Hi yall.

The problem is the movie in PAL-DV quality (the default WMM2 setting) takes
13Gb for 1 hour. I need to code it too take a third of that size to fit on
DVD.

Which software can do that? If I take the variable bit-rate coding that WMM2
offers the picture is way too choppy and the file size is drastically lower.
I guess there has to be some middle ground.

Thanks.

"Baba" wrote in message
...
Hi yall.

The problem is the movie in PAL-DV quality (the default WMM2 setting)
takes
13Gb for 1 hour. I need to code it too take a third of that size to fit on
DVD.

Which software can do that? If I take the variable bit-rate coding that
WMM2
offers the picture is way too choppy and the file size is drastically
lower.
I guess there has to be some middle ground.

Thanks.


Sonic MyDVD is often cited as a good companion to WMM2, mainly because it
recognises Microsoft's proprietary WMV format, which is an option available
to you when saving movies created in WMM2. See http://www.sonic.com/ for
more info.

MyDVD will convert your DV-AVI or WMV files to MPEG2, allows you to create
basic menu structures and lets you burn to DVD for playback on DVD-ROM
drives or normal DVD players.

HTH

Jake

The problem is the movie in PAL-DV quality (the default WMM2 setting)
takes
13Gb for 1 hour. I need to code it too take a third of that size to fit on
DVD.

There are two acceptable video formats recognised by DVD - MPEG-1 and
MPEG-2. These have to be encoded within a range of specifications acceptable
to the player.

There are several audio formats. If you are able to encode AC3, do so.
Otherwise use LPCM. MPEG audio is supposed to be supported, but it's not
mandatory on NTSC discs, and it wouldn't be missed on PAL discs.

Some players are able to playback of DIVX video. I've yet to find one,
though.

So whatever format you capture video in (You're doing the right thing,
capturing DV) you need to convert it. (There are some applications that can
encode DV video via firewire, or analogue video, to DVD-compliant MPEGs
during capture, but you should not do this if you plan to edit at all.) I
recommend Cinemacraft basic. It was the best available when I got it, but
soon after, there were a lot of other encoders available that boasted good
quality output, and got the reviews to prove it. Ligos' and MainConcept's
encoders are examples. I've always liked TMPGenc, but you need to know what
you're doing, and it's not quick.

I can't agree with Jake's advice about MyDVD and DVDit from Sonic. They are
very slow and poor encoders. You get what you pay for, and mine came free
with my DVD burner.

"Gorf" wrote in message
...

I can't agree with Jake's advice about MyDVD and DVDit from Sonic. They
are
very slow and poor encoders. You get what you pay for, and mine came free
with my DVD burner.

I agree with the speed of MyDVD. It typically takes about an hour to
transcode about 20 minutes of video. I suggested it because it recognises
MS's WMV format. Since the OP is using MovieMaker2 it may be a useful
feature. There's also lots of support for it in
microsoft.public.winodwsxp.moviemaker.

Jake

I agree with the speed of MyDVD. It typically takes about an hour to
transcode about 20 minutes of video.

You must have a good machine, then. It used to take my 1.6GHz P4 about twice
as long as that.

It's the quality I didn't like (I have a spare machine, so I can keep
working however long the encode takes). A slow panning shot with trees in
the background looked awful in MyDVD, even at "fill the disc" bitrates
(source was very focused PAL DV-1 from a Canon XM1 (GL1)).

I understand your comment about WMV to MPEG in one hit, though (it hadn't
occurred to me to make the link).

"Gorf" wrote in message
news:ankbc.154$yP6.126@newsfe1-win...
I agree with the speed of MyDVD. It typically takes about an hour to
transcode about 20 minutes of video.

You must have a good machine, then. It used to take my 1.6GHz P4 about
twice
as long as that.

2.8GHz HT, my first new machine in 7 years. Takes the pain out of many
operations!

Jake