Mac Burning Options

[cowboyup910]

Got a new toy this weekend, iMac 27'. I never had Mac before, so don't even know if I will keep it. LOL..

Just want to see what all the hype is about.

Anyhow, I wanna try encoding some files like avi and mkv to DVD.

Can someone recommend some programs that work pretty close to that of ConvertxtoDVD.

I don't want to come at this in the wrong way, like using Windows under parallels.

I want a true Mac experience so even if its free programs or paid doesn't matter.

Thanks!

[edDV]

Got a new toy this weekend, iMac 27'. I never had Mac before, so don't even know if I will keep it. LOL..

Just want to see what all the hype is about.

Anyhow, I wanna try encoding some files like avi and mkv to DVD.

Can someone recommend some programs that work pretty close to that of ConvertxtoDVD.

I don't want to come at this in the wrong way, like using Windows under parallels.

I want a true Mac experience so even if its free programs or paid doesn't matter.

Thanks!

A true Mac experience would confine you to Apple software. In Apple software, AVI and MKV are foreign and not supported.

Try open source Handbreak to encode h.264/MKV instead.

See https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/163564-Tutorials-The-Complete-Guide-to-Macintosh-Video-Conversion

[johns0]

Thread moved to mac forum.

[Case]

I want a true Mac experience so even if its free programs or paid doesn't matter.

A true Mac experience would confine you to Apple software.

That's like saying a Windows experience confines you to Microsoft software.

Many Mac users have Roxio Toast for making DVDs.

Burn is a free disc burning app, with some conversion ability using build-in ffmpeg.

Shareware MovieConverter Studio will convert to MPEG-2 and author a VIDEO_TS folder.

If you can still find it, discontinued VisualHub is still a favorite converter among its user base.

[cowboyup910]

I want a true Mac experience so even if its free programs or paid doesn't matter.

A true Mac experience would confine you to Apple software.

That's like saying a Windows experience confines you to Microsoft software.

Many Mac users have Roxio Toast for making DVDs.

Burn is a free disc burning app, with some conversion ability using build-in ffmpeg.

Shareware MovieConverter Studio will convert to MPEG-2 and author a VIDEO_TS folder.

If you can still find it, discontinued VisualHub is still a favorite converter among its user base.

Thanks for the information. Looks like I have to do it in stages, like first convert avi or mkv files to MPEG-2 or like mov files, and then use a program that will author them into a Video_TS folder. I will play and got a lot of reading and trial and error.

[rumplestiltskin]

Toast will do the transcoding and authoring in one step (from most formats - check the Roxio website for details). You will want to make sure you have the free Perian plugin regardless.

[lordsmurf]

Toast = Nero = crapware for video encoding

Burning and converting are not the same, either.
Two completely separate tasks.
Toast is a burning program. Video encoding is an afterthought. It's therefore not very good.

[cowboyup910]

Toast = Nero = crapware for video encoding

Burning and converting are not the same, either.
Two completely separate tasks.
Toast is a burning program. Video encoding is an afterthought. It's therefore not very good.

BTW that wasn't very helpful...Once I get a Video_TS folder, I'm sure there any many apps like in Linux and Windows for burning.

Can you then suggest your method or advice for creating the DVD structure from AVI, or MKV files.

[Herve]

[QUOTE=cowboyup910;2011594]

Can you then suggest your method or advice for creating the DVD structure from AVI, or MKV files.

hello (I'm the author of MovieConverter-Studio)
a notice:
avi or mkv are not DVD-VIDEO compliant
you have to convert -first- to the "only one" compliant format (aka mpeg2)
so, 3 steps: encoding, author and burn

on mac:

- the best DVD-VIDEO authoring is make by iDVD (but it's a bu*****t with encoding with "exotic formats" like avi or mkv)
PS: DVDStudioPro is better but far expensive!
Other softs have their own advantages and inconvenients (no one is perfect)

- for encoding purposes, all depends on the essence of your file
for simple conversion (progressive file, already on ntsc) all softs can do it (compressor -from FinalCutSuite is the best here- but expensive too)
if you have some needs more, all these softs will produce bad quality (from memories, a soft like BitVice -expensive again- did it well, the last time I try it…).

- for burning purposes, I like LiquidCD (donationware): it's one of the few soft that burn to the good DVD format (same format like iDVD or DVDSP)
Most of softs "burn too simply" (not an UDF 1.02+ISO track = the most compliant format for home DVD-VIDEO)
PS: I don't know what does Burn

I didn't really give you an advice (I'm too partial, I'm a shareware's developper ), was only my two cents
bye

[pixel zombie]

i use visualhub to convert avi and mkv to DVD, it is no longer made but it still works with snow leopard..i use Toast mainly for burning but when i want to make a dvd with simple menus Toast works just fine, the problem with Toast is it is very slow for video conversions and it isn't always succesful..there are several alternatives to visualhub but i havn't had a chance to try them yet..i also use MPEG2 Works 4 but it isn't a one step process as of yet, i also recommend Perian and MPEG Streamclip and if you really want to get into dvd editing check out DVDRemaster and mydvdedit...

[cowboyup910]

Thanks for all the options and advice.