Encoding takes forever and a day?

[DaveBFG]

OK,

I want to convert a .wmv file so I can burn it to a DVD (for home videos)
When I use TMPGEnc it looks like it is going to take 50 hours!

The .WMV file is 2.4 gigs
Is there a better/faster way to convert to DVD format?
What does everyone use?

I am using an ATI capture card with my Sony 8mm HandyCam and recording the video with Windows Movie Maker.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Dave

[guns1inger]

Don't capture as .wmv as it is not the easiest to convert from. Your PC specs should produce pretty faster encodes under normal circumstances. Consider capturing with virtualdubmod as lossless huffyuv, then encoding from that. It will take up a lot more disk space, but the quality should be much higher.

[ZippyP.]

RE. TMPGEnc

Don't use any filters, set motion search precision to Estimate. That should speed things up.

[thecoalman]

Look here for capturing with a ATI. www.digitalfaq.com

Capture to AVI or mpeg, wmv is only suitable as a final product for use on the web. If you capture directly to DVD compliant mpeg you can author it directly to disc. If your going to do any editing besides simply trimming the clips capture to AVI the encode your edited footage to Mpeg. With a system like yours you looking at times starting out at about 2-3 hours per hour video for a simple encode. That can go up to anywhere depending on filters, two-pass encoding etc...