huge mpeg file onto dvd

[cinz1974]

I have a file from my holidays in which I would like to put onto a dvd. its approx 8 hours worth. Im planning to split it onto 2 dvds 4 hours each.

The files are all in mpeg. Ive tried using Ulead 10 trial version but it will only allow me to enter 99 individual files. is there a way i am able to make a 4 hour file fit onto a standard dvd.

[etech6355]

VS can do this, what you are asking is actually an advanced video question.

All the files are mpeg correct? This can become very confusing if they all don't have the same video & audio properties. Because they are all mpegs you can run into errors IF one mpeg has some corruption in it.

4 hours on one single layer dvd yields poor video quality.
I would read the tutorials & forum posts.

Since your using the trial version of VS10 you better start doing this tonight in order to finish in 30 days.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Reducing the video files bit rate to 2500 kbps will allow approx 200 minutes per disc.

The minimum you can set VS to for compatible dvd is 1777 kbps. (I haven¡¦t tested this rate and cannot give a length). This should give that extra space.

But the render process is going to take a long time as every frame will be rendered.
It would be quicker to capture the footage again at the lower bit rate you require.

If you have captured to Dv-Avi, then you have no choice, you have to render.

Use a bit rate calculator to help choose a rate

http://dvd-hq.info/Calculator.html

Use the Make Movie Manager to create a template.(from the Tools menu)

Good luck

Trevor

[BrianCee]

but it will only allow me to enter 99 individual files.

Not sure what your doing there - you shouldn't have 99 individual files - have you not rendered your project into one continuous video - then the advice above will apply.

[daniel]

With VS having at the most 2-pass variable bitrate for rendering, putting 4 hours on a DVD is bound to give you very blocky video on about any medium subject or camera movement.

Or are you meaning double-layer DVDs of 8.5 GB?

[GeorgeW]

There's a limit of 99 Titles (individual videos) when authoring your DVD-Video. But you can combine/merge them all into one (or several) longer video titles to help get around that limitiation.

Regards,
George

[daniel]

Of course most of the time I'm wrong, but I guess he used the split by scene when capturing... So a new capture is desirable.

[etech6355]

DVD Recorders are nice for doing this. Set the time and let it rip.
Looks great on a 13" TV

[daniel]

Except that mine has no setting between 9000Kb/s and 4400 Kb/s
(1 hour, 2 hours).
The first is really too expansive, the second already shows artefacts (fast movements would not even look good on your 13"). try sports or rock concert...

[etech6355]

I have both Sony & Panasonic recorders.
They record nice video. The SD mode 4400 average is very acceptable.
You can't tell the difference in SD mode between the TV or the recording.

The Sony unit in SD 2hour mode the bit-rate can jump as high as 6500 & low as 3900. It changes alot. I have a feeling they clean up the video before compressing it.
My source video from cable tv is also very good which plays a big factor.
Can't say that VHS transfers are excellent. More like acceptable.
The Sony unit does have a 1 hour HQ & 1.5 hour mode. The 1.5 is handy to use.
Can't say the firewire transfer is that great though. Computer encoding from dv to mpeg does a better job.
I have to admit I haven't used a VCR in about 2 years for recording TV shows.

[cinz1974]

thanks for all the feedback

There's a limit of 99 Titles (individual videos) when authoring your DVD-Video. But you can combine/merge them all into one (or several) longer video titles to help get around that limitiation.

How am I able to do this?

[sjj1805]

Do not confuse titles (a video or program) with chapters (jump to points - or scenes)

Lets say you made a video of a wedding.
That would be one Video or title. It may last lets say 2 hours.

You would create chapters (jump to points) of things such as
1. Arrival at church.
2. Ceremony
3. The 'compulsory' photo shoot outside the church after the ceremony
4. Arrival at the reception
5. Speeches
6. Dinner
7. More speeches
8. The 'compulsory' disco
9. Bride and groom leaving for the honeymoon.

When you consider that you can create a VCD on a standard 700 MB CD
and that VCD can last a hour, using those bit rate settings you could technically squeeze some 6 hours onto a DVD in that same quality.

However - that would be pushing the boat out into deep water and whilst it may look reasonable on a portable TV with a 12-14" screen it would look awful on one of those modern large 32" or larger flat screen TV sets.
What appeared good on the smaller screen would now look very chunky on the larger screen.

DVD discs now are reasonably cheap and it would be penny pinching to squeeze more than 3 hours onto a DVD disc.

Highest quality is achieved by sticking to one hour on a DVD disc
Acceptable quality would be two hours.
Watchable but also a noticeable drop in quality would be 3 hours.

[GeorgeW]

thanks for all the feedback

There's a limit of 99 Titles (individual videos) when authoring your DVD-Video. But you can combine/merge them all into one (or several) longer video titles to help get around that limitiation.

How am I able to do this?

Where did your videos come from (over 99 of them)? What was the recording device, how did you capture, and what format are they?

You could put them on a timeline in VideoStudio, and output a single mpeg file with Chapters in it for each section. If you really want to squeeze a long video on a single DVD5 disc, then you could try mpeg1 video, CBR, 352x240/288 (NTSC/PAL), up to 1856kbps, and compressed audio (AC3 or mpeg audio at ~192kbps -- mpeg audio is not fully NTSC compliant, but alot of current players are ok with it). These settings will allow you to get around 4.5 hours on a single layer dvd disc -- it won't be the greatest quality, but if your source videos are from a digital camera (that takes video footage), it might be ok (subjective).

I've seen 3+ hours of full D1 footage on a DVD5 disc before, and quality was excellent on a 46" TV -- it really depends on your video source quality -- start with the best, and you have more to work with...

Regards,
George

[etech6355]

VS can do this, what you are asking is actually an advanced video question. All the files are mpeg correct? This can become very confusing if they all don't have the same video & audio properties. Because they are all mpegs you can run into errors IF one mpeg has some corruption in it.

I would read the tutorials & forum posts.

Your down to 28 days.
As a starting point to create a video file of your project goto Share-> Create Video File and select your format you want. Whatever is on the timeline will be converted to one single file. I would try this with a few files first (say 3) to learn how it works.
I can't post exact instructions or details because I don't know the specific parameters of all the source mpeg files your converting.
If it was easy myself & others would have posted some exact details & steps for you. Personnally I've never tried to combine that many mpeg files together. It is possible to do it.

As a starter do this:
Load one of the mpeg videos into the timeline, preferably the largest one.
Right click on the video and select "Properties".
Post the information in the popup screen back to this thread.
The information is the video & audio parameters of the video file.