Creating a 2 Part dvd

DiscCoasterPro · Post by **DiscCoasterPro** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 8:40 pm

Simple question, but I want to be sure....

I have captured on occasion analogue video which exceeds 2.5 hrs. Rather than give up quality, and (because I'm too cheap) rather than use a double layer dvd, I usually split the timeline and create two seperate DVDs.

My question is, is there a downside to simply splitting the clip, creating a quick menu page, dragging the part one video to the start button of the menu and burn the project without dragging part two to the playlist.

Or, is it advisable to delete part two from the timeline all together prior to burning. and then switch clips for the second DVD.

I wasn't sure if it really mattered.

thanks ....

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:59 pm

When I returned from a 16 day holiday touring California I had amassed so much video and photographs that I had to spread the whole lot over 5 DVD discs. What I did was to create the first DVD and use the library manager to preserve a copy of the Menu(s).

Once your Menu has been prepared right click its thumbnail and you will see an option [Add to Library]

Now you can use that template for all of your other remaining menus/discs.

A quick way of creating the second and subsequent discs is again to use the library manager and drag all of your videos into a folder created especially for that project. Drag the videos you need for disc 1 to the timeline and create the DVD. Then delete the videos from the timeline and drag in the next batch of videos from your library.

Depending upon the project in hand you can re-use the existing menus without deleting them and simply drag the titles/chapters onto the menu buttons.

Don't be afraid to experiment to see what works best for the project in hand. Very often what works for one project may be unsuitable for another project. At other times it will be suitable.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:46 am

Glad you haven't invited me to watch your California video, Steve, if it's that long. For my last holiday (touring Malaysia and Thailand), I used 6 1-hour DV tapes. The final DVD is about 52 minutes by the time I shortened the clips to prevent boredom and removed 2 shots of my feet walking along!

This would make the subject of a poll: what is the ratio of final:raw footage for holiday videos? In my case, it was about 1:7. Maybe 1:10 would be even better.

Sorry to go OT

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:56 pm

Devil wrote:Glad you haven't invited me to watch your California video, Steve, if it's that long. For my last holiday (touring Malaysia and Thailand), I used 6 1-hour DV tapes. The final DVD is about 52 minutes by the time I shortened the clips to prevent boredom and removed 2 shots of my feet walking along!

This would make the subject of a poll: what is the ratio of final:raw footage for holiday videos? In my case, it was about 1:7. Maybe 1:10 would be even better.

Sorry to go OT

I don't think it is Off Topic and normally I would agree that a 5 DVD set of a holiday that lasted just over two weeks would be boring. For example my recent 2 week cruise of the Eastern Mediterranean lasting a similar duration will - when completed last between 90 minutes and 2 hours.

The Trip around California was by coach, stopping in Hotels at night time.
This was the most intensive holiday i have ever had, and I don't think I will ever have another holiday that will beat this one or come close.

The locations were so diverse. one day I would be in a Desert, the next in Disney. Then in a Wild West Ghost town, then the glitz and glammer of Las Vegas. I would then find myself in San Fransisco and the famous street cars, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Sea World, Yosemite, Grand Canyon - plus a helicopter ride. Universal Film Studios, then another cowboy town.

The California DVD set is designed so that you can watch a particular location and then return to the menu. I would not expect anyone to sit and watch the whole collection, and certainly not in one sitting!

Incidentally I shot 12 x 1 hour tapes with the camcorder plus about 800 photographs - and yes I did end up with some pictures of my feet!!
This lot got pruned down to about 4-5 hours.

You may find the following video of interest, it is my intro sequence created with MediaStudio Pro 8. At the end of that sequence I have added to that sequence the various menus used. Duration just under 5 minutes.

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v797700ynEaYms3