Can't Burn Movie After DVD Shrink Converted to Movie File

[AHWagner18]

I searched around and read some guides, but can't figure this out.

I used WinAVI video converter to convert a movie to a DVD format. I let it run for two hours and I came back to my computer and WinAVI video converter wasn't open. I was confused, but then thought that WinAVI video converter just closed itself down after it finished converting the movie to a DVD format. I opened WinAVI video converter back up and tried to burn it to a disc, and it wouldnt work, it would burn it, but once i pop the dvd in the player, the player wouldn't read the disc. Also I check the back of the disc and only about >25% is written on the disc. I tried also to use DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, and DVDSanta, but no luck.

I checked the file where the movie was converted to and it shows:

C\:~\WinAVI\DVD_01_1\

there there is two folders:

AUDIO_TS & VIDEO_TS

Inside the AUDIO_TS folder there is nothing in it and in the VIDEO_TS folder there is two files: VTS_01_1 and VTS_01_1.vob.nav

The first file (VTS_01_1) I can open it up and play it using a media player.

I tried to make this post clearly so I can get some help, I'm new to the site, searched and used the guides to convert my movie to a dvd format. I would appreciate the help, thanks.

[ricky1756]

dvdshrink doesn't convert, it shrinks

[AHWagner18]

I ment WinAVI video converter, I'll go back and change it.

[guns1inger]

Where to begin ?

WinAVI and DVD Santa are crap, period. The judges decision is final, and no correspondence shall be entered into.

DVD Shrink does not convert anything to DVD format. What it does do is take an existing DVD file structure, and reduce it to fit a single layer disc. It can also be used as a front end to create an iso and burn with DVD decrypter.

So if I read your post correctly, you used WinAVI to convert some video, then tried to use Shrink to take the WinAVI output and put it to disc.

The files you have listed seem to indicate that WinAVI failed (surprise, surprise) to complete, leaving you with half formed DVD files. This is where Shrink has choked.

Can I suggest you try DivxtoDVD, the freeware version of ConvertXtoDVD, for your conversion, imgtools classic to convert the output to an ISO, then imgburn to burn the DVD ISO to disc.

[AHWagner18]

Ok, guns1inger, glad your here to help.

I'm going to take your advice and do the suggestions, but I have a question, is there a guide to do this or do I just straight use DivxtoDVD, imgtools, and then imgburn?

Thanks for the help, I thought, and I guess I read wrong, that Shrink and WinAVI were good program, but I'm proven wrong.

[guns1inger]

Shrink is good, but only if it gets compliant source. WinAVI too often fails and creates crap.

DivxtoDVD - load files and create DVD. Pretty straight forward, few settings to play with.

ImageTools Classic - just open the video_ts folder than DivxtoDVD creates, then pick a folder for the ISO file to be written to. Click Create ISO.

Imgburn - just load the ISO and click Write.

[DarrellS]

If you already have DVD Shrink and DVD Decrypter on your machine, there is no need to add the other programs unless you want to learn how to use them.
DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink were made to work hand in hand. You'll need to download DivxtoDVD or ConvertXtoDVD. The freeware version is hard to find but if you Google it, you can still find it.

1. Convert the movie file to DVD structure using DivxtoDVD or ConvertXtoDVD.

2. Use DVD Shrink to create the ISO and set DVD Shrink to automatically burn with DVD Decrypter when ISO is created.

There are a few guides explaining how to do this.

[AHWagner18]

I found the ConvertXtoDVD and a guide to use it, but the process has been going on for about 8 hours and it says it has 19 hours left.. thats a long time. This may be off topic, but when I use to burn DVDs (about 3-4 months ago) I used DVD Santa, and I could let it run for a nighttime or a schooltime and it would be finished.

I use my computer daily, but its not inuse for about 16 hours (night-school) and I'd like to be able to get the movie file convert in that time frame, so I can then burn it onto a disc and use my computer after school until I go to bed and then start another one up.

I know, I'm asking much, but thanks for all the help.

[free is better]

here is my set-up: dvd decrypter and dvd2one (early version with variable ratio). svcd2dvd handles the conversions to dvd compliant files. I like the ability to convert large files and use dvd2one to make it fit onto a single layer disc. I used to use tmpgenc and I still like it but I do about 2 to 3 projects a day so I needed speed in the conversion process. If you start with high quality files you will not be disappointed with the results of this combination. Total time from file to disc (under 4.7 gig) is about an hour and twenty minutes on my p3 dualie with 10,000 rpm scsi drives. No crashes or headaches.

[DarrellS]

Either something is way wrong with the original file or your computer is not capable of performing the task. It should take about 3 hours tops to convert a 2 hour movie.

By looking at your computer specs, you seem to be lacking in all catagories.

XP needs 512MB of memory just to run the operating system. 1GB is min and 2GB preferred for graphics and video.
Celeron processors are too slow. You don't list which CPU you have but It's my understanding that you need at least a 1GHz PIII processor and preferrably a 3.xGHz P4.

[jimmalenko]

XP needs 512MB of memory just to run the operating system. 1GB is min and 2GB preferred for graphics and video.

My experiences have been different

XP "requires" 128MB - however IMHO it's barely workable. 256MB should be fine though.

[AHWagner18]

I don't know why its taking so long. I am using The FilmMachine and I'm on the second pass and I have 46 hours to go and 21 hours have already passed. I have no processes running (I'm on an old laptop right now to post this) either.

What can I do to make this process go faster? The computer has been sitting for 21 hours without me touching it, and I'm 32% finished.

I have 254 RAM to my computer can handle (128 factory, I have a two year old eMachines computer, model T1440 if you want to look up the specs). I just want to be as fast as others can.

Previously, I took my computer to a shop to fix an overheating problem (my computer would automatically restart at any point in loading windows) and re installed windows xp home to win xp pro with sp2. Prior to taking it to a shop, I could convert a movie in a couple hours, could sp2 be causing this?

Again, Thank you to everyone that is helping me, I'm appreciating it.

Edit: I looked up the factory specs of my computer:
* eMachines T1440 Celeron 1.4GHz System with Windows XP

* General Features:
* Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition pre-installed
* Intel Celeron 1.4GHz processor with heatsink and fan
* 128MB RAM
* 40GB hard disk drive
* 24x10x32 CD-RW drive
* 1.44MB floppy disk drive
* AC '97 integrated audio
* Intel Direct AGP 3D integrated video (810e shared)
* 56K ITU v.92 ready data fax/modem
* 10/100Mbps built-in Ethernet

* Motherboard Features:
* Intel 810e chipset
* Three (3) PCI slots (one occupied)
* Two (2) DIMM slots (one occupied)

* I/O Ports:
* Two (2) PS/2 ports
* One (1) 15-pin standard VGA connector
* One (1) 9-pin standard serial port
* One (1) 25-pin standard parallel port
* One (1) 15-pin standard game/midi port
* Four (4) USB ports (two in front, two in back)
* One (1) RJ-45 standard Ethernet jack
* Two (2) RJ-11 standard phone jacks on modem
* Line-in, microphone and line-out jacks on back
* Headphone and microphone jacks on front

* Case Features:
* Two (2) 5.25-inch external drive bays (one occupied)
* One (1) 3.5-inch external drive bays (occupied)
* Two (2) 3.5-inch internal drive bays (one occupied)
* 100-240v, 50-60Hz power supply

* Package Includes:
* eMachines T1440 refurbished tower
* Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition pre-installed
* eMachines PS/2 2-button mouse
* eMachines PS/2 keyboard
* eMachines System Recovery CDs
* eMachines Desktop PC User's Guide
* Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Start Here Guide
* Microsoft Works 2000
* Microsoft Money 2002 Standard
* Encarta 2000 Online
* Power cord
* RJ-11 standard phone cord

Like I said, I added another 128MB Ram, another 120GB Harddrive, a DVD+/-R/W Burner. A new fan unit was installed plus new wire, I believe when my computer went into the shop.

[guns1inger]

Your system is seriously screwed with those times. Convertxtodvd should take no longer than double the running time of the movie on your system.

A quick assessment would say that your memory (256mb) is about the minimum for XP and and applications. If you open the task manager you will probably find that you are paging constantly, which will slow you down a lot. A celeron is not ideal for video or graphics work, especially an older celeron. Not that it can't do it, but it will be slower. Have you checked to see if your HDD is running in PIO mode. That, in combination with paging, would kill your system's speed.

Otherwise, open the task manager while everything is running and sort the process list by CPU usage and see whose hogging the system. Sort again by memory usage and see who tops the list. Look at everything else you have running at the same time and see what you might be able to either kill off completely, or at least temporarily.

Do you have up to date virus and spyware protection ?
When did you last defragment your HDDs ?
When did you last run a scandisk ?

[AHWagner18]

I've ran Ad-Aware and Ewido Anti-Malware & I have the guard running. I haven't done a defragment in a long time, I'll get on that.
What's a scandisk?

How do I check if I'm running them in PIO mode and is paging when the CPU changes all the time?

Sorry that I don't know all this stuff.

[guns1inger]

You may not not the details, but surely you know how to use a search function. All of this has been covered many times.

PIO check - Right-click My Computer and select Manage. Click on Device Manager. Expand the ISE ATA/ATAPI Controllers brand. Double-click on Primary IDE Channel, then click on the Advanced tab. You should see settings for two channels. Transfer on both should be set to DMA if available. If a drive is connected, the Current Transfer Mode should be set to Ultra DMD Mode n where n is a number. If it is set to PIO, you have a problem. Repeat this check for the secondary channel as well.

If either channel has devices set to PIO mode, delete it and restart your PC. Windows will reinstall the channel, setting the mode correctly to DMA. Repeat the above checks to make sure.

If you windows continues to revert to PIO then you have a problem, as it does this only with repeated read errors. Start checking cables and running a scandisk with a thorough surface scan. Windows help will guide you through doing this.


Paging occurs when the PC uses all available physical memory (RAM) and still needs more. It then writes the contents of memory to the HDD to make space. When it needs to reference that information again, it has to read it back from the HDD, and write something else to it. This process is much slower than using physical memory, and can bog the system right down. You will know if you arepaging because your system will become very sluggish, and your HDD will be going full tilt.

[AHWagner18]

Edit: Ok, the harddrives aren't in PIO mode. I've defraged both harddrives. I've noticed that my computer is slow when I'm converting the avi to dvd format. Would adding more RAM/memory give better performance? I'm thinking about putting in a new motherboard/cpu, would a better processor and more room for RAM/memory make the conversion time faster?

Again Thanks.

Do you think I could post this question in the Computer forum here on VideoHelp.com?

[guns1inger]

Adding at least another 256mb would make a difference to how your machine runs, period. A non-celeron chip would also make a large difference. Encoding is a high mathematically intensive process. Some of the high end floating point math functions are sacrificed in the celeron, along with some of the cache. Less cost, but less performance for high end functions. Celeron is an office machine chip, not for 3d, video etc.

[AHWagner18]

Ok, this helps. I'll add another 256mb and then upgrade the processor to something like an Intel Pentium 4. Is that a good processor? Can I just find one that is the right enough power for the motherboard and purchase that? Or is it more complex then this?

Thanks guns1inger, you're really helping me out on this.

[guns1inger]

I would check out the motherboard manufacturer's website to see if th eboard can take a P4 chip. If it can't you are up for a new MB. Do this before purchasing anything else, as you may find other things need to be changed as well. It might be a simple chip swap, it might be a major overhaul of the machine.