling, etc., but the three examples above are the most common for simple capture-to-burn

[sugarshine]

Why can't you just take all your episodes & just add them all to 1 dvd using shrink. If they all can't fit just compress then burn with shrink or save to hard drive then burn wth your favorite burning program. This isn't complicated at all.

[BlackAdder2TheRescue]

Yeah I got it now, I will take these files and use DVDShrink to shrink them.
The thing that got me confused was the use of TMPGenc DVD author....

Thanks for the help guys.
Now lets say that I have all the files already shrinked and ready to be burned. I want to make a DVD with a simple menu. Do I have to use GUI or another program? I dont want anything fancy and difficult, I just want to be able to make one single menu which leads to the (foe example) 3 episodes the dvd has but which episodes will not have any chapters.
Im gonna have a try with GUI or look for something else.
Thanks guys 8)