Please help me create DVD

[Graham Jones]

Hi folks,

have just completed my first cut of my second low budget feature. I need to burn it onto a DVD. This is something I tested back in the early days of acquiring the cam/software I am using and it worked fine.

Unfortunately, my file was too big. The film is 81 mins long and 4.74 GB (5,100,049,549 bytes). As it's only the first cut and I now have to show it to a few people I was preparing to cut one minute (there is a credit roll included in that running time)... when I noticed this bar on the Imagemixer DVD software referring to 4000MB as the maximum. It was 21MB full without any project loaded..

Is this common - cheap DVD authoring only allowing 4000MB? I assume 4000MB is 4GB?

Can anyone recommend any free DVD burning software that will put a 4.66
GB MPEG 2 file onto a DVD.

Much appreciated.

G

[Aanarav Sareen]

DVDs are technically only 4.37GB and not 4.7GB. There is no way you would be able to put a 4.66GB file on a single layer DVD. You have two options:

1) Transcode the file again, so that it is only 4 GBs.
2) Burn the project on a dual layer DVD

[Graham Jones]

Thanks. Could I not transcode the file again at 4.3 GB?

[Aanarav Sareen]

Yes, but I would not reccomend pushing the file limit so close.

[Peter Higginbottom]

Alternativley, download a copy of DVDSHRINK, & load in your original DVD file & let it do its job, I guarantee you will not notice a difference, especiallly since you are so near anyway.
I have been using Dvd shrink for a long time, & can recommend it.

Dvd shrink will not burn Your disc You will have to use a Burning program e.g. Nero.
I personally use Sonic`s Record Now.


Regards.


Peter

[Graham Jones]

Nice one Peter. I had to download another program to convert the MPEG 2 into a format SHRINK could understand: TMPGEnc DVD Author 1.6

SHRINK then worked great. I was able to reserve 89% of the picture quality.

Thanks.

[Dan Euritt]

if you want to put out a professional dvd product, you should NEVER re-encode mpeg2.

if you want pro results, go back to the source avi file and alter the mpeg2 encoding bitrate to fit the dvd disc... there are numerous free bitrate calculators on the 'net that will tell you where to set your mpeg2 encoder at.

[Peter Higginbottom]

I never suggested it was a "Professional" fix I merely tried to "help" the man out, & He is happy thats the main thing I think.

I take Your point & at the risk of upsetting You I think You are being "picky"
I have never been a "Professional" although I have been in video for 20 odd years(some of them very odd) and have an idea what is acceptable & not.
Have You ever tried DVD Shrink?


Regards.


Peter.

[Graham Jones]

'if you want to put out a professional dvd product, you should NEVER re-encode mpeg2.'

I don't want to put out a professional dvd product - as I made quite clear when I said 'have just completed my FIRST cut..'

I would hardly settle for 89% res for the FINAL cut - that will be 100%.

Thanks again Peter.