Looking for the right Adobe Media Encoder settings for a DVD

[raudbul]

Hello, everybody. I have a 3 hour Adobe AE Composition that I want to later burn on a Video DVD. So, I am looking for the right settings in Adobe Media Encoder that could me the right .avi file that I will later authorize using DVD Flick. Also, the .avi must not be more than 4.3 GB or I'd like to have 2 .avi files less than 4.3 GB so I'd be able to burn it in a dvd. Please, help me and I will apreciate it A LOT.

[DB83]

If you are going to create a dvd, a 4.3 GB avi had no relevance since it will have to be re-encoded.

But can't you directly encode to dvd-compliant mpeg2 and use avstodvd for the authoring. That is just one step and no re-encoding so less opportunity to reduce quality.

Talking of quality, a 3-hour video is really too much for a single-layer dvd since your bit-rate will be too low (unless you author as half-D1 ie 352*576 if PAL)

So you do need two single-layer disks with a mpeg2 bit rate of approx. 5500 kbps.

So, if you really MUST create those avis, create two and at the least possible compression. So lossless huffyuv or lagarith. But, as I said, mpeg2 directly is possible.

[raudbul]

So, what settings should I put in Adobe Media Encoder. It has an MPEG2-DVD option but the last time I used it I got a huge .m2v for video and a broken .wav file for audio. Could you please help me with Adobe Media Encoder since it is the problem here ? Btw, I am using AE so if there is an alternative, please tell me.

[smrpix]

No need to convert twice. AME/AE has a number of DVD presets. Start with the one that's closest to your project as far as frame rate, tv system and aspect ratio, then modify so all 3 hours will fit on a disk.

(You may have to drag your comp from the AE project window to the AME queue.)

Be warned, you're going to have a very low bitrate and it's not going to look very good no matter what you use to do the conversion.

[raudbul]

is there a way to create two .avi files with decent quality ? Like, when it reaches an amount of MB, say 4300 MB, as in my case, it creates a new file.

[smrpix]

is there a way to create two .avi files with decent quality ? Like, when it reaches an amount of MB, say 4300 MB, as in my case, it creates a new file.

Not automatically, though you can easily split your comp and load the parts into your render queue.

I have a 3 hour Adobe AE Composition that I want to later burn on a Video DVD.

Why are you focussing on avi if you want to make a DVD?

[raudbul]

I have a 3 hour Adobe AE Composition that I want to later burn on a Video DVD.

Why are you focussing on avi if you want to make a DVD?

Because the last time I used the DVD presets I got a corrupted file
Edit: DVD Flick is going to re-encode the file anyways so I thought why not use standard .avi to avoid problems since I am re-encoding anyways. I don't think there's a way to directly burn the files I am going to get from AME into a dvd without anything else.

[smrpix]

DVD Flick is going to re-encode the file anyways so I thought why not use standard .avi to avoid problems since I am re-encoding anyways.

Then size doesn't matter at this stage -- see DB83's post #2. (And there is no such thing as "standard" avi.)

I don't think there's a way to directly burn the files I am going to get from AME into a dvd without anything else.

You have to author the files, but many (most?) authoring programs will pass DVD-compliant streams through without reencoding. DVD Flick buries that option deep in its settings. You can try AVStoDVD -- see DB83's post #2.

[raudbul]

Thanks a lot, smrpix and DB83.
I am a noob to editing so I didn't quite get DB83's post #2 but now it is all good. I tried everything you stated with a 5 min sample video. I used MPEG2-DVD with PAL Wide. Now, I am going to do 1hr and a half for the 1st DVD and then the rest which is about 45 mns for the 2nd DVD. By the way, should I use PAL Wide or PAL Wide Progressive ? and, is there anything wrong with what I am going to do ( just to make sure I get the optimal settings ) ?

[DB83]

When we reply we often make assumptions but if you do not understand the reply you should ask for clarification.

Now you say the full video is only approx. 2 hrs 15 min. That may well fit on to one disk and with a reasonable quality. Try a bitrate of 4,000 kbps.

Now I assume by 'WIDE' you mean widescreen or 16:9. This now depends on your original project - no point in going wide if your source is not.

Also, is your source interlaced ?. If you create a progressive video from that you will lose quality.

[raudbul]

As for the bitrate, I think I will let it as it is right now because I am afraid if the size is going to be bigger than 4.3 GB I'll have to do it all over again with two DVDs (two compositions) and waste several hours.
As for the 'WIDE' setting, there's no problem with that. What I tried to ask was if it should be interlaced or progressive ? And, how do I know if my source is interlaced or progressive ? Sorry for taking a lot of your time.

[smrpix]

how do I know if my source is interlaced or progressive ?

In the AE project window, select one of your clips. If it is interlaced it will say separating (upper) or (lower) in the information window.

[raudbul]

Thanks a lot everyone. Love this forum Quick solutions and friendly people

[roma_turok]

If you going to render in Adobe Media Encoder
first change Audio from PCM to Dolby digital



second change Bitrate encoding to CBR
and Bitrate value to fit DVD
you have display estimated size of files on the bottom
burn M2V and AC3 files with Encore or other authoring DVD program

[raudbul]

How to burn with Encore ?

[roma_turok]

Import as Timeline to Adobe Encore M2V and AC3 files
and File -> Build -> Disc..

[smrpix]

Wait! You have Encore and you're screwing around with DVD Flick!?

[raudbul]

Wait! You have Encore and you're screwing around with DVD Flick!?

Noob here :/

[raudbul]

Guys, after rendering the 1hr 45mns composition I got a corrupted ac3 file. It just keeps playing 3 seconds over and over (I could uplaod a sample if you really want ) ... When I did a 5 mn Comp it worked just fine .. Please, help me Should I change something with the Audio settings for it to work on the long Comp ?

[roma_turok]

So render in Adobe After effects to AVI DV PAL
check AVI if sound is correct
then Import AVI as Timeline to Adobe Encore
Adobe Encore will automatically convert AVI when you select Build Disc..
you can also change default Adobe Encore render preset

[smrpix]

So render in Adobe After effects to AVI DV PAL

No need even to do this. Just drag the comp from the AE project window to the Encore project window.

[roma_turok]

So render in Adobe After effects to AVI DV PAL

No need even to do this. Just drag the comp from the AE project window to the Encore project window.

His have problem with sound
when he rendering AE project in other programs

[smrpix]

...and it looks like it also won't work if AE is later than CS6.

[DB83]

Just a quick thought.

Have you had issues playing ac3 audio before ? Is this the first time you have played such a file ?

At the least, post a mediainfo (text mode) report of the ac3 audio

If a 5 minute sample works, there is no obvious reason, other than your own system, why a longer one should not work.

If possible, upload as an attachment here the full ac3 audio file.

If issues persist, contrary to the above advice, I would encode the audio as PCM and let Encore re-encode that to ac3. The video will not be re-encoded since the m2v file will be dvd-compliant.

But before that let's see the audio file.

[raudbul]

Thanks, everyone. By they way, I have Adobe Media Encoder CC not Adobe Encoder so I don't think I'll be able to make discs with it but AVStoDVD worked smoothly and without re-encoding when I used it with .m2v and .ac3 (corrupted). The .m2v is totally fine btw. Here is the Mediainfo :

General
Complete name : C:\Users\PC\Desktop\Movie\Project\2014 (converted)_AME\Final DVD 1_1.ac3
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
File size : 103 MiB
Duration : 1h 14mn
Overall bit rate mode : Constant
Overall bit rate : 192 Kbps

Audio
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Duration : 1h 14mn
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 103 MiB (100%)

As for the sample the .ac3 seems to be literally corrupted ... every editing software I used to make the sample ( it's 102 MB sized ) would say it's corrupted (AE, QuickTime (for playing) .. )
Hopefully the MediaInfo will be enough. By they way, two days ago I tired this with .wav files ( I think it's PCM in the settings) and same thing happened.

[DB83]

Well if both ac3 AND PCM were corrupt after encoding dare I suggest that there is something wrong with your source.

The only thing I see wrong with the ac3 is that it does not have an ID. Would have expected to see '128'. So that may be why nothing can play this.

[poisondeathray]

Is the audio ok within AE when you preview it?

Clear the AE cache, then export uncompressed PCM wave only again (don't render out any video) , and test that in a media player like VLC

[raudbul]

Thanks, everybody and after hours of trying I figured out the problem. Basically, AME cannot render more than one hour (in my case, that is). The video 1h 14mns long so the first 14 mins are either corrupt or muted and the rest plays just fine. If I change the composition settings to 59 mns, the audio works just fine. So ... is there a way to make it render more than 1 hour ?

[poisondeathray]

If only audio is the problem, render uncompressed PCM wave out of AE, encode to AC3 with something else (e.g. aften, taudioconverter etc...)

[DB83]

Can you now post the mediainfo report of the m2v video that is 74 minutes ?

There is method in the apparent madness of this request.