How do I put AVI files onto a DVD as AVI files?

[dgarmaise]

Someone gave me a DVD with several .avi files on it, so I know that it can be done. And the DVD plays fine on my DVD player. But I have not been able to figure out how to do it myself. Everything I read tells me that I have convert the .avi files first, which takes forever. How do I get .avi files onto a DVD without converting them? P.S., I'd ask the "someone" who gave me the disc, but I can't reach him.

[Baldrick]

If your dvd player supports divx/xvid and your avi files are in divx/xvid format you can just burn the files on the dvd in data mode. Use any burning tool like nero burning rom and add the avi files. Don't make a multisession disc.

[Abond]

Load the avis in your burning programme. Burn as Data DVD (not Video DVD).

[dgarmaise]

Thanks for the quick responses! Perhaps my .avi files are not in divx/xvid format. How do I tell? The file names all end in .avi. I have Nero Burning ROM 7, but I can't import the .avi files no matter what DVD mode I select, and even when I select "no multisession." I don't see any "DVD Data" mode. I just see: DVD-ROM (ISO), DVD Copy, DVD Video, DVD-ROM (BOOT), DVD-ROM (UDF), and DVD-ROM (UDF/ISO).

[dgarmaise]

Well, I am making progress of sorts. I got the files to burn ok using AVS Disc Creator. But now I can't find any device that the disc will play on! Never a dull moment with this stuff!

[marioval]

DVD-ROM (ISO) is the mode you want.

[poisondeathray]

Use mediainfo to figure out if your AVI's are encoded with DivX or XviD. Note all not all are compatible with standalone DVD players. Some encoding options like Gpel, GMC prevent the AVI's from being played.

If you have Nero SmartStart, there is a profile that is "burn data disk". This has the same presets for DVD-ROM (ISO). Just drag the files over to the compilation screen.

EDIT: Marioval you beat me by 2 sec!

[dgarmaise]

I tried DVD-ROM (ISO)on Nero Burning ROM 7; can't import the AVI files. Yet I could import them with AVS Disc Creator.

[Baldrick]

How big are the files?

[redwudz]

In Nero you would use DVD ROM (ISO) mode. But that won't do you any good unless the files are Divx compliant to your Divx DVD player. ImgBurn is a lot easier, just use 'Build' mode and burn them.

You would need to look to your Divx player manual to see what specifications it needs for playback. You can check the specifications of your Divx AVI file with Gspot or MediaInfo. Most times you can make them compliant by using a program like AVI ReComp.

An just in case we are all totally confused about what you want to do, you can also create a standard DVD with a VIDEO_TS folder and outside the VIDEO_TS folder, you can have AVIs and the VIDEO_TS folder part will play back on most any DVD player and the AVIs will play back on a computer.

[dgarmaise]

Just to answer a few questions and bring you up to date. (1) The files are 350MB each; I have several of them. (2) I installed MediaInfo. It won't tell me whether the files are encoded with Divx or Xvid. I tried another avi file and MediaInfo did provide the information for that one. So, I suspect my avi files are not encoded with Divx or Xvid. (3) I discovered that Nero Express has a Data DVD function. Nero Express is contained within Nero Ultra Edition 7. Using a Nero Express, I am burning a DVD with my avi files I write this. But I suspect the outcome will be the same as when I used AVS Disc Creator.

[guns1inger]

Stop wasting your time with Nero. Use Imgburn for burning. Build mode will do what you are attempting.

[Ai Haibara]

Just to answer a few questions and bring you up to date. (1) The files are 350MB each; I have several of them. (2) I installed MediaInfo. It won't tell me whether the files are encoded with Divx or Xvid. I tried another avi file and MediaInfo did provide the information for that one. So, I suspect my avi files are not encoded with Divx or Xvid.

MediaInfo should be able to tell you what codecs (video and audio) were used to encode the AVI, even if they aren't DivX/Xvid. See the picture I'm attaching for an example.
You might also want to keep GSpot around to get information on an AVI file as well.

[jagabo]

(2) I installed MediaInfo. It won't tell me whether the files are encoded with Divx or Xvid. I tried another avi file and MediaInfo did provide the information for that one. So, I suspect my avi files are not encoded with Divx or Xvid.

It probably means your files aren't AVI files but rather some other container and somebody just renamed them .AVI. Use GSpot to check the container. It is very good at determining the container even if the file has been renamed.

[dgarmaise]

Yes, I think I can say that my files are not real AVI files! Thanks for the help, everyone!

[lacywest]

You are not using Nero ... this time ... to burn files on to a Blank DVD Disk so you can play it like a normal DVD Video with a pretty menu ... you are going to use Nero Express ... and burn some files onto a DVD disk ... period.

Lots of people do this to archive their stuff they have gathered on their harddrives and the harddrives are full of crap you dont want to delete. So you burn those folders filled with useless programs on to a DVD disk and stick them up on the shelf.

In your case your burning video files ... Summer Vacation 2006.avi ... Christmas Vacation 2007.mpg .... etc ... etc ... on to a blank DVD disk. My philips 5980 DVD Player will play them.

Just open up Nero Express ... get the big window displayed ... then browse for files.

OR ... use Windows Explorer and find them files you want ... click ... COPY ........... then go back to the big window in Nero Express and do a Right-Mouse button click and choose ... PASTE .... they will appear there.

If they dont ... well ... you've got your PC set up different from mine. I've got ... CUT ... COPY ... PASTE ... displayed up at the top on my Windows Explorer Tool Bar. I dont use ... CUT > TO ... or COPY > TO ... I removed them and use ... ... CUT ... COPY ... PASTE ... instead.

Check your burn settings ... 4X ... 6X ... is a safe speed ... less likely to have a bad DVD.

It is up to you ... go ahead and burn at 8X speed or 16X ... I Dont.