DVD Video Image Question

[Omega33]

I own a couple of DVD authoring software (DVDit, Ulead DVD MovieFactory) so I have burned a few DVDs from avi videos I have on my computer but I need some info on the DVD video image.

Some of the avi videos I am encoding and putting on DVD are subtitled, and so, naturally when I burn to DVD they are cut off from the safe area.

My question is simply this: Is there a way to encode or make it so that I can see all of the picture on my DVD, either by some configuration or another? If someone knows, I would sure appreciate some help.

[guns1inger]

When you resize the avi up to DVD spec, leave a border around it of, say, 20 pixels. Your image isn't as big, but your subs don't get lost in the overscan area. Exactly how big the border needs to be depens on the position of the subs, and the size of the overscan area of your particualr TV. This area is the part of the screen covered by the case of the TV, and varies from TV to TV.

[Omega33]

I downloaded VirtualDub in order to resize my avi file but the problem is when I started the process, the output avi file was several GigaBytes in size!!!

Why is the file so BIG? The process had to stop because I ran out of hardrive space. Is there a way to set a limit on the output avi file size, and will this greatly effect the quality. Please let me know.

[Stormin Norman]

Use this avisynth script.

AVISource("Source.avi")
LanczosResize(656,448)
AddBorders(32,16,32,16)

or anything other filtering or whatnot to this script. Then load the script into mpeg encoder

[Omega33]

OK, I'm done with the script but how do I load that into a MPEG Ecoder.

Right now I have TMPGEnc but I'm not very familiar with the program. How do I insert the script? Is there a better MPEG encoder I should use?

[Stormin Norman]

You might have to add:
RGB()
at the end of the script for tmpegenc to read it.

To load in encoder, just pick the script file.

[Omega33]

I'm starting to get the feeling that TMPGEnc does not support scripts, or maybe not the version I have (2.5)

Each time I try to load the script, it says "invalid image"
I go to File, Open Project, than I click on my avs script file

I have also tryed opening the script file with TMPGEnc Program...same thing

I put the RBG() at the end, tried with and without
I'm pretty confident I got the script written down OK....

AVISource("C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents...)")
LanczosResize(656,448)
AddBorders(32,16,32,16)
RGB()

God, I only wish I knew what I am doing wrong.

Should I try another MPEG Encoder?

[Stormin Norman]

Try:
ConvertToRGB24
to the script

[Omega33]

Nevermind TMPGEnc, I got the job done with VirtualDub. The output is looks great(I used DivX Compression) but I havent burned it to DVD yet to see how it works.

[guns1inger]

If your player does not support Divx then you will have to convert it (again) to mpeg2. Every conversion has a cost.

[mats.hogberg]

In TMPGEnc, don't open project, just set the .avs script as video source.
If you use VirtualDub, don't save avi, but start frameserver instead, and use the .vdr signpost "file" as video source.

/Mats