Quickie method for getting project onto DVD?

johnnyivan · Post by **johnnyivan** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:42 pm

Hi All,
Time's running out! I have to show the edited wedding video to my sister, new husband and family tomorrow but I haven't had time to learn how to author a DVD yet. I'll only have time to do anything tonight.

My DVD player will play an AVI that's been simply burned onto a DVD.

For tomorrow then, any tips on how to save my movie as an AVI to be viewed on a bog-standard 4:3 PAL television: so that I can burn it onto a DVD?

Later I'll do proper authoring job, with chapter buttons etc. For now I just need to be able to play it through - rough as the edit is.

Tips on compression/file types etc will be enormously appreciated! Thanks to everyone who's been assisting me so far.

John

PS: I'd hate to resort to us all standing around the PC for 45 minutes peering at a little preview screen!

Post by **lancecarr** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:00 pm

What type of AVI does your DVD player handle? AVI is a container for many types of file, not just one type of file.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:07 pm

Seems better to postpone the preview until it's finished.

Why spoil a good thing?

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:29 pm

The only type of .avi of which I am aware that will play on a stand-alone DVD player -- and then, not all of them -- is a DivX video (which happens to use the .avi extension). The player has to be rated to play DivX, but that is usually marked on the case of the player.

So you have to have the DivX codec on your computer. You put your raw original video in the timeline, then go to Share > Create Video File. And you choose .avi as the format, but within that, you have to choose the DivX codec for the actual encoding. Give the file a name. Then press OK. After a time -- which could be a fairly long time depending on how long the video is -- you will have a DivX file.

After that, though, you close Video Studio and just use any other burning software and burn your DivX file to a CD or DVD as a data file. Depending on how big the DivX file is, you can fit about 80 minutes or 700 MB of DivX on a CD. Otherwise, if it is bigger than that, you will need to use either two CDs or a DVD.

Be aware the DivX is a highly compressed format though usually gives good quality. If you later intend to properly author a video DVD, then don't use the DivX file for it. Use the original video.

Also be aware that your DivX disc can only be distributed to people who have a DVD player like yours, rated to play DivX. Otherwise, they can play it on a computer.

johnnyivan · Post by **johnnyivan** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 3:01 pm

Hi Jeff & Ken,
Yes I'd prefer to wait but won't get another opportunity to show it for a month or so. Plus, the wedding was 3 or 4 weeks ago and they're dying to see it.

I suppose next time they see it, it'll be even better - rather than the same thing all over again. Plus, i can get feedback and ideas from them.

Ken, I'll have a look at my DVD player's documentation for the AVI type. You say "the raw video" you mean that video that I've been editing? - I presume not the original unedited capture from the camera? Just checking!

The other option might be to put it back onto MiniDV tape via the camera? But I'm hoping not to resort to that. The DVD will probably only be played at my house tomorrow on my player.

Thanks, I'll give all of this a go tonight!
John

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:01 pm

Don't know which version of VideoStudio you have but the fasted way to get it from camcorder to DVD is the same procedure as outlined here:

VS10 CH 10 DV to DVD Wizard

3 clicks - go away and have a cup of coffee - come back and DVD is done

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:53 pm

John -- just to clarify, by 'raw video' I meant precisely the original captured video which goes into the timeline for editing... The captured video is normally the video which you are editing... (unless it came in a format which needs conversion by a third party program so that VS can edit it...)

johnnyivan · Post by **johnnyivan** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:02 am

Hi Ken, but surely the captured, edited video in the timeline can be saved into a DivX avi can't it? I need to download that codec I think.

I saved it as a 10GB (45min) avi file in the end. The only option for avi was "save in original format" (I think), which took a minute or two. I also saved PAL DV mpeg which took the full 45 minutes to save. With the latter I was only guessing at the format to save in. It came in at 4 or so GB. I'm not sure about this but the mpeg may have been slightly lesser quality than the avi.

In the end because (AGH!) my DVD drive was on the blink, I brought the PC downstairs and premiered my opus there - playing the avi, sound cranked up. it was a great success! When teh DVD drive is fixed I'll do that job properly.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:17 am

johnnyivan wrote:Hi Ken, but sirely the captured, edited video in the timeline can be saved into a DivX avi can't it? I need to download that codec I think.........

A few links for you......

VS: Encoding in DivX format using Video Studio
Creating YouTube Videos using DivX ** Video
DivX in High Gear ** Video
Making and Sharing VideoStudio Movie Templates ** Video

johnnyivan · Post by **johnnyivan** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:02 pm

Thanks. Lots to take in there. *gulp*.

Sounds like an amazing CODEC. I'm not even sure about archiving on DVD at present. I have this feeling that MiniDV tape might be safer. Something tells me that when DVDs degrade the data will be irrecoverable. In fact I wonder if VHS might be best! or even FILM! Mad, I know. Positively stone-age. By the way, keeping it on a Hard Drive sounds very risky indeed.

I suppose all of this has been discussed at length - I'll have a look.
John

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:33 pm

Yes it has been discussed but to be fair it took me a while to locate this previous post of mine!!
Preserving Your Recordings.
In fact your post just prompted me to move it to the General Information forum.