10+ hours rendering and only 3%? Is this normal?

thewiredlain · Post by **thewiredlain** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:39 pm

Hey there. First time trying this program out, and I've apparently done something really wrong for it to be taking this long. My project consists of eight items, all downloaded avi files that have perfect playback on the computer using the codecs in the CCCP. The project length is 2 hours 22 minutes. I have my system specs in my profile, and the program appears to be rendering these using ffdshow because that icon's in my system tray.

I'm going to cancel the burn because at this rate it'll take a week to finish! Does anyone have any suggestions on where I went wrong here?

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:25 pm

Downloaded AVI files are normally in Xvid / DivX or MPEG4 formats which for all intents and purposes are the same. they are very highly compressed but retain high quality and are good for sharing over the internet.

To place these types of files into DVD format they need to be "decompressed" into a compliant MPEG2 format first.
Do a search on Google for DixX Converter and you will find several programs available some free some shareware and some for purchase.

Once converted you will find they can be made into DVD's quite quickly.

Steve J

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:37 pm

An AVI file can have contain video with various compression schemes. People often report dreadful render-times with DivX (or AVI/DivX).

If it was done after 10 hours, that might be "normal" for some formats. It is normal to have difficulty with downloaded formats.

Depending on the particular AVI format, you might look for a 3rd-party program to convert it to AVI/DV or MPEG-2 before loading it into Movie Factory. (Don't convert it to MPEG unless you are going to burn it directly to DVD without any additional editing.) I've had some luck with a conversion program called SUPER (FREE!!!).

thewiredlain · Post by **thewiredlain** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:10 am

Thanks for your help! I've downloaded SUPER and I'm putting the 8 files I have through it to get MPEG-2 output. Looks like it'll be a while until that's done, so I'm off to work. One thing I'd love to ask the developers of SUPER, however...why have a progress bar on your program if it doesn't measure PROGRESS? I saw it fill up to 100% and reset at least 5 times on the first file alone...weird.

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:02 am

Yeah, I remember that now... I remember re-checking the file size with Windows Explorer to see how it was going.

I would expect it to take about as much time to convert as it takes to watch... give or take... give or take alot!

You are not going to re-code a 90 minute movie in 5 minutes. It shouldn't take 9 hours either.

There are some weird things about that program, but it worked for me when all of the other programs I was trying-out were failing... and it's free. (I was doing something different with it... converting a "problem" VOB from a DVD to an MPEG.)

I think it told me at the end that there was a problem, and I should try one of the other codecs. But in fact, it had worked.

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:37 am

Hi,

It's been my experience that
the fastest and most reliable method to make a dvd from the high compressed files is play them in real-time using your video cards "TV Output" function and send the video & audio outputs either into a DV camcorder, recording computer, VHS/S-VHS tape deck or a DVD recorder.

It's best to play those videos back using their best supported players. Divx player for Dixv etc.

So, a 2 hour movie takes 2 hours to record.
It's simple and your done. And, you can clean-up the TV output picture using the softwares brighness, constrast, sharpness etc contols, even simulate surround sound (Divx player does a great job of that).

Hope this helps,

MD

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:27 am

There are a number of methods.
The method I use is to convert the compressed AVI into a DVD with
"ConvertXtoDVD" http://www.vso-software.fr/
This creates a DVD with VOB files. Normally you are loading a ready edited TV program off the internet and end up with a DVD containing two VOB's
one small the other large.
Renaming both to MPG then shows the smaller one is a simple Menu, the other the program.
Simply use the larger one with one of your Ulead DVD authoring programs to make a "Proper" DVD - perhaps with 4 episodes per disk.

There are several methods, this is just one more.
Please bear in mind any copyright restrictions if you follow any of these suggested methods.

Steve J

thewiredlain · Post by **thewiredlain** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:10 pm

Hey guys, ran into another snag. I converted everything I had into MPEG-2 format as Doug had suggested, and the DVD eventually did convert the files and complete the burn. Alright, a finished disc!

So I though. I popped it into my player and the sound is complete hosed. There are little pops and snaps where the soundtrack outta be. I checked the MPEGs, and the sound is fine on them, so it must have gotten messed up during the burn somehow. I'm going to try one of the other methods everyone listed. But does anyone know what happened here?