I'm pretty new to dvd editing and burning so I've been toying around with some small video clips taken from my mini dv camera trying to get a good process in order before I start wasting a lot of time on bigger projects (like a wedding tape). I thought I had done reasonably well but it didn't work out like I expected. First off I uploaded my video clips to my pc using pinnacle videostudio 8. I then did some basic editing making a couple of chapters and a menu that included the two chapters. That part isn't any problem to me. Where I start to run into problems is when I'm given multiple choices on how to save the file or burn it do dvd. I didn't know whether or not to save it as mpeg1, 2, avi, or just burn straight from pinnacle. Anyway... I opted to save it as an avi file. I then used VSO DivxtoDVD to convert the AVI into dvd files. Next I used Nero express to burn the DVD files onto a dvd+RW using a Lite-ON SOHW-1673 I didn't run it through shrink because it was only a couple of minutes of video so it didn't need any compression. The results: I played it on my computer using powerdvd and the menu was "static" much like a still image for about 12 seconds. It then preceeded into the first chapter and played the movie to the end. No problems with audio or video otherwise. When I played it in my home dvd player the menu was the same (static) but the video would stop and loop back to the beginning at about 19 seconds (like a broken record) I know there have to be better ways to get this done so any advice would be appreciated. I'm sure there are very easy explanations to why my menu was static?!?! So what'd I do wrong? Thanks! Brent
Don't save as an avi. Let Pinnacle do it all, edit, author, and burn. Choose mpeg-2. Saving out an avi, then getting VSO to re-encode to mpeg-2 and author it, means the menu structure just ends up part of the video, and your player can't figure out what's a menu, and what's not, nor where to go when a button is pushed.
that's exactly the answer I was looking for! But lets say that I would rather use a different program to do my compressing and burning (shrink and Nero) if I have a larger file. Would I need to just save it as mpeg2 from Pinnacle and then shrink it? I'll try it using pinnacle all the way, like you explained. I just like to know there are alternatives if I have any problems. Thanks!
There are always alternatives. Some pricey, some free. Best bet is to use Pinnacle for the whole thing, and if it's too big to burn, have Pinnacle output the dvd structure (VIDEO_TS folder with all the .vob's and stuff in it). Then use DVD Shrink to make it fit, and burn with whatever you have handy. The other option is to have Pinnacle make an mpeg-2, then author it in something like DVDLab, then shrink, but why make it complicated when Pin and Shrink can do what you need?
Why even use DVD Shrink at all as you will get Better quality if you Just selected the Correct Bitrate to encode the Movie in the First place?
