Mpeg2 files taking up more space than they should in DVDit Pro?

[Veepa]

Let me first say how much I appreciate the help from the people on this forum. The last few weeks I've been running into so many tiny problems when I decided to start encoding my VHS rips into DVD compliant files instead of XVid .avi files.. And I just kept getting so stressed out, but eventually found the solutions to my problems on my own, because I had completely forgot about this great forum.

Anyway, here's my problem now.. Okay, I had this DVD. The original DVD file is 3.24GB. I extracted the original mpeg2 video file from it using Magic DVD Ripper, which was 3.22GB in size. I cut up the video into 3 parts. The 3 files still add up to be 3.22GB..

Okay.. so now when I add them to DVDit Pro 6, the indicator at the bottom tells me I have far less space than I should have left. I should have over a 1GB of space left, if I'm using a standard DVD-5. But it tells me I only have around 500MB left.

So I tried just adding the original video, not chopped up, which is the same exact file size and length, and it tells me I have 1.16GB left. Which still doesn't seem right, but it's a lot closer. But why would there be any difference at all? The length of the videos combined is the same as the original one, and they are of the same filesize.

Is there a certain way you're supposed to add mpeg2 DVD compliant files into DVDit? I just go to file and Add Movie.

[TonyDanson]

Well, we're going to need to know what OS you use and what kind of monitor you own. After you give us that information, you need to take a screen shot of your Control Panel and post it here for analysis. Your Control Panel setup is extremely important. Huh? Sigh.

[guns1inger]

How did you cut the video up ?
Are you sure that the three parts are still DVD compliant ?

[netmask56]

Anyway, here's my problem now.. Okay, I had this DVD. The original DVD file is 3.24GB. I extracted the original mpeg2 video file from it using Magic DVD Ripper, which was 3.22GB in size. I cut up the video into 3 parts. The 3 files still add up to be 3.22GB..

What device did you use to transfer the VHS tape to your computer and what size is that file? Most hardware devices that do this produce a MPEG2 or MPEG1 or DivX file user selected.

Assuming the original file was MPEG2 DVD compliant. What MPEG editor did you use to edit or cut up the original file into 3 parts ready to author in DVDVit Pro?

or (please don't tell me you converted this into a DVD and then extracted the VOB files and then converted them to MPEG2 files and......?)

This is a case where all the facts and equipment used dotting every i etc is necessary to provide any worht while advice (we don't need to know the monitor details btw ) As much info as possible please...

Basically if you added the 3 files into any DVD Authoring programs they would add up to a bit more allowing for overhead and menu creation etc. But then again the particular encoder used within the DVD Authoring program might use all the available space on the DVD-r or only a fraction.

[Veepa]

How did you cut the video up ?
Are you sure that the three parts are still DVD compliant ?

I used Mpg2Cut2 to cut up the files. I'm pretty sure they are still compliant, because DVDit will usually alert me if I add a mpeg2 file that isn't compliant, and it doesn't do so with these.

What device did you use to transfer the VHS tape to your computer and what size is that file? Most hardware devices that do this produce a MPEG2 or MPEG1 or DivX file user selected.

There was no VHS involved here. I had a DVD-R, which was only 3.24GB to begin with. I used Magic DVD Ripper to rip the Original Mpeg2 video file from it, without any re-encoding done. That video file was 3.22GB.

Assuming the original file was MPEG2 DVD compliant. What MPEG editor did you use to edit or cut up the original file into 3 parts ready to author in DVDVit Pro?

Like I said, I used Mpg2Cut2.

Basically if you added the 3 files into any DVD Authoring programs they would add up to a bit more allowing for overhead and menu creation etc. But then again the particular encoder used within the DVD Authoring program might use all the available space on the DVD-r or only a fraction.

I understand that the menus and stuff need to take up a tiny portion of the space, but over 1gb? And like I said.. why is there more free space left when I add the single video than when I add the cropped ones? They are the same size in total, and same length.

[guns1inger]

Use mediainfo (Tree view) to check the three files. Post the settings here if necessary. Some tools re-encode by default, and must be told not to explicitly. Perhaps DVDiT is one such tool. Look for an appropriate setting.

[Veepa]

Video 1:

Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1.09 GiB
Duration : 23mn 46s
Overall bit rate : 6 577 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Duration : 23mn 46s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 6 124 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 6 308 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Resolution : 8 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.591
Stream size : 1.02 GiB (93%)

Audio
ID : 128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Duration : 23mn 46s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 32.7 MiB (3%)



Video 2:

Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1.09 GiB
Duration : 23mn 40s
Overall bit rate : 6 598 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Duration : 23mn 39s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 6 144 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 6 308 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Resolution : 8 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.593
Stream size : 1.02 GiB (93%)

Audio
ID : 128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Duration : 23mn 40s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 32.5 MiB (3%)



Video 3:

Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1.04 GiB
Duration : 22mn 33s
Overall bit rate : 6 592 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Duration : 22mn 33s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 6 138 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 6 308 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Resolution : 8 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.593
Stream size : 991 MiB (93%)

Audio
ID : 128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Duration : 22mn 33s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Video delay : 276ms
Stream size : 31.0 MiB (3%)



I don't really know what most of this stuff means. What am I looking for? Do all three of the videos have to share the same bit rate?

[guns1inger]

They all look OK, so the problem lies with DVDit or how you are using it. I don't know the product, so all I can suggest if you try something else and see if you have the same problem. GUIForDVDAuthor or DVD Styler are both free authoring tools.