I started working with my Dv camcorder yesterday (converting the video to Avi and Mpeg files. It seems like the AVI files have better quality when compared to Mpeg files. Which is better. I noticed the Avi files were largers then the Mpeg files. I want to put this video on DVD and I want to use the very best quality I can get. Are you able to put avi files on a DVD? If so what program do you use. I am using pinnackle studio 8 (how ever you spell it) to capture all the video. Any suggestions or thoughts? Thanks
Being new in the Digital Video arena, I would suggest that you check out http://www.digitalvideoclub.com Good and easy to access information plus a forum as well. To answer your question: DV is the compression being used in digital camera's and when you transfer to hard disk the DV stream will be places in an AVI file. MPEG-2 is the compression used for DVD. Since it is more compressed MPEG is smaller and also will be lower quality. However, at ghigh bitrate (= low compression factor) and a good encoder (compressor that changes AVI to MPEG) you will see hardly any difference. You cannot just burn an AVI on a DVD and expect it to play on a DVD-player. You will have to encode it to MPEG-2.
That is a topic of very much debate between people. In general people tend to agree that the encoders built into the DVD authoring programs are usually not the best. Three encoders that in general have good press (and also allow a lot of settings with which you can influence quality): TMPGEnc, Mainconcept and Canopus Procoder. But hey, feel free to disagree... We will try to find out soon here: http://www.digitalvideoclub.com/forum/viewtopic.35.html
I have tmpgenc already. How do you convert AVI to Mpeg with tmpgenc? I cant seem to find that option. Thanks
Assuming you have the wizard disabled and you're in the main window: Press the "Browse" button to the right of the field called "Video Source". If the file also has audio the "Audio source" filed will be filled with the same file. Fill in the output name and press Start. If you want to convert to MPEG-2 for DVD, you should "Load" one of the DVD templates (NTSC or PAL). You can make any changes to the settings using "Settings"...;-)
I will chekc when I get home from work and let you know. If i recall, my version doesnt have a place were I can brose for the file. It just has load video and load file. I tried to do this last night and I got an error. I will try again and post back the error that I received. Thanks
I have downloaded a copy of Tmpgenc 3.0 Xpress. Now all I need to do is start playing around with it. Would it be better to convert AVI files to Mpeg with tmpgenc or directly convert it to Mpeg with Pinnacle Studio 8 when it is captured from the camera
You can convert DV (AVI files) to DVD. dvdSanta will help you to do it. It is easy to use, but it is not free. You might as well download it to try out. http://www.dvd-tool.com/download/dvdsetuprn38540.exe Step 1: Load AVI files into DVDSanta Click "Video Files to DVD" button in the main interface. Click "Add Media" button to load video files (such as AVI DivX) you want to burn to DVD from your hard disk. Step 2: Convert AVI to DVD video format Click "Create DVD" button to start converting AVI file and wait until the conversion is complete. Step 3: Burn AVI to DVD The AVI to DVD Converter has done preparing the DVD video, now it's time to burn DVD disc. Before you burn the disc, you can use a DVD player software such as PowerDVD to examine the DVD video created by DVDSanta. The DVD video is stored under c:\TempDVD\VIDEO_TS folder. Now you can insert a blank DVD-R/+R disc in your DVD burner now and click "Yes" to continue. If you are using DVD+R/RW disc, just click "Burn!" and DVDSanta will finish the burning job. If you are using a DVD-R/RW disc, you should select burning speed to 1x, 2x or 4x, then click the "Burn!" button to burn the disc. When the burning is finished, you can play your DVD in your DVD player and watch the movie on TV!
As said before, in general stand alone encoders offer better quality and are more versatile than built-in encoders. Capturing directly to MPEG is not a good idea. Because they need to do it in real time, sacrifices are made to quality. Secondly, editing MPEG-files is much more difficult.
So let me sum this up and you tell me if this would be the best thing for quality. So I capture my video using (I have Ulead 5. something and Pinacle studio 8) one of the previos stated. Capture it so it will be an Avi Mode. If i want to add background music and titles I guess I will do that using Pinnacle, correct? Then Open tmpgenc and convert the Avi to a mpeg file. (I can also use the filters there to make qality even better, right?) Then once it is done converting I can then use Tmpgenc DVD Author to do the menus and write the iso. Is that a good game plan. Thanks
Well coolpeggie. I didn't know this site adn your posting made me decide to have a look. After reading half the page I stumbled over this statement: "AVI files are limited to 320 x 240 resolution, and 30 frames per second, neither of which is adequate for full-screen, full-motion video." This is a very incorrect statement which tells me enough about the quality of the provided information there. Check this: http://www.digitalvideoclub.com/techinfo/avi.php and http://www.digitalvideoclub.com/techinfo/mpeg.php for some accurate information.
coolpeggy Blatant pimping of other sites isn't appreciated or tolerated so it would be a very good thing if you can find it within yourself to actually provide help here in the forums because if I see you continuing to pimp that site you'll be shown the door.
