Korean Job Discussion Forums

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

I have an .avi movie that I want to put onto DVD. I have a writer in my computer. But, I can't copy the file to DVD. Any ideas?

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Come on man....you have to do better than that.

Do we have to ask before you give some useful information about the problem, like what you have tried, what burner you have, what burning software you use and the settings you have, what media, how big is the movie, etc, etc, etc........ Rolling Eyes

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Well, there is no reason I can see as to why you can't burn it. I guess you don't know how to use Nero.

Not trying to be a jerk, but it should be idiot-proof. Open the software, follow the wizard.

When you say "I can't copy the file to DVD", what does this mean? Is there an error, or you really just can't do it?

Even coupled with your last post, there isn't enough there to go on.

Find a Nero tutorial on the net I guess.

Have you never used the burner before?

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Depends a lot on which version of Nero you have... and if you've updated it.

Do you have the full version of Nero Burning Rom with DVD capability? Nero has MANY versions (some even vary by what part of the world you live in). Often, you will get a very limited version of Nero with a drive, which will sometimes barely do what you want, and you are thereby enticed to pay money to upgrade it.

Or do you have the Express or Express SE version that comes with a lot of DVD Burner drives (if express is not up-to-date, it may not work -- lots of bugs in that!).

If you have Nero Burning Rom with DVD burning capability, use that.

1. Open Nero Burning Rom
2. Select "DVD" instead of "CD" from the arrow pull down
3. Choose "DVD Video" icon and make a NEW one
4. Drag and drop the .avi file into the VIDEO_TS folder (red folder).
5. Leave the Audio_TS folder empty but there (players need that, even though empty).
6. Burn the DVD.

If you have Nero Express:

1. Open Nero Express
2. Choose DVD Video Files
3. Add the .avi file to the compilation
4. Click NEXT
5. Choose your drive to burn to, and set options (set your write speed manually... I find I get errors if I let it choose the max speed).
6. Choose BURN

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

Done that, but it doesn't allow an .avi file...

redbird · Joined: 07 Mar 2005

My version of Nero has no problem with this.

When you say it doesn't allow an .avi file, what do you mean? Are AVIs grayed out or do you get an error message or what? Are you sure you've chosen in Nero to make a Video DVD-- probably a data dvd would work, too.

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Wouldn't this only apply if he is asking Nero to make a video disk?

Nero will burn whatever files you put in it....I have never had a problem such as Nero "not liking" the file type I am trying to burn, and I have burned many, many different file types.

Choose "UDF" from the list of disk types you can make (when you open the program and the mini-window opens on top of the main GUI, scroll down on the left),click ok, then drag the .avi into the window of said GUI. If the OP is choosing to make a "video disk", this may be a/the problem.

Anyways, if you choose the format of the disk you want to burn correctly, Nero is blind and acts as it should. A file-burning utility.

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Well, there are at least 9 different .avi file types I can think of, and some of them are sort of funky/proprietary. I'm not sold on the idea that this is his problem, but it's a possibility. I've also had problems with Nero burning .avi files in one certain format option. They burn, but the audio is not correct once you get a few minutes into the file. I sort of stretch Nero to its limits sometimes... most people wouldn't run into the same problems. For example, if I create an explosion as part of a project for Adobe Premiere, I have to watch the video levels, or Nero gets all fruity when it goes to burn the file. It creates the file, but skips frames and knocks the audio off track.

I love Nero, but as with any program, there are limitations.

It could very well be an .AVI compressed as a DIVX, but you have to buy the DIVX plug-in for some Nero versions.

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Video levels = brightness of video.

When I worked in TV, we had to keep the video within certain parameters. We had scopes and stuff to measure this, and there are rules/FCC laws for TV levels in the USA. If the video was too bright, it would cause funky things to happen on peoples' home TV sets. For example, if the video was too bright, it would cause the screen to "flip" on home TV sets. Also, the speakers would emit a BUZZ sound when the video level was too high (we'd say, "the video is too hot").

Video levels can be too low, also. Black can be too black. Black video at 0% is called, "Superblack." We put superblack behind things we plan to "Key out," for example.

There are electronic engineers who work at the TV stations to control all of this and keep it in spec.

The thing about the internet and home computers is that you can create and play files with crazy levels in them. But when you go to burn them onto a disc or create a file with them, they can do funky things if the levels aren't at least halfway kosher.

The problem I had which was screwing up Nero was when I inserted bright frames to act like camera flashes between several still shots. Nero couldn't deal with it until I lowered the brightness of the still frame. It would create a file, but skip several of the photos after the first flash. See this file for my example, which happens in the beginning of the first news story (it is fixed in this file and works, because I used darker bright stills): http://www.seoulstream.com/images/ydnfinal.wmv

Nero also goes ape if I import a MicrosoftDV.AVI with slow-motion in it (at least slow-mo created by Premiere). I have to export it as either a full uncompressed .avi, or as an .MPEG4 file for Nero to handle it. Something must not be totally right with the MicrosoftDV.AVI codec, which is a shame, because I like that codec when I can work with it.

Oh, forgot to add that you can use Photoshop to check levels of the video (percentage in RGB) and there is a filter for TV in Photoshop which automatically sets the levels safe for you. There's also something like that on the color picker. I forget the name of the filter at the moment, but i'm sure you've seen it.