Size of mpg file too big?

n7tb wrote on 2/11/2004, 9:22 PM

I have a 1 hour 45 minute video project in Vegas 4. When I render the video as a DVD Architect NTSC Video Stream and as a mainconcept mpg2 file, the resulting mpg when loaded into DVD Architect is 5.4GB, too big to fit on a standard DVD.

I was always under the impression that I could record 2 hours of mpg on a DVD, but I must be misinformed. Is there anything I can do to render the project to fit on a 4.7GB DVD?

Thanks,

Terry

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 2/11/2004, 9:31 PM

Lower the bitrate, and you'll be able to. It's all about a magic combination of bitrate and contents of the media.

TheHappyFriar wrote on 2/11/2004, 9:34 PM

For a DVD mpeg-2 @ 6,800,000 bps & 224 kbps PCM audio, you can only fit about 1:15 on a disc (probley a wee bit less). If you happen to get Vegas+DVDA then you can compress the audio with AC3 and then be able to fit your stuff on there.

n7tb wrote on 2/11/2004, 9:49 PM

I do have Vegas+DVDA. I am pretty new to this so I need a bit more info on compressing tha audio with AC3. Is that a custom setting when rendering? When I get ready to render, it says there is no audio, but somehow it selects some audio automatically. I am sorry to be so "green" in editing. Thanks for the help.

Terry

johnmeyer wrote on 2/11/2004, 11:42 PM

n7tb:

The confusion most people have about DVD when they first get into it comes from looking at gorgeous 2-hour movies and assuming that the DVD medium must be able to easily store two hours. The problem is that the DVD recordable format holds only about 60% of what can be put on a commercial DVD. The reason is that commercial DVDs store information in two layers, whereas DVD-R or DVD+R both store only one layer of information. Therefore, you can only store about half of what can be put on a commercial DVD.

You can follow the advice already given and lower the bitrate to fit more video on the DVD. Half the bitrate equals twice the time (well, almost, since you're probably not going to change the audio bitrate, so the audio will still take the same amount of space).

Here is a link to a bitrate calculator that will tell you what bitrate to use for a given amount of video. As long as you don't make elaborate motion menus in DVDA, this calculator will get you pretty close:

Bitrate Calculator

If you are starting with pretty good video (like video from a DV camera), I would recommend not using a bitrate much below 6 Mbs. If your video is just talking heads, you can probably go lower.