|
An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 19 Oct 2003 08:32 PM |
When people talk about burning movies on disk, you probably think of DVDs. After all, the DVD format is very popular in the US and many over-hyped computer commercials taut how easy it is to burn your movies onto a blank DVD disk.
However, burning a DVD is not necessarily an easy or inexpensive endeavor. While the price of computer DVD writers and blank disks are coming down rapidly (and will soon be as ubiquitous as CD-writers), burning your own DVD can be pricey. DVD writers cost about $300 and good DVD media still costs over $4 (8 dollars in the store).
To further confuse the picture, DVD (as a recording format) has not yet matured. There are several different disk formats (DVD-R, DVD+R, and DVD-RAM) and each has variable compatibility with set-top DVD players. In addition, every brand of blank DVD has different compatibility … a homemade movie burned onto a Verbatim DVD-R may play on different DVD players than the same movie burned on a Pioneer DVD-R.
Enter the VCD
If you don’t want to spring for a DVD writer, there is a cheaper alternative. Using your computer’s CD-writer you can burn your movie onto a normal CD-R blank, and create a VCD, or “video cd.” This format is very popular in Asia, and has been around longer than DVD. Part of VCD’s popularity is that these movies are burned onto normal CD blanks … cheap CD-R’s that you can buy for 15 cents each! The affordability of VCDs allows you to experiment and distribute your video to friends at very low costs. These VCDs will play in most tabletop DVD players, though some older DVD players have problems recognizing them.
What’s the catch?
The video quality of a VCD is much lower than a DVD. That’s because a CD-ROM can only hold 650 Megs of data, compared to DVD’s 8 gigs (for a dual-layer DVD). To fit video into that tiny space, VCD video is highly compressed and runs at 352x240 resolution (compared to DVD’s resolution of 720 by 480). The picture quality for a VCD is roughly comparable to VHS tape. However, with VCD’s you may see some compression artifacts (edge blockyness) during dark, fast-motion scenes. VCD sound quality, however, is excellent and full stereo.
A VCD can only hold 76 minutes of video, so VCD movies are typically split over two CD’s. You can think of a VCD as the video equivalent to an audio CD … as they both hold only 76 minutes of data.
How do you make a VCD?
To make a VCD, you need to encode your video into VCD-compliant MPEG1 video file. Many video editing software packages will let you export your final movie directly into this video format, and some will even burn the VCD for you. The major burning software (Roxio and Nero) will both burn VCDs, though you may need an encoder to create the MPEG1 file first.
What is MPEG1 video?
MPEG1 video is a compression algorithm that yields very good video at low bit rates. Better yet, it’s non-proprietary (neither Microsoft, Apple, nor Real own it) so you can think of MPEG compression as the video equivalent of MP3 music compression. DVDs themselves are encoded with second generation MPEG2 compression format -- this encoding format yields fantastic quality, but generates large files sizes and takes more processing power to encode/decode.
To convert my digital video files into VCD, I either export the video out of Adobe Premiere as a VCD file, or I use the TMPGE Tsunami encoder. This encoder is a great piece of software that I use almost daily to convert my digital video DV-AVI files into MPEG1 files for VCD and MPEG2 for DVD. I can also compress my videos into smaller MPEG1 files for watching on my PocketPC.
Burning the VCD
After encoding your video(s) into the appropriate MPEG1 format, you can then burn it onto a CD-R. To burn a VCD, you have to tell your burning program to specifically burn a VCD. You can’t just copy the files onto a CD-ROM and expect it to play ... the way that VCD’s are burned is much different than a normal CD-ROM. You have to tell your burning software to specifically burn a VCD. Fortunately, most burning software have helpful wizards to walk your through this.
Watching on your DVD player!
Once you’ve created your VCD you can pop the disk into your DVD player and watch it. Keep in mind that DVD players can be finicky when it comes to home-made VCDs (this is also true of home-made DVDs) and you may have to experiment with different brands of CD-R media until you find one that your player likes. To find out which media is compatible with your DVD player, you may want to read the user-comments left at VCDhelp.com. From my experience, the cheapest CD-Rs seem to work the best. Also, among the DVD players that I’ve tested, the Sony’s had the most problems recognizing disks, while my Pioneer player will read anything you throw at it.
What about SVCD?
SVCD, or “Super video CD,” works just like a VCD and is also written onto blank CD-Rs. However, SVCDs are created with the higher quality MPEG2 compression (similar to DVD encoding) with higher 480x480 resolution. The resulting video looks much better than VCDs, but still worse than DVD. Using this format, you can fit about 35 minutes of video onto a CD. Fewer DVD players can actually play SVCDs, but if yours can, then this is a great format for showing off your home movies to friends as the video quality is pretty great.
|
You can find more useful home-video "tips and tricks" like this one at www.mightycoach.com - they even have an online-video course that teaches you to edit video on your home computer! |
|
 |
|
 Ruzz
|
 |
| Joined: 20 Oct 2003 |
| Total Posts: 11 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 20 Oct 2003 01:38 PM |
been there, done that, burnt the coaster...
You fail to mention DVD+RW. Finally a DVD rewritable format that's set to replace vhs tape and countless hours fiddling with TMPEG to write mpeg1/2 for vcd/svcd.
The home player/recorders are so easy to use and the PC drives allow you edit all the menu structure stuff too.
I guess it depends what your needs are, but for DV cam capture and standard DVD writing, it has to be DVD+RW. Record your DVD and it plays on any standard player. |
|
|
|
|
Powerline
|
| Joined: 23 Oct 2003 |
| Total Posts: 14 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 21 Nov 2003 11:00 AM |
| Thanks for this information. It was a very good read. |
|
|
|
|
Will
|
|
| Joined: 01 Aug 2003 |
| Total Posts: 32 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 21 Nov 2003 06:38 PM |
| Very very good tips, since many Pc's are equipped with CD-R's but not DVD-R's this may be a popular option. |
|
|
|
|
Flicks
|
|
| Joined: 31 Jul 2003 |
| Total Posts: 67 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 30 Nov 2003 11:09 AM |
| Will, your'e going to start seeing more and more computers coming with DVD writers. The only downfall is that DVD blank media discs are still fairly expensive. |
|
|
|
|
Powerline
|
| Joined: 23 Oct 2003 |
| Total Posts: 14 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 16 Mar 2004 02:29 PM |
| Where does a High-Mat CD fit into all of this? |
|
|
|
|
Ruzz
|
|
| Joined: 20 Oct 2003 |
| Total Posts: 11 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 16 Mar 2004 02:48 PM |
Well according to MS right now, pretty much nowhere...
"The following consumer device manufacturers and software companies have announced their intent to support HighMAT. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/consumerelectronics/highmatdevices.aspx"
However, according to the highmat site, panasonic have machines available now...
http://www.highmat.com/wheretogetit/default.asp?type=homeentertainment
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 02 Apr 2004 03:45 PM |
| Thank you. I really think this is what we have been looking for. We saved a short movie on the recordable disc following WMM instructions. When we couldn't play it on the DVD, we took it to Best Buy with the intention of buying a DVD burner. Due to the lack of format consistency, the guys there did their best to talk us out of it, saying we could make a VCD. The sales man took the CD on which we saved the MSWMM file - said he just copied the movie and not the high mat file onto another CD- We brought it home and it works!!! BUT WE CAN'T Seem to reproduce what he did... Now, looks like we need this encoder thing. Still talking about the TMPGE Tsunami encoder? Is it friendly enough for a rookie? Thanks again. |
|
|
|
|
bahn
|
|
| Joined: 03 Apr 2004 |
| Total Posts: 5 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 03 Apr 2004 10:32 AM |
why not use SVCD?
much better quality! |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 27 Apr 2004 11:09 PM |
| Not a preferred option because it's not as widely supported on a variety of DVD players. |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 21 Jun 2004 07:55 PM |
Actually, more DVD players support SVCD then VCD because allowing a DVD player to play VCDs requires playing a royalty to SONY, but they don't need one for SVCD.
Regardless, formats can get very muddled since few people actually make proper VCDs and SVCDs to spec. Sometimes people make a VCD with a SVCD header to fool the player.
Some people make CVD (another format perfect for capturing TV shows), and I like KSVCDs because they make the smallest files.
The Tsunami encoder is best for this since you have the power to make virtually any kind of MPEG1/2 you want. The only problem is its a bit tricky to use at first.
My current DVD-player can play miniDVDs, which are DVDs authored on a CD (30 minutes worth of D1 resolution) which is PERFECT for homemovies.
-Nick |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 14 Jul 2004 06:15 PM |
This is a great thread with some really nice information.
I've got a question along these lines. I'm trying to help my friend burn a VCD of her Windows Movie Maker home movie.
She does not have VCD burning software (I do), but I know nothing about Windows Movie Maker!
I told her that I just need an MPEG file of the home movie to burn the VCD, but she doesn't know how which format (of the many choices offered by Windows Movie Maker) she should save the movie in to give to me in order to make the VCD. I don't know what to tell her because I have zero experience with Movie Maker.
Can anyone help me?
Cheers!
Ann |
|
|
|
|
RipIt
|
|
| Joined: 21 Jul 2003 |
| Total Posts: 30 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 14 Jul 2004 06:42 PM |
| Tell here to select DV-AVI under the more settings option when saving her Movie Maker video.. This will give you the best quality and is compatible with most external VCD burning applicatons. Movie Maker cannot save to MPEG so if you'll be needing that format, your'e going to have to take the DV-AVI and convert it. |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 14 Jul 2004 06:53 PM |
Wow. I'm kinda surprised that Movie Maker can't save MPEGs. Then again...it is Microsoft :)
Are there any free AVI to MPEG conversion programs out there? If not, what do you recommend?
By the way, this all started in an effort to save a few dollars. We're trying not to spend any money, using what we already have, to get this working.
Cheers! |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 20 Jul 2004 10:58 PM |
I'm in the same boat as arotolante's friend.
I want to produce a video with MM2 and burn it to VCD, without spending extra money on TMPG to convert the DV-AVI. If I buy MySonic 5 (as MS recommends), or Nero Ultra 6 or Roxio 7, will I then be able to make the leap from DV-AVI to VCD with them, avoiding messing with TMPG?
Thanks! |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 20 Jul 2004 11:11 PM |
^
Bear with me! I'm a old 16mm and super 8 film guy, and have been trying to wrap my brain around DV and NLE for the past year or so. I have read SO much conflicting information on this software, but I've tried out several editing programs and MM2 is the only one I *enjoy* using.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 21 Jul 2004 11:45 AM |
> without spending extra money on TMPG to convert the DV-AVI
TMPGenc is free for MPEG1 conversion which is what is required for VCD creation. It would also directly convert from WMV to MPG without need to produce AVI if thats what you prefer (although cant see why ?).
|
www.rehanfx.org - do more with Windows Movie Maker...
rehanfx.x10hosting.com - mirror site |
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 21 Jul 2004 07:10 PM |
| Thank you, but let me put it this way: I want to go directly from MM2 to either Roxio or Nero to make my VCD. Everything that I have seen and read over the past year states that DV-AVI is the highest quality format to save a movie in, that is the only reason why I mentioned it in my previous post. If there is another format to save my movie in using MM2 that will allow me to go *directly* to either Roxio or Nero to create a VCD, I'm listening. I just don't see why one should have to bother with the added step of TMPG, if there is a more direct path. :-) |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 21 Jul 2004 08:48 PM |
The new version of Nero has a dvd authoring software called Nero Vision Express 2, which will take a WMV or DV AVI and directly make a DVD, without you requiring the middle step of TMPGenc.
Making a DVD movie invovles 5 essential steps:
1. Capturing from video camera to hard disk
2. Editing the movie
3. Encoding to MPEG2
4. Authoring (creating chapters and menus)
5. Burning to disk.
MM only does the initial two steps of Capturing and Editing. For Encoding, Authoring and Burning you need to use some other software. It depends if the other software you choose whether or not it can do all the remaining three steps or not. Some like Sonic MyDVD do. But the quality of the third step "Encoding" which is the conversion to MPEG2 may not be very good with these all-in-one solutions... that’s why you may need a dedicated encoder like TMPGenc.
If you are looking for even simpler solution then why not use one of the single step solution like Sony Click To DVD or dvdSanta which do all the 5 steps in one go.
|
www.rehanfx.org - do more with Windows Movie Maker...
rehanfx.x10hosting.com - mirror site |
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 22 Jul 2004 05:03 AM |
I was hoping to make a VCD rather than a DVD, but it appears that I will have to buy both Nero and a DVD burner. I will need a DVD burner eventually, anyway, I suppose.
Thank you for your replies and the information; you helped clarify some things for me. While MM2 seems rather limited in some ways, it is still by far (for me) the easiest editor to use.
|
|
|
|
|
Poohbear
|
|
| Joined: 01 Aug 2003 |
| Total Posts: 31 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 22 Jul 2004 08:34 AM |
There's a link to a nice TDK DVD burner at the top of this page.. $99.00 is a great price for that one and it comes with MyDvD software to burn with....
No mattter where you buy it, make sure you read whether it comes with burning software or not and what the software brand is.. No need to buy a burner and then have to go buy the software too, since most come with it. |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 24 Jul 2004 02:45 AM |
| Thanks, I'll look into that! |
|
|
|
|
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 25 Jul 2004 12:16 AM |
| I picked up a Lite-On DVD Burner today, which includes MySonic 4. It had some great reviews and excellent feedback from consumers almost everywhere I looked, so it seemed like a good bet. |
|
|
|
|
capnjac
|
| Joined: 01 Aug 2004 |
| Total Posts: 8 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 02 Aug 2004 04:14 PM |
And what is even greater.......after you register your Liteonit DVD machine, you can download version 5.2.3 of MY DVD. Its a free 18+ meg file, so you'll need much more than a dial-up. I gave my specific numbers to a friend with RoadRunner and got mine that way.
This version is independant of the video editor that comes with version 4. You may like it.....I didn't. Version 5.2.3 uninstalls version 4 but leaves the editor alone. I removed it separately.
Unless I am missing something........keep your regular CD burner software because ( at least in my brain fogged case) I couldn't burn regular CD's with My DVD burner.
I have the Liteonit CD burner in tandem and continue to use ECDC5 Platinum. Haven't burned any DVD's yet.
More exploration may prove that I trly am brain fogged......but that is another issue.
One other thing...some where along the line if windows fails to recognize your CD or DVD devices after you install the My DVD software or you remove Roxio's or any other "third party" burnware......and yet the devices are represented in CMOS and are detected on intitial boot........Google for "cannot access cd rom" or go to this website www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/tips_fixes.htm .
Burn Happy
capnjac |
|
|
|
|
timber1
|
| Joined: 23 Jul 2004 |
| Total Posts: 3 |
| |
|
Re: An alternative to burning DVDs ...
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 06:25 PM |
HP Lovecraft,
You mentioned miniDVDs.
Do you mean to say you can burn a small mpeg2 file to a CD and it will play in some DVDs?
Please tell us more about how you can do this. |
|
|
|
|