[vanmol]

Hi----I'm more confused than ever. I understnad that there are several programs needed to make a TV viewable DVD from stored AVI or MGP files. What is the correct sequence for there use.
Convert?--Compress?--Author?--Burn
Or is the sequence different or are there also other steps that need to be taken. Better Yet---Is there one program (JUST THE BASICS) that does it all? Maybe I should just give up----Anybody want to buy a Plextor PX712A-----Never used and may never be--

[gotrootdude]

Sonic MyDVD is probably the best all-in-one solution, yet even it does not support all codecs video files can have.

[storage_man]

Vanmol

You shouldn't be confused - I sounds worse than it is. The hard part is deciding which software product to use. There has to be 50 of them and you will hear both good and bad. but this is your decision. Most of the software (Both Free and Comericial) support a wide variety of input formats I have 3 different software products that I use. Number one on the list is ROXIO. Even though Adaptec's support sucks, the product is not to bad. I also use NERO and PowerProducer. Now you will ask why 3 different products. Two of them I got for free with my burners, and I have always been a Nero fan. They all have good and bad points. I try to use the one that will do the best job for current job that needs to be done.

Lets talk about what needs to be done. First Project, the video is on your digital video recorder. All of the products have the ability to suck in the video from your recorder. If you like what you see, BURN IT ! If your video is in a AVI file, IMPORT the file. All products have this capablilty. The only real issue is that some products support more formats than others. Once you import it, if you like it, BURN IT. Both of these will build a single chapter DVD that can be played on MOST DVD Players. Always try to use DVD-R media (Most players accept this media). If you desire to tweak the videos, there is a host of features available. You can trim, insert,split videos. You can make multiple chapters, you can insert transitions, still pictures - overriding audio, You can make is as complicated as you want. I hope this gives u a bit of info on how it works.

Storage_man

[ohheck]

im a big fan of TMPGEnc because ive had the best luck turning mpgs / avis into playable dvds.
tmpgenc xpress will convert ( most :O ) mpgs/avis into proper form for burning to dvd.
(files must be converted to a certain form of mpeg in order to work on a dvd)
http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/te3xp.html
after the file is converted i use dvd author to create the dvds -
http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/tda.html

sounds confusing but it's easy once you get the hang of it:
vidoes must be converted to dvd complient mpegs, then the mpeg movie, menus must be turned into VOB, IFO files before the are burned to dvd.

email me and i can explain in more detail if you want....