Russ:
I'm sure some folks here are video experts...
OK I have a video camera that uses a Mini DV tape.
I save the 50 minute video I took as an AVI file
and it comes out to about 10.5 Gigabyte.
I have tried many of the free on line
convertors/movie makers and when they convert the
file it compresses it way to much.
Now I do understand that there are many file types
codexes etc etc.
When I do convert the file to something of a decent size
such as a Dvix or Mpeg4 they will play on a computer,
but not on a standard DVD player.
I don't mind spending a few $$$ on a commercial
editing/converting program such as one of the Corell
products if I can find one that will let me take this
LARGE 10.5 gig avi file and convert it to a GOOD quality
file that I can play on a standard DVD player.
the VOB files you find on a DVD are as Randy said, MPEG2 within the VOB
container, encoding directly to MPEG2 will make the DVD compilation process
easier - but to be honest so many of the newer DVD machines (ie, chinese)
and multimedia devices in general have a lot more codecs they can read, and
avi's so widely used these days by so many more devices I'd recommend
thinking hard about whether you really want the headache of making DVDs. I
find this especially so when you go to all the bother of making DVDs for
people and ask them later what they thought of the project.. after they look
at you vaguely and so 'oh yeah, it didn't work' (went in the trash) you'll
find yourself researching their particular DVD machine to find it was
incapable of reading writeable disks, or it only reads DVD+R's or something
equally annoying. Also annoying is putting avi's on a DVD and getting the
same response - now I just write DATA, FOR USE IN COMPUTERS - WORKS on
disks to make life easier for the stupid people who haven't the wit to try
more than one device before giving up.
I would try to get the files into Mpeg2 format first, roughly the right size
first, and you probably already know you're going to need a program that can
burn the things onto a usable DVD - many burner programs wont do that out of
the box.
http://www.dvdflick.net/ (free) is an all in one encoder and burner. You'll
need a burner that can actually burn DVDs or else you'll need to compile the
file structure yourself and that can be a headache. (VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS
files are where the data is stored in a very particular order, with the
AUDIO_TS file often left empty) this will probably do all you want it to
with a minimum of fuss.
http://www.dvdstyler.org/en/ - (free) I have no experience with this
particular version but it allows full authoring, takes many media types
turns them into what you want.. and it provides tools for building menus,
graphics and all the fruity things that go on DVD's
Myself - to burn the actual DVD I use Deepburner - a commercial version
which can create the file structures.. all you need do is point it to the
movies, it does the rest - but it's no great improvement on the free
DVDflick
to rip files smaller:
pocketdivxencoder v4.5 - totally free (if you find a 'buy it' link, look
elsewhere) easy to use divx encoder, massive level of easily understood
customization - handles most video formats compresses extremely well- wont
make you a DVD but will make large files much smaller and do a very good job
once you find the right compromise regarding quality/size
http://www.pocketdivxencoder.net/EN_index.htm - I know I said you need a
MPEG2 encoder, but if you spend a bit of time (not much, it's pretty quick)
seeing what this can do you'll have a better idea of what you can be aiming
toward quality and size-wise.
totalvideoconverter (I have the commercial version) - offers a mass of
integrated codecs, ugly, some ability to customize output - but it offers a
simple choice of DVD, VCD or SVCD along with the rest
http://www.effectmatrix.com/total-video-converter/
I'd strongly recommend against roxio or cyberlink products - you'll need a
crowbar and about 2 gallons of high octane fuel to get the things out of
your computer when they irritate you for the last time.
k
