Help! Noob Burning Dvd's...

[dboucher]

hi all,
just got a dvd burner and wondering if its worth it to burn the avi files i've d/l to dvd...? thinking of using either clonedvd and/or dvd x copy platinum...also, i've got a 5.1 setup for home theatre...should i be hoping to get 5.1 (same as AC3?) out of the avi files i might burn to dvd...
any advice would be greatly appreciated...
dave.

[Evil Gemini]

I dont know about the ac3 audio in avi files, but if its a dvd rip you have downloaded and the resolution is pretty high, it would be really good to convert them to dvd.

Beats the shit out of VCD any day.

If you can find a place that sell cheap blank DVD disks its way worth it.

[quiksilver_aus]

you most likely wont be able to watch your divx/xvid avi files on a dvd player (unless u bought one especially for that)
the ac3 codec lets you put up to 6 channels (i think) of audio, so this is good for 5.1 surround sound.

[3RA1N1AC]

if you buy a DVD player with MPEG-4/AVI support, you could just burn them straight onto CD-R and play them.

otherwise, with a DVD burner and a regular DVD player, what you need to do is demux the AVI file into separate video and audio streams, encode the video portion to DVD-compliant MPEG-2, then use a DVD-authoring program to combine the MPEG-2 with the AC3 into a set of VOB & IFO files. you'll need a bitrate calculator to help figure out how high the video bitrate can be set while still leaving enough room on the disc for the audio.

[dboucher]

hmmm. sounds bit complicated.. is there a program that does all of that? what is demux? will clonedvd or dvd x copy platinum do that?

[3RA1N1AC]

mux and demux = multiplex (combine video & audio into the same file) and demultiplex (split video & audio into separate files).

i don't suppose you HAVE to demux.

here's a guide to doing the video part--
http://www.polarhome.com:793/~afonic/tmpegenc.htm
if you know the bit rate of the AC3 stream, just set the program to encode MP2 audio at the same bit rate, then you can swap in the AC3 stream afterwards.

then here's how to convert to VOB/IFO files--
http://www.polarhome.com:793/~afonic/tmpegencdvd.htm
if you're using AC3 from the AVI file, just select the AVI file as the audio source. this program also displays the AC3 bit rate, if you need to know for the earlier step.

[MUSLEMAN]

Originally posted by dboucher@27 November 2003 - 23:22
hi all,
just got a dvd burner and wondering if its worth it to burn the avi files i've d/l to dvd...? thinking of using either clonedvd and/or dvd x copy platinum...also, i've got a 5.1 setup for home theatre...should i be hoping to get 5.1 (same as AC3?) out of the avi files i might burn to dvd...
any advice would be greatly appreciated...
dave.
anything you need and what to know about burning (http://www.dvdrhelp.com/)