How much HDD space is needed for DVD production?

[boing]

I have all of my converted files ready to author then burn to DVD, at the moment I have my files in VOB DVD compliant format as converted with SUPER (bloody lovely quality output too) but have not yet authored them

I would like to know the following:

a) is the above format the correct one? (its one of several mpeg2 options SUPER had to offer)

b) How much space on my hardrive will I need before authoring and finally burning?

If some has this info, I'd be gratefull, thanks

[redwudz]

If you are going to author them with most authoring programs, you might be better off with DVD compliant MPEG-2 video and and audio. I favor AC3 for the audio.

Besides the VOBs, you need IFOs, BUPs, in a VIDEO_TS folder. That's what the authoring program will create, along with the menus, chapters, etc. Unless SUPER made all those, you will still have some work before burning. See 'WHAT IS' DVD to the upper left on this page for the DVD specifications and format.

If I have to edit a DVD or MPEG or just about any video file, then encode it and author it, I figure I need at least four times the size of the file in space on my hard drive, say 20GB. I delete it all after a successful burn. And for burning, ImgBurn works very well. It accepts VIDEO_TS folders in 'Build' mode.

[boing]

If you are going to author them with most authoring programs, you might be better off with DVD compliant MPEG-2 video and and audio. I favor AC3 for the audio.

Besides the VOBs, you need IFOs, BUPs, in a VIDEO_TS folder. That's what the authoring program will create, along with the menus, chapters, etc. Unless SUPER made all those, you will still have some work before burning. See 'WHAT IS' DVD to the upper left on this page for the DVD specifications and format.

If I have to edit a DVD or MPEG or just about any video file, then encode it and author it, I figure I need at least four times the size of the file in space on my hard drive, say 20GB. I delete it all after a successful burn. And for burning, ImgBurn works very well. It accepts VIDEO_TS folders in 'Build' mode.

Hi, I should have explained the first bit a little better

The files SUPER has given me are not VOBs as per an authoring program, they are mpeg2 with AC3 audio, its just that SUPER has several mpeg2 choices and one is called 'VOB DVD compliant format' I presume this simply means that the mpeg2/AC3 file produced will be accepted by an authoring program without much hassle?

Are there any circumstances when the 20GB isnt enough? ie: if I can find a spare 30GB should I make that much room rather than 20GB?

I think the purchase of an external harddrive is on the cards LOL
Thanks

[theewizard]

for a standard dvd5 single layer, 20 gigs will do it, but the moe you have the better, as it creates less fragmentation, and less disc thrashing

some authoring programs require seperate streams, audio and video seperately

super can supply those for you, if needed, ans so can other programs.

in super just check stream copy for NO reencoding, check disable audio

then remane the output to change the extension to m2v for elementary video NO audio

repeat process, check disable video, stream copy audio, to get your AC3 audio stream, it will have the correct AC3 ext