Korean Job Discussion Forums

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I'm wondering how I could convert DivX avi files to a DVD format and burn them to DVD in such a way that I could play them on my set top dvd player... Any advice on software/formats/procedures in order to be able to do this?

[I'd asked this question here a while ago but only vaguely paid attention to the answers- now that I actually have a DVD burner the question has taken on a new level of importance to me.]

Split by Harpeau 1:36AM Thursday, June 17, 2004.

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Well, I am not so sure, but I believe it can't be done. At least, not if you want a reasonable quality DVD.

DivX has already culled most of the "unnecessary" digital information from the original rip to make it the size it is. There isn't enough there to go back again with any quality, if it can be done at all.

I am not speaking from experience here, though. I have never tried to go back from a rip.

Edit: Bulsajo, really sorry to have taken your original post off-topic.

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I don't really care TOO much about the quality (as longas it's not worse than vcr quality- most of the movies I'm talking about are each in 2 files totalling 8-900 MB), I just have a bunch of downloaded movies I'd like to watch on the tv in the living room rather than on a monitor in the den.

I've finally gotten around to buying a router and setting up a LAN, and the computer I just built out of old scrounged/discarded parts has an old ATI all in Wonder video card so I suppose I could just run a cable all over the freakin place to my tv, but I'd rather not.

I'll check Dalton's videohelp link but I was hoping that someone here might have been down this road before and would be able to tell me which software can do this for me.

Gord, do have further info you'd care to share on the subject?

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

You just need any program that will decode a DivX and encode the data as a a high bitrate MPG2 and separated audio stream again which is native to what the DVD player will be expecting. www.doom9.org should have the tools you need. The quality loss going back will be minimal at worst and generally unnoticeable.

With that in place, you can then burn your new video DVD with no issues.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Doom9 has what I need- thanks!

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

"cutting back" isn't my style.

Anyways, from Gord's link...

"AVI to DVD guide

With DVD recorders getting cheaper and more popular people start asking themselves how they can put their AVI collections on a DVD so they can watch the movies on their standalones. Before you proceed heed this warning: DVD is a high quality format and any deficiencies in the source can easily be spotted. While DVD -> DVD��R can yield surprisingly good quality in most cases it's thanks to a high quality source and smart reduction of bitrate. Unless you're capturing you'll have AVIs that exhibit a considerable quality loss. While DivX and XviD look pretty good on the PC screen, even using a TV-out to watch them on your TV isn't so great either (hence standalone player capable of playing DivX, or DivX player for consoles or even connecting a notebook to the PC input of a projector is a much smarter way to handle this). Most people watch DivX with a post-processing filter activated. This filter does a lot to make the movie look better by applying smart deblocking techniques. When you convert an AVI to another format you don't have these filters in between... so since we're all nice people who only back up the DVDs we own we should back up the original DVD instead of backup up the backup to yet another format (resulting in yet another loss of quality).

Still here? You've been warned!"

Not totally vindicated, but I wasn't TOTALLY off-base either. Only in my thought that it can't be done.

These seem to be useful for you as well...

http://www.roderz.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ac3/mainconcept.htm

http://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=222898

http://www.paddysworld.co.uk/DVDConversionGuide.htm

Dalton · Joined: 26 Mar 2003

DivX to DVD sounds like quality loss to me to. Can you dl the movies elswhere in SVCD or DVD format? Bittorrent for example? Rent them and rip them is best IMHO. I never burn dl'd movies. Can you say coaster?

I have a TV out on my ATI card and I dl Enterprise episodes every week. The difference in quality is quite noticeable in proportion to the MB size of the file. Hogwon supplied 26" used TV.

You can't create file info out of thin air. DVD is 7 gb or more Divx is what? Where will the extra mb's of pixels come from?

Rent'em and rip'em on your your new SuperMulti. You won't be disappointed. I know.

snufalufagus · Joined: 10 May 2004

Without going into a long posting with details, you SURE AS HELL can make a DVD to play in a standalone DVD player, with any video type. It's done everyday.

You can read about how to do it at http://www.videohelp.com/

There are hundreds of applications to do just what want for you. Keeping in mind that you retain the level of quality the original file has.

Nero will do it for you http://www.ahead.de

TMPGEnc makes DVD Author http://www.tmpgenc.com

Intervideo makes WinDVD Creator http://www.intervideo.com

Those are the higher end applications and can be downloaded "for free" if you wish. There are literally hundreds of other applications to do it for you. Go to the videohelp site and it'll show you step by step, application by application.

Go to Yahoo! and search for avi to dvd and see all you get.

It's done by regular people, the movie release groups, etc.

Keep in mind, you don't gain quality by going to DVD (vob files), but you should be able to play it in a DVD player. But also keep in mind that you can make it to a VCD/SVCD/XSVCD on a regular CDR disk .... IF YOUR STANDALONE DVD PLAYER will play that format .....

Hope that helps

Dalton · Joined: 26 Mar 2003

I don't think anyone is arguing about converting from any format to any other.

The question is quality. Or what will it look like on my TV screen compared to what it looks like on my monitor now. It's obvious it will look worse. You can't add info to a file out of thin air (Actually this doesn't violate quantum theory but quantum theory has about zero applications right now).

But if Bulsajo is trying to convert a bunch of stuff he dl'd pre supermulti ownership then he should do that.

Over time he can replace what he wants by renting and ripping or whatever if he wants to get DVD quality on his 48" plasma TV.

snufalufagus · Joined: 10 May 2004

Actually, for the most part, the videos look better on a TV as compared to the computer monitor. I output my video to the TV via video out so I don't have to burn all the movies. Video's actually look better on the whole when played on a TV ... that's how it is.

Try it, compare it, see it

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

snufalufagus · Joined: 10 May 2004

The movies you d/l from the internet, divx, xvid, and the like you, quite honestly, for the most part, will NOT notice any real difference on the TV versus a video tape. If it's done correctly, the video is quite good and sounds just fine - you will not want to go back to renting/buying