Import DVD file bloating in MF4

[nyco_ork]

I just experimented with importing from a DVD, which was a two-hour program with Dolby audio. When I imported the entire DVD, the resulting mpeg was about 3.8 gig. However, when I imported the first 5 (of 14) chapters that were on the disc, the file size was also about 3.8 gig. If I want to copy and burn only a few chapters, doesn't this spell trouble? There would be too much to go on a disc. Does anyone know why this happens?

Richard

[GeorgeW]

Make sure you have the option to "Do not convert complaint mpeg videos" checked -- then your source files will be used "asis" without re-encoding. If you don't have any motion menus or menu background music, the resulting dvd structure should be about equal to the sum of the filesizes for the "chapters" (actually their own Titles now) you add to your project.

Try a small test using just one of your videos, and output the dvd to your hard drive -- it should build the dvd very quickly (because there's no need to re-encode), and the resulting filesize should be about equal to the source filesize.

If you modify the videos, then they will be encoded to your project settings...

Regards,
George

[nyco_ork]

Make sure you have the option to "Do not convert complaint mpeg videos" checked -- then your source files will be used "asis" without re-encoding.

Regards,
George

George, thanks. The DVD I imported was one I had made in MF4. I have the "Do not convert" box checked by default, for all projects. The DVD did have motion menus, however. Maybe, since the chapters are coming in as titles, that is adding some to the file size, but I wouldn't think it would add as much as I saw.

I did not modify anything after the import. I went straight from the import mode to the burn mode, just to check the file size.

I don't know how often I'll be importing a few chapters at a time. My plan is to burn a no-frills DVD on a standalone DVD recorder with its own hard drive, then import that DVD into MF 4 and do the authoring. My capture card is not up to the task, so I have to go external for the capture.

But, just in case I do want to import a few chapters for later compilation, from discs I have made myself, I need to know what is causing this bloating.

Thanks for your input. I'll look at all those settings again and see what changes I can make.

R

[maddrummer3301]

Hi,

If you notice sometimes when importing "Multiple" videos MF has a popup
screen that asks you to assign the First Vdieo.

To get the program to give you the proper file sizes after importing from the dvd delete the thumbnails of the videos on the timeline and
re-import them in again from the harddisk where they were extracted to.

It's actually a time-stamping issue. If there's an "X" in the thumbnail the
program is saying the video needs to be re-encoded. If the videos came from
a dvd then they are compliant so just re-import them in again.
That is a common thing when importing dvd's with MF.

Hope this helps,

MD

[nyco_ork]

I didn't get that popup screen, and none of the thumbnails had an "x". But I'll give your system a try the next time I import a few chapters instead of the while disc. This was just a test to see how things would go.

Many thanks

R