Help! I am clueless about dvd burning

[gravyboat]

Hi,

I'm trying to figure out how to burn dvds in a format that will play in commercial dvd players. After reading pages and pages of posts I'm still lost and would appreciate any help.

For example, say I download an mpeg-4. I've been using ffmpegx to convert the file to divx or quicktime but after burning the disc will not play in the player. Is there a format I can use so it will play? Right now I can't afford Toast but maybe there's another option?

Thanks very much.

 

[pianodude123]

Hi,

I'm trying to figure out how to burn dvds in a format that will play in commercial dvd players. After reading pages and pages of posts I'm still lost and would appreciate any help.

For example, say I download an mpeg-4. I've been using ffmpegx to convert the file to divx or quicktime but after burning the disc will not play in the player. Is there a format I can use so it will play? Right now I can't afford Toast but maybe there's another option?

Thanks very much.

To play videos in commercial DVD players you need a burning program such as Roxio Toast or Disco. Unfortunately these both have a small fee (roxio is better so it costs more, but you can download a BETA version of disco here:

http://www.discoapp.com/

 

[heehee]

You can use iDVD, it'll convert it for you.

 

[pianodude123]

haha....that too!!!


Can't believe I forgot about that tool....

The only downside is that it takes more time...

 

[gravyboat]

Thanks all. Is there a specific file format I should have iDVD convert the file to?

 

[d wade]

you should also use this other thiing called the 9th wonder of the world, aka the search button

 

[gravyboat]

d wade,

I read through dozens of posts after doing a search. Not one of them gave a step by step description of how to burn a dvd. This is, after all, the Mac Basics section, right? For beginners?

I just find it interesting that though Macs come with Superdrive they don't include the software to use the dvd burner. Or do they? Some are saying iDVD will do it, some say you need third party software- hence my confusion.