Converting video

[tonysmith1929]

Hi friends (and Les). I know this is not the right forum,but at least its active !!
I want to convert an AVI video to whatever will play on MOST standalone DVD players.
Have tried Super, AVC etc, and converted to so called dvd compliant,mpeg, svcd etc but none will play on my or families players. They (or some of them) will play on PC only. Videos are widescreen.
There does not seem to be an output that suits !!
Fear I will run out of discs before I get this right.
Thanks.....

[Dialysis1]

Try AVStoDVD or DVD Flick.
Burn with ImgBurn using good quality media like Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim.

[tonysmith1929]

converting video.

Thanks,,have already tried andfailed with Flick, will try your other suggestion. Have done hundreds of videos before the ban came here with few problems, and always use Imgburn and good discs, dont think the problem is there, just in output from converters. What I am trying to convert is not essential, I just dont like being beaten !!! Will advise if and when I beat it....

[Dialysis1]

It also depends on the quality of the source video.

[rago88]

I use Convertxtodvd to convert all .avi to dvd files and burn with imgburn..

works great, easy interface, but not free..
49.00 but well worth it..

http://www.vso-software.fr/products/convert_x_to_dvd/

[MilesAhead]

Another thing you can try is AviDemux 2.4. In Edit=>Preferences=>Automation Tab, check all the boxes. Load your .avi file. If the index is messed up, it will reindex it. It it's packed bitstream, it will unpack it. If it's variable bitrate, it will create a map. Then just leave the output set as AVI with Copy for both video and audio and save to a filename. It's very fast when not reencoding. Now try that as input to DVD Flick. You can also use QuEnc to get an .mpg file with navpacks that you can author. QuEnc wants an AviSynth script but all you have to do is one line: AviSource("MyMovie.avi") and name it with .avs extension. Load that in QuEnc if you want to try QuEnc. One cool thing about QuEnc is you can use other conversion tools that generate an AviSynth script, and just use the script in QuEnc(at least the cropping, resizing, and filtering parts...) For example FitCD is a good way to get Anamorphic 16x9 output. It figures the stuff out for you and generates an AviSynth script that you just use in whatever encoder you want that can do .avs scripts.


An .mpg file with navpacks can be authored with DVDAuthorGUI(I use this a lot because it's free and I don't care about fancy menus.)

AFA the burning, if your stand-alone can play DVD+RW get a 5 pack of 8x DVD+RW to do test burns. Once it plays the test burn ok, do a permanent burn. They are good to have anyway for "watch once then erase" type shows.

edit: about 1/2 way down this thread is a mini-guide to FitCD

http://forum.videohelp.com/topic296341.html

[PrinceBytore]

You can try WinAviVideoConverter, but why, when for about $35.00 you can buy a dvd player that will play DivX(.avi) with much more pleasing video quality.

[tonysmith1929]

converting video

Thanks all. Now got AVS to DVD, will try it tonite. If that fails may give up and get a cheapo player to do the job, but cant understand why my fairly decent Panasonic player wont do it.....Thanks everyone, will report back later.

[MilesAhead]

Part of the issue might be that for older players DVD-R was more popular. I think the newer players expect DVD+R. Even though most new ones will play both, the more rigorous testing is likely to be with what they expect to see most.

I'm guessing that's the reason only the newest player I have gets those transition freezes with DVD-R I burned awhile ago.

[rago88]

'but why, when for about $35.00 you can buy a dvd player that will play DivX(.avi) with much more pleasing video quality. "

My dvd player does play .avi but with a 42" HD Plasma I get a much better picture when I do the conversion and burn to dvd..
the size jumps from 700-800megs to 4 gig or above..
I know bigger is not better but it's just flat out a better picture.
It seems to have more punch and the colors are more vivid.
At least on my Plasma the is a noticable difference between playing an conversion as opposed to an avi structure...
If it wasn't, I would save converting time and money[blank dvd's] just burning the avi to a CD..

[wcbncal]

Hi,

Here is a point that has been missed in the previous replies.

Many older DVD players will not play DVD media if the "book type" is not DVD-rom. Most DVD Burners can reset the book type to DVD-ROM from DVD+R or DVD+RW (but not DVD-R/DVD-RW).

You can try setting the book type for your burner in ImgBurn (click on the little "book" icon in the "device tab").

You can also use CD/DVD speed or DVDInfo to verify the book type setting.

Will

[tonysmith1929]

converting video

Thanks...I have always used the correct book type, but thanks anyway.....However, AVS to DVD did actually fix the problem, after taking 3 hours to convert a 2hour video,painfull !!! but it plays, so think we can mark this as solved, sort of !!! Thanks to everyone who offered advice....

[MilesAhead]

The AVS makes me think is used AviSynth. If you can look in and see what it does, you might be able to just copy out the .avs script. For example, FAVC has a switch on the last tab "do not start batch file" which lets you look in the work folder, open the .avs scripts in an editor and add a few lines or whatnot. Thing is, FAVC will split up the input file into pieces to match the number of cores in your PC if you want. Only thing is there are some issues with muxing and bitrate spikes. Nothing is perfect it seems. But you may also be able to use the .avs with QuEnc or HC encoder. I haven't learned all the ins and outs of HC but even using it with a front end that does the thinking for me I usually get pretty good results. On my machine 2 pass HC encodes seem to get about 30 to 50 fps per core... per pass. So even using "best" profile you get good throughput.

[n0ty]

My Two Cents.... I use WinFF (an ffmpeg front end) and DVDStyler (simple and quick) to make DVD that play on anything. Good luck!

n0ty

[MilesAhead]

I'd be curious if the input .avi files ever triggered action when loaded into AviDemux. I suspect something in the source is weird. Just guessing but it does seem strange that so matter converters would have a problem.