When making a DVD from .avi files...

TheNinja

Lifer
Jan 22, 2003
12,207
1
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So a DVD holds like 4.7GB of data. So when you create a DVD using ConvertXtoDVD can you put on 4.7GB worth of .avi or do you need to keep it less in order to get better quality? I've always just put a maximum of like 2GB worth of .avi and let the program do the work. Am I just wasting DVDs and not getting better quality anyway?
 

TruePaige

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2006
9,874
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No you usually have about 700MB sized AVI files. You have to convert the files to put a .avi on them (assuming you want it playable in a dvd player).

It all depends on the codec used on the .avi as to what the size of the .avi can be and still fit on a DVD.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,246
6,097
126
no you cant put 4.7gb of avi on there.

i converted some desperate housewives eps from xvid to dvd for my fiancee and i think 2 eps filled more than 1/2 the dvd, like 3gb almost.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
The AVI files are much more heavily compressed than dvd-quality video. When you want to burn to dvd, you have to reencode the video at this higher dvd quality, thus you can fit less movies on the disc.
 

TheNinja

Lifer
Jan 22, 2003
12,207
1
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I assume the ConvertXtoDVD program does the conversion for me. Most of the time if I have a 700MB .avi file I just put 1 on a single DVD and let ConvertXtoDVD convert and burn for me.
In another example, I have like 4.5GB of .avi files split into single episodes at around 180MB per .avi. So I was just going to put 1/2 of the files on 1 DVD and 1/2 on a 2nd and call it good....but would my quailty suffer? Should I split into 4-5 DVDs instead?
 

sswingle

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
7,183
45
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An easier way to look at it is to figure about 2 hours per dvd layer.

MB of your AVI says nothing due to different compression settings the file may have been made at.
 

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
15,424
2
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I put one movie file on one DVD. For most ~hour long series I'm putting 3 episodes on a DVD.

I just figure no matter what, I will put up to a max 3 hours play time on a DVD, but I won't put 2 movies on a DVD. Quality always seems decent but I only have a 30" tv so I don't know about bigger screens.
 

TheNinja

Lifer
Jan 22, 2003
12,207
1
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Awesome, thanks guys. I will shoot for around 2 - 2 1/2 hours of actual playtime per DVD. Once again ATOT comes through :)
 

TruePaige

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2006
9,874
2
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Originally posted by: TheNinja
Originally posted by: uhohs
buy a dvd player that plays avi's/mpg4

What about loading all the .avi on my laptop and hooking up my laptop via DVI cable?

It's basically what I do with my media center PC.