Converting DV .avi to DVD?

[GetInMyFatBelly]

I would like to convert my DV video's from my videocamera to DVD+R on my Optorite DVD burner. Is there free software/shareware to do this simply? Without converting the video and then audio, etc., in single steps. And I want to do it at the highest possible quality. Thanks...

 

[Sid59]

DV format is different from what's DVD compatible. You're gonna have to transcode the file.

 

[LethalWolfe]

You'll have to convert the DV file into MPEG-2. And if you want 160 minutes on a single DVD then yer gonna have to have a fairly low bit rate. DVD, at it's best, has 1/4 the bit rate of DV so don't expect the DVD to look as good as whats on the DV tape.


Lethal

 

[GetInMyFatBelly]

OK, so if I put one tape (80min.) on one DVD, then the quality will be the same at the DV original, or close? And what is the easiest way to do this? Software?
Thanks...

 

[RKS]

Tried here?

 

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by: GetInMyFatBelly
OK, so if I put one tape (80min.) on one DVD, then the quality will be the same at the DV original, or close? And what is the easiest way to do this? Software?
Thanks...

The quality will be better, but the maximum allowed bit rate for DVDs (which is not used very often because some DVD players won't be able to play it back correctly) is still only about 1/3 the bit rate of DVD. So a typical DVD's bit rate will be around 1/4 that of DV. But, that being said, I assume your camera is a 1-chip consumer MiniDV camera so the difference between that and a DVD will be far less than the difference between a 3 chip pro camera and a DVD. Long story short it won't look as good as the original but it will look far better than VHS.


Lethal

 

[GetInMyFatBelly]

OK, but what software to use?

And is there any way to get passed the 4GB limit file size for XP?

 

[GetInMyFatBelly]

Tried doing it the long way with TMPGE and it comes out when done with 2 files, an MP2 file which I assume is the audio portion and a M2V file, which I don't know what it is (probably the video because of the size). But when I launch Nero and select DVD-Video and then try to drop the file in the video folder I get a error message saying that it needs to be a .vob, etc...
What do I need to do?

And anyone have the answer for the 4GB limit file size?

Thanks....

 

[oldfart]

This is actually pretty simple. Your DV Camcorder uses a compression format called "DV" (!). When you capture the video over a firewire connection, you will have an AVI file that is ~ 13 Gig (for 1 Hr) 720 x 480 resolution in DV compression. You need to convert it to DVD format which is also 720 x 480 but is MPEG2 compression. Full quality DVD is 8000 KB/s bitrate. Even if you put 2 Hrs on a DVD disk @ 4000 KB/S, it still looks very good.

The 4 Gig file size limit is easy. Dont use Fat32. NTFS all the way!

A very nice, very easy to use program is Pinnacle Studio 8. It has great capture and easy to use yet powerful editing/chapter/menu tools. If you shop around, you can find very good deals on it. I got mine free after rebate.

 

[GetInMyFatBelly]

Thanks for all the info so far, spent the day formatting my partition to NTSF and reinstalling WinXP and all the software, but now I'm looking for a program (free/shareware) that will convert .avi to MPEG2... Anyone?

 

[orion7144]

Originally posted by: GetInMyFatBelly
Thanks for all the info so far, spent the day formatting my partition to NTSF and reinstalling WinXP and all the software, but now I'm looking for a program (free/shareware) that will convert .avi to MPEG2... Anyone?

As the RKS already mentioned you need to look at this site. It takes awhile to figure out what you are doing and all systems are not the same so you are going to have to try different things.