Program Driving me NUTS!

[Statchmo]

I can't get this darn program to do a blasted thing.

 

All I want to do is convert my DVDs to MPEG-4 so I can play them on my video Ipod.

 

I even bought a MyBook 320Gb hard drive to store all my iPod stuff.

 

But when I click on "Convert Video" from the Roxio Home 'page', it takes me to the disc copier, where I have two options -- CD&DVD Copy, or Video Compilation.

 

Well, what I want to do is copy the DVD to my hard drive in Ipod compatible format, then get it into iTunes so I can sync my iPod.

 

But the program won't allow me to specify a specific file format (MPEG-4 or Ipod-compatible) unless I do a "video compilation". Fine, so I let it do that, only to have the program tell me that the file size was TOO LARGE for my 320Gb hard drive!!! I know this is wrong, so what is up with that?

 

If I do it without specifying the file format, I get some kind of weird "Roxio Image File" that says it can be opened by iTunes...but when I try to open it, nothing happens -- just a black screen in iTunes.

 

For the love of Steve Jobs, this shouldn't be so difficult. I have spent all freaking day on this, and am at my wit's end. The software box "says" you can "convert music & movies to most popular formats" and "transfer content to portable media players", and it specifically indicates Ipods.

 

If anyone has any words of wisdom, I would appreciate it, because I am ready to take the software back to where I bought it and demand a refund.

[Brendon]

Hello Statchmo,

 

I don't know what sort of file format your iPod or iTunes software expect to find, because I don't have either, but if they can handle .ISO or BIN/CUE files you can make those with Disc Copier's CD & DVD Copy mode.

 

You set the Destination as Disc Image, and click on Save As. In the Save as type box you cab select ISO, BIN/CUE, or the Roxio specific C2D file type. The Copy mode seems to be quite limited as to conversion.

 

- - - otherwise,

 

In the Video Compilation mode you will need to have set your cache directory (in Tools > Options) to a drive where there is enough room for your DVD to be cached. I wonder if you have set your OUTPUT to the 320GB drive, but the CACHE is still set to your main HD, which doesn't have the 5-10 free GB required ??

 

Does this help any?

 

Regards,

Brendon

[Statchmo]

Thanks Brendon for responding and trying to help.

 

IPod Video requires MPEG-4 as a file type.

 

MPEG-4 is an option with Copy & Convert 3, but the only way I can select it is by doing a "Video Compilation"....as opposed to the "CD and DVD Copy" mode which seems more intuitive, but just doesn't seem to offer the MPEG-4 option.

 

I followed your suggestion regarding the Cache location and changed it to my "H" drive (the 320Gb external hard drive, which has absolutely nothing on it, so there's plenty of available space).

 

I still get the following error pop-up:

 

"The size of the output file will exceed the maximum file size allowed by the file system of the destination drive. Please select a destination location on a different drive or use an output size smaller than 4GB."

 

I may not be the most tech-savvy person on the block, but I tend to be able to feel my way around most programs. This however has me stumped. I need an output size "smaller than 4GB" in order to "fit" on my 320Gb hard drive?!??!!

 

I will admit I am having trouble on the Roxio website finding some way to contact technical support; they seem to only offer contact for non-technical issues, and there is no FAQ for this program.

 

I don't know what else to try. I have already wasted hours watching the program chunk away at a DVD only to come up with that weird "Roxio image" file format that doesn't open in anything (including the Roxio program itself!)

[Larry]

Thanks Brendon for responding and trying to help.

 

IPod Video requires MPEG-4 as a file type.

 

MPEG-4 is an option with Copy & Convert 3, but the only way I can select it is by doing a "Video Compilation"....as opposed to the "CD and DVD Copy" mode which seems more intuitive, but just doesn't seem to offer the MPEG-4 option.

 

I followed your suggestion regarding the Cache location and changed it to my "H" drive (the 320Gb external hard drive, which has absolutely nothing on it, so there's plenty of available space).

 

I still get the following error pop-up:

 

"The size of the output file will exceed the maximum file size allowed by the file system of the destination drive. Please select a destination location on a different drive or use an output size smaller than 4GB."

 

I may not be the most tech-savvy person on the block, but I tend to be able to feel my way around most programs. This however has me stumped. I need an output size "smaller than 4GB" in order to "fit" on my 320Gb hard drive?!??!!

 

I will admit I am having trouble on the Roxio website finding some way to contact technical support; they seem to only offer contact for non-technical issues, and there is no FAQ for this program.

 

I don't know what else to try. I have already wasted hours watching the program chunk away at a DVD only to come up with that weird "Roxio image" file format that doesn't open in anything (including the Roxio program itself!)

The "CD and DVD Copy" part of the app is to do just that, copy a disc or disc image to a disc. So it's output is going to be in the format of a disc. You need to use teh Video Compilation function to create your MPEG-4 file(s). You can use a dvd disc, image file, or plain video files as your source. The output tho will be to a video file. You can't take a dvd for example, and output all the menus, navigation, and dvd disc functions to a video file, like an mpeg-4.

 

As to the 4gb size message you're getting, that sounds to me like the drive maybe is using FAT32 for the file system, which is limited to 4gb per file. If it was NTFS, that wouldn't happen.

[Statchmo]

Thanks Larry. Yes, the FAT32 deal was the issue. Once I reformatted my HD to NTFS, I was able to make some progress.

 

I am still struggling with file types but that's another post.

[Larry]

Thanks Larry. Yes, the FAT32 deal was the issue. Once I reformatted my HD to NTFS, I was able to make some progress.

 

I am still struggling with file types but that's another post.

Happy to hear that helped with part of it anyway. Hope the rest get sorted out for you.