Best software to burn VCDs into DVD

[mooncancook]

I have some TV shows in VCDs that I wanted to burn into DVD. i tried using Roxio DVD Creator that bundle's with my RW drive. I copied the .dat files from the VCDs and rename them to .mpg. 9 episodes add up to about 4.2GB in my HDD. But once I add these files to a DVD Creator project, the resulting movie will be 32GB in HQ mode, and 18GB in LQ mode.

How can I burn a DVD movie from those .mpg VCD files without increasing file size? I want to be able to fit 8-9 episodes into a DVD, what's the best way and best software to accomplisht that?

 

[KeyserSoze]

I just did this a few weeks ago. You can't just take the mpeg files and rename them and burn them.

I had to copy the .dat files to my computer, and then rename to .mpeg. THEN convert them to MPEG-4 (I believe they are MPEG-2 for VCD's.) To convert them, I used Tmpgenc. It takes the source file, and outputs it as the correct stream. (The Wizard at the beggining will do it for you.)

Then I think Nero will conver them to "IFO" and "VOB" files for you. (I used DVD-Lab.)

Just google 'Vcd to DVD'. But your end files will be bigger in size than they were in VCD format.



KS

 

[mooncancook]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try converting them to mpeg2 using Tmggenc first be4 buring them to DVD. btw VCD is mpeg1 and DVD is mpeg2.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

NOOOO!!!!

DO NOT CONVERT!!!

Here's what you should do, it's better and you don't lose any quality... no more transcoding, either:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/convert/vcdtodvd/vcdtodvd.htm

 

[mooncancook]

Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
NOOOO!!!!

DO NOT CONVERT!!!

Here's what you should do, it's better and you don't lose any quality... no more transcoding, either:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/convert/vcdtodvd/vcdtodvd.htm

Looks like that's what I need... except it's not cheap. Is there any freeware that can accomplish this?

 

[Shawn]

Don't VCDs play in a standard DVD player?

 

[Rottie]

It depends on DVD player will support VCD or not. I tried mine with two DVD players with VCD it won't work I have to buy DVD player that work with ALL different kind of formats.

 

[mooncancook]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Don't VCDs play in a standard DVD player?

well I got 45 episodes on 45 VCDs. Trying to arhcive them into 5-6 DVDs.

 

[Nothinman]

NOOOO!!!!

DO NOT CONVERT!!!

Here's what you should do, it's better and you don't lose any quality... no more transcoding, either:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/convert/vcdtodvd/vcdtodvd.htm

That page explicitly says that the DVDs it produces aren't standard DVDs and require a DVD player that will play what is essentially a VCD renamed to DVD.

 

[Evander]

Actually vcd mpeg 1 video is within standard dvd spec, see here:
http://www.videohelp.com/dvd
The only thing that's not kosher is the 44.1khz audio, which is fixed when you use tmpegenc dvd author.
BTW there's a fully working trial version of that (14 days I think) so don't go searching elsewhere, just hurry up and finish your conversions before it expires (doesn't take long since the only reencoding is the audio)

 

[yukichigai]

Okay, let's clear this up once and for all.

VCD video is in DVD spec. VCD audio is not. The only reason that it isn't is because it's 44.1kHz rather than 48kHz. You can fix this, however.

Step 1) Get TMPGEnc's trial version. The trial is a 30-day limit on MPEG-2 encoding, but it has unlimited MPEG-1 encoding. It also comes with some MPEG tools, found in in MPEG->Tools.

Step 2) Go to the aforementioned MPEG Tools. Click the "demultiplex" tab and select the VCD .dat files. You should wind up with an mp2 file and an m1v file.

Step 3) If you don't already have BeSweet, get it. (doom9.org) Select the .mp2 and convert it to mp2 at the same bitrate, but with SSRC set to convert to 48000Hz. This will make it DVD compliant.

Step 4) Author. You can use the free version of DVD-Lab, which will let you select video and audio files seperately. You can also get bbMPEG and mux the VOB files yourself, though that's a little complex. Actually, they're both complex. This is the worst part of the whole thing.

After that you should have 100% DVD-compliant streams. Good luck. Feel free to PM me if you need help.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

yep, just use the TMPGEnc DVD Author demo for 2 weeks, you'll be fine.

I use this procedure all the time to archive documentaries and old European films already in VCD fomat... you can cram about 9 hours of material on a DVD... and I haven't seen any DVD player that can't handle these discs yet...