Converting Mpeg to DVD ... I thought it was easy ...

[AndreLi]

I'm kinda confused, I just got a video capture card and I'm trying to turn the Mpeg files into DVD. But I'm reading its not that easy cause I thought you could just put the files in the video_TS directory and that would be it, but no I'm not reading that no where. So I'm asking how is it done. Do I need a converter and if so will it decrease the quality of my mpeg file and I'm look'in for something "free".

[AndreLi]

What I'm trying to do is put my recording (from my tvcard) on DVD, so I now I'll need a video editor to edit out the comercials but I'm kinda worried what to get cause when I edit it I'll have to re-author it to put all the clips (with out the commercials) together and I'm wondering will re-authoring it decrease the video quality.

Next is actually putting it on DVD and with this being done will it also decrease the quality of the video.

[setarip_old]

Hi!

One set of procedures (other posters may/probably will suggest alternative methods) would be:

1) If not already DVD-compliant, use "TMPGEnc" (or "TMPGEncPlus") to convert the MPEG to compliant MPEG2-for-DVD format - Use "TMPGEnc's" DVD wizard/template to accomplish this (This step may not be necessary, if your MPEG-2 files are already in DVD compliant format)

2) Use "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (a different program than "TMPGEnc") to easily create the required additional DVD files and structure (and chapters and a menu, if you wish)
You can obtain a FULLY functional free 30 day trial version of this commercial program at:

www.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/tda.html

**If the combined filesize of the DVD "package" written to your hard drive is greater than 4.37Gb, use DVD Shrink (or similar) to compress


If your O/S is either Win2000 or WinXP, TMPGEnc DVD Author can also burn your DVD. Otherwise, use NERO to burn in "DVD-Video" mode
(As an alternative to "TMPGEnc DVD Author", you could use "DVDLab")


Let us know of your success ;>}

[AndreLi]

I'm sorry I forgot to put in my setup on my system.

1.2 Athlon (thinking about upgrading to a 2.1 Athlon)
512 RAM
XP SP1 (going to 2 later on)
ATI TV Wonder Pro
My software (Catalyst) has a DVD setting where it allow the recording in DVD quality but the file still with a mpeg-2 extension.
Also I don't think I need the "TMPGEnc" just the TMPEG DVD Author but I would like you to suggest a Mpeg editor that small but allows no decrease quality in the re-authoring of the mpeg

[laserfan]

...I'll need a video editor to edit out the comercials but I'm kinda worried what to get cause when I edit it I'll have to re-author it to put all the clips (with out the commercials) together and I'm wondering will re-authoring it decrease the video quality...The easiest way to do what you want:

1. Import to VideoReDo Plus to edit-out the commercials

2. Output from VRD+ as elementary streams (separate audio & video files) and with a Chapter file if you want chapter markers in your DVD

3. Input to MuxMan which will make a VIDEO_TS folder for you

Neither of these tools will affect quality in any significant way--VRD+ only re-encodes a few frames around your cut point. It DOES cost $50 but there is a 2-week trial period, so even if you decide not to pop for the $50 bucks you can easily play with it and make a few DVDs. MuxMan is the BEST freeware tool for creating VIDEO_TS from elementary streams.

[Qjimbo]

What you need is an MPEG cutting tool if you want to cut out commericals. There's a list of them here: http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/downloads/showcategory.php?cid=7

These can cut the MPEG without having the reencode the whole thing. However you might get desync if you have framedrops.

[jmac698]

There's a few concepts to understand first. You are right about quality concerns, there are two ways to cut commercials, one way decodes the entire mpg, cuts, and re-encodes the mpg, which is a quality loss. The other way just cuts out part of the mpg file (but in a careful way), and there is no quality loss. That sounds perfect, but there is one problem with it. MPG records an entire "chunk" of about 1/4 second, and you can only delete directly a chunk at a time. Also the video chunks are not directly lined up to the audio chunks, so they can get out of sync slightly each time.
So now there is a third way: if you need to cut into a "chunk", you delete all chunks directly except that one, which you decode - cut - reencode. Then only that "chunk" is quality loss.
The others are saying, video-redo uses this third method.
But, for a free program, mpg2cut, cuttarmaran, and others use the "chunk" method. It's not so bad, because you can cut a commercial within 1/4 second, no problems!

Here's how to tell apart those types of programs. If you open a file, there is a long long time when it says "importing", then it's type #1, which is bad.
On the disk that came with your ATI card is a free video editing program already, you just need to know how to use it, you don't need to buy anything else, plus there is probably some support for it!
Personally I find even the free program mpg2cut2 easy and very fast to use anyhow.

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=Mpg2Cut2

Just mark the parts you want to keep. Move to the very beginninng of the show, press [, move to the first commercial, press ], then press +, and repeat. Just 3 keys to learn! Save, and you are done. Make sure to play it back and see that the lips move with the sound, especially near the end. If there is a problem, ditch it and try one of the other tools listed at videohelp.com/tools.

[jmac698]

Now that you have the commercial free file, you need to make the dvd, First of all, just burn the plain mpg file and see if you dvd player can play it. A lot of them can! But if you really want a proper dvd, try simpledvd. Just right click on your mpg file, and select "Make DVD". Pretty simple!
Anyhow, again check the disks that came with your computer, you probably have a dvd making program already, either the NERO and EasyCD Creator that came with your dvd drive, or a program that came with your ATI card or even video card.

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=SimpleDVD

[jggimi]

Moving to the DVD Authoring forum.