Winavi questions

[SEALs1230]

I have a couple questions to this conversion process, if anyone knows the answers:

Someone once tole me: "If you want to get the best encodes from your avi's, use a standalone encoder, and good authoring app."
What exactly does that mean?

And do you think Winavi/DVDSanta are worth 30 bucks?

When converting avi to DVD with winavi does it change the process at all if you have the movie broken into multiple avi files?

Last, Im using Nero 6.0.0 and after I us winavi to convert the avi files, I try to burn them and I got a reallocation error. I burned it anyway and it worked but I would still like to know how to get rid of the error, if anyone knows.

Sorry to ask so many questions. I'm just a newbie and thats why I'm here. Hoping to get the answers so maybe I can be the helper soon. :P

Thanks

[bugster]

I have a couple questions to this conversion process, if anyone knows the answers:

Someone once tole me: "If you want to get the best encodes from your avi's, use a standalone encoder, and good authoring app."
What exactly does that mean?

It means what it says. Winavi and DVDSanta are 'all in one' programs. They encode and author all in one program. For best results use a dedicated encoder (Tmpgenc, CCE, Mainconcept, procoder etc) to make DVD compliant mpegs, then author to DVD-Video format with a dedicated authoring program (Tmpgenc DVD author, DVD-Lab etc).

And do you think Winavi/DVDSanta are worth 30 bucks?

Nope, not to me anyway!

When converting avi to DVD with winavi does it change the process at all if you have the movie broken into multiple avi files?

Don't know, never used either, probably never will.

Last, Im using Nero 6.0.0 and after I us winavi to convert the avi files, I try to burn them and I got a reallocation error. I burned it anyway and it worked but I would still like to know how to get rid of the error, if anyone knows.

AFAIK, the 'reallocation' error means that Nero thinks there is something incorrect in the files supplied for it to make a valid DVD-Video disk. Depending on what the problem is, it may still play fine as you saw.

[SEALs1230]

thanks...those programs that you mentioned that are dedicated to one thing...is there a way to get something of similar quality for free or at least cheaper than $80?

[reboot]

QuEnc with a GUI to encode...free.
Gui for DVD Author...also free.
Look in the tools section under "DVD Author". There are quite a few.
One that seems to be getting ressurrected is SpruceUp. Hasn't been supported for years, but is a handy little authoring app still.