help burning AVI file onto DVD

[dunce]

ok, i have a surplus inventory of drink coasters if anyone wants to buy ... jk. i have an approx 5 min long AVI file that i shot with my own digital cam so i own the rights / no copyright etc i want to put this onto a dvd. the process of (not) doing this has been hands down one of the most exasperating and frustrating experiences of my entire life. and i have debugged electronics on military aircraft with schematics over a thousand pages long. here is what i have tried so far: 1. nero smart start: selected "make your own dvd video", then imported the AVI into nero. click next, goto the create menu screen. i just picked the default "island" theme with one chapter. click next again, set the burn speed, select the drive, select NTSC, and click burn. i have tried speeds 1x, 2x, 2.4x, 4x, 8x, 16x. nero always reports success, yet makes a coaster every time. 2. DVD Flick: imported avi into dvd flick, set mode to NTSC, then had it make an iso and a folder with the VIDEO_TS in it. fired up ImgBurn, chose burn image to disk, again tried all available speeds. again, imgburn reports success after verifying and plays its little sound diddy. yet it makes a coaster every time. 3. ImgBurn: imported the folder with the VIDEO_TS in it into imgburn using the write files/folders to disk. burned at every available speed. all reported success, imgburn did its jingle after each one. result: six more coasters. 4. ImgBurn take 2. this time i had imgburn first make an iso from the folder with the VIDEO_TS in it. then after that was done, went back into imgburn and selected "write image to disk" and had it burn the new iso it just created. using all possible burn speeds, including "MAX". again, coaster every time. its also interesting that all my coasters work/play just fine if i stick them in anyone of my PC's. no problems whatsoever. but if i try to put them into a dvd player, each and every one of them spits in my eye with the "No Disc" message. one DVD player completely freezes and locks up if i insert any of my coasters! everybody just raves about what great program imgburn is, but so far i am anything but convinced. seemes like its little more than a very effective coaster producing application. please prove me wrong. what are the steps to take an AVI file from a digital camra and make a DVD that will play in a DVD player? seems like it should be the simplest thing in the world to do, but this project has taken at least five years off my life so far! thanks in advance.

[guns1inger]

First thing to test is if the converted files play back correctly from your HDD. I tried to read through the slab of text you wrote, but you lack of paragraphs and punctuation make it difficult. Do a conversion that outputs to a VIDEO_TS folder, not an ISO. If you already have one, use that. Open the VIDEO_TS.ifo file, not one of the VOBs. Make sure it plays.

Assuming it does, the most likely culprit for repeated failures is either a DVD burner that is fubar'd, really crap media, or an incompatibility between your media and your burner and/or player.

How to test these things ?

First, tell us what media you are using.
Second, after burning a disc, can you see anything on it in Windows Explorer ? Can you see the VIDEO_TS folder ? Can you see the files inside it ?

If you can, open the VIDEO_TS.ifo file in a software player and see what happens. Does it play ?

If it does, test the disc in several different DVD players and see what results you get.

Be methodical about your testing.

If the files do not play back correctly from your HDD, try a different conversion tool. AVStoDVD is very good and free. ConvertXtoDVD is also good, but not free.

[dunce]

First thing to test is if the converted files play back correctly from your HDD.

they do. if you had really read my "slab" of text as you claimed you did, you would see that i clearly stated that all the dvd's i have made play fine on the computers.

I tried to read through the slab of text you wrote, but you lack of paragraphs and punctuation make it difficult.

i put in line breaks, the form software "slabified" (haha) my post when i sumbitted it.

Do a conversion that outputs to a VIDEO_TS folder, not an ISO. If you already have one, use that. Open the VIDEO_TS.ifo file, not one of the VOBs. Make sure it plays.

DVD Flick does this. i had it output BOTH a VIDEO_TS and an iso. the VIDEO_TS.ifo plays.

Assuming it does, the most likely culprit for repeated failures is either a DVD burner that is fubar'd, really crap media, or an incompatibility between your media and your burner and/or player.

1. the burner is obviously noy fubar, because the discs in makes plays on other computer's dvd drives.
2. the media is maxell, or memorex or something like that. brand name from best buy, not crap at all
3. how can i tell if there is an incomparability between my burner and/or player?

How to test these things ?

First, tell us what media you are using.

DVD+R single layer

Second, after burning a disc, can you see anything on it in Windows Explorer ? Can you see the VIDEO_TS folder ? Can you see the files inside it ?

windows explorer: yes, i see the files.
VIDEO_TS folder: yes
Files inside: yes.

If you can, open the VIDEO_TS.ifo file in a software player and see what happens. Does it play ?

yes. perfectly.

If it does, test the disc in several different DVD players and see what results you get.

fails in all dvd players. causes one dvd player to hang completely.

thanks for your help and quick reply

[dunce]

the most frustrating thing about this is after the burn is complete (and verified) imgburn reports success! success! why does it lie to me! if it would at least have the common decency of giving me an error message, i would at least have some place to start the debugging process.

maybe i will be the first person on this forum to unequivocally state that IMO ImgBurn is a total and complete piece of crap that doesn't work worth a darn.

[darkknight145]

Have you tried playing the DVD's on other stand alone DVD players?
It Could be that your DVD player simply does not play burned media, a lot of older big name brand players simply won't play burned media.
Also try rewritable media.

[dunce]

the output of the DVD Flick was a folder, that contains an iso, plus an VIDEO_TS and an AUDIO_TS. if i load the VIDEO_TS.ifo into windos media player, the movie plays just fine.

xxxxxxxxxx

if i copy the iso over to my linux box, and mount it as a filesystem, i can see the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders, plus all their contents, and all the file sizes match what they are on the windos box (no missing bytes).

[dunce]

Have you tried playing the DVD's on other stand alone DVD players?

yes. four of them. no joy.

It Could be that your DVD player simply does not play burned media

that is a very good point, but i have played burned media in these particular dvd players many times, so i know they can handle it. i did read somewhere that some dvd players take DVD+R but wont recognize DVD-R, or vice versa, but i don't think thats the issue here.

many thanks for the reply!

[dunce]

could it be that i have ImgBurn misconfigured somehow? like its thinking i want to make DVD ROM's or something but i really want to make DVD VIDEO?

[yifan163]

No matter what do you want, I think the first thing is to choose a right burning software which can fulfill to burn your files or formats.

I happend to read an article named "Quicky,Simple,and Pure to Convert AVI to DVD", you may have a try for the sake of realizing your five years dream.

[dunce]

No matter what do you want, I think the first thing is to choose a right burning software which can fulfill to burn your files or formats.

am i missing something? is ImgBurn not suitable for burning dvd video?! i have also tried nero to burn the same project, and it coasterizes evere time as well.

I happend to read an article named "Quicky,Simple,and Pure to Convert AVI to DVD", you may have a try for the sake of realizing your five years dream.

thanks for the tip. will read as soon as i get done ripping all of the hair on my head out by the roots to try to calm down from this stressful experience (that i actually thought was going to be fun!!!).

God bless flash drives and portable hard drives that can be plugged into the new TV sets via usb. then none of us will ever have to touch a dvd again, IMO that would be a very good thing.

[dunce]

what i just cant wrap my mind around is how come every single one of my coasters plays just fine (as a DVD VIDEO) when i plug it into a computer, but when i put it into a dvd player i might as well be putting a pb+j sandwich in there. just ... makes ... no .... sense!!!

[dunce]

it should be mandated that all dvd software / blank media come prepackaged with Valium! lol.

[guns1inger]

Ignore the post above about burning - the poster is a spammer, not a regular member. Imgburn is the way to go.

Given what you have said, I would suspect the media. Memorex is rubbish.

Go and buy some verbatims and burn with one of these and test on the players.

[Lawbringer]

when selecting the folders to burn with ImgBurn, do you include the AUDIO_TS folder as well as VIDEO_TS? Its absence (though it has absolutely nothing useful in it for DVD video) can make most standalone players choke.

Also, what DVD+R brand are you using?

[dunce]

Ignore the post above about burning - the poster is a spammer, not a regular member. Imgburn is the way to go.

Given what you have said, I would suspect the media. Memorex is rubbish.

Go and buy some verbatims and burn with one of these and test on the players.

we'll do. good to know about the Memorex being rubbish ... and i thought it was top of the line ... hence my screename ... dunce!

also would the cable from the computer to the burner make any difference? i know its probably a silly question, but i noticed that on the cord it had apparently got cut or nicked or something and someone had stripped and twisted all the little wires inside the cord back together and scotch taped the bare ends. this is about half way up the cord from the usb port to the drive. i mean the drive works fine and all so probably a non-issue, but i could upgrade to a Belken or other good usb cable tomorrow when i go after those verbatims if you think its worth it?

thanks again for your reply ... very helpful

[dunce]

when selecting the folders to burn with ImgBurn, do you include the AUDIO_TS folder as well as VIDEO_TS? Its absence (though it has absolutely nothing useful in it for DVD video) can make most standalone players choke.

what i do is i have a folder called x, and in that folder is the VIDEO_TS and the AUDIO_TS folder. i select the x folder to burn with imgburn.

Also, what DVD+R brand are you using?

i have both memorex and maxell, but the poster above said the memorex were crapola.

[guns1inger]

Select the Video_TS folder, and imgburn will make sure you have everything configured correctly for DVD Video

[dunce]

just the Video_TS? it will it automatically put in the (empty but obligatory) Audio_TS as well?

on my coasters, when i look at them in windows explorer, in the root directory i have the Video_TS and Audio_TS folders. Audio_TS is empty. Video_TS contains the VOB's, along with a Video_TS.ifo file. opening THAT file in windows media player, i see the video play (along with audio)

is this the correct file structure for Video DVD? I just still cannot fathom why the AVI plays fine on the computer, the Video_TS.ifo plays fine on the computer, the COASTER plays fine on the computer dvd player software (and windows media player) but the standalone's totally reject it. whats with that?

[dunce]

yeah i hope its just the media ... would be so nice if after i score some verbatims tomorrow this turns into a success story!

[guns1inger]

When you look at the disc you burned in your computer, what do you see ?
What is the top level folder ?

If you choose the video_ts folder when you burn, Imgburn assumes it is a DVD Video disc unless told otherwise. If you choose a different folder, in your case one level up, it assumes it is a data disc. Your computer doesn't care one way or the other.

Try burning a maxell disc with imgburn starting with the video_ts folder, and see if your players are happier with it.

[dunce]

When you look at the disc you burned in your computer, what do you see ?
What is the top level folder ?

there is no top level folder. there is the root directory, i guess that is what you call it. basically, when i right click on the disk drive in My Computer and click on explore, a window opens up with a VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folder. decending into the Audio_TS reveals an empty directory. decending into the VIDEO_TS reveals the VOB's

If you choose the video_ts folder when you burn, Imgburn assumes it is a DVD Video disc unless told otherwise. If you choose a different folder, in your case one level up, it assumes it is a data disc. Your computer doesn't care one way or the other.

Try burning a maxell disc with imgburn starting with the video_ts folder, and see if your players are happier with it.

off to try it now. i have a folder on the hdd with Video_TS and Audio_TS in it. i will tell imgburn to burn the Video_TS folder like you instructed. will report back.

[dunce]

ok im back.

burned one disc by telling imgburn to burn the Video_TS folder. result: coaster
burned one disc by telling imgburn to burn the Audio_TS folder. result: coaster
burned one disc by telling imgburn to burn the folder containing both the Audio_TS and Video_TS. result:coaster.

and of course, as the final slap in the face, all three work just fine, no problems whatsoever, when i put them in computers. windows explorer says the files and folders are all there and where they are supposed to be. and it plays! it plays! but to a dvd player, its a coaster.

imgburn always says "Operation completed successfully" when it gets done burning.

but it lies.

it lies

it lies

[dunce]

this has been hands down one of the top three most exasperating, frustrating and rage producing events of my entire life. and i have been to war. and seen combat.

[guns1inger]

I can tell you that the problem isn't Imgburn. It is something that you are doing, or something else in your set up. Imgburn has burned literally millions upon millions of discs and has proven itself to be on eof the most reliable tools for DVD Video.

[dunce]

I can tell you that the problem isn't Imgburn. It is something that you are doing

yup, im a dunce. hence the name.

Imgburn has burned literally millions upon millions of discs and has proven itself to be on eof the most reliable tools for DVD Video.

here's the deal. i went and installed imgburn on my PC (not my laptop like i have been using) and tried burning the same Video_TS folder i have been working with all along on the PC using the internal DVD burner built into the PC.

success. plays in all computers and (drumroll please) all my dvd players!!!

so now i have the problem narrowed down to:

1. bad laptop, or bad laptop configuration.
2. bad cable between laptop and external DVD burner (doesn't seem likely because drive reads the discs fine, and writes data discs fine)
3. bad external DVD burner (again, doesn't seem likely)
4. some kind of i/o communication error on the USB. it was interesting the PC with the internal drive completed the burn with imgburn in like 2 min, whereas the external drive connected to the laptop took like ten minutes to burn it. and both times i had speed set to 2x.

so what i am going to do, just as soon as i regain a modicum of sanity, is i am going to plug the external usb burner into the PC (not the laptop) and try burning again with verbatims using the external drive. if it works, i will know its the laptop, but if it doesn't work i will know its the external DVD burner. and if that is the case, i will be personally reconfiguring that external DVD drive with a hammer in my driveway this afternoon!

again, many thanks for your help on this odyssey, guns1inger!!! and to all the others who have chimed in as well, thank you!

[guns1inger]

That's why I said in my first post - Be methodical. It is the only way to narrow down these infuriating problems that pop up from time to time. Great to hear that this sorry saga might be coming to an end.

[dunce]

btw the external drive (the coster making machine) is a Plexicorp brand, or something like that
the internal PC drive (the one that seems to be working) is a Light On brand.

are there any commonly known issues,fixes, workarounds for these drives for the purposes of making DVD video?

perhaps another dunce question, is it even possible to make DVD Video Disc using an external burner?

thank you.

[dunce]

does anyone know which stores carry the Verbatim brand?

i have been to staples, best buy, radio sh!t, cvs, kmart and walmart. all of them had lots and lots of memorex (which apparently is crapola) and a brand called TDK. is the TDK any good? i ended up getting maxell's again, because as i explained in an earlier post i was able to successfully make a stand alone dvd with a maxell dvd+r

but where do you guys who hang out here go to buy your verbatims?

and please don't say "online" or give a url. i have heard, "just go online and buy them" from about six store clerks who couldn't be a day over eighteen. they could not understand for the life of them that i didn't want memorex brand. it was as if i was asking them to unify the theory of general relativity and quantum mechanics and have it on my desk in five minutes. so a word of advice: the next person who has the audacity to tell me to my face to "buy something online" .... avoid dark alleys for a while! lol.

thanks in advance.

[Lawbringer]

Well, I was going to say "online", but...

I've seen them at my local Microcenter, but they are not very widespread, so unless you have one nearby, it's a moot point.

I've overall had pretty good luck with TDK, and bought a 50-pack of Maxell's a few years back that turned out to be re-branded Ridata's (this was before Ridata became utter crap) which worked well.

What is the model of the DVD player(s) that won't play the disc? If it's a newer model, I'd recommend getting a DVD+RW (and Memorex are surprisingly not bad in that department) and practicing on that.

For RW's, I recommend doing a "Full Erase" with ImgBurn before burning anything on it. It will take a while, so don't worry if it seems to take a very long time.

Then, just to be on the safe side, DO NOT pick the root folder as the folder to burn.
Pick VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS

[Jim44]

Best Buy usually carries Verbatim - I've purchased the last two spindles from them.

(My usual preference is to buy online, but I have a BB 1/2-mile from the house, so it's easy to go there.)