.MOV to VIDEO_TS How? [ffmpegX] [DVD2ONEX]

[bonespur]

I'd appreciate help solving a problem I'm having converting .mov files to video_ts.

Here's what I'm doing.

I made two large QuickTime Movie .mov files (using SnapxProX, which is from Ambrosia Software) that I want to burn onto one single side DVD-R. The .mov file sizes are 5.56 GB at (852x639), and 2.19 GB at (626x469).

From limited previous successful experience, I believe I can easily use using DVD2ONEX to join two video_ts folders and compress the resulting single video-ts folder to 4.4 GB. Then I can burn the resulting .img file onto a DVD, using Apple's DiskUtility.

I need help with the interim operation of converting the two .mov files to video-ts.

When I found the guide titled

HOW TO MAKE A DVD WITH SELECTABLE SUBTITLES ON MAC OSX WITH FFMPEGX

at http://homepage.mac.com/major4/dvd_sub.html I thought I saw a clear path to my goal.

However, when I encoded the first of the ,mov files using the dvdffmpeg option in ffmpegX (with everything else set to defaults), the result was a file named filename.mov.ff.mpv plus a file named filename.mov.ff.ac3 . Am I close to having a video_ts folder? My understanding is too limited for me to know whether I'm on a fruitful track.

When I used the DVD mpeg2enc option in ffmpegX , the process took about zero millisec, and I could find no output from ffmpegX.

[By the way, I also have HandBrake, although I haven't used it much so far, I think is not useful for converting to DVD.
I don't have Toast - and I doubt I'll be able to get it in the near future.]

[tomlee59]

However, when I encoded the first of the ,mov files using the dvdffmpeg option in ffmpegX (with everything else set to defaults), the result was a file named filename.mov.ff.mpv plus a file named filename.mov.ff.ac3 . Am I close to having a video_ts folder?

You might be very close. If those two streams are individually ok, and DVD spec-compliant, just mux and author to produce a VIDEO_TS folder.

[bonespur]

Hi Tom

If those two streams are individually ok, and DVD spec-compliant,

How do I make sure the two files are OK and DVD spec-compliant?
I don't know what constitutes DVD spec-compliance.

I don't seem to have an application that plays .ff,mpv files.
I can tell you that because (in the 'Bitrate Calculator' in the Video tab of ffmpegX) I set the target disc size to 4 GB, the resulting video size of the filename.mov.ff.mpv file is 720x480.
(I wondered whether I should have overridden that video size with something like 640x480 before converting with ffmpegX.)

I'm more hopeful that the default settings in the Audio tab of ffmpegX result in a compliant filename.mov.ff.ac3 audio file - although I don't seem to have an application that plays .ff.ac3 files.

just mux and author to produce a VIDEO_TS folder.

Please bear with my lack of knowledge, a little.
I don't know what operation 'mux' implies. Therefore, I manually created a new folder named video_ts, and drag-dropped the .mov.ff.mpv and the ,mov.ff.ac3 files into it.
However, neither DVD2ONEX (nor HandBrake for that matter} will take that video_ts folder as input.

[terryj]

The easiest way to do what you want would be to
use TOAST. with toast, you could just drag and drop
the files from Snapz into it, select Video-DVD, click burn,
and a couple of hours later be done.

If I had what you have, here is what I would do:

take the files into ffmpegx.
follow along

now select this tab.

make sure to choose Decode with Quicktime.

Click encode, and sit back and wait.
it will create the seperate files, but
It will also create your Video_TS folder for you.

Once done, do the second movie the same way.

Then Take them into DVD2ONEX and join the two Video_TS folders
down to one new one at your target size.

[bonespur]

Hi terryj

I didn't forget the excellent help and advice you gave me.
I've been off learning about Roxio's 'Toast' application for Mac, for my video authoring - and learning more basics on the way.

I was very loath and slow in coming to accept that while utilities such as Apple's Disk Utility, ffmpegX, HandBrake, and the application DVD2ONEX are extremely useful, nevertheless for people without the time (and, I'm sorry to say, energy) to understand and remember a LOT of esoteric technical issues with video it may well be much easier, effective, productive, etc., to use an application such as Toast for video authoring. Also, for me it's very unfortunate that there's no user friendly, multiply-compatible DVD authoring freeware - as Toast is very expensive, at least in my frame of reference. (In comparison, Apple's iDVD - which I think I might loosely call freeware, as it comes with OS X - seems very limited to me now, after having used Toast)

Even so, I found I needed quite a bit of expert coaching in Roxio's forum for Toast - and I got it, from another wonderful person there.

While I was struggling to achieve my current authoring goals using the aforementioned utilities, certainly I learned some very useful basic knowledge .
In fact, when using Toast I realized I am very far away from what's happening "under the covers". That's generally the case with GUIs, isn't it?

Actually, I can imagine wanting/needing to use those utilities in addition to Toast in future. Now I have some (little) experience with them, at least that's a possibility.

I have, now, successfully completed the video authoring project that you helped me with.
I didn't want to leave it any longer to thank you for your help.
The help you provided me was spot on and timely.
Thank you very much, terryj !

[terryj]

You R welcome my friend!

Yes, for the overwhelmed, Toast hass been a lifesaver.
It is also for many of us "gurus" a choice tool to use
when we simply just want the video files up and off our
desktops to the living room in a matter of hours, not
days.

I'm glad you got your questions answered.
And yes, iDVD will seem like a bicycle compared
to a motorcycle after having used Toast.
I primarily use DVDSP, and it is like a tank
compared to the bicycle that is iDVD!

best,
terryj