DVD Architecht and DVD DL layer split - how??
 

Hi,

I want to burn a 90+ minute AVI at best PAL MPG2 quality. Obviously that length does not fit a standard single sided 4.7GB DVD without reducing the bit rate.

The obvious solution is to use an DVD DL disk. The question remains - how do I force the layer swap (during playback) to happen between two chapters? Or is this done automatically by the software?

As we all know, there is an annoying 1..2 second delay when the player swaps layers during playback. It would be prudent to sync this with the split between two scnenes, where the video is black anyhow...

Cant this be done in DVDV architect?

Sincerely

Christian

What's the problem with getting 90 minutes on a single layer DVD? I routinely put 2 hours on a single layer.

Hi Edward,

Thanx for yout fast reply :)

Hmm... When I render my 96 minute DV project in Vegas 7 using the best quality MPG2 - I end up with a file that is about 5Gig!! No fit.

Therefore I chose to render in Vegas into AVI (best quality), and do the decision of the final bit rate in DVD Architect - to fit everything on the DVD, doing the conversion from AVI to MPG2 here. Fit to disk suggests a bit rate of 6Mbit/s or even less. A DVD could swallow about 9MBit/s. I would not like to compomize any quality here so I could use a DL DVD instead...

Is something wrong with my numbers? How low can you go with the MPG2 bit rate without getting artefacts? I know - it depends on your material and how fast movement is inculded etc, but just as a general rule?

And - It would be nice to know how to do the layer split in a controlled fastion -anyhow. Some new projects will be quite long in the future :)

Forgot to mention, everything I do is in PAL !!

Berst regards,

Christian

Just lower the bitrate. For 90 minutes, the average bitrate should be around 6,497,000 while for 2 hours it should be around 4,825,000.

DVDA will break it at one of the chapters provided you don't have a chapter larger then the 4.2gigs( not sure of exact size could be 4.3 or .4 ?) ... if you have several chapters it will/may give you mulitple choice of where to split it ...

And if you do not have any chapters, DVDA will warn you.

90 minutes to standard DVD is still very acceptable. If worried about the quality, try to make 2-pass coding (from Vegas).

I've found out that Dual Layer DVD:s have more problems than standard single layer ones. For example my DVD player refuses to play those... So if you plan to distribute the end results for other audience than just yourself, you'd probably be safer when sticking with single layer media.

There is also the Fit To Disc option in DVD Architect. Just drag the avi into your project and when you go to Burn Disc it will say too big. You then click on the optimize button and you can "fit to disc". I think this way it will give you the max possible bit rate available.

I am also considering which media to use for a new project. I guess the choice for me is between single-layer DVD+ or - and dual-layer DVD-. Which + or - format plays in most DVD players? And how is the compatability of most DVD players with DVD-R and DVD+R in Dual-layer format?

Hi,

As it is now the DVD-R seems to be the most compatible. Matti brought up the subject about DVD-R DL or DVD+R DL compatibility in ordinary players.

What is the truth about it? How compatible are the DL DVD's on DVD-players in general? What experiences do you have?

Best regards,

Christian