Please Help!-2:46:22 (690 MB) .WMV file will NOT fit on DVD which is 4.7G

[facepalm!!]

Hi, I am somewhat new to this more advanced video editing stuff and am experiencing a VERY frustrating problem I have been tirelessly trying to solve since 2:00 PM yesterday.

I have a video file that I am trying to burn to a DVD so that I can watch it on the most basic DVD players anywhere I go.

The file originally came as 2.0G mp4 file and I have managed to shrink it to a 690 MB wmv file.

The only problem is that when I try to use Windows DVD maker to burn to a DVD, Windows DVD Maker (WDM) says the video is 16 minutes too long although the the file size is considerably smaller than the allotment on the DVD.

The tools/software I have available is:

iMovie
Windows Movie Maker (2.6 and Live versions)
Windows DVD Maker
Blaze Media Pro trial edition
If totally necessary, I can install Adobe CS4 programs from my university..

Is there any way possible to get this file to fit onto a DVD5 with the available tools and/or any other freeware apps out there? I plan on buying the Blaze software although I cannot right now due to funds.

Thanks for your time .

[hech54]

The file originally came as 2.0G mp4 file and I have managed to shrink it to a 690 MB wmv file.

You are going about this COMPLETELY wrong.

[manono]

Yep, first go back to the MP4 and forget about shrinking it down any more. Second, ditch the crap Windows DVD Maker and use a decent DVD conversion and authoring program. Maybe try Avs2DVD or DVD Flick.

[facepalm!!]

Thanks guys.

So Avs2DVD or DVD Flick will perform the required tasks?

[hech54]

Thanks guys.

So Avs2DVD or DVD Flick will perform the required tasks?

No. We lie a lot.


Also be warned that an almost 3 hour movie is going to be a stretch for a single layer disc.

[zoobie]

It may be best to first read "what is dvd" at the top of the menu on the left hand side of this page. Then use the recommended programs and see which you like better.

[facepalm!!]

lol. well thanks again... And I guess lying isn't as bad as stealing..

[redwudz]

I might mention that a single layer DVD is really only 4.37GB. The larger size mentioned is just from an 'improper' measurement method. (Also in 'WHAT IS' DVD.)

[facepalm!!]

@redwudz- True BUT, even the larger mp4 file that I downloaded should have fit if discerning by file size. However, the D5 disc DOES say 120 minutes on it. But then again, the length of the file was 2:46:22 and DVD Maker said it was 16 minutes too long so I was all kinds of cornfused.


Anyways... I got AVStoDVD and all of its affiliate programs installed and working and am working on getting the DVD burnt and ran into a problem.

When I tried to select the D: drive w/ my blank DVD in it the prog told me the drive is not ready and to check for proper connection and if a disc was actually in the drive. Why's this?

What I amcurrently attempting in order to get around this is to just burn an image to a file and will then try to use ImgBurn to burn the file to a DVD. hopefully this works.

Any suggestions? It seems I should just be able to burn the image directly to a DVD straight from AVStoDVD.

[Gavino]

BUT, even the larger mp4 file that I downloaded should have fit if discerning by file size.

The size of the original mp4 file is irrelevant, and similarly for the wmv.
What counts is the duration, and the bitrate used to encode to MPEG2 for DVD.
File size = duration * bitrate.

[facepalm!!]

Thank you very much Gavino.. Makes sense now .

But does anyone have an idea as to why I can't burn directly to a DVD from AVStoDVD b/c of the "Drive not ready" error?

[facepalm!!]

Also, AvStoDVD has been burning this movie to a file folder for over TEN HOURS now and is still not complete.... Is this normal?

[manono]

Also, AvStoDVD has been burning this movie to a file folder for over TEN HOURS now and is still not complete.... Is this normal?

It could be normal. Especially if the MP4 source is at a hi-def resolution. And especially if your computer isn't the latest and greatest.

[facepalm!!]

Ok, so then why won't the prog write directly to the D drive?

[hech54]

Ok, so then why won't the prog write directly to the D drive?

What kind of device do you have at d: ?

[DB83]

The program WILL allow you to write direct to a dvd disk - you do, I assume, have a dvd-burner installed in your PC.

However, I would NEVER suggest that course of action. Better to create a folder, test the dvd so created using a software dvd player and then burn that tested folder using imgburn - the burn to disk option uses imgburn but you will waste a disk if the created disk was not to your liking.

[facepalm!!]

Yeah, I eventually figured out that's what AVStoDVD was going to do in the first place. The file path I was trying to set as D: was where AVStoDVD was wanting to put the image files prior to burning the DVD with imgburn.

HOWEVER, although I did get the DVD burnt, the damn thing won't play on my DVD player! Is there a setting I must choose for the disc to play on a DVD player? I think the file burnt to the DVD was a .m2v file.

[DB83]

On my version there are 5 settings available under 'Output'

1. Elementary Mpeg2 Streams - that appears to be the one you have selected.
2. Muxed Mpeg2 File - that would create a playable file with the .mpg extension.
3. DVD Folder Structure - that is the one I recommend (to test the final dvd BEFORE burning the disk.
4. ISO UDF Image - creates an .iso image which Imgburn can also use
5. Burn DVD - cuts out options 3. or 4.

If you still have the M2v file on your hdd you could still use that with option 3. to create a proper dvd disk.