MPEG file size before burning to DVD

[Scarymon]

Can anyone tell me why the maximum mpeg file size before burning the dvd can only be around 3.9 gigs? I'm using DVDit to author the dvd and I figured I'd be safe with a file size of 4.1 gig but so such luck. I ended up having to encode the original video twice to get it down to the proper size. I was going from 17 gigs down to 3.9 so it took a long time.

What is the rest of the space on the dvd used for?

Thanks

[txpharoah]

That's not true. It's either you or the software.

[Craig Tucker]

I think DVDit is one of those pieces of authoring software that decompresses the audio to pcm, and hence makes the audio track much larger in size so that it will no longer fit. You need authoring software that will support mpeg audio.

[Scarymon]

What is a better authoring program that doesn't convert the audio file to pcm and does support mpg audio and doesn't reconvert the file? I've tried a few but used dvdit because I like the menu creation options and the but mostly because it doesn't encody the video after I've already encoded it.

I've been fighting with this project for a week. What I am doing is taking video of a trip and making it into a dvd. I had 3 1/2 hours of digital video, and I used ulead video 5.0 (a bad decision I know but it's what I had at the time) to edit, add effects, etc. I ended up with about an 1 hr and 25 mins of video which I had to output as a dv file (the only option available) which was 17 gigs. I then used tmpgenc to convert that dv file to a dvd file and at this point the files were perfect. I then got VideoStudio 7 and used it to create create menus and author the dvd but when it created the dvd folders, it encoded the video again and it that video, the video and audio were out of sync and I can't figure why or how to fix it. This is why I went to dvdit because it doesn't re-encode the video.

I would appreciate any comments and suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[Scarymon]

Okay, here's a thought (I was reading another post). Can I use tmpgenc to demux audio and video, use besweet to encode the audio to ac3, stick them back together and then use dvdit to author, or will it still convert the audio to pcm?

Also, do you thing that Videostudio 7 is converting the audio so it fits on the dvd and that's why I get the out of sync problem?

Thanks.

[learner1]

The low cost version of DVDit only supports LPCM audio. Unless
the audio is already in LPCM, it will always reconvert the audio
and make the file size requirement much larger. I think the expensive
version of DVDit does support AC3 or MPEG audio but it cost several
hundreds of dollars. The same thing is true with Power Director Pro.
I finally ended up with Pinnacle's Studio 8 which costs only $10 after
rebate and supports MPEG audio. I've able to pack 123 minutes
of video and audio onto a DVD at about 4600kbps video and 224kbs
audio. It is slow and buggy but works without re-recoding the mpeg
file.

[Specialist]

1. ULEAD VideoStudio 7.0 is a very useful program if used correctly.

2. I recommend that users rely on the integrated Ulead MPEG.Now codec instead of using 3rd party encoders.

What many users of ULEAD VideoStudio 7.0 overlook is that you can enable ADVANCED encoding options that give professionals significant new encoding power.

To enable these options on a Windows 2000 or Windows XP computer, simply click MY COMPUTER>C: DRIVE>DOCUMENTS & SETTINGS>ALL USERS>APPLICATION DATA>ULEAD SYSTEMS FOLDER>ULEAD VIDEOSTUDIO FOLDER>7.0 FOLDER>UVS (INI FILE).

Then add ADVANCE=1 under the [VIODRIVER] heading.

Save the change.

Then reboot.

When you open Ulead VideoStudio 7.0 afterward, you will be able to enter the DISC TEMPLATE MANAGER and click a new ADVANCED button that appears under the COMPRESSION tab to access a new array of custom encoding parameter choices.

Also - there's an important new patch for ULEAD VideoStudio 7.0 located here:

ftp://ftp.ulead.com/pub/Updates/VideoStudio7/UVS7_Patch_E.exe

When you check the DO NOT CONVERT COMPLIANT MPEG FILES box (located by clicking the 2nd button with the CHECK in the lower left hand corner of the DVD output interface)... you should not experience any re-encoding.

To understand how encoding and re-encoding works in Ulead software, visit this Web page:

http://www.matroxusers.com/mreviews.php?op=showcontent&id=6

Then scroll down to the bottom of the page (a review of Ulead MediaStudio Pro 7.0) and then look for the drop down list.

Choose the SMART RENDER IN DEPTH section.

It's an interesting read.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Scarymon]

I want to thank everyone for there help and suggestions and of course, I have more questions.

Specialist, do you have any ideas as to why the video and audio ended up out of sync when I created my dvd folders? I'm still struggling with that question. I did read your post to someone else about making sure the video project settings are the same as clip settings and I think they were.

Thanks in advance.