How can I fit 8 200 MByte episode in 1 DVD in DVD format?

[aarelovich]

Hello:

Here is the thing: I have a long series (.avi format) wich I want o see on DVD (on TV not the computer). The thing is that I use for authoring (wich I don't know what that is it says so in the program) PowerProducer 2 Gold (It came with my LG DVD Writer). The thing is that no matter in wich format are the files that I use to make my DVD (when I choose the option import files), one episode occupies around 2.6 Gbytes (even if I choose the mimum audio and video quality the file occupies around 1Gbyte). Now I've have a copied DVD that has 8 episodes of another series (each one also around 200Mbytes) put in ONE 4.7 Gbyte DVD that I can see in my player. The files are on VOB format. (I have tried to convert to that format but the only tool I found that does that also transforme the archive in a 1Gbyte file). Can you please help me? How can I fit eight episodes? What software do I need?

Any help, thanks in advanced

[Baldrick]

the avi size does not matter. how many minutes are they all together? using low resolution and video bitrate can you store several hours/dvd.

[bugster]

DVD requires the source files to be encoded to mpeg-2, with mp2 or Ac3 or LPCM audio. These are then put into a VOB file container (along with other stuff) for DVD-Video.

The size of your video file depends on the playing time and bitrate used to encode with (both audio and video). The resolution or size of source file or anything else has no effect on the final filesize. So, to achieve a particular filesize you 1st need to know the playing time of your video (total playing time for multiple videos). Then use a birate calculator such as the one here to determine the corrcet bitrate to encode at. This bitarte is the one to use for CBr encoding, or the value to use as the Average bitrate when using VBR encoding. Remember to allow for audio and some overhead for menus, chapters and other DVD bits. Then you can encode your video(s) to DVD compliant mpeg-2. Obviously you need to use an encoder that allows you to specify the bitrate to use, which some (many?) all-in-one tools do not. Then you can author your DVD with these files.


HTH

[aarelovich]

Thanks but I don´t understand much.

So I have about 8 *1/2 hour videos = 4 hours (give or take). I use the calculator and then how do I encode them?

Thanks for the help

[bugster]

Thanks but I don´t understand much.

So I have about 8 *1/2 hour videos = 4 hours (give or take). I use the calculator and then how do I encode them?

With an mpeg encoder application, here a few to choose from:
TmpGenc,
Cinemacraft encoder (CCE)
Mainconcept
Canopus procoder

I suggest you take a look at a few guides here

[aarelovich]

Thanks for all the help I'll try to use some of this stuff.

If I need more help I'll ask

[aarelovich]

Hey:

I can now encode to variable bitrate. Perfect now what. Because I still add the file to the compilation and it expands it until it occupied 1.6 Gbytes. To be precise how do I get the file into the DVD so that it occupies say (500-800)Mbytes?.

Thanks for any help

[Abond]

Calculate the average bitrate.

[PhArAoH]

It looks like your authoring software is re-encoding your video (at higher bitrate) to match your DVD project specifications therefore increasing its size. I haven't used the software you mentioned but there should be a way to avoid re-encoding.
I use DVD Workshop and it has such an option. I can put up to seven hours of VCD's in one DVD.