AVI to DVD conversion...sometimes works, sometimes doesn't?!?

[lektrix]

So I used the free program WINAVI converter and converted some of my .AVIs to DVDs...

I then use Ashampoo to burn the DVDs, but only some work....

1. The ones that work have the .IFO and .VOB files as well as the MPEGs, and the ones that don't work only have the MPEGs after conversion of course..Does anyone know why this occurs? I believe that without the .IFO and .VOB files, the DVD player can't start up the movie...

2. My DVD-Rs are 4.7GB, but after conversion, the movie files are only 2.5GB or so. Is there any way I could make them the same size as the DVD for improved quality?? Or is there only so much I can do?

THanks.

 

[Gooberlx2]

1. Most DVD players won't read a straight mpeg file (a few will), you need to convert them into the IFO/VOB structure.
2. you're going from a typically more-compressed format (avi, mpeg4) to a typically less-compressed format (mpeg2), there's probably only so much that needs to be done/processed during the conversion.

check out doom9.org and/or videohelp.com for guides on properly converting to/from various formats.

Here is a search on VideoHelp's DVD player database listing the ones with the ability to read unauthored DVDs (mpegs straight from the disc).

 

[Evander]

I don't know about using winavi, but yeah you need the ifo and vobs to be in a folder named VIDEO_TS and there should be another folder named AUDIO_TS as well (usually empty). That program probably has an option to ouput either as an mpeg file or a dvd folder, make sure you're doing that right. If you have an mpeg already and don't feel like redoing the conversion, you must use a DVD Authoring program like TMPEGEnc DVD Author (what I use), and feed it the mpeg file (hopefully the mpeg is within DVD specs). Get a trial version if you need to