freeware shareware program for converting mpg to DVD?

[Wild Man]

Surely this has been asked before, but I have been searching the archives for an hour now and have come up with nothing.

I am looking for free software (I am cheap.) to covert from mpg to DVD format. TMPGEnc DVD Author looks great, but I don't want to spend $70 on it. Anyhtiong like this as freeware?

Thanks for any input.

Wild Man

[tigerman8u]

check here in the tools section (on the left side of your screen) www.videohelp.com

[ormonde]

"TMPGEnc DVD Author looks great, but I don't want to spend $70 on it."

You can download and try it (fully functional) for 30 days.

[WooK]

I may be missing something here ..... but i have tmpgenc dvd author and it doesnt convert anything and it doesnt accept any of my mpegs or vobs. Is it supposed to convert mpeg to dvd?

[ormonde]

"but i have tmpgenc dvd author and it doesnt convert anything and it doesnt accept any of my mpegs or vobs."

Are you sure that you have the "Right" program? You might have "TMPGEnc" which is a DIFFERENT program altogether than "TMPGEnc DVD Author".

[WooK]

i have both tmpgenc dvd author and the normal tmpgenc

i click 'create new project' then add file........every damn vid clip i try to add is an illegal video file

[ormonde]

"every damn vid clip i try to add is an illegal video file"

That means that your video clips are not "DVD-compliant" Follow this procedure:

1. Convert the AVI/mpeg file(s) to a DVD compliant mpeg-2 file(s) using "TMPGEnc" or "TMPGEnc Plus". Use the DVD template (NTSC or PAL) form the "Project Wizard" to help you accomplish the task.

2. Then use "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (different than "TMPGEnc") to author the newly created mpeg-2 into a DVD-related file structure (.IFO, .BUP, .VOB). As an alternative, you can use "DVDLab" to author as well.

3. If the combined filesize of the project exceeds 4.37 Gig, use "DVD Shrink" or similar transcoding program to compress.

4. Use "Nero" or similar burning program to burn onto a DVD (r, rw) disk.

[crs46]

The DVDs I'm making are of home videos, and I've been using Pegasys's TMPGenc software to convert the WMV file to a MPEG2 file to the VOP, BUP, IFO files needed for the DVD. I'm now wondering if there is an issue with this software. I'm wondering this because the DVDs do not play on a standard DVD player, and when I put the disc back into my computer, all it does is only show the DVD files. It doesn't auto play, and the when opening up the video files, the menus do not work. Does anybody recommend a good DVD authoring software? My tech guy suggested Pinnacle, but this seemed to be very expensive. Does anybody have any ideas for something between TMPGenc and Pinnacle that will do the job? Or am I doing something wrong with Pegasys's software?

[ormonde]

"Or am I doing something wrong with Pegasys's software?"

Please clarify. Are you using "TMPGEnc DVD Author" or "TMPGEnc"/"TMPGEnc Plus"? They are two completely DIFFERENT programs.

[crs46]

I'm using TMPGenc Express 3.0 to convert from WMV to MPEG2, and I'm using TMPGenc DVD Author to convert from MPEG2 to the DVD files and to create the menus, chapters, etc. The DVDs I'm burning won't play, and I'm not aware of anything I could be doing wrong during the process.

[ormonde]

"The DVDs I'm burning won't play, and I'm not aware of anything I could be doing wrong during the process."

Then it could be a media issue. Try a different "Brand/Type" of media.

[crs46]

So you don't think it has anything to do with how the software created and burned the DVD?

[ormonde]

"So you don't think it has anything to do with how the software created and burned the DVD?"

Its always possible, but more likely it is a media problem by what you described.

[crs46]

Have you had any experience with Ulead Movie Factory, and if so, what did you think?

[ormonde]

"Have you had any experience with Ulead Movie Factory"

No...