What to do...compression ?

lk wrote on 10/27/2004, 2:48 PM
I am working on a very large project of my sisters wedding stuff -
I put together the seperate parts with screenblast and saved them to mpeg 2
Then i got the new version of studio with architect ,so it is my 1st time working with it-
I ordered a dual layer dvd for the project wich i have not used before either
and i am somewhere around 9.5 GB already without menu music
Does anybody have any suggestions how i can compress this a little
without haveing to do a 3 disc set ?
Has anybody used architect to do a dual layer before _Hope it is compatable-
any help at all would be very appreciated -
laura

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 10/27/2004, 2:53 PM
How long is your video? A 4.7GB disc should be able to hold 90 to 120 minutes without too much compression. Even at the maximum rate of 9800Kbps you should be able to fit over an hour on a single layer disc. If you're encoding at 9800Kbps then 9.5GB is about 132 minutes, which is a long wedding video. If you're using a lower rate then it is extremely long and you may want to consider cutting it down a bit.
lk wrote on 10/27/2004, 5:19 PM
Hi Chienworks-
So glad your out there-
It's a very long project -
Main menu-2min 157.2 mb
Events sub menu-=1.2 -video =880.2MB-pictures=445.1MB
Wedding sub menu=1.2 -Video=3791.6-pictures =598.4MB
Honeymoon sub menu=1.2 Video =3052.6MB pictures =709.8MB
so it's about 9GB long so the architect says in the corner-
I have a new dual writer and i ordered a dual layer dvd for this project but it will still be a little big -is there a way to compress it a little without trying to edit someone elses special stuff or is that the only way -
hey do you know will architect even let me burn on dual layer is it set up for that ?
laura
IanG wrote on 10/28/2004, 1:17 AM
The standards for dual layer are very new, so it's probably safest to assume that it isn't supported. I'm surprised that noone from Sony's answered this, though.

There are programs like DVDShrink that will compress your DVD for you, but there's bound to be a reduction in quality. I think your options are:-
Be a lot more ruthless with your editing - always a good thing, regardless of space restrictions.
Plan to use multiple disks
Use a compression utility

Of course these aren't mutualy exclusive!

Ian G.

ChristerTX wrote on 10/28/2004, 7:05 AM
Are these files AVI or MPEG ? If it is AVI, Architect will compress the files and create the MPEG and that is a much smaller file.

lk wrote on 10/28/2004, 1:35 PM
no the files are mpegs already-
I will probelly have to burn a 3 disc set and then give them
to my sister like that and let her help me edit them down to the 8.5
for the disc i got for the project.
I have to trim about a half a gb down does anybody have a idea in mpeg video how much time that would be?
laura

Chienworks wrote on 10/28/2004, 1:50 PM
Laura, the time and the size all depend on the bitrate. Half a GB can be anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour or more. How long is your total video?
lk wrote on 10/28/2004, 9:18 PM
My total video is 2hrs 39 min
for a total of 9.4 GB (what it says at the bottom of architect menu
But just now i went to my done folder wich has all six mpegs and
selected all -It says the total is 6.63 GB-should the menu stuff be takeing up
all that space ?
seems odd to me but i haven't used DVD architect before -
what do you think ?
Laura
ScottW wrote on 10/29/2004, 10:41 AM
DVDA is really bad about estimating sizes for finished projects. If you don't have complex menus (like motion menus or animated thumbnails) then your DVD size should be fairly close to the sum of the sizes of your individual MPG files. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to tel is to actually build the project.

Also, DVDA does not support +R DL; you have 2 options - use a different authoring program, or use something different to burn the finished project. Nero claims to support DL, as does CopyToDVD.

By the way - when looking at sizes shown by Windows you should be aiming for keeping at at 4.37GB or less, not 4.7. 4.7 is a base 10 representation of the storage capacity; windows is showing you base 2 on your file sizes and a DVD5 only holds 4.37 in base 2.

--Scott
lk wrote on 10/29/2004, 11:07 PM
thanks Scott,
So I have my project set up in DVDA-that is where i got the 9.4 GB number from-Are you saying that might not be right ?
Should i go ahead and prepare the project to a folder and use Nero to burn it later-?
Thank's too for the Answer about the DL dvd -That would stink to have used it and wasted it-That was a good tip about the 4.37 Gb -When i did the select all thing in widows -it was just to get a close Idea-
I have 4 jpegs and 4 mp3 clips as my menu items and i supose there are the buttons too-but no i did not put any real intense graphics or motion menus-
I really appreciate the help !
laura



IanG wrote on 10/30/2004, 2:38 AM
>Nero claims to support DL, as does CopyToDVD.

I believe they support DL data DVDs, but do they support video as well? The layer break has to be precisely positioned (and the bigger your DVD, the more accurately it has to be) and I don't think either can do this yet. I've had a look round on the web, but I haven't seen anyone confirming they can write a DL DVD.

Ian G.
lk wrote on 10/30/2004, 8:22 PM
Whoo-
Thank's again for saving my not so cheap disc-
I also want to thank everyone for being so helpful
I know alott of things I might ask are newbie dumb ,but I do really apreciate the help and friendliness from everyone at this group _
I thaught I was getting bored with (screenblast 1st) Movie studio
but I think it can do so much more probelly than I ever relized .
Plus if I don't have this one mastered I probelly wouldn't have a chance with vegas "The Biggy "

laura










ScottW wrote on 10/31/2004, 9:58 AM
DVD Lab Pro (mediachance) is recommending CopyToDVD as being able to correctly set the layer break for a video DVD. I'll know for sure in about 1 week, when my burner shows up.

--Scott
IanG wrote on 11/1/2004, 12:37 AM
Thanks for the info! I'll be interested to hear how you get on.

Ian G.