Question regarding AVI-DVD files sizes, incl multiple files

[cykedout]

Just got broadband and just about to begin converting AVIs and other files to DVD. Have read some of the guides regarding the various software tools, encoders, and such. Will test various methods to find the best method for me.


However, the question I have is regarding file sizes. The standard DVD-R is 4.37Gb, but what is/are the AVERAGE sizes of AVI files that would be the best to convert to DVD. In searching the net, many of the full movies available in AVI form are about 600MB to 800MB as average. I know there is a lot of variety in quality of these files, but is this an average size to convert to 1 DVD. Or would you get more on a disc. What about TV episodes? some are about 300MB to 400MB as average. Would you put 2, 3 or more on one disc via conversion -- mainly I want to get American shows that haven't been shown here yet, just to watch, not to keep, etc.


Any good advice (from experienced "converters" would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[redwudz]

The size of a AVI (XVID, DIVX, etc.) has little relation to the size of a converted MPEG file. What is important is the running time of the video and the bitrate used to convert.

That said, a average XVID movie that fits on a CD will generally convert to a MPEG-2 file of about 1.5GB. You should be able to get two on a DVD.

If you have XVIDs, try VSO DivxToDVD. The quality is usually as good as XVIDs from questionable sources and it's easy.

If you have a quality XVID and you want to convert to DVD format, then you need to do some studying. I use TMPGEnc encoder, then author with TMPGEnc DvD Author.

As far as other video files such as TV programs that are converted; You're on your own. I take a unknown video file and run it through AVIcodec first. There are all kinds of encodes and people doing them that don't have a clue. You have to know what you are working with before you can decide how to convert them. Good luck.

[jimmalenko]

In searching the net, many of the full movies available in AVI form are about 600MB to 800MB as average.

Public domain movies, I hope

Any good advice (from experienced "converters" would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I use TMPGEnc Plus to encode and TMPGEnc DVD Author to author most of the time. Recently I've been testing VSO DivxToDVD and I've been quite impressed with the quality and time taken. My only concern with the program is that I don't feel like I'm in the driver's seat, as I like to have a fair bit of control in the process, but that's just me ...

http://members.dodo.net.au/~jimmalenko/AVI2DVD.htm might have some useful advice, and also guides you through one method of doing this.

[tabachanker]

What about TV episodes? some are about 300MB to 400MB as average. Would you put 2, 3 or more on one disc via conversion -- mainly I want to get American shows that haven't been shown here yet, just to watch, not to keep, etc.

Lately, I've been converting episodes of a TV show that are 22 minutes long from Xvid to DVD.

I can put 5 episodes on a single DVD+R. I use VBR encoding with 5500 bit/s average and the quality is excellent (well, for my taste!). For encoding, I use CCE (I use AviSynth for frameserving)