I am working on a very large project that I have to get on as few DVD's as possible. I have been testing different settings with MPEG-2 using Adobe Media encoder and managing to get the half hour files down to 500 megs or so. After this I tried using H264 and managed to get the files under 250 megs.

This is the one I want to go with but when I try to import these files as timlines, Encore crashes immediatly.

I am running Adobe Production Premium 3 on a PC that has a Quad Core 2.5 proccessors. It has 4 gigs of Ram, and Windows Vista Ultimate 32 bit.

I have updated the Adobe programs with the most recent patches.

Any help at all on this would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

I work it on a Mac, and have never had a program that crashes so often. It may be the size of the file more than the kind, as if it doesn't like the kind, it would tell you rather than crashing. You might try reinstalling it, and use it after a fresh restart just in case it's a stress issue. Other things...make sure it's not too hot and that you've got plenty of HD space. Once it gets going, I doubt it will crash during the other aspects of the job. Good luck...I feel ya.

why don't you let encore decide the transcode settings automaticly? It works for me for very small or large projects (last project was 19 short demo's on one dvd without any problem)
I'm on win xp pro

why don't you let encore decide the transcode settings automaticly? It works for me for very small or large projects (last project was 19 short demo's on one dvd without any problem)
I'm on win xp pro

Can Encore fit 4 hours of video on one DVD at good quality? If it can then I would be more than happy to let it decide the transcode settings. I am aiming to fit 4 hours each DVD. I crunched the numbers and with each half hour video coming in at under 250 megs I can fit it on one disk.

Or is there a way to make MPEG-2 compress the videos more in Adobe Media encoder? I had the target bit rate all the way down to 2 bits and the minimun at 1.5. The Audio was PCM and it was turned down to 96 kbps. Since the majority of these videos are still images with a small video box in the upper left corner I can get away with very high compression settings.

Thanks again for the help.

Can Encore fit 4 hours of video on one DVD at good quality?

It will transcode at the best possible setting, I found the auto setting to produce very good results, only don't select the "transode now" setting as afterwards it won't fit on the dvd, just select "build" when your project is ready and encore will start to transcode so it will fit the dvd at the best quality.
4 hours though is quite a lot for a regular dvd and you might want to try a double layer dvd.

As far as the crashing issue goes...Encore relies on assets that allow for proper assembly via correct sources for DVD creation..Since H264 is related to Blue Ray authouring, i suspect that Encore (CS3) simply chokes on import..

As far as fitting 4 hours of video, Noa's correct..
I'd personally import the AVI's into Encore, and let Encore do all the encoding...Just to avoid the headaches..

It will transcode at the best possible setting, I found the auto setting to produce very good results, only don't select the "transode now" setting as afterwards it won't fit on the dvd, just select "build" when your project is ready and encore will start to transcode so it will fit the dvd at the best quality.
4 hours though is quite a lot for a regular dvd and you might want to try a double layer dvd.

I was unaware that encore would automatically adjust the settings to fit whatever video you have on the DVD. That is cool. I have mentioned the Dual Layer Discs to my Father in Law but I don't know if his duplicating towers can do those. He bought them a while back and I am waiting to get the manual for them. Thanks for all the help!

Can Encore fit 4 hours of video on one DVD at good quality?

Not on a single layer disk. Nothing can. The compression rate will be very high and you will get artifacts. I think with that much video Nero actually lowers the resolution to 1/4 screen (something like 320x240 for NTSC). If you can use dual layer disks, the quality will be very good.

I have the same problem with h.264 files crashing Encore. I have some 720p h.264 projects I made that I wanted to put onto an SD DVD and Encore crashes every time I try to import them. Nero, on the other hand, had no problems.

I'm with Peter on letting Encore do the trascoding directly. For SD projects, I'll output an avi file and bring it into Encore. For HD, I'll output a QuickTime file using the Animation codec and import it into Encore. The intermediate files are huge but disks are cheap and the Animation codec is lossless.

[QUOTE=Tripp Woelfel;982794]Not on a single layer disk. Nothing can. The compression rate will be very high and you will get artifacts. I think with that much video Nero actually lowers the resolution to 1/4 screen (something like 320x240 for NTSC). If you can use dual layer disks, the quality will be very good.
QUOTE]

Then I need a work around for Encore crashing when I try to import the H264 files. I have already direct burned the file and viewed it on a TV and the client is happy with the quaility. There are no artifacts that an untained eye can see since threre is very little movement in the video. Thanks.

I am hoping to get the dual layer disc idea approved by the client but I will then have to put twice the amount of video on it to meet his requirements.

If you're hot for H264 encoding, the next workaround would be to upgrade to CS4..I believe Encore supports BlueRay...Therefore, if the files were encoded to legal BlueRay specs, then it shouldn't be a problem to authour to Blueray discs..

Otherwise good luck...