Some one PLEASE explaion this to me....

[keylor]

... as I am thoroughly confused with this frakin program!

 

I am in the middle of completing my 1st major project using EMC 9, and it's My DVD suite. Previously I have been using ECM 7, I tried 8, but it was a pain in the neck (as this is slowly becoming)

 

My 1st concern:

When I was using version 7, I could encode Mpeg2 videos in DVD quallity using TMPEGenc. I could fit a 200 minute film (cut into 2 parts) on 1 standard DVD5in full quality, as long as they were 2 separate "titles", and the total size of the videos (not time) was in specs with the DVD and could physically fit. In 9, I struggle to get a standard film (roughly a little over 90 minutes, formatted at size of 2GB (so technically it should only use HALF of the disk).

 

2nd:

Is there a way to NOT preview the encoding before it burns a DVD, or better yet TURN THE ENCODING OFF? I am already using a program to encode, format, and prepare video, all I need to do is burn it to a disk, it doesn't have to be RE-encoded

 

I switched from 7 because I like having more flexibility and creativity in the design and presentation of the DVD I am creating, Menu buttons/styles, motion backgrounds and etc. that weren't available in a version like 7. Version 8 had a little more, but everything was limited. For example all the buttons were animated if you used a screenshot from the movie you were using and there was no way to have it "still".

 

 

Can someone try to help me with the "size" issue I am dealing with, as well as the encoding previews.

 

 

Thanks in advance.

-James

[keylor]

Both questions are somewhat related. No - you can not 'turn off' encoding. A LOT has changed since V7. For MPEG encoding, MyDVD can not go any lower than 3MB bitrate. If you're files use anything lower than that, MyDVD will re-encode. If they ar 3MB of higher, go into the MyDVD project settings and uncheck 'fit to disc'. You can then manually type in the bitrate of the files and re-encoding should not occur. You may want to check the audio encoding, too. If your file(s) use MPEG audio, MyDVD will transcode those AC3 stereo.

 

MyDVD does NOT support 5.1 surround sound and the audio will be transcoded to stereo.

 

I am using MPEG audio, so that would need a transcode, ok. Now Why am I struggling to fit a 2GB film on a 4.7GB DVD? TRT of film is 100 minutes. EMC 7 DVD Creator would let me burn without problem as long as the video file was within the 4.7GB to fit on the DVD.

 

What gives with 9?

[gi7omy]

I am using MPEG audio, so that would need a transcode, ok. Now Why am I struggling to fit a 2GB film on a 4.7GB DVD? TRT of film is 100 minutes. EMC 7 DVD Creator would let me burn without problem as long as the video file was within the 4.7GB to fit on the DVD.

 

What gives with 9?

 

Actually 8 didn't do that.

 

You have to remember that video productions for DVD are time based rather than actual size - as a rule of thumb 1 hour movie = 1 DVD

 

What you are probably thinking about is that Disc Copier shrank an oversized production to fit - and it still does that.

 

What you can't do (and couldn't in 8 either) was to expect 100 minutes to burn directly - it had to be rendered and saved as an image file - and then burnt albeit with some loss of quality (depending on the amount of compression required)

[ggrussell]

I am using MPEG audio, so that would need a transcode, ok. Now Why am I struggling to fit a 2GB film on a 4.7GB DVD? TRT of film is 100 minutes. EMC 7 DVD Creator would let me burn without problem as long as the video file was within the 4.7GB to fit on the DVD.

Seems like you can't get out of the file size thinking. Use something like GSpot to see what the video bitrate of the MPEG file. IF IT IS LOWER THAN 3MB, Videowave and MyDVD will rerender. Simple as that - because they do not support lower bitrates when creating a DVD.

[ggrussell]

Is there a way to NOT preview the encoding before it burns a DVD, or better yet TURN THE ENCODING OFF?

Both questions are somewhat related. No - you can not 'turn off' encoding. A LOT has changed since V7. For MPEG encoding, MyDVD can not go any lower than 3MB bitrate. If you're files use anything lower than that, MyDVD will re-encode. If they ar 3MB of higher, go into the MyDVD project settings and uncheck 'fit to disc'. You can then manually type in the bitrate of the files and re-encoding should not occur. You may want to check the audio encoding, too. If your file(s) use MPEG audio, MyDVD will transcode those AC3 stereo.

 

MyDVD does NOT support 5.1 surround sound and the audio will be transcoded to stereo.

[keylor]

Actually 8 didn't do that.

 

You have to remember that video productions for DVD are time based rather than actual size - as a rule of thumb 1 hour movie = 1 DVD

 

What you are probably thinking about is that Disc Copier shrank an oversized production to fit - and it still does that.

 

What you can't do (and couldn't in 8 either) was to expect 100 minutes to burn directly - it had to be rendered and saved as an image file - and then burnt albeit with some loss of quality (depending on the amount of compression required)

 

 

Sorry, I can't except that at all. you can't tell me that I can only fit 100 minutes on a DVD when I have doubled that. I have several DVD's that I have created and burned. All of them are 2 part feature films 100 minutes per part, encoded at about half the normal bitrate (through TMPGnc) and put on the SAME DVD as separate titles. Title 1 being part 1 of the movie at 100 minutes, and part 2 the same.

 

I'm good at what I do but, sheesh.

 

Plus, why the hell is there 120 minutes (so they say right on the box) per DVD and you can only use 100??

I guess that doesn't matter because I destroyed that theory as well with my 200 minutes. OH and that's with Custom graphics, menus, music and 2 intro clips, BTW

 

So either 7 has a major bug, or I am a time GOD that can change the laws of physics..... you tell me.

[gi7omy]

Read what was said - ALL of it

 

a DVD holds one hour video AT BEST QUALITY

 

Sure - you can fit more on, BUT, the compression increases and quality drops

 

The whole thing is similar to audio gain/bandwidth and it's a constant (that's a fundamental law of physics) - if one increases, the other decreases and nothing can alter that. If the duration is extended, the quality drops, if quality is improved, duration will drop: there is NO way round that

[ggrussell]

Seems like we have a communication problem or you're just not reading our post correctly. FORGET what you know about V7 or what V7 'could' do. Starting with V8, most of the suite was rewritten. V8 was limited to 4MB bitrate which severly limited how much 'time' it could squeeze on a 4.7 disc. MyDVD 9 supports down to 3MB bitrate, but thta also is limiting.

 

Since it is apparent that you don't care about quality - just quantity, I think the short answer is thta MyDVD can no longer do what you want simpy because it does not support bitrates lower than 3MB.