from avi to dvd

[Ans]

I'm definitely a newbie, but I'm learning: I bought an external HD for enough space, converted it to NTFS, authored my movie with Windows movie maker, saved is as an avi (PAL) file, tried to burn it to DVD with NTI DVD maker (came with my note book), but ran into the following problem. Before burning it to a DVD, you have to convert the AVI file to MPEG (1 or 2, does it matter?), from what I understand. Unfortunately, the NTI program tells me that my file isn't an avi file (which it is). Any simple way out?

Any help is welcome!

Ans

[Baldrick]

dv avi? nti dvd maker may require some dv codec like the panasonic dv codec. or try some other dvd encoder....click on Tools here to the left....

[laspis59]

I'm definitely a newbie, but I'm learning: I bought an external HD for enough space, converted it to NTFS, authored my movie with Windows movie maker, saved is as an avi (PAL) file, tried to burn it to DVD with NTI DVD maker (came with my note book), but ran into the following problem. Before burning it to a DVD, you have to convert the AVI file to MPEG (1 or 2, does it matter?), from what I understand. Unfortunately, the NTI program tells me that my file isn't an avi file (which it is). Any simple way out?

Any help is welcome!

Ans

Yes you have to convert to MPEG2 first with a GOOD encoder like TMPGEnc Plus,Mainconcept MPEG Encoder or CCE.Only then can you author to a DVD file structure with the likes of DVD Lab or TMPGEnc DVD Author.After all this you can then go ahead and burn to a DVD-\+R.I Recommend using IMGBurn.Make an ISO image file first though using IMGTools Classic

[Ans]

Thanks. I had no idea how complicated this whole process would be! I converted the avi file with TMPGenc. Right now i have an .wav and a .m2v file. Do i have to merge these files somehow first or can i just burn them simultanuously to the dvd?

[laspis59]

It would have been easier if you had of encoded the AVI to MPEG2 using the Program Stream option (Video+Audio) then you would of had just 1 file.
Use ffmpeggui to convert the .wav file to ac3 or mp2 using sampling rate 48000.
Then you can load the .m2v file and .ac3\.mp2 file into TMPGEnc DVD Author.

Edit: You may need the TMPG AC3 Plugin for AC3,if you cannot afford,convert to .mp2

[Ans]

So, hopefully almost there. I converted the .wav file into a .ac3 file, tried to merge it with the .m2v video file via muxman. It did come out as a .vob file, but it looks like the movie is cut into 4 different pieces. Do I just burn them on the dvd one after the other, or should i have done something else altogether? My second question is: what would be a good program for beginners (to purchase) that has the capacities to do all this (except for the burning part)?

[redwudz]

You are likely doing it the best way, but for fast and easy, I use VSO DivxToDVD for DV to DVD conversions if I am in a hurry.

EDIT: VOB files are ~1GB max, so with a regular DVD you will have several of them for the whole video. If you look to the left under 'What is' DVD, you will see the DVD structure.

[laspis59]

So, hopefully almost there. I converted the .wav file into a .ac3 file, tried to merge it with the .m2v video file via muxman. It did come out as a .vob file, but it looks like the movie is cut into 4 different pieces. Do I just burn them on the dvd one after the other, or should i have done something else altogether? My second question is: what would be a good program for beginners (to purchase) that has the capacities to do all this (except for the burning part)?

I haven't used Muxman before but if it authors and the VOB files are in a VIDEO_TS folder all you have to do is load the VIDEO_TS folder into the burning software of you choice and burn to DVDR.Like redwudz said,it's normal for you to have several VOB files,about 1GB each.

[Ans]

I loaded all the video_ts files into the burning software and burned the dvd. I can play it on my laptop now, but my dvd player doesn't recognize the dvd. Last tip??

[redwudz]

It depends on what you used to play it on your laptop. A program like PowerDVD approximates a settop player and if it works well there, it should play on a settop.

Then you come to the part about settop compatibility. If you look to the left <<< under DVD Players, you can check that. Your media (Brand of DVD disc) may not be right, or the player may not like your type of disc, -R, or +R. If you have played similar discs before, then it may be a problem with that DVD disc, if not, try a different player.

[Sonxabobillia]

Perhaps you might try to finalize the disk by checking the appropriate box during the setup & just before the burn i.e. Track-At-Once in NTI. Maybe you also might try to notch your speed down to 4 times & check your buffer under-run protection. NTI also has an option to ignore some medium read errors. Although I don’t have a firm grasp on mpeg layers 1,2,3,4, I think that might have something to do with it. Some .avi > .mpeg conversion/encoding programs work better than others. Still testing some of those. Hope this might be helpful.