DVD Menu Building Application?

**Spinman** · October 6, 2004

Looking for some software suggestions -

I'm trying to build a home DVD movie to fit on a SL 4.7g DVD disc.

I have several AVI files created using MS Movie Maker and several VOB's I'm trying to stitch together and have the content controlled by a menu - suitable for use on a home TV-DVD player.

I'm currently trying to burn a project using Roxio DVD Menu Builder 6 - but am having problems...

The estimated size at the bottom of the screen is 4.504g (using a 4.7g disk)

When I start the process, I get a warning message that the estimated final size is between 4.325g and 4.899g and may not fit on the disk, do I want to continue?

Naturally, at the end of the encoding process, I get a final message that the project is too large.

Reading other messages on the Roxio board regarding this problem - others have mentioned that the program does not appear to utilize the full size of the disk - often leaving 25% open after reducing the project contents to get the process to begin.

Is there another way to easily accomplish what I need to do?

1) I have tried to burn the project to an image file - this works fine. The results are an easy creater image file with a size of 3,625,200 and a movie.001 file with a size of 991,490 (FWIW - combined these two files total 4, 616,690). How do I play the image file or manipulate the data? I don't know what to do now that I have an image file - is this propriety format that needs a Roxio player?

2) Instead of burning my DVD project to a DVD Disc - can I burn it to my hard disk to determine the final size? I could then use DVD Shrink if necessary to get it to fit on the disc and burn it via CD creator?

3) Would DVD Builder 7.0 work better than 6.0 in utilizing the full disk availability?

4) Is there a 3rd party program (purchase, sahreware or freeware) that would help meet my needs? I've read about Sonic DVD and others - but others have had issues... Hate to purchase something if there is a good freeware application out there...

Thanks -

**prathapml** · October 6, 2004

Nero Vision Express - can do it, I suppose.

nero.com

**LiquidSage** · October 6, 2004

You need to first get your avi's into high quality DVD compliant mpeg's (vob's). Putting it together is easy after that. You can use DVDShrink or something similar to then reduce the size of certain titles. Do not include subtitles or extra audio tracks if at all possible. If you have a motion menu, changing it to still pictures should reduce the size a bit

DVDDecrypter, Nero, DVDShrink can make images that can be mounted via Virtual CD Drive for a final size determination.

I use TMPGEnc DVD Author myself. Quick and easy all in one solution w/ motion menu support

For something more advanced you could try

DVD Architect 2 or the Vegas Production Suite

or

Adobe Encore™ DVD

There is also VOBedit (or maybe it's called IFOedit) which lets you rework existing menus.

Try RipHelp for more.