Adding episodes to a DVD

[DesertRat]

I have a bunch of tv episodes that I'd like to convert to dvd. Now that I have my include files problem licked I'm wondering how this is done. I convert the AVI to DVD. This gives me a VIDEO_TS file. Now say I have three VIDEO_TS files and I want to burn them to the same DVD with Toast 6. Do I just drag them over and add them or what?

Tony

[mwest]

Hmmm. You definitely can't have multiple VIDEO_TS folders combine to make one DVD. Each VIDEO_TS folder is in essence a DVD image. So you can either burn 3 DVDs or combine all the episodes into one AVI file, and then make a new VIDEO_TS folder.

To make one long AVI, go to the Tools pane, pick join. Then joing the AVIs into one. You can then convert that to one VIDEO_TS folder.

Set the Toast mode to Data, and burn the VIDEO_TS folder as a UDF DVD, and then you will have a playable DVD.

There may be other ways to do this, but I am not aware of any. You could also drag your three AVI files directly into Toast (Video) and it should encode it and make a DVD, but it takes a LONG time...

[DesertRat]

Thanx for that info, mwest. I appreciate it.

Another quick n00b question to demonstrate my dumb-ness (Grin). After encoding the AVI to a DVD I also seem to have a rather large MPEG file too. I'm pretty sure it will play on my Philips DVP (I think those things can play a do-nut if yer brave enough) but will the MPEG files play on a standard DVD player?

[hklozzo]

Hi Desert Rat,

Actually, you can put multiple sets of vob files (Video_TS folders) onto one DVD. I use TMPGenc DVD author which lets you add multiple 'tracks' onto each you can add a separate Video_TS folder.
Just convert each video file to DVD files, each one in a separate folder on your harddrive. In TMPGenc, create a new project and add your first Video_TS folder. Then click 'Add a new track' and add your 2nd Video_TS folder and so on. Keep an eye on the guage near the bottom to see how your disk is filling up. When you're happy, move onto the menu creation stage. The rest should be straight forward.
I've personally had around 10 separate TV shows on one DVD, taking around 3+ hours.

Hope this helps.

[DesertRat]

Is there a Macintosh version of the program?

I put multipal episodes on a DVD when they are in AVI format now and it works well but I would like to do it in DVD format.

[hklozzo]

Ah, my error. Didn't realise you were using a mac. Doh! I'm not aware of a mac version but then i've never looked. Oh well. Sorry 'bout that.

Good luck

[mwest]

Thanx for that info, mwest. I appreciate it.

After encoding the AVI to a DVD I also seem to have a rather large MPEG file too.

That MPEG file (.m2v, I think) is the middle-man between your AVI file and your DVD format. ffmpegX first converts your file to MPEG2 (DVD movie format), and then converts that file to the VIDEO_TS folder. You can just delete it... The only thing you need is the VIDEO_TS folder...

TMPGEnc sounds cool for combining VIDEO_TS folders onto one DVD... I wonder if that is possible on a mac? It would make my life a bit easier.

Matthew

[DesertRat]

Hummmm....a new feature for FFMPEGx1?

Does FFMPEGX allow you to set chapters on a DVD? If it then each episode could be a separate chapter. That could be rather cool-ish!