DVD Burning
 

So I've got an AVI file of a previously Hi-Def television show on my computer, and I want to put it on DVD. Or CD. On a disc that I can watch on TV, whatever works. I'm getting sick of watching it on my computer.

The only problem is, I can't get it to burn. I tried using Roxio to burn it to a DVD. Errors. I imported it into Windows Movie Maker, and used that to burn it to CD. Doesn't play. I imported it into Movie Maker, converted it to a Windows Media Audio/Video file, and tried to use Roxio to burn THAT to DVD, figuring that it just didn't like AVI files the first time around. No dice.

Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks,

Adrian

We have had exactly the same problem and apparently you need to just find a brand of disc that works for your computer. Try DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW etc. until you find one that works is what we've been advised.

It should be simple but manufacturers just love over-complicating things!!

Video has to be MPEG format for DVD. I think that Nero has a wizard function that will take a file and convert it for you. I presume this is a standard 640 x 360 XviD TV show you've downloaded? Ones like that should convert easily enough.

Alternately you can buy DVD players which will play MPEG-4 (XviD/DivX) so then you could literally just burn the AVI file to a disc and it would play. Not sure how cheap or widely available they are there, but I've seen them here for £20 so they can't be that much.

I have software that can do it easily, takes a while though. I was using it to burn lost season 3 on to dvd.

Worth the wait though, was always good quality.

PM me your e:mail addy and i'll send it over to you.

In order to get it to burn to a DVD that you can watch, first you need to author a DVD. In other words, put it into a format that a DVD player can read.

I would take that original avi file and drop it into DVD Workshop since that is what I use. It's an expensive program though. Try TMPG DVD Author or check to see if there are good free DVD authoring programs. When you are done authoring you should have two file foldrs: AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS. Inside the VIDEO_TS file should be BUP, IFO ands VOB files. The AUDIO_TS file will be empty. That is the correct DVD format.

I hate Roxio by the way. I used it years ago and I always had problems with the files.

Once you have a DVD structure that can be read - then use Nero (or your Roxio) to burn the VIDEO_TS folder to a DVD that can be watched on a TV. I recommend Nero completely. It is a superior burning engine. It (like Roxio) says that it will convert and do all sorts of stuff. Use it to burn - that's what it does best. And use a DVD Authoring probgram to author DVDs - that's what they do best.

If you have TMPG DVD Author - it will also burn DVD folders. It may still use the Nero burning engine though.

The programs that try to do it all seldom do a good job of everything.

Kathleen

Yeah, what Kathleen said. I only use Roxio to burn CD's and Nero for DVD's. I have found out also that my computer and dvd player will not work with DVD-R only DVD+R.

What if the DVD player has that DivX function though?

Well that's what I suggested. You can pick up compatible players very cheap now -

US - Amazon.com: Philips DVP642 Progressive Scan DVD...
UK - Amazon

Heh. I was just going to edit my post after reading up on DivX at the Silver Screen forum! Thanks for the info here and over there too. Really useful.

We just got a DVD player/recorder which has DivX as a wedding present and though it'll be a month until we install it I was curious. That combined with a good internet connection can be fabulous 8) Ours is LG, btw.

I think it's good of all these companies to start encorporating playback of different formats, because downloading TV shows is a popular thing. The last few months when they were on I was downloading about 7 or 8 shows a week - purely because they won't be shown on TV here for ages. I know that BBC2 just started to show series 2 of Rome, which ended a while back, and I think they only just recently began showing Greys Anatomy and House, despite those having ended in the US already.