shouldn't this file fit on a DVD?

[garybeck]

this seems like a simple question, but I'm confused...

I have a 1.5 hour TV program that I got off my TiVo. it's an mpeg file.

My burning software is Sonic MyDVD. When I import the file into Sonic, and choose high quality, it shows the program fits on the DVD and there is something like 800MB left. All is well. But when I go to burn it, it goes through all the file conversions and at the last minute it tells me there's not enough room on the disk.

So I went to the Sonic help. It says that you can only fit 70 mins of high quality video on a single layer DVD. I thought it was more like two hours?! And why would it tell me I still have 800MB of room left?

So I decided to look at some other DVDs I have. I picked out a movie that is over 3 hours long and it fits on one dual layer DVD. It's a real production film, and it's "special edition" so I assume it's all set to high quailty.

So why can 3+ hours of high quality video fit on to a dual layer DVD, but 1.5 hours can't fit on to a single layer?

Or is there something wrong with my Sonic program? Shouldn't I be able to fit a 1.5 hour program on to a DVD?

Oh yeah, it's worth noting, the mpeg file is 3.9GB. Does it really get that much bigger just to convert it to DVD format?

any explanation or advice is appreciated!

gary in vermont

[guns1inger]

It is all about bitrate. Look in the tools section for a bitrate calculator. It will tell you what bitrate is required to fit into what space. If your encoder allows you to set the bitrate, use the calculated numbers. If it uses some arbitrary quality setting, get a real encoder.

[Nelson37]

Early versions of Sonic will not allow for MP2 audio on DVD. This is technically out-of-spec, but most players will play it. Sonic will convert to PCM audio, which is a dramatically larger file. Sonic will accept an MPG muxed with an AC3 file to prevent this conversion.

Filesize is dependent on time and bitrate. A one-hour file at a bitrate of 4000 will be the same size as a two-hour file at a bitrate of 2000. To fit a longer file, reduce the bitrate.

Use Sonic as a burner ONLY. Do NOT allow it to encode your files, which it will do if it thinks they are not compatible. It is a crappy encoder, and your files are already encoded.

Try GuiforDVDAuthor for authoring, then burn the folder with CDBurnerXPPro, or any simple burner prog.

[guns1inger]

I wouldn't use CDBurnerXP Pro for burning DVD Video. Even it's author doesn't recommend it. Use imgtools classic to create an ISO of the Video_TS folder, then imgburn to burn to disc.

[Abond]

So why can 3+ hours of high quality video fit on to a dual layer DVD, but 1.5 hours can't fit on to a single layer?

Because they don't use Sonic MyDVD.