Ulead DVD Workshop 2-final DVD size?

[uniks]

I have some problems with final DVD size:
My video .mpv file is 4.180MB, and the audio .AC3 file is 144MB.

Now, when I finish creating the menus in DVD Workshop I get 5.8GB with Long play disc template(the lowest).

Does this mean that when I encode avi to dvd with Cinema Craft Encoder SP2 I have to choose lower bitrate/lower quality so I would get aprox. just 2GB(the avi file itself is 1.4GB), and how do I even tell what size do I need?

I'm totally confused, when I did menus in Sonic DVDit I had no problems with final DVD size...it was just about 4.4GB

Please help.

[Baldrick]

DVD Workshop reencodes the video or/and audio. Are you sure that the video is mpeg2 dvd compliant? Check also so you don't reencode to lpcm wav audio also.

Or use something else to author with like TDA, DVD-lab.

[uniks]

what do you mean? I already said the video file is .mpv format.

[GeorgeW]

In the EDIT step, under the VIDEO and AUDIO tabs are 2 boxes called "Convert to disc template" -- were those two boxes blank, or did you put a checkmark in them (or were they automatically checked and ghosted)?

Also, what version are you running (including all patch updates)?

Regards,
George

[uniks]

this-

or were they automatically checked and ghosted

but only on video, how do I remove that?

version is 2.0.[/quote]

[GeorgeW]

If it is checked/ghosted, then DVD WS does not believe your video asset(s) are compliant for the type of disc you are creating. What are the properties of your source videos, and what type of disc are you creating (NTSC or PAL)?

Also, have you tried to apply update patches available from Ulead's support pages?

Regards,
George

[uniks]

OK, I updated it to version 2.232, opened the project and still the check mark convert to disk template on video is cemented. I guess that's goodby to DVD Workshop, after trying Sonic DVDit now this, I'm ready to give up on DVD authoring alltogether, is there no program out there that actually WORKS?!

and I'm creating PAL/SECAM DVD, original was .avi format which I encoded with Cinema Craft Encoder SP2 to .mpv format(with 4 CBR passes).

[lordsmurf]

It's not the authoring software with a problem, it's something you're doing. The MPEG-2 file likely is out of spec, or you are doing something wrong with PAL/NTSC settings somewhere in the food chain. Figure it out.

[uniks]

What exactly are you talking about? What food chain when there is only one option regarding PAL/NTSC, and I showed you the specs of the file...what else is there to "figure out"?

[GeorgeW]

It looks like you are creating a PAL DVD, but your source videos have NTSC Attributes (720x480 and 29.97fps).

Regards,
George

[uniks]

So you are saying when I encode to PAL format I have to select 720*576 and 25fps, only in that case will the program recognize it and I will be able to remove the check mark on disc template?

So I will have to encode it all over again?

[guns1inger]

If you want a PAL DVD you have to encode to PAL specs. Simple as that. Your video is encoded to NTSC spec, so when you tell it DVDWS to create a PAL disc it says OK, but I'm going to re-encode your video to PAL specs first.

So either encode your video correctly in the first place, or author an NTSC disc.

The choice is yours.

[uniks]

OK, just one more thing, besides resolution for PAL I have to put 25fps instead of 29?

[Richard_G]

Yes, see What is DVD at the top left of this page. There are a number of valid resolutions for a PAL DVD, but all of them are 25fps. As long as your mpeg files are DVD compliant, DVD WS will not re-encode them. If they are not, it has to re-encode them or your DVD player won't play them back.

[guns1inger]

Is your source NTSC or PAL ?
Converting between formats can cause unforeseen problems, such as audio sync issues, if not done correctly.

[uniks]

I know, conversion is always like that, so I'm not gonna convert anything, but encode the avi all over again with these settings-720*576, 25fps, CBR 5500 with 4 passes.

btw sometimes in CCE I get the movie only in 1/4 of the screen, despite the fact that I set in area setting-->move to center?

[Richard_G]

Why use 4 passes if you are encoding to CBR? An encode to a constant bit rate is just that so you should only need a single pass as every frame will be encoded to the same bit rate. You only really need multiple passes if you are encoding to a variable bit rate (VBR) when each frame is compressed by a different amount. By allowing multiple passes the encoder can work out the maximum rate that can be used for each frame while still remaining inside your maximum file size.

[uniks]

I didn't realize that, so you think I would get a better quality with VBR range 3000-8000 with 4 passes?

[Richard_G]

The quality would be better, but be prepared to wait a long time for it, a 4 pass encode will take an awfully long time even on a very high spec machine. Depending on what the subject is, 5500kbs CBR may well be high enough for decent quality. If there is lots of fast motion though, it may not be. I have gone as low as 4750kbs and got perfectly acceptable results with footage shot from a tripod mounted camcorder, on other clips, anything less than 6000kbs looks horrible. Only you can decide if the increase in quality given by using VBR outweighs the time it is going to take.

[uniks]

The problem is I have to set avg. bitrate to 3300 to reach acceptable file size, but then again I can set min to 3300 and max to 9000, what is really better if with CBR there is a constant of above 5000 and with VBR only 3300?

What is your experience? I'd hate to waste dvd.

btw, time is no concern because I usually leave it over night.

[guns1inger]

I can do a three pass VBR encode in CCE (analysis + 3 passes) in around 3 - 3.5 hours for a 90 minute film, using avisynth to resize it.

[MysticE]

I notice in your screenshot you've removed the name of the file. If in fact this an Xvid/Divx movie rip of about 103 minutes (6170 seconds) I doubt if all this fancy encoding is really going to help much.

A simple and fast conversion with ConvertXtoDVD at it's high quality setting should suffice.

[Richard_G]

I notice in your screenshot you've removed the name of the file. If in fact this an Xvid/Divx movie rip of about 103 minutes (6170 seconds) I doubt if all this fancy encoding is really going to help much.

Irrespective of what the original source file was, he was encoding a PAL format file using NTSC resolution and frame rate. It was this that was causing the problems with DVD WS insisting on re-encoding.