How do you make a DVD from your footage? Compression/Authoring

Deer Film

Well-known member
I am really having problems with this. I have great source material, but when I export to Mpeg2 from Vegas, I am not happy with results. I use Moviefactory and Sony DVD Architect. On reviewing the dvd on my tv, I see bad compression.[TABLE="width: 980, align: center"]
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I like to use Tmpg for converting uncompressed avi to mpeg2, but with an hour of footage, my machine has trouble rendering HUGE uncompressed files. I would rather do the mpeg2 compression in Vegas or some other program.
What are you using for your DVD authoring?
How do you convert your footage to Mpeg2 and what settings do you use?

Thank you for your help.
 
I was having the same issues... thought my footage was horrible!

I ended up with the FCP > Compressor > DVD Studio Pro - Best results I have seen so far..
 
I'm one of those who is giving up in this effort, never come out anywhere near satisfaction for me, i'm so frustrated because i have seen other people work on DVD and they seen ok. Tried almost everything i read in the internet. I think i have to find someone to show me physically.
 
My work flow and clients think it's HD on DVD (it's not but I don't contradict them)

Vegas > Cineform Higher HD .avi > fft3dfilter avisynth via Virtual Dub (which does some denoising and sharpening as well as change leves to 16, 235) again save as Cineform Higher HD .avi (file will be about 20 % smaller > delete original file to save space > use calculator to determine bit rate > TMPGENC 4.0 > Set bit rate etc save as .m2v and .ac3 > import into Encore author.

This will work in DVDA as well I just like Encore better don't get as much lag on chapter changes I've noticed.

Code:
AVISource("File.avi",pixel_type="RGB32")
ConvertToYV12
!== You need to download this plugin others are already in AVI synth
Loadplugin("C:\Program Files (x86)\AviSynth 2.5\plugins\hd2sd_sd2hd\FFT3DFilter.dll")
FFT3DFilter(sigma=2.0, plane=0, bw=48, bh=48, bt=3, ow=16, oh=16, sharpen=0.5, interlaced=false) 
ConvertToRGB32
Levels(0, 1, 255, 16, 235, coring=false)

!=== Make sure you set Virtual Dub to fast recompress.
 
I use Adobe Media Encoder, Premiere Pro CS 5.5, and Encore...

Workflow is:

AVCHD-->Avid DNxHD-->Edit-->MPEG2 DVD export using Media Encoder-->Encore

Never had an issue and the DVD quality is good.
 
This is what you are looking for: Mark's DVD Bitrate Calculator

Specify your disk type (single layer 4.7gb is standard)
Audio encoding (I generally use 192 Dolby with AGC turned off)
Safety margin: 5%
Select VBR not CBR

Then specify your hours and minutes of video time, and it will give you the proper rendering settings. In Vegas, I render the audio as Dolby AC3, then I render the video as MPEG2 for DVD Architect. Customize your settings by applying the bitrates given to you by the program, and whala... You have a maxed out awesome quality DVD!

Keep in mind that the longer the video the more compressed your output will be. Anything below 1:20 is going to look fantastic. More time and you start to notice the drop, but it is still very negligible. I use this program every day and produce fantastic DVDs for my clients (also HD discs).
 
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