Fitting file to disk. Extreme frustration

HaroldC wrote on 1/26/2006, 4:07 PM
Newbie here. Just installed yesterday. I'm trying to burn a movie. Windows says the file is 4.34 gigs. But DVDA says that it is 6 gigs. I understand that some files will be added to make the dvd playable on dvd players. But still it should not be that much. From the forums I've read that DVDA does not read the size of files very well. I attempted to go ahead and burn the disk, but the process stopped at the burn phase.

I've also read that the 'Fit to Disk' option is workable only on avi files and not mpeg2 files. Also the adjustment of adjusting the ratio doesn't seem to do anything.

I could really use some help. The manual does not appear particularly useful.

HaroldC

Comments

johnmeyer wrote on 1/26/2006, 5:53 PM
Usual reasons for project getting too big:

1. Using the movie as a thumbnail. Don't do this or, if you do, cut the movie to 30 seconds in Vegas and then use that truncated version. Otherwise DVDA takes the ENTRE movie and re-codes it to fit into the thumbnail. Same comment applies to backgrounds.

2. Use the AC-3 encoding in Vegas to encode the audio. If you use PCM for audio, it will add a LOT to the size of your project.

3. Be careful about using the same video in multiple ways in your project. You can use the same video file (or files) over and over in the same project, and set the navigation for each instance to something different without affecting the size of your project. However, if you add a subtitle or different audio track to one instance and not to the other, you will substantially increase the size of your project.
bkilcoyne wrote on 1/26/2006, 8:42 PM
John,

Hate to jump in but I a rookie and need a little help. After reading a lot of post on this topic I am still a little fuzzy on why the projects are so large. Unfortunately I only have the VMS +DVD Platinum and it does not do AC-3 encoding. I see the issue you describe in # 2 in your post.

My typical project is two 2.3E9 byte MPG2 files added to a DVDA studio project and I end up with a 5.6GB project. Here are the properties on one of the files I added.

Type: MainConcept MPEG-2
Size: 2.25 GB (2,299,568,158 bytes)
Created: Tuesday, January 10, 2006, 11:44:18 PM
Modified: Tuesday, January 10, 2006, 11:48:19 PM
Accessed: Thursday, January 26, 2006, 10:58:10 PM
Attributes: Archive

Streams
Video: 00:41:50.274, 29.970 fps interlaced, 720x480x32, MPEG-2
Audio: 00:41:50.280, 48,000 Hz, Stereo, MPEG Layer 2


I do under stand that AC-3 is compressed audio format and PCM is not. What I’m lost on is: what is the difference between the MPEG2 audio stream and the PCM?? When I look at the optimize DVD properties for the project I see that the video streams are about the same size as the original MPEG-2 file and DVDA adds about 480Meg for an audio stream. The default is not to recompress video but it “says” it is going to recompress the audio. Any idea what DVDA is doing???

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

BK
johnmeyer wrote on 1/26/2006, 8:59 PM
DVDA uses AC-3 audio or PCM audio. If you feed it any other type of audio (such as MPEG audio) it will re-compress.
HaroldC wrote on 1/27/2006, 3:19 PM
I have VMS+DVDA Platinum. I can't seem to find ac3 encoder in VMS. Also I haven't attempted to make a menu yet. I'm opening a project. Going in to make a single movie. As far as I can tell it is one mpeg2 media file. No backgrounds, no themes. Just absolutely bear bones, put the disk into the dvd and it starts automatically.
ScottW wrote on 1/27/2006, 3:40 PM
There is no AC3 encoder in VMS. The AC3 encoder only comes in the big brother, DVDA, not DVDAS.

In all likelyhood, DVDAS is getting confused with the MPEG audio. Render the files seperately from VMS, one as MPEG-2 (using the DVDAS NTSC (or PAL is you live in PALland) Video Stream template) and the second file as WAV (at 48Khz) - if you name both files the same, with the exception of the extension and they are both in the same directory, then when you bring the video into DVDAS it shold automatically include the audio - then see how your project size looks.

--Scott
johnmeyer wrote on 1/27/2006, 8:11 PM
I wish Sony would set up a separate forum for DVD Studio. I waste my time -- and the time of the person asking questions -- answering questions about the wrong product. This isn't Harold's fault, it's Sony's.

Please set up a separate forum for DVD Architect Studio.

P.S. Harold, I don't know anything about the product you own. Sorry to have given you useless information.

ScottW wrote on 1/28/2006, 7:36 AM
DVDAS and DVDA are so close in terms of functionality that they are almost the same. Sony doesn't even create seperate manuals, they only send out a manual for DVDA and then note when discussing certain features that the functionality is only present in the "pro" version.

DVDAS has virtually every quirk that DVDA has and the incorrect estimation of project size is one of them.
HaroldC wrote on 1/28/2006, 2:23 PM
John, no problem. You were just trying to help me. I appreciate it.

Scott, if I could impose, would you provide more details for a newbee like me? Don't be afraid to insult my ignorance.

Thanks,
Harold
ScottW wrote on 1/29/2006, 12:46 PM
What details do you need?

Rather than selecting Make Movie in VMS, select Render As... then render out the video using an MPEG-2 type with a DVD Arch NTSC Video Stream Template, and then render the audio as WAV (select a template that specifies 48Khz).

Then bring the video file into DVDAS, and it should bring in the audio automatically if the files both live in the same directory and have the same name.

Alternatively, ignore what DVDAS is saying about the project size using your existing MPEG-2 file with the audio in it. Prepare the project, but don't burn. Once prepared, total up the size of all the files in the VIDEO_TS directory - if the total size is less than 4.37GB, then you're good to go ahead and burn (and we know that DVDAS was simply getting confused about the actual project size).

--Scott
bkilcoyne wrote on 2/8/2006, 8:43 PM
Sorry to be away for so long ... had a system crash/roach system drive thanks to Norton AV. 200GB of video down the tubes.

I tried rendering the files separately which helped some but I'm still getting a total DVD size of about 2.2GB for 42mins of video. Below are the actually figures from the rendering the files with VMS

Original MPG file:
Type: MainConcept MPEG-2
Size: 2.23 GB (2,280,249,374 bytes)
Streams
Video: 00:41:29.120, 29.970 fps interlaced, 720x480x32, MPEG-2
Audio: 00:41:29.136, 48,000 Hz, Stereo, MPEG Layer 2

Project output from DVDAS: 2.52 GB (2,708,230,427 bytes)


Rendered Files from VMS: (first video/ then audio)
Type: MainConcept MPEG-2
Size: 1.86 GB (1,901,912,064 bytes)
Streams
Video: 00:41:29.120, 29.970 fps interlaced, 720x480x32, MPEG-2

Type: Sony Perfect Clarity Audio
Size: 156.62 MB (160,375,978 bytes)
Streams
Audio: 00:41:29.120, 44,100 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo, Sony Perfect Clarity Audio
Project output from DVDAS: 2.22 GB (2,390,526,141 bytes)

It looks like DVDAS is not removing the original audio data if you use the original MPEG. Each project adds about 400MB for the audio track. It’s too bad that the product only supports PCM audio encoding … it’s going to be a lot of render time or disks. It’s probably time to look at another product.
HaroldC wrote on 2/9/2006, 2:52 PM
After playing with DVD AS some more I'm able to fit the movie to the disc. The problem was on the window that had the warning saying the file is to big, you have to select that problem then click optimise, then fit to disc.

I thought it was something simple.

HaroldC