Could someone give me a brief overview of the different formats in "Create Video File"?
MPEG-4, DV, DVD and the difference between this and Create Disk?
I have created my project on a laptop that does not have a DVD Burner. Should I create an MPEG file and copy it over to a desktop that has a DVD burner?
To keep this simple and easy to understand, since you're wanting to burn a DVD, you will need to create a DVD Compliant MPEG-2 video file. This can be done in the editor, with Share>Create Video file, or if you go the other route, Share>Create Disc, it will be done prior to the disc being burned. The reason, SD DVDs must use MPEG-2, that's what the International DVD Specs require. Share Create>Disc uses your project file (VSP) which is a text-like file full of instructions. It places more demand on your PC when it starts to burn the disc, because it must do all conversions, create video files for your menus, also create the container files for the DVD, and finally burn the disc.
DV-is the closest you can come to a loss-less video file format, and still have it be manageable. While it is slightly compressed, the file sizes will be roughly 13 GB per hour of video. There is one type of video file that is pure, uncompressed, and that is the actual AVI file. However since it is not compressed the file sizes are enormous, around 65 GB per hour of video. Not really a workable format for personal computers.
The other video file formats started out as the end result, in other words distribution formats. In the earlier days you would have a limited number of video file formats you could edit, mainly being DV and MPEG-1 and possibly MPEG-2. However due to public demand, technology continued to develop ways to edit the distribution formats such as MPEG-4, WMV, and now AVCHD. The more compressed the video file, the more difficult it is to successfully edit. You need powerful computers, and programs that use the proper codecs.
With all that said, since you're end game is to produce a DVD, and the burner is on another machine, then yes you should go the Share>Create Video File>DVD route. Once the video file is created, transfer it to your PC that has a burner, launch your DVD authoring application, and import that video file. You'll find that by first producing a DVD Compliant MPEG-2 video file, you'll increase the success rate when burning your DVDs.
...or you can "burn" an ISO file or (personal preference) DVD Folder instead of an actual disc on your computer without the burner. Just go to Share > Create Disc > DVD. The burning module should open (if you have anything except VS X3, that is), and then you build your menu etc. When you get to the final page for the actual burning, untick the burn disc box and click on the double downward pointing arrow over to the right of that page, and select either the ISO or DVD Folder option. Then press "burn" and the file or folder will be created. You can then transfer that to the computer with the DVD burner and use any software which will burn an ISO file or DVD Folder to disc (e.g. Nero). Note that the ISO file or DVD Folder is in effect your complete DVD already, just waiting to be transferred to an actual disc.
Once again you guys are full of knowledge that is always helpful.
I only have ProX3 so I took Ron's advice and it worked like a charm. I also have ProX3 on my desktop. Do you recommend I use Media Player to burn the DVD or use VideoStudio?
