Files Won't Compress in DVD Factory 2010

[drluv]

OK, it's driving me nuts! I've been playing with the latest version and patches of Video Studio Pro for close to a month now and when my edited files are ready to burn it switches over to DVD Factory 2010 which I really like, however, since the files that I am dealing with are around 2 hours long, they need to be compressed. I go into the settings, select customize video quality and set the video data rate to somewhere around 3000. On most of my files it shows that the compression has worked and allows me to burn the files to a directory. However, I've had a number of edited files that in many cases are smaller than the normal file size I'm working with but still over the DVD limit, and they will not compress or change no matter what I try, i.e., even changing the settings to smaller and smallest makes no difference in the file size shown. I've thought that maybe the program has glitched and have restarted the computer and tried again but it does the same thing.

This is really frustrating in that I cannot use this program if I can't compress all my files. By the way, I primarilly use mpeg2 files but have also used HD files with the normal HD file definition. The HD files worked fine and were just as long as my mpeg2. The machine is running Windows7 Prefessional with an i7 processor and 8 gig of ram so I have plenty of computer power to handle the application. What possibly can the problem be. Please help...

[drluv]

I hate to answer my own questions, but I think I found a partial answer. Of course, it's still an issue so I would really appretiate the experts opinion.

Here's waht I found last night. It appears that when I use the virgin files that were recorded from my cameras to laptops as a mpeg file and import them into Video Studio Pro, I can edit them, add color screens, transitions, text, etc., and then go seemlessly into DVD Factory and compress them as necessary to produce the DVD video files. However, if I save the same working files in VSP to an mpeg using the "same settings as original", and then try to use it to burn the video files, they will not compress. I can't imagine what's going on. They are supposedly both using the same settings and both of them are edited exactly the same. Why will the edited originals compress and the "same as original" files will not???

[Ron P.]

First I need to clarify something.. You stated that you can go seemlessly from VS X3 into DVD Factory 2010, which I understand to be, using your VSP (project file) in DVD Factory 2010. Is that correct? If so how are you managing to do this? With VS X3, when you select Share>Create Disc> DVD Factory 2010, it opens the program however the project being worked on in VS is not carried into DVD Factory 2010. At least on my end it has not. So the workflow is you must first create a video file (Share>Create Video File>DVD), then launch DVD Factory 2010 and insert the newly created video file. That video file should be DVD compliant, meaning that the specs for the video file meet the International Video DVD Standards, one being that it is an MPEG-2, and the combined audio/video bitrate does not exceed ~10Mbps.

While DVD Factory 2010 does allow you to customize the Bitrate, I don't really know why it is not "reducing the file size". The file size should be smaller for video using a 4000kbps bitrate than one using 8000kbps.

Using the Same settings as Original, may be the clue.. What are the properties of your source clips? With the clips in the timeline or the Library/organizer, right-click on them and select Properties, and post them. If the data-rate/bitrate is different than your file size will be too. The codec used can also vary the file sizes, ie; MPEG-2 vs MPEG-4 or FLV, WMV and so on. There are some Hi-def video file formats that are MPEG-2 but use high-compression codecs, like AVCHD.

Edited
Well I found out that when you select DVD Factory 2010 the project file is carried over. I really don't know when this started happening. I don't use the program or the workflow of using my project files to author DVDs. It's always been my practice to first create a video file.
Ok, since it is using your VSP (project file), that helps explain this. A VSP is not a true video file, it is for simplistic interpretation, like a text file, containing instructions for the programs. These would include what clips you have inserted, where they are located on your system, what editing you want done, transitions, filters, effects, ect. So lets say that you have a couple of video clips that you have edited, removing portions of them. This is not really done until rendering occurs. So the sizes that VS or DVD Factory will use prior to that, will reflect the size of the clips prior to removing anything. Make sense? If you use a video file that you rendered first in VS, then launched DVD Factory or DVD MovieFactory, inserted that video file, all the editing to that video file is done. So it sees the size of the video file. In other words, the DVD program may mis-interpret, or calculate the file size of VSP (VideoStudio Project Files), as they have not been rendered.

[drluv]

Ron,

I've tried it both ways. Actually, it's the unsaved, unrendered files that seem to work OK. For instance, I go directly after editing to DVD Factory by selecting Create Disk, and it allows me to change the compression and burn the files. It's when I take the same files, save them using "Same as Project Settings" as an mpeg, import it back into the editor and then go to DVD Factory that it won't allow me to change the compression. I just don't understand. To me it makes no sense....

[drluv]

Update,...

I went ahead and saved the working file as a NTSC DVD mpeg instead of using the Same as Project Settings and then went into DVD Factory and it worked fine. I thought I had tried this before but must not have. Anyway, I don't know the difference in the two ways that it is saved but it seems to work. Thanks for the input...