[jrbl]

I'm new to Toast9 and I'm trying to create a DVD from some MPEG-4 movie files. Under the DVD-Video panel I load several files into the window. As I do so the indicator at the bottom gives the space used and available on disc. Fine up to this point. I'm trying to use custom settings to select the average bitrate for encoding. I do so using the slider on the Encoding panel and then click OK. However, the disc size does not change. I thought that the size of a file on disc is proportional to the bitrate -- higher bitrate = larger file. Am I missing something or is Toast9 malfunctioning?

[darkcloud28]

from my experince You can only go up to 9000 bitrate .

[jrbl]

from my experince You can only go up to 9000 bitrate .

That's correct. But regardless of what bitrate I select below 9000, the size on disc does not change.

[tsantee]

That's correct. But regardless of what bitrate I select below 9000, the size on disc does not change.

There may be a bug in how Toast describes the space available when using the custom encoder settings. I've used an application called MrBitBudget to calculate space required. Then I save as Disc Image. If the disc image is too big I can always use fit-to-DVD when burning the disc image to single-layer media via the Copy window. Fit-to-DVD requantizes the video so there isn't any re-encoding. Therefore the quality remains as good as it would if you encoded the video to a smaller size to begin with. I've been told by some experts that it actually can be better.

This post has been edited by tsantee: 24 June 2008 - 08:40 PM

[jrbl]

There may be a bug in how Toast describes the space available when using the custom encoder settings. I've used an application called MrBitBudget to calculate space required. Then I save as Disc Image. If the disc image is too big I can always use fit-to-DVD when burning the disc image to single-layer media via the Copy window. Fit-to-DVD requantizes the video so there isn't any re-encoding. Therefore the quality remains as good as it would if you encoded the video to a smaller size to begin with. I've been told by some experts that it actually can be better.

Using this procedure, will the DVD play on a typical commercial DVD player?

[tsantee]

Using this procedure, will the DVD play on a typical commercial DVD player?

Absolutely!

[jrbl]

Absolutely!

tsantee -- I tried the procedure you suggested and it seems to have worked -- thanks! Note that while MrBitBudget is no longer available, there is a suitable substitute: Bitrate Pro.