menu driven mpeg2s on 1 dvd and other questions...

[charlottezweb]

First off, I have tried reading through various guides and posts found here but I'm making far too many coasters to continue on my current route!

I apologize if this is all VERY noobish, so feel free to yell at me if you feel the desire :O

Question:

I have several seasons of a tv show and am wanting to make some menu-driven dvds (i'm gathering that svcd is the format I'm wanting).

I've converted all the avi's to mpeg2 with TMPGenc. I followed a guide here and ended up with files that went up about 500% in filesize in some cases. Is that normal?

Then I followed a guide using the program SVCD2MPGE (or something like that) and it appeared to do everything it was supposed to in regards to grouping the files and creating a menu system.

I then was left with the audio (blank folder) and video directories. I use Nero 6 and chose to do a svcd video and i just dragged all the files into the video folder and hit burn. It gave several warnings regarding compatibility which I ignored. Voila! Coaster.

What am I doing wrong? I chose ntsc as the format...should I have done PAL?

Any help or links would be EXTREMELY appreciated because I've been trying to burn this for a friend for over a month now and I'm starting to feel like more of an idiot than I already am

Thanks,
Jason

[bottle-necked]

charlotte, it's easy to put those avi files on a dvd with menu screens. I don't see why you're having so much trouble. Here's how I would do such an easy job as quickly as I could. ok

I'd download the 30day free demo Ulead VideoStudio V7 http://www.ulead.com/vs/runme.htm . Once the program is running click "FILE", project properties, edit, compression and choose NTSC DVD, change the Audio format to MPEG, then click "OK" 3 times.

Go to the far right and click the little folder 'load video', browse and load all your original AVI files, *not those reencoded ones*. Now, drag each AVI file to the timeline (bottom row far left) in the order you want for your DVD. When done just click *top right* SHARE then *top left* Create Disk. Type in a simple name of this project then click OK to continue.

Now, look at the very top left and make sure it says DVD instead of VCD. Click 'ADD EDIT CHAPTERS', slide the bar - use the buttons - to find your desired chapter points then click ADD. Note chapter thumbnail added to vertical timeline. When done click OK. Click NEXT

Now you can setup music and wallpaper for menus. Since you created chapters you will have them listed up at the top in the drop down list box. The first displayed menu is the main menu. Templates are located on the right side top, music and wallpaper at the bottom. Open the menu box and select each chapter and edit wallpaper/music/etc. when finished click next. (note: if you wanted custom wallpaper and custom music have it ready before you get to this point)

Play mode: Test play your DVD movie, click play to view, when done click next.

Top: Name your DVD Movie. Put in a DVD RW, open the list box labeled "Disk Burner Drive:" and make sure your DVD burner is selected. On the bottom right click "OUTPUT". That's it. Movie with menus going to DVD.

Since your AVI are not in DVD format ULEAD will need to encode them and will popup and tell you so, click ok. It will take about 1x to encode the movies then some time to burn them. While this is going on don't do anything with your computer, let it work.

Good luck.

[lordsmurf]

feel free to yell at me if you feel the desire

"charlotte" - Are you female ?
If so, I don't think I've EVER heard a woman say that before.

[Solarjetman]

"charlotte" - Are you female ?

Given that he signed "Jason" at the end of his message, I would have to guess male

I would like to give a little general advice. See if your DVD player can handle RW disks. That way you can test your creation before making a final copy. I normally go through about 2 or 3 test runs on a DVD-RW before burning to a DVD-R myself. Save alot of money.

[charlottezweb]

Thanks guys! And no, I'm not female, I just hate when noobs come to my forums and ask questions that I think are stupid. There's just so much info here and I'm starting to lose patience due to my lack of success.

Thank you Bottle-Necked...I will follow your instructions verbatim this weekend and hopefully have a little better luck

Regards,
Jason