Do I need to Compress the Data?

[Seanna]

Hello. I am new to this and looking for resources to help me learn so thanks in advance for your help. I have scanned the forum threads for answers to my questions before posting. If I overlooked answers that are posted please redirect me to the right thread.

I have copied my old home movies from VHS tapes to DVD’s with a DVD recorder. When I open the DVD on my Macbook I see a Video TS and Audio TS file. Some of the VHS tapes were recorded in 2 hour mode and copied to DVD in 2 hour mode and this gives me about 9GB of data.

My son has Final Cut Pro that I can use but we work on different schedules and I’ve not had an opportunity to sit with him and learn how to use it. At first glance it looks like an awesome program that will take some serious time to learn how to use.

I do have DVDxDV to import the file to QuickTime so I can edit out parts of the movie.
I’m still left with about 8 ½ GB of data. My question is how do I get the remaining data back on a 4.7 GB DVD to share with my family? Do I need to compress it? If so, how do I compress data?

[classfour]

If you want to maintain quality - No. DVD media is cheap, you can author to two 4.7 GB discs. -or-

If you want to spend some money (more money), author to a DVD 9 disc. From what I've seen, the only reliable DVD 9 DL media is Verbatim, and they aren't as cheap for one as one DVD 5 is.

You'd have more work authoring to two discs, added menus, etc.; but it's well worth the cost of the discs compared to DL media, and you preserve what quality you have.

[Seanna]

Thanks for the reply. Since the movies are old and the quality of the camera (1987) was poor I don't want to lose what little quality there is.
Which leads me to one more question if I may.
How can I determine where to split the movie? The slider in QuickTime shows time, 1 hour 5 minutes.
How many minutes equals a GB of data?

Is this arbitrary or is there a calculator that will tell me that I can, for example, put 42 of those minutes on one 4GB DVD?

[lordsmurf]

Don't compress, keep the quality. Split to two discs.

[classfour]

It looks like you're at 4.25GB of data with a 50/50 split. If you have a chapter point near that, that's what I'd recommend. It looks to be somewhere in the 50 min to 1 hour area for each disc. Also, if you have it, DVDFab can do a split. Myself, I'd use TDA3 as that's what I have for authoring (or DVD Movie Factory).

[Seanna]

Thanks for the info. I don't have those apps but will take a look.

[redwudz]

Since you are using a Macbook, probably better asked and answered in our Mac Forum. Moving you.

And welcome to our forums.

[Seanna]

Thanks redwudz, I've been scrolling thru the forum and of course, found the mac section just after I posted.

Is there a way to determine how many minutes of a movie equates to how much data?
For example, does 30 minutes of a movie equal a specific amount of data? Or is it trial and error?

[rumplestiltskin]

...{snip}...Is there a way to determine how many minutes of a movie equates to how much data?
For example, does 30 minutes of a movie equal a specific amount of data? Or is it trial and error?

The size depends on the encoding bitrate you use. If you decide to use the same bitrate (to keep the same apparent quality), just take the total size and divide it in the same proportion as you have divided the movie time. (ie, if 2 hrs = 8.5GB then 1 hour should be about 4.25GB)

[MacDSL]

Just a thought... Are you sure the Final Cut Pro machine can only burn a 4.7 DVD? They have all been able to burn the Dual Layer DVD's that your need for a while now.. You might be ok and not need to compress the files...

[rumplestiltskin]

I don't see a machine spec in Seanna's profile. Older SuperDrives would not burn DL discs.