Problem creating 1 avi from 2 mpg files

[xxyy]

Hello all,

I am trying to create 1 avi file from 2 mpg files. I tried approaching this problem from 2 angles:
1) Merging the 2 mpg files using tmpgenc. I went to mpeg tools - merge and cut - added the 2 mpg files, but I get the error message that the 2nd mpg file is not compatible with the 1st file.
2) I tried to convert each mpg file individually to avi, using virtualdubmod and avimuxgui, both of which did not work. When loading an mpg file into vdubmod and attempting to save as avi, it gave the error message: "the video stream uses a compression algorithm which is not compatible with avi files. direct stream copy cannot be used with this video stream." In avimuxgui, after loading the mpg file, it only allows .mka as an output. Please help!

[Guest]

Please follow forum rules, specifically number 8: Do not crosspost. Thank you.

When you load the MPEG in VDM, select full processing mode and select an output compression before doing save AVI. You cannot direct stream copy MPG to AVI.

[xxyy]

I apologise for the cross-post - I only intended to place the original post in the right section, as I knew I placed it in the wrong one.
When I select "full processing mode" in VDM, the creation time for the output file is far too long. Please suggest an effective method to convert mpg's to avi's (as an alternative to VDM). Thanks!