01-26-2005, 09:11 AM

Okay, I'm having one heck of a time trying to convert some .avi files to a format that I can use in iDVD. The video source is encoded in 3ivx D4 4.5, at 640x480. Audio is MP3 Audio, stereo at 48,000Hz. Frame rate is 29.97. Running time is about 24 minutes per episode.

I'm trying to fit at least 4 episodes per DVD with some simple menus, but I run into a couple of problems. Either the format I export them to is worse in quality than the original, or it maintains the quality, but the file size is too big, and iDVD starts yelling at me that there's no more room on the DVD. (and that's only after 2 episodes have been added)

I just want to make some decent DVDs to watch on my regular TV. Is there someone here who would know what settings to use to export the files to so they'll play nice with iDVD, but not look like crap when I play the DVD? Should I really be using DVD Studio Pro? And will that support importing .avi directly, or would I still have to convert them?

01-26-2005, 09:32 AM

iDVD 5 supports .avi files directly

01-26-2005, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by trpnmonkey41

iDVD 5 supports .avi files directly

That's cool. I'll need to get iLife '05 soon, but I can't afford it yet. Hopefully in a couple months after I get out from under the Holiday Financial period.

In the meantime, what suggestions can someone give me? I have FFMpegX (latest revision), DivX Doctor, Forty-Two, and Quicktime Pro.

01-26-2005, 11:15 AM

use divx doctor 2 to convert avi into .mov which idvd 4 supports.

01-26-2005, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Macman

use divx doctor 2 to convert avi into .mov which idvd 4 supports.

Will that maintain the video quality after the conversion? (I understand there's always a little quality degradation when converting video, I just don't want it to go from clear and watchable to blocky, pixelated and painful to watch.)

01-26-2005, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by DakRoland

Will that maintain the video quality after the conversion? (I understand there's always a little quality degradation when converting video, I just don't want it to go from clear and watchable to blocky, pixelated and painful to watch.)

I do it all the time and have never seen a loss in video or audio quality.

01-26-2005, 05:58 PM

when i had this same kind of problem with avi files i got from a friend i just used final cut pro to convert them to .mov and then built the dvd in dvd studio pro but from what it sounds like u don't have either dsp or fc so i don't think that helps really

01-28-2005, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Kutless217

when i had this same kind of problem with avi files i got from a friend i just used final cut pro to convert them to .mov and then built the dvd in dvd studio pro but from what it sounds like u don't have either dsp or fc so i don't think that helps really

o.0 No...not really. LOL Thanks for the suggestions, though.

I did the conversion in DivX Doctor and it worked perfectly. Thanks for the suggestion. But the next problem I ran into was trying to make the DVD. These are my particular goals and the problems I ran into...

Goals:
A) To have a high-quality DVD that plays an intro video segment (about 10 seconds long) before going to the main menu [done]

B) To be able to play the episodes straight through (basically choose "Play All" and it will plays the episodes in sequence)

C) To have the ability to choose specific episodes (which would require a sub-menu that would have the individual episodes there to select from)

D) To have scene selection options for every episode (chapter markers, of course)

E) To add extras such as a Making of documentary, and other media, such as original ads, commercials and images.

The first goal was pretty easy. I used iMovie to take a sample clip and then placed that into the Autorun field. Worked like a charm.

The second goal I can do, if I combine all the episodes into one continuous movie. But to do that, I have to split the episodes into 9 minute chunks, export them to DV, import them to iMovie, reassemble them, and then export to iDVD. That's a lot of work just for that alone. Of course the 3rd and 4th goals need to be accomplished in the same manner. For scene selections, I have to add chapter markers, and the only way I know how is to add them in iMovie.

Lastly, the adding of extras depends entirely on how much room is left on the DVD. I was a bit disappointed when I tried to make a 3 episode DVD (24 minute eps each) plus add a 20 minute Making Of featurette. When I went to burn the test DVD, it asked for a second disc. So I think it ran out of room, but I thought I could put 2 hours of video on a DVD? Unless that's 2 hours of video with no menus added...

I have to run to work, but I'll be back and add a little more, I'm not done yet...