Converting avi to dvd

[Joss]

Looking for something that will convert avi to dvd. Read somewhere that it is possible to simply import the file into imovie then convert it through there but imovie is not allowing me to import the file saying that it is too large.

[garfield2002]

Toast titanium will do this however I've had mixed results with the final quality. I admittedly have not played with it too much since the conversion to MPEG2 takes a long long time on my 1.5GHz G4 mini. If you simply want to play avi on your TV easily I've been happy with my Philips DVP642 which will play DivX and Xvid files burned straight to DVD. The player was only 40 dollars. Good luck. :)

[Sdashiki]

a downloaded movie to DVD.

explain.

Do you mean you want to watch your avi on your TV?

or you want to convert an avi to DVD format (MPEG2) so you can author your own DVD?


DVD is NOT a codec, it is a media storage. The DVD playable formats are:

MPEG1
MPEG2

MPEG2 being the "DVD" quality one that everything you buy at the store is encoded in. MPEG1 is the old internet .mpg codec, same as MPEG2 but half the screen size and obviously not as good at motion estimation.

Anyway, you want to take an avi and put it on a DVD.

youd need a DVD authoring program in any case, to handle the newly converted avi-->mpeg2 and give you menus and all that jazz. So if you though you could convert an avi to DVD and pop in a disc, burn it and watch it on your big screen....you cant.

Toast does have a built in DVD authoring program of sorts, but its not even close to something as juvenile as iDVD.

[MacBook'06]

convert it to mpg then import it to iDVD, then burn it?!?!?
am i missing anything here?

[risc]

All you need to do is have QT setup to play your avi. As long as you can play it in QT you can burn it in Toast 7. Toast will do all of the transcoding and burning.

Another option is VisualHub which will do the conversion and leave you with an image to burn later.

[prof-pixel]

AVI files come in MANY different 'flavors'.

I have a small digital video camera that produces AVI files with a 'flavor' of MPEG-4 that requires ffmpegX to convert to DV to use in iMovie/iDVD

If nothing else has worked for you, give ffmpegX a try at http://homepage.mac.com/major4/

[EITLtd]

Yes you can drop it into iMovie6, but make sure you have plenty of hard drive space, like 20 to 30 GB for a typical movie. After you drop it in iMovie, you can add all your chapter markers,etc. Then just go to SHARE and select iDVD to burn it.

It is however much easier to get a DVD player that has Dvix, like the cheap ($40 to $50) Phillips player. Then all you do is drag the avi file onto your blank DVD icon and burn it like you would with any other file.

[Sdashiki]

Holy old thread batman!

109574

[GelleCC]

Ok. So I read everything and most of it was pretty clear. Except for one thing. How to use toast. I have an avi that I want to transfer to dvd format (to play on dvd players so I can watch it on tv). But I don't know how to use toast. I havve toast 8 titanium. and the avi is not a movie I made with a videorecorder (there is a very big chance that it is a movie that has been pirated...hypothetically). How do I use toast to convert the avi to dvd (mpeg-2 or whatever)? Also, this may make things harder, but I was planning on using my macbook to convert but burn on a pc. will the files be the same and will I be able to use the converted files to burn a dvd on a pc?

Thanks for the help!

[kalexandre]

1. Open iDVD
2. Click "Create New Project"
3. Save it.
4. Drag the video clip into iDVD.
5. If you don't want a menu, click View -> Show Map. Then, arrange the video clip before the menu, click it, click Advanced -> Loop.
6. Burn.

If you want to turn to the third party software, there is an easy way, you can try DVD Creator for Mac, it can create standard video DVD, it can directly convert and burn any videos to DVD(DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-DL, DVD+DL, etc), such as AVI to DVD, etc.

Work well on my computer, i like it, and i believe that once you try it, you will like it too.

Hope it can help you.

[Tmlcky]

1. Open iDVD
2. Click "Create New Project"
3. Save it.
4. Drag the video clip into iDVD.
5. If you don't want a menu, click View -> Show Map. Then, arrange the video clip before the menu, click it, click Advanced -> Loop.
6. Burn.

If you want to turn to the third party software, there is an easy way, you can try DVD Creator for Mac, it can create standard video DVD, it can directly convert and burn any videos to DVD(DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-DL, DVD+DL, etc), such as AVI to DVD, etc.

Work well on my computer, i like it, and i believe that once you try it, you will like it too.

Hope it can help you.
Using One-step DVD from file saved on your HD, is the simplest way to do the job.

[DoFoT9]

Using One-step DVD from file saved on your HD, is the simplest way to do the job.

using Toast Titanium is easier :p

[arjen92]

1. Open iDVD
2. Click "Create New Project"
3. Save it.
4. Drag the video clip into iDVD.
5. If you don't want a menu, click View -> Show Map. Then, arrange the video clip before the menu, click it, click Advanced -> Loop.
6. Burn.

If you want to turn to the third party software, there is an easy way, you can try DVD Creator for Mac, it can create standard video DVD, it can directly convert and burn any videos to DVD(DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-DL, DVD+DL, etc), such as AVI to DVD, etc.

Work well on my computer, i like it, and i believe that once you try it, you will like it too.

Hope it can help you.

You can make the dvd in iDVD, then in archive you can do something like, "save as disk image" do this. Now you have a "digital DVD", it's the DVD entirey it only needs to be burned. So transport the image (probably a .iso file) to your pc, and burn it to a DVD. You probably need software to burn the .iso to a DVD, you can't just burn the .iso file on the DVD.

[windowsblowsass]

Use Burn as a free alternative to toast

[timestoby]

my 1p,i used burn and found that once you put in a video file or movie it converts to mpeg for the dvd,but once it starts to burn to disc it always stops. ive tried about 5 times with diff movies but the disc part always failed to completely complete. i did get around an hour on dvd once and put that into the dvd player and it lookt great,but to bad the program seems to crash on me to get the end of the movies lol.

now tryn aimersoft dvd creator and will try toast tonite, i did use toast before and it workt great,so might have to go back lol.

but,im going to try and convert to mpeg then use idvd. i see a few programs im tryn convert to mpeg then to dvd etc.

youd think there would be an all in one dvd ripper/burner with options for everybody by now.sheesh lol

[DoFoT9]

my 1p,i used burn and found that once you put in a video file or movie it converts to mpeg for the dvd,but once it starts to burn to disc it always stops. ive tried about 5 times with diff movies but the disc part always failed to completely complete. i did get around an hour on dvd once and put that into the dvd player and it lookt great,but to bad the program seems to crash on me to get the end of the movies lol.

now tryn aimersoft dvd creator and will try toast tonite, i did use toast before and it workt great,so might have to go back lol.

but,im going to try and convert to mpeg then use idvd. i see a few programs im tryn convert to mpeg then to dvd etc.

youd think there would be an all in one dvd ripper/burner with options for everybody by now.sheesh lol

*chants* Visual Hub!

[confusedMAC]

I've tried to drag & drop my AVI file into iDVD, iMovie, Divx & Toast & it won't even drop.

[Flynnstone]

The OP posted in 2006. 3 1/2 years ago.
I hope he has solve it by now.

AVI is like MOV files. They are container formats.
They can contain MPEG1, MPEG2, DV, H.264 ...
Find VisualHub to convert to iDVD compatible (DV, +)

[DoFoT9]

I've tried to drag & drop my AVI file into iDVD, iMovie, Divx & Toast & it won't even drop.

iDVD etc use the QuickTime framework, meaning that if QT cant play it then neither can any of those programs (i think).

instal Perian and see if you can then drag it into iDVD.

[MacLover126]

"Your project exceeds the maximum content duration. To burn your DVD, change the encoder setting in the Project Info window."

This is the message I get in iDVD when I follow "K's" instructions above. Any advise?

[martinX]

"Your project exceeds the maximum content duration. To burn your DVD, change the encoder setting in the Project Info window."

This is the message I get in iDVD when I follow "K's" instructions above. Any advise?

I'd advise that you change the encoder setting in the Project Info window (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9166226).
(Remember, iDVD has a limit of 120 minutes)

[foz405]

Looking for something that will convert avi to dvd. Read somewhere that it is possible to simply import the file into imovie then convert it through there but imovie is not allowing me to import the file saying that it is too large.

I've found that Visual Hub is the only thing that works consistently on the PPC Mac, and if you need to merge subtitles, this is the way to go. (Care on the version of Perian you may have for the latter).
MPEG Streamclip crashes after about 10 minutes I've found when converting AVI files. Unfortunately Visual Hub doesn't have the facilities MPEG Streamclip does in resizing badly formatted files, but hopefully you may not need this. If you do, then convert to DV, then use MPEG Streamclip to resize the video, then convert to DV again. Then import into Toast Titanium to burn to DVD Disc.
Hope this helps.:D

[sjohnson2]

*chants* Visual Hub!

Agreed - I've been using it for two years and I've not had a single problem to date (*knocks on wood). It's super easy to use too. I don't know that it's commercially available anymore but if you look around you can likely "acquire" a copy for yourself somewhere :)

Check this for the run down of features, etc:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCnjv_Wf6i8

Cheers!

[DoFoT9]

Agreed - I've been using it for two years and I've not had a single problem to date (*knocks on wood). It's super easy to use too. I don't know that it's commercially available anymore but if you look around you can likely "acquire" a copy for yourself somewhere :)

Check this for the run down of features, etc:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCnjv_Wf6i8

Cheers!

i have used it every now and then. quite a good application! though i do prefer handbrake/toast etc. the VH (visual hub) codecs just seem a bit outdated, not as high a quality etc.

good program though!

[Dave Braine]

"Your project exceeds the maximum content duration. To burn your DVD, change the encoder setting in the Project Info window."

This is the message I get in iDVD when I follow "K's" instructions above. Any advise?
Open the Project Info window and you can either reduce the quality of the finished, or use a dual layer disc.

[bowiewhite]

Hey,if it is too large,you can convert it to .mp4.Or you can try this method：
1.Drag & drop AVI files to iMovie.
2.Select "iMovie" from output format list, the preset is the optimized settings for iMovie.
3.Hit the Convert button and this AVI to iMovie Video Converter for Mac will convert your AVI rapidly and the output file is ready for being imported to iMovie.
4.Launch iMovie, from the File menu, choose Import > movies, navigate to the folder that output AVI videos are saved. Select the files and click "Import".

Bingo! You did it!:D

[schwamieboy]

so....let me just ask this question....how do i get my avi shows burnt onto a dvd in Toast Titanium, the easiest way possible.I noticed that my DVD player really seems to only play the VOB style videos.

[PsstGreek]

Why does it take almost 5 hours to burn an .avi movie in iDVD?

*edit* mac noobie here

[simsaladimbamba]

Why does it take almost 5 hours to burn an .avi movie in iDVD?

*edit* mac noobie here

Because the .avi files is most probably using a highly compressive codec like H264 (MPEG-4) and a video DVD is using the MPEG-2 codec, thus the .avi file has to get properly transcoded into the correct format and codec.
It also depends on the speed of your Mac and how many cores you have available (I used a quad core Mac Pro 1,1 and it transcoded a 1 hour video (DV codec) in less than an hour (55 minutes or so) to the proper format). My dual core MBP would take three hours or even more. I didn't use iDVD though, but Compressor (part of Final Cut Studio).

And it isn't inherent to the Mac OS X, it would take roughly the same time if the same algorithm is used on a similar specced machine using Windows.

[PsstGreek]

Because the .avi files is most probably using a highly compressive codec like H264 (MPEG-4) and a video DVD is using the MPEG-2 codec, thus the .avi file has to get properly transcoded into the correct format and codec.
It also depends on the speed of your Mac and how many cores you have available (I used a quad core Mac Pro 1,1 and it transcoded a 1 hour video (DV codec) in less than an hour (55 minutes or so) to the proper format). My dual core MBP would take three hours or even more. I didn't use iDVD though, but Compressor (part of Final Cut Studio).

And it isn't inherent to the Mac OS X, it would take roughly the same time if the same algorithm is used on a similar specced machine using Windows.


Ah, ok.

I'm on a MacBook Pro 2010 2.4GHZ


*edit* what would a good converter to use, I guess to make it a dvd?

[livefortoday649]

Yes I want to watch on TV from my DVD recorder/player
a downloaded movie to DVD.

explain.

Do you mean you want to watch your avi on your TV?

or you want to convert an avi to DVD format (MPEG2) so you can author your own DVD?


DVD is NOT a codec, it is a media storage. The DVD playable formats are:

MPEG1
MPEG2

MPEG2 being the "DVD" quality one that everything you buy at the store is encoded in. MPEG1 is the old internet .mpg codec, same as MPEG2 but half the screen size and obviously not as good at motion estimation.

Anyway, you want to take an avi and put it on a DVD.

youd need a DVD authoring program in any case, to handle the newly converted avi-->mpeg2 and give you menus and all that jazz. So if you though you could convert an avi to DVD and pop in a disc, burn it and watch it on your big screen....you cant.

Toast does have a built in DVD authoring program of sorts, but its not even close to something as juvenile as iDVD.

[simsaladimbamba]

Yes I want to watch on TV from my DVD recorder/player

Do you have a question? Hasn't this thread pointed out what to do?

----------

Ah, ok.

I'm on a MacBook Pro 2010 2.4GHZ


*edit* what would a good converter to use, I guess to make it a dvd?

Totally forgot this: Burn (http://burn-osx.sourceforge.net/Pages/English/home.html)

[mehtara]

I think what you need is DVD Creator for Mac (http://software.bigbigsoft.com/dvd-creator-mac-imac),
this should do it and its free download. I know Toast 11 Titanium by Roxio and will do what your looking for as well.
but Toast 11 costs around $100.