VSDC video editing software questions

[fred17]

I have just downloaded the free VSDC video editing software and I am currently trying to understand the basics for this software. I have added several MP4 videos that I have stored on a thumb drive. I wanted to splice these short videos together and put them on a DVD disc. When I added the videos to the VSDC software I made note of the total size of the short videos (it was 484 MB). When I was finished adding the videos together and "Exporting the Project" the final project that VSDC came up with was 1.4 GB. The only thing that I added to the videos was a

Why is there such a increase in the size of the finished project?

Another question that I have is why, when I am working with MP4 videos in VSDC why do I need to "convert" to MP4? Does the software change my MP4 videos to something else?

[davexnet]

Depends on the settings of your project. To create a DVD disk that will work in all DVD players,
the video is converted to mpeg-2, that's the DVD standard. In general, mpeg-2 uses a much higher bitrate, that may explain the size increase.
See this for more info:
https://www.videohelp.com/dvd

[fred17]

Depends on the settings of your project. To create a DVD disk that will work in all DVD players,
the video is converted to mpeg-2, that's the DVD standard. In general, mpeg-2 uses a much higher bitrate, that may explain the size increase.
See this for more info:
https://www.videohelp.com/dvd

I will need to recheck my settings. I thought that I set them to convert to MP4 but I will check again.

[davexnet]

Depends on the settings of your project. To create a DVD disk that will work in all DVD players,
the video is converted to mpeg-2, that's the DVD standard. In general, mpeg-2 uses a much higher bitrate, that may explain the size increase.
See this for more info:
https://www.videohelp.com/dvd

I will need to recheck my settings. I thought that I set them to convert to MP4 but I will check again.

Perhaps you did, but that will not create a DVD that will play on all players.

[fred17]

Depends on the settings of your project. To create a DVD disk that will work in all DVD players,
the video is converted to mpeg-2, that's the DVD standard. In general, mpeg-2 uses a much higher bitrate, that may explain the size increase.
See this for more info:
https://www.videohelp.com/dvd

I will need to recheck my settings. I thought that I set them to convert to MP4 but I will check again.

Perhaps you did, but that will not create a DVD that will play on all players.

************************************************** ************************************************** ******************************

Thanks for the reply--So I need to convert my project (in VSDC video editing software) to a mpeg-2 is that correct? I have attached a "supported formats & codecs" sheet for VSDC software, but I don't see mpeg-2 on the list. There is a MPEG that is listed-is that the same as a mpeg-2?

I checked the VSDC software and I could not find anything that said it would convert to mpeg-2 so I tried the "DVD" choice and it converted the project to a "AVI" video. When I burned it to a DVD it played okay on my PC but when I tried it in my (older) XBOX or a newer DVD recorder/player it would not work.

I have finally found the button to convert to mpeg2 and I converted another project in VSDC using the mpeg2 format (But I don't understand why the finished project was labeled "MPG VIDEO FILE" instead of mpeg2?) . However, I still can not get the DVD to work in my Xbox or my DVD recorder/player.

So far I have converted my VSDC project to AVI and MPG and neither will play in my Xbox or DVD recorder/player!

What should I try next???

[davexnet]

If you look at a proper DVD in Windows Explorer you'll find the Video_ts folder, this is the result of the authoring step that takes
the mepg-2 and the audio, subtitles if present, etc,etc. This step creates the VOB & IFO files that populate the video_ts folder

The best bet is for you to edit your video as you want it then save it to a lossless intermediate file (Lagarith or similar).
Then use that file to feed a proper DVD encoder/authoring package such as AVStoDVD

[fred17]

If you look at a proper DVD in Windows Explorer you'll find the Video_ts folder, this is the result of the authoring step that takes
the mepg-2 and the audio, subtitles if present, etc,etc. This step creates the VOB & IFO files that populate the video_ts folder

The best bet is for you to edit your video as you want it then save it to a lossless intermediate file (Lagarith or similar).
Then use that file to feed a proper DVD encoder/authoring package such as AVStoDVD

************************************************** ************************************************** **********************

So you are saying that the VSDC software is not able to do what I want to get done? Here I thought that VSDC would be the way to go. Bingo, edit and export then burn to a DVD! No luck?

Seems that I am getting into a complicated situation!

[davexnet]

Seems that I am getting into a complicated situation!

Not necessarily. It's possible your program can create the DVD spec mpeg-2;
I assume it does because you said it had a DVD preset.

You can certainly create the mpeg-2 and then use AVStoDVD to author, and optionally, write it to the optical disk.
(or you eyeball the result first and then write it once you've confirmed it's good)
AVStoDVD will confirm it is DVD compliant and if it is, will not re-encode it.

OR you can create an intermediate file and then use AVStoDVD to create the mpeg-2 and do the authoring
automatically for you. The reason I mention this alternative method is because AVStoDVD has a known good, high quality
mpeg-2 encoder.

Your choice.

[fred17]

Seems that I am getting into a complicated situation!

Not necessarily. It's possible your program can create the DVD spec mpeg-2;
I assume it does because you said it had a DVD preset.

You can certainly create the mpeg-2 and then use AVStoDVD to author, and optionally, write it to the optical disk.
(or you eyeball the result first and then write it once you've confirmed it's good)
AVStoDVD will confirm it is DVD compliant and if it is, will not re-encode it.

OR you can create an intermediate file and then use AVStoDVD to create the mpeg-2 and do the authoring
automatically for you. The reason I mention this alternative method is because AVStoDVD has a known good, high quality
mpeg-2 encoder.

Your choice.

************************************************** ************************************************** **************************

Update! I bit the bullet and paid the $19.95 for the VSDC PRO. At least with the PRO I can get a few perks! Anyway, I don't know if the update allowed me to be able to burn a DVD (that came out as a "Video_TS--using the "DVD Preset) and that works in my DVD recorder/player. But I still can't play that DVD on my Xbox (by the way my Xbox is one of the original first edition units). My Xbox has always played DVD on problem. And some of the DVD's that I play on the Xbox are "Video_TS" files.

I even tried exporting my project using the preset "Xbox" but the software says it is for the Xbox 360 which is not what I have. However, I am wondering why I can't make a project that will work on my Xbox. The DVD's that DO work are "Video_TS" files. Could it be that I am exporting as a Video_TS file but some of the quality numbers are to far off?

[davexnet]

Seems that I am getting into a complicated situation!

Not necessarily. It's possible your program can create the DVD spec mpeg-2;
I assume it does because you said it had a DVD preset.

You can certainly create the mpeg-2 and then use AVStoDVD to author, and optionally, write it to the optical disk.
(or you eyeball the result first and then write it once you've confirmed it's good)
AVStoDVD will confirm it is DVD compliant and if it is, will not re-encode it.

OR you can create an intermediate file and then use AVStoDVD to create the mpeg-2 and do the authoring
automatically for you. The reason I mention this alternative method is because AVStoDVD has a known good, high quality
mpeg-2 encoder.

Your choice.

************************************************** ************************************************** **************************

Update! I bit the bullet and paid the $19.95 for the VSDC PRO. At least with the PRO I can get a few perks! Anyway, I don't know if the update allowed me to be able to burn a DVD (that came out as a "Video_TS--using the "DVD Preset) and that works in my DVD recorder/player. But I still can't play that DVD on my Xbox (by the way my Xbox is one of the original first edition units). My Xbox has always played DVD on problem. And some of the DVD's that I play on the Xbox are "Video_TS" files.

I even tried exporting my project using the preset "Xbox" but the software says it is for the Xbox 360 which is not what I have. However, I am wondering why I can't make a project that will work on my Xbox. The DVD's that DO work are "Video_TS" files. Could it be that I am exporting as a Video_TS file but some of the quality numbers are to far off?

Do commercial DVD's work in the Xbox? Make sure you didn't create an NTSC DVD Vs. PAL, or vice-versa

I didn't realize VSDC included the authoring stage (Creates Video-TS folder with the VOB, IFO & BUP files inside)
For example

[fred17]

Seems that I am getting into a complicated situation!

Not necessarily. It's possible your program can create the DVD spec mpeg-2;
I assume it does because you said it had a DVD preset.

You can certainly create the mpeg-2 and then use AVStoDVD to author, and optionally, write it to the optical disk.
(or you eyeball the result first and then write it once you've confirmed it's good)
AVStoDVD will confirm it is DVD compliant and if it is, will not re-encode it.

OR you can create an intermediate file and then use AVStoDVD to create the mpeg-2 and do the authoring
automatically for you. The reason I mention this alternative method is because AVStoDVD has a known good, high quality
mpeg-2 encoder.

Your choice.

************************************************** ************************************************** **************************

Update! I bit the bullet and paid the $19.95 for the VSDC PRO. At least with the PRO I can get a few perks! Anyway, I don't know if the update allowed me to be able to burn a DVD (that came out as a "Video_TS--using the "DVD Preset) and that works in my DVD recorder/player. But I still can't play that DVD on my Xbox (by the way my Xbox is one of the original first edition units). My Xbox has always played DVD on problem. And some of the DVD's that I play on the Xbox are "Video_TS" files.

I even tried exporting my project using the preset "Xbox" but the software says it is for the Xbox 360 which is not what I have. However, I am wondering why I can't make a project that will work on my Xbox. The DVD's that DO work are "Video_TS" files. Could it be that I am exporting as a Video_TS file but some of the quality numbers are to far off?

Do commercial DVD's work in the Xbox? Make sure you didn't create an NTSC DVD Vs. PAL, or vice-versa

I didn't realize VSDC included the authoring stage (Creates Video-TS folder with the VOB, IFO & BUP files inside)
For example

************************************************** ************************************************** *******************

Yes commercial DVD's work in my Xbox.

And yes the pix that you attached is what I ended up with when I used the preset for "DVD" in VSDC software. And that project worked ok in my DVD player but not in the Xbox.

[davexnet]

Make sure to use good quality media and write at half their rated speed.

[fred17]

Make sure to use good quality media and write at half their rated speed.

************************************************** ****************************************
I've been using Memorex but I'll have to check the speed.

I will let you know how that works as soon as I can.