Help Authoring

[sparker781]

Lately I been using Nero Vision to author my DVD's which is absolutely terrible simply for the fact that it takes well over 2 and a half hours to do 1 DVD. Does anyone have any better solutions? Thanks

[Baldrick]

Converting to dvd-video takes time. If you want more help give more info.

[sparker781]

Okay...I have several avi files that I want to make into a home movie with menus and what not. I have used Nero and as I said it takes close to 2 to 3 hours. Now the movies rang from an hour to 3 hours and I do have Dual Layer disks. Not sure what "info" your looking for

[manono]

Not sure what "info" your looking for

The fact that you're starting with AVIs is important, don't you think? That means you're not just authoring but also having to reencode the video (and probably the audio also) to make it DVD compliant. Therefore the time it's taking isn't long at all, not that I'd let Nero anywhere near any video I valued.

If you have a DVD/MPEG-4 player you can skip all that and just burn them as data discs.

[sparker781]

Its an older DVD player....Would it say that on the player itself?

[manono]

Yeah, if it can play XviD or DivX AVIs, it'd say it on the outside. Those players are very cheap, though.

[sparker781]

Guess I'll have to go looking for a new DVD player....Got any suggestions for family members that don't have those types of players?

[manono]

Since you're in the US, go down to the closest Wal-Mart and look for some cheap Chinese brand. You should be able to get one for $40 or so. Most, but not all, XviD/DivX AVIs should play in them. Sometimes people use encoding settings the players don't like. Sometimes they can be fixed without reencoding; sometimes there's no fix except to reencode. If you're sharing with other family members, you might be better off making DVDs for them, as you were doing. But 2.5-3 hours isn't really a long time to do the job.

[Noahtuck]

What manono said,
You can pick up a Philips dvd player from walmart that plays xvid/divx from a disc, usb flash drive, will convert PAL to NTSC & can be made region free for under $50.00.

If you want to make dvd's for standard dvd players for other people with basic menu's & chapters from xvid/divx files use something like dvd flick or convertxtodvd

EDIT:
Here is 1 one,
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Philips-DVD-Player-with-Upconversion-DivX-Ultra-DVP3982-F7/11600020

I could have sworn they had one that also played from a USB flash drive for under $50.00 but i cant find one now....

[sparker781]

Wow...Thanks all for the help. It's greatly appreciated.

[lordsmurf]

Replace Nero with these Nero replacement programs and convert to DVD.

Or buy a Philips DVD player. I suggest Amazon, instead of Walmart. Cheaper (free shipping, no tax), more models available: http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2F...reative=390957

Sometimes the Philips won't play every single AVI file, because not everybody encodes the same (or correctly). You'll still find a need to convert, from time to time. I sometimes get a few UK TV shows, but not all of the files play well in the Philips, have to use ConvertXToDVD (one of the Nero replacement tools from the first link).