I created mpg files from a wedding video I took - I used VideoWave (packaged w/pc)to create the video, but the option to burn to a DVD is grayed - and Roxio provided NO help. Only create s an mpg file. A lesson in futility. I'm only experimenting with creating movies so I'm not ready to purchase anything. I have NeroExpress that came with my MadDog DVD burner, but that's not full-scale and it also won't allow me to use mpg files (as acceptable format for the "Add DVD-Video" files). What in the world can I do with what I have? I only want to try this out, not buy more products. Sheesh... I"m very frustrated. Can anyone offer me a clear and simple solution?
I don't know of any free programs to author your mpg but TMPGEnc DVD Author will and, I believe, has a free trial. ImgBurn (free) or Nero can be used to burn. Ulead MovieFactory will author your mpg and also burn it. It also has a free trial, I think.
Does Nero have an option to convert ..mpg files to the dvd format?? That'd be great since I have that. Could you expalin what you mean by 'authoring my mpg files'? Thanks so much for the reply!!
I could be wrong but I don't believe Nero will accept mpg files unless you encode them again and you don't want to do that. That will cause quality loss. I don't know a lot about this but, as I understand, authoring is the process where an mpg is converted to a vob (AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS) and will be necessary for you to burn a DVD. For instance, I use Ulead and never saw it creating the vob which led to much confusion at first. With TMPGEnc, you will, and that authored file is what you burn. Just to add, most of your encoders will create a mpg that has to be authored, others like VSO ConvertXtoDVD, WinAvi or Nero make that step for you and can be burned straight to DVD.
Authoring is putting the files together in a way that a DVD player will recognize.It can also mean getting fancy with menu creation. Open Nero Vision Express. Click: Make DVD> DVD Video> Add Video Files Browse and select the MPG files. It then have the opportunity to make a menu, etc. Tmpgenc Author Pro can also be used, but most people have Nero anyway.
NeroVision Express (full retail version) will accept almost any type of vid file, PAL or NTSC, convert it and burn it. With many of the more sophisticated authoring apps the files have to be already converted.
I'm kind of confused here. Accept was probably the wrong word; I realize Nero will "accept" the mpg but won't that result in the mpg being encoded again when it already is and result in a quality loss and wouldn't just authoring them be better? Thanks
With the later versions with NeroVison Express just make sure you tick 'Enable Smart Encoding', if the vid is DVD ready Nero won't re-encode.