converting movies to watch on dvd players

[dustincapp]

Hi, I am a MAC user and I have tried everything. Does anybody know of a free video converter so I can watch movies on a dvd player?

Thanks for all of your help

[johns0]

Moved to the mac forum where you can get more help.

[pixel zombie]

what format are you trying to convert?

[dustincapp]

avi mostly, but mkv also

[rumplestiltskin]

1. Install Perian and Handbrake.
2. Convert the video to H264 but use a high bitrate (1.5x or 2x the source file's bitrate) so you don't introduce any additional compression. (Do the same with the audio.)
3. Drop the resulting file into iDVD (it came with your Mac) and set the "quality" level (Project Info...) accordingly.
4. Save to Disk Image.
5. Drop the Disk Image into Disk Utility and burn but at no higher than 1/2 max speed.

Let us know how it goes.

[Case]

Alternatively,
1. Install Burn. Set preferences to your liking.
2. Set the Video tab.
3. Add a video file.
4. When the app discovers a file that is not DVD compliant, select to convert it.
5. Burn

[dustincapp]

I installed perian and handbrake. After was all said and done I burned the disc image. Did not play in my dvd player. Maybe I'm doing something wrong?

[rumplestiltskin]

Okay; Perian & Handbrake. What did you do next (in order to get the disc image)?

[dustincapp]

I clicked save disk image, and then burned the saved image

[rumplestiltskin]

I clicked save disk image, and then burned the saved image

Save from what program? iDVD? What kind of disc? -R? +R?

[dustincapp]

I saved it in IDVD and used a dvd-r

[Ai Haibara]

What are the contents (files and folders) of the disc?

[rumplestiltskin]

What are the contents (files and folders) of the disc?

Yeah, what he said.
(You beat me to it.)

There should be a VIDEO_TS folder at the root level of the disc.

[dustincapp]

I used Burn and it worked without a hitch. It was also a lot faster than IDVD. Thanks for all of the help.

[rumplestiltskin]

Glad it worked so well with Burn. I rarely burn DVDs any more but I'll remember this.