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  1. Hello, I've been recently converting VHS tapes to digital to burn them to DVD. My primary burning software is DVD Architect 5.0. Lately I've been using Avidemux to convert my captures to smaller files but still retain a good percentage of the quality. Converting them to Mp4 seems to be my best choice so far. However the problem I have is whenever I open the file in DVDA the disc storage increases quite significantly. I actually converted a 5-6gb vid to about 2-3gb but when I open it in DVDA the disc space jumps to about 8gb! Ive tried using Avidemux to render the video to other formats such as mpg which is preferable for DVD but with mixed results. For instance Ive been using a test clip thats about 55mb and I can render it to to a smaller file with much of the quality intact but its only about 20mb lesser than the original. Other attempts give me files roughly around 20mb but with slightly less quality than I would like. Is there a way I can burn the MP4 files to DVD with DVDA without the disc spice spiking up so high?? Is there other formats or converters or another DVD software I should try?? Yes DVDA has fit to disc options but I think Id be preserving more quality doing it this way.
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  2. Member
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    Traditional DVD, if you want it to play on all players, is mpeg-2.
    You can usually put 2 - 3 hours of video on a typical dvd-5 (4.5GB)

    The size of the source file(s) is immaterial, only the running time matters
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  3. Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    The size of the source file(s) is immaterial
    In my case no it is not.

    Especially when I’ve had experience burning DVDs that are less than two hours but the file exceeds the disc space.
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  4. I'm a Super Moderator johns0's Avatar
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    Read about bitrates,It is the most important thing to know about how much you can fit on a dvd.
    I think,therefore i am a hamster.
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    Originally Posted by crissrudd4554 View Post
    Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    The size of the source file(s) is immaterial
    In my case no it is not.

    Especially when I’ve had experience burning DVDs that are less than two hours but the file exceeds the disc space.

    Some DVD players could play AVI files that used the divx/xvid codec (mpeg-4 part 2)
    and they all played mpeg-2 formatted properly for DVD (video_ts folder with VOB and IFO files)

    Perhaps you better explain in a little more detail what you're actually trying to do -
    you mention DVD Architect, so presumably you're trying to create a real (mpeg-2) DVD.
    The source files will have to be DVD compliant mpeg-2 already, or the program may reencode them
    depending on the capabilities of the program
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  6. That’s what I figured. Could I potentially convert the MP4 vid to mpg with the same quality using a different converter???
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    You could try AVStoDVD; it can do the encode and author the disk. It's menu options are very basic.
    If you want an elaborate menu (DVD Architect) you can use
    AVStoDVD to create the DVD compliant mpeg-2 files only (it will pick the bitrate which maximises the
    disk based on the source(s) running time)
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  8. I'll give it a try.
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    Originally Posted by crissrudd4554 View Post
    I'll give it a try.
    It needs Avisynth to be installed; I believe the install version of AVStoDVD includes it (Vs. the portable version)
    Remember to set your PAL/NTSC preference before you start any projects!
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  10. When I try to open the program I get this.

    Image
    [Attachment 62867 - Click to enlarge]
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  11. Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    Originally Posted by crissrudd4554 View Post
    I'll give it a try.
    It needs Avisynth to be installed; I believe the install version of AVStoDVD includes it (Vs. the portable version)
    Remember to set your PAL/NTSC preference before you start any projects!
    Sorry just saw this before I posted my last comment about the popup. Lemme try this again.
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  12. Nevermind. Downloaded Avisynth and redownloaded AVStoDVD again from scratch. Same popup.
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  13. Found the ReadMe file and followed instructions. Got past the popup.
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    The program is written in Visual Basic, that item it's looking for is the VB common controls,

    The program should have installed an icon so you can start the program. Right click the icon/open file location
    Double click on the LIB folder
    Right click mscomctl_reg (.bat if you have file extensions visible in Windows) and select "run as administrator"

    Retry AVStoDVD
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    Yes I see that - while I was writing my response you posted your new post with your success. Hopefully you'll find a combination of these programs that works for you
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  16. I’m still tinkering with things but while I’m at it I would like ask about the real issue I’m having. Why is it when I capture with certain programs the size of the video may be big or small even if I adjust bitrate?? For example I have a video recently that came out to about 5.83gb when captured with one software with a video bitrate of 8500kbps while another program I captured the same video in the same format but changed the bitrate to 7000kbps yet the video size came out to about 5.89gb, higher than the other video?!?! The audio bitrate was 224 for both so I know it’s not that.
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  17. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Putting it as simply as I can, a .06 gb difference is not the result of a 8500 kbps video against a 7000 kbps one. If both were constant bitrate then the first would be significantly larger than the second.


    You can check the bitrate by loading them in to mediainfo (windows may also give you a basic bitrate report. But essentially 8500, I guess, is the maximum bitrate (it is for dvd) and both videos are being encoded at average bitrate.
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  18. Ok I’ll check MediaInfo again when I get back on my computer. Thanks.
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  19. Ok so what mediainfo tells me the 7000kbps has a vid rate of 6018 while the 8500 one has it as 5947. The program the 7000 one was captured on was done at Variable Bitrate but there is a Constant Bitrate option. Should I try that???
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    You do not want constant bitrate for dvd. Variable bitrate should always allow for motion differences - fast motion requiring more bitrate than slower.


    If you are creating a single-layer disk I use a quite simple formula for bitrate:


    60 mins = 8000 kbps
    90 mins = 6000 kbps
    120 mins = 4000 kbps


    I have no knowledge of DVD Architect but I would have thought there was a setting within the program that states whether you are creating a single-layer 4+ gb disk or a dual-layer 8+ gb disk. Then you should not have to worry about bitrate since it should analyse the video and set the bitrate accordingly. Just as avstodvd lets you select either DVD5(4+) or DVD9(8+)


    But for future use, you have gained nothing by converting your captures to a lower-size mp4. While they might appear visually acceptable to you, you have lost significant actual detail which you can not get back in the dvd authoring process. Creating a dvd from the original capture, unless you captured as lossless, will also lose detail but it is one loss and not two by your chosen method.
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  21. I think DVDA does do that. It gives me specs on the bitrate even when I have to compress it. So yeah I think I’m just better off using that method.
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    In the future, when talking about the size of a file ( in gb/mb) and it's bitrate, please also include the running time and the codec used to encode it (from mediainfo)
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  23. Originally Posted by crissrudd4554 View Post
    Could I potentially convert the MP4 vid to mpg with the same quality using a different converter???
    No. MPEG2 is a lossy codec. No matter what you do or what program you use the result will be lower quality than the source. You can limit the quality reduction by using high bitrates. Limiting your DVD to 1 hour per 4.3 GB disc (8000 to 9000 kbps, depending on the audio bitrate) will give you the best quality. The more you put on a disc (ie, the lower the bitrate you use) the lower the quality will be. You'll have to decide for yourself how much quality loss you can live with. And it will vary by the nature of the individual video.

    But there's no reason to burn DVDs anymore. You can get a standalone media player that can play most A/V files for as little as US$20. You'll be able to play your MP4 videos (also MOV, MKV, AVI, M2TS, TS, etc.) without wasting time converting anything and without any quality loss. You also won't be limited to SD resolution -- even the cheap players support up to 4K video these days.
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  24. Thanks for the help everyone.
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  25. Yeah I’m just gonna stick with DVDA’s Fit to Disc compression. Burnt a DVD of 6gb DVD and honestly the compression isn’t that bad. Satisfies my needs anyways.
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  26. I have been having the same problems trying to convert captured videos (either in uncompressed in avi or converted to mp4) to Nero Video with more than 50 min video of a TV series, captured from a VHS recording, yet everytime I try and converted them to either MP4 or MPEG2 and lower the video bitrate to something which should allow the outputted file to fit onto a 4.7GB DVD with some space left, but all I get in Nero is a reading of 3GB despite the quality having been compressed really bad. On my Panasonic VHS/DVD combi (before it stopped working) I was able to copy/transfer four episodes of a 50 minute TV programme onto one 4.7GB disc, with a bitrate of about 9000kbps and a resolution of 720x576 (and I'm guessing using a variable bitrate for MPEG2), and yet the programmes I've been using on my laptop to convert files don't seem to be able to do the same. I've even lowered the bitrate to 500kbps and even a 250mb file when imported into Nero Video goes just over 3GB. Does anyone know why this is happening?. Is this due to the original captured file?. Lowering the bitrate really low and using VBR you would expect the outputted file to fit easily, but it doesn't.

    Also, why are programmes like Shutter Encoder supporting odd frame sizes like 320x180 (is that even a proper size?) 640x360 (shouldn't that be 640x480 like Virtualdub can capture at?). Why are these conversion and capture programmes using different sizes?.
    Last edited by techmot; 8th Mar 2022 at 07:35.
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  27. Originally Posted by techmot View Post
    I was able to copy/transfer four episodes of a 50 minute TV programme onto one 4.7GB disc, with a bitrate of about 9000kbps and a resolution of 720x576
    200 minutes at 9000 kbps would be over 13 GB. You might have used a max bitrate of 9000 but the average would have to be about 2500 kbps to fit on a single layer DVD.
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  28. Member Skiller's Avatar
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    For DVD (MPEG2 interlaced at Full D1) and typical analog, somewhat noisy and shaky home videos I always recommend to aim for no more than 80-90 minutes for a single layer DVD. Quality starts to drop like a hot potato above 90 minutes.


    Edit:
    Felt like it so here is some number crunching.

    On a single layer DVD+R you have precisely 4482.625 MiB to spare; a bit more on DVD-R. No need for any padding with good blanks and a good burner. Let's subtract only 2 MiB to allow for a tiny bit of headroom. With a generous audio bitrate of 256 KBit/s and not forgetting about mux overhead that would result in the following actual video bitrates:

    63 minutes: 9571 KBit/s
    70 minutes: 8577 KBit/s
    80 minutes: 7458 KBit/s
    90 minutes: 6588 KBit/s
    100 minutes: 5892 KBit/s
    120 minutes: 4848 KBit/s


    (Yes, you need at least 63 minutes to really fill a single layer disc. This bitrate is very high but it does not exceed the max allowed bitrate for DVD and is no problem for hardware players if burned well, contrary to what is often propagated.)
    Last edited by Skiller; 8th Mar 2022 at 20:32.
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  29. Originally Posted by techmot View Post
    I have been having the same problems trying to convert captured videos (either in uncompressed in avi or converted to mp4) to Nero Video with more than 50 min video of a TV series, captured from a VHS recording, yet everytime I try and converted them to either MP4 or MPEG2 and lower the video bitrate to something which should allow the outputted file to fit onto a 4.7GB DVD with some space left, but all I get in Nero is a reading of 3GB despite the quality having been compressed really bad. On my Panasonic VHS/DVD combi (before it stopped working) I was able to copy/transfer four episodes of a 50 minute TV programme onto one 4.7GB disc, with a bitrate of about 9000kbps and a resolution of 720x576 (and I'm guessing using a variable bitrate for MPEG2), and yet the programmes I've been using on my laptop to convert files don't seem to be able to do the same. I've even lowered the bitrate to 500kbps and even a 250mb file when imported into Nero Video goes just over 3GB. Does anyone know why this is happening?. Is this due to the original captured file?. Lowering the bitrate really low and using VBR you would expect the outputted file to fit easily, but it doesn't.

    Also, why are programmes like Shutter Encoder supporting odd frame sizes like 320x180 (is that even a proper size?) 640x360 (shouldn't that be 640x480 like Virtualdub can capture at?). Why are these conversion and capture programmes using different sizes?.
    Your numbers are very confusing and I suspect you may have copied them to this post incorrectly.

    First, it is impossible to put four episodes of a 50-minute program (200 minutes total) on a DVD with a 9,000 kbps bitrate. That amount of video would require a bitrate of about 2,800 kbps.

    I think a second source of confusion is probably the same thing that was confusing the OP two months ago and that is when you bring video in some programs (like DVD Architect in the OP's case), it will re-encode it using its own set of calculations, depending on how you have the encoding set. This is why a small file may get a lot larger, or vice versa.

    The ONLY thing which determines file size is bitrate. 320x180 or 640x360 or 640x480 or 720x576 will all end up at exactly the same size if encoded at the same number of bits per second. Yes, that is confusing to everyone when they first hear it, but the reason this is correct is contained in the definition: the encoder uses "x" number of bits each second, and so the number of bits times the number of seconds of video determines the file size. However, if you use the same number of bits per second for a 320x180 video, it will produce far fewer artifacts than if you use the same number of bits per second to encode a 1920x1080 video.
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