Disks - File Format - Best Ones to use

[TamtheMan]

Hi Guys

I seeking some advice on the best DVD disks and File formats to use to create some home movies.

I have tried using Verbatum DVD +RW and even resorted to using 'Thats Write' 650 MB CD-R74 and although my videos will play back on my computer for some reason they wont play properly or in some cases wont play at all on my Sony Home Movie Player (which according to the manual should play a wide variety of formats) or my Combi TV DVD.

I am burning the disk with Nero 8 and I have tried DivX and WinAvi to convert to different formats.

I guess what I am really asking is what is the best all round disk and file format for home movies

[mats.hogberg]

If you're asking for best ("best" in this case being "most compatible") AVI format, it's DivX or XviD without packed bitstream & GMC.
Different players like different media, so here you have to experiment. CD-R is mature enough, media doesn't matter much.
Verbatim DVD is considered the best right now.

/Mats

[TamtheMan]

If you're asking for best ("best" in this case being "most compatible") AVI format, it's DivX or XviD without packed bitstream & GMC.
Different players like different media, so here you have to experiment. CD-R is mature enough, media doesn't matter much.
Verbatim DVD is considered the best right now.

/Mats

Hi Mats

Thanks for the prompt response... I am a total Newbie to Video Creating and Burning Disks and what appears to be easy is a lot more complex than I first thought with such an array of terms such as DivX, XviD bitstream and GMC much of which is way over my head.

I have spent a small fortune this past week or so trying to get a successful burn to work on my DVD Player which is why I have turned to the Forum for help. I appreciate I have much to learn but I guess what I am asking is which is the most compatable DVD CD and File Format to use and which is the simplest and best software to use.

Are there any resources online to explain all this jargon in simple laymans terms

Thanks again

Tam

[Richard_G]

See "What is DVD" at the top left of this page. You cannot simply burn a video file to disc and expect it to play. Different players can cope with different formats but for universal playability you need to create a proper DVD file format. This process is known as Authoring, which takes a video file, encodes it to the required mpeg2 format (if it isn't already), converts it to a .vob file and creates the .ifo and .bup files.

Ulead DVD Moviefactory is fairly cheap and easy to use. A 30 day free trial is available for download from www.ulead.co.uk so you can give it a try before you buy it. There are plenty of other authoring applications available, some are free, but require a bit of learning, my teenage daughter used Moviefactory without any understanding of what she was doing or why and had no problems. It's a good place to start.

[TamtheMan]

See "What is DVD" at the top left of this page. You cannot simply burn a video file to disc and expect it to play. Different players can cope with different formats but for universal playability you need to create a proper DVD file format. This process is known as Authoring, which takes a video file, encodes it to the required mpeg2 format (if it isn't already), converts it to a .vob file and creates the .ifo and .bup files.

Ulead DVD Moviefactory is fairly cheap and easy to use. A 30 day free trial is available for download from www.ulead.co.uk so you can give it a try before you buy it. There are plenty of other authoring applications available, some are free, but require a bit of learning, my teenage daughter used Moviefactory without any understanding of what she was doing or why and had no problems. It's a good place to start.

Hi Richard

Thanx much appreciated. I think I have all the tools to create my movies I use Pinnicle Studio MV my problem is trying to get my DVD's to run on my DVD Player and TV as I understand it, it is necessary to convert the AVI files to a format such as DivX or Xvid before Burning these onto a Disc. I have tried both these methods with little success and my feeling is that I may be using the wrong discs or combination of disc and format to obtain a working solution. So I guess what I am really trying to say is which is the most compatable combination to use DVD CD-R & Video File Format for a PAL system.

Tam

[mats.hogberg]

Try Convertx2dvd or FAVC to convert AVI to Video DVD format. However, the best solution is to get a player that supports playback of DivX / XviD AVI. No conversion needed (in most cases) and the best quality you can get (from an AVI source).

/Mats

[Richard_G]

as I understand it, it is necessary to convert the AVI files to a format such as DivX or Xvid before Burning these onto a Disc.

No. If they are avi in the first place they may already be one of these formats or they could be DV avi from a camcorder as you do not say where the files are from. For playback on a standalone DVD player they need to be formatted as DVD. Some players will play a DivX file straight from a disc but the majority will not. A simple DVD player will only play a DVD. To create a DVD the file needs to be mpeg2 and then authored into a DVD compliant file format. Whether you encode to mpeg2 first and then author or use a tool which will encode and author in one is up to you.

[TamtheMan]

Try Convertx2dvd or FAVC to convert AVI to Video DVD format. However, the best solution is to get a player that supports playback of DivX / XviD AVI. No conversion needed (in most cases) and the best quality you can get (from an AVI source).

/Mats

Hi Mats

Let me see if I understand this correctly - My AVI files need to be converted into Video DVD format correct, but I thought DivX and Xvid were Video DVD Formats so what am I missing ?

My DVD Player is a Sony DAV-S800 Compact AV System and can read a variety of video file formats according to the docs. I shall certainly have a look at the tools you suggest. Tanx again much appreciated.

Tam

[TamtheMan]

as I understand it, it is necessary to convert the AVI files to a format such as DivX or Xvid before Burning these onto a Disc.

No. If they are avi in the first place they may already be one of these formats or they could be DV avi from a camcorder as you do not say where the files are from. For playback on a standalone DVD player they need to be formatted as DVD. Some players will play a DivX file straight from a disc but the majority will not. A simple DVD player will only play a DVD. To create a DVD the file needs to be mpeg2 and then authored into a DVD compliant file format. Whether you encode to mpeg2 first and then author or use a tool which will encode and author in one is up to you.

Hi Richard

I am a little bit puzzled here as Mats states that the AVI has to be converted to a Video DVD format.

The files are from a Sony Digital Video Camcorder - Downloaded onto my computer via a Pinnacle Studio Video Card.

So are you saying that I need to convert the AVI to an mpeg2 and then authored oninto a DVD complient file format. If so which DVD complient file format?

Cheers Tam

[jman98]

TamtheMan - One of your problems may be that your DVD player may have playback issues with ANY brand of DVD+/-RW discs. If your player is a few years old, it may not support any brand of rewritable DVD much if at all. I have some old Apex DVD players I bought earlier in the decade and they simply won't play rewritable DVD at all. Verbatim discs are top notch. While I suppose in theory another brand of rewritable DVD discs might work better, I doubt it. Most likely your player just doesn't support playback on this type of disc.

As far as what format should you save your movies in goes, I'd advise just sticking to DVD format and not making Dvix/Xvid discs. Your DVD player may not support Divx/Xvid at all and that may even be the real problem, not your discs. I've heard the old "my player supports a variety of formats" line before from people who found out that their player really didn't support something at all that they wanted to play on it. "A variety of formats" might mean a lot of stuff like VCD and SVCD but not Divx.

Divx/Xvid are NOT video DVD formats. They are video formats that have NOTHING at all to do with DVD. NOTHING. You can burn Divx/Xvid files to CD-R if they are small enough.

[mats.hogberg]

Let me see if I understand this correctly - My AVI files need to be converted into Video DVD format correct, but I thought DivX and Xvid were Video DVD Formats so what am I missing ?

Basic knowledge. DivX and XviD are not Video DVD formats. See What Is DVD top left. Basically DVD compatible video is mpeg2 of a few resolutions, combined with audio of a few different formats.

/Mats

[TamtheMan]

TamtheMan - One of your problems may be that your DVD player may have playback issues with ANY brand of DVD+/-RW discs. If your player is a few years old, it may not support any brand of rewritable DVD much if at all. I have some old Apex DVD players I bought earlier in the decade and they simply won't play rewritable DVD at all. Verbatim discs are top notch. While I suppose in theory another brand of rewritable DVD discs might work better, I doubt it. Most likely your player just doesn't support playback on this type of disc.

As far as what format should you save your movies in goes, I'd advise just sticking to DVD format and not making Dvix/Xvid discs. Your DVD player may not support Divx/Xvid at all and that may even be the real problem, not your discs. I've heard the old "my player supports a variety of formats" line before from people who found out that their player really didn't support something at all that they wanted to play on it. "A variety of formats" might mean a lot of stuff like VCD and SVCD but not Divx.

Divx/Xvid are NOT video DVD formats. They are video formats that have NOTHING at all to do with DVD. NOTHING. You can burn Divx/Xvid files to CD-R if they are small enough.

Thanx Jman I appreciate your imput but must confess I am even more confused..

Tam

[TamtheMan]

Let me see if I understand this correctly - My AVI files need to be converted into Video DVD format correct, but I thought DivX and Xvid were Video DVD Formats so what am I missing ?

Basic knowledge. DivX and XviD are not Video DVD formats. See What Is DVD top left. Basically DVD compatible video is mpeg2 of a few resolutions, combined with audio of a few different formats.

/Mats

Hi Mats

Richard mentioned "What is DVD top left" but I dont see this in the Forum..

Tam

PS... Found IT shall go have a look Dah

[Richard_G]

Not only is DivX not DVD compliant, your DVD player will NOT play DivX files. See here https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers/sony-dav-s800/1035

You will have to create DVD compliant discs. MiniDV is the perfect source for creating DVD files as the resolution is identical. You simply transfer the footage from the camcorder over Firewire using something like WinDV. This gives you a DV.avi file. You can then encode to mpeg2 and you are ready to author.

I recommended Ulead DVD Moviefactory as it will accept the DV.avi file, allow you to create menus if you want, encode in pretty good quality, author and burn. All without having to understand what it is you are you doing.

[mats.hogberg]

Yes, to take the guesswork out of this thread: What exactly is "some home movies"?
If unsure of what is important - Load the file in GSpot and post a screen shot.

/Mats

[TamtheMan]

Hi Mats & Richard..

Tried Mats suggestion and downloaded Convertx2dvd works a treat. Fastest convert and burn so far works on my Home Cinema System and my TV DVD Combi Brill

Thanx guys... Just before I go what are DivX and Xvid used for?

Regards Tam

[mats.hogberg]

Mostly for Internet distribution of video. As I have a player that plays DivX, I at times rip my DVDs to DivX, and can store 7 movies on a DVD-5 (at somewhat lower quality than original), or transfer them to the HDD of my DVD recorder.

/Mats