DVD creation explanation please

[JimHs]

Ok, I'll be the first to say I am new to this, so I need help. Or at least an explanation.

I am using a Plextor PX-TV402U for connection to my laptop. I use it to capture a TV program to my hard drive. First time I captured in DivX format and the second time in Mpeg2 format. All I wanted to do was to rim some of the junk at the front and back end of the video and write it to a DVD+R disc. when I tell it to write it wants to render it first and that takes longer than making the recording in the first place. Other than capturing directly to disc, how can I write the file to disc without it rendering first?

What am I missing in not understanding why the program thinks it has to render the file before writing it to disc?

Thanks,
Jim

[MrA]

Basically the answer is you can't. A render is always first before burn. However, if it is already mpeg-2 compliant, then VS will skip the render and burn it (if you chose that in the options). (Smart render) It will, however, take what changes you make to the file and render those portions, i.e., transistions, titles, etc..

[Ken Berry]

Just to expand a little, DivX is not a video DVD standard so it's probably not a good idea to capture to DivX if your intention is to make a standard DVD and distribute it to others.

That being said, you can in fact burn DivX video files to DVD and CD and they can be played on computers which have the DivX codec or a small but increasing range of stand-alone DVD players rate to play DivX discs.

If you capture to DVD-compatible mpeg-2, then as Mr Amigo has already suggested, only the first and final trims that you made will need to be rendered if have SmartRender enabled in Video Studio. However, if the mpeg-2 properties you captured to are not wholly DVD-compliant or you do not have SmartRender enabled, then the whole thing will be rendered before it can be burned.

And not all mpeg-2s are necessarily DVD compliant.

[JimHs]

Thanks for the input. Since the Plextor came with VideoStudio 8, I don't believe Smartrender is an option (at least I couldn't find it). May have to consider upgrading.
Thanks again,
Jim

[MrA]

Thanks for the input. Since the Plextor came with VideoStudio 8, I don't believe Smartrender is an option (at least I couldn't find it). May have to consider upgrading.
Thanks again,
Jim

Absolutely upgrade. I have been a programmer for over 20 years, and, the things you DO NOT upgrade immediately is the OS. Sad but true.

[DVDDoug]

Just make sure to give the trial version of VS11 a try before you upgrade!!!!

MPEG can be difficult to edit, and you should make sure that Video Studio 11 can handle the files from your Plextor device before you spend any more money. If it works with your files, I think you will be pleased with the additional features. (You may not have the full version of VS8... The "free" bundled version is usually a limited-feature SE version.)

And apparently VS11 cannot capture analog video, so you will need to use VS8 (or some other software) for the capture step.

I have a different capture device, but I had to buy a special-purpose MPEG editor from Womble. If you want a simple "cut & splice" MPEG editor, VideoReDo is an alternative.

DivX files are even more difficult to edit, and people often complain that it takes all day to re-render DivX to DVD (MPEG-2)!

[Ken Berry]

As a footnote, SmartRender was definitely part of VS8. It is only available for rendering one file to another as long as both are in the same format. When you go to Share > Create Video File > DVD, assuming your project is already using mpeg-2 files, then you will be asked to give the new file a name. And there is an Options (or edit?) button on that dialogue box. If you click that, you will see the option to enable SmartRender. (Sorry I can't be more accurate as I am away from home using a computer without VS on it.)