Mov/Divx/Xvid/Wmv/Etc to DVD (PAL or NTSC)

[netyire]

A Guide To: Making DVDs from Various Formats (Get the script here: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=1900382)
Tools Requried:

1. mencoder
2. ffmpeg
3. dvdauthor
4. genisoimage or mkisofs (pre 8.10 users)

Please note, following this guide will produce a disc without menus.

Step 1: Convert Media to .AVI (Go to the next step, if the file you wish to convert is already in the .avi format)
Okay, the first thing you need to do is to transcode your media into .avi format so that it is accepted by ffmpeg. (I tried using ffmpeg directly to convert a .mov to .mpg. It did not work ) To do so type the following in the terminal:

mencoder <inputfile> -ovc xvid -xvidencopts pass=1 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=3 -o /dev/null

After which type:

mencoder <inputfile> -ovc xvid -xvidencopts pass=2:bitrate=1000 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=3 -o <outputfile>

Okay, now we have a xvid .avi file to work with!

Step Two: Convert the .avi file to a .mpg file

Right, now that you have a file that ffmpeg will accept, enter the following to transcode the file into a compliant .mpg file.

ffmpeg -i <outputfile from the above> -target pal-dvd final.mpg

If you DVD player uses ntsc then replace the 'pal' to 'ntsc'. Or if you want you can type:

ffmpeg -i <outputfile from above> -target pal-dvd -aspect 16:9 final.mpg

This will make the aspect ratio 16:9, see if it works for you.

Now you have your final .mpg file ready.

Step 3: Create the DVD file structure

Enter:

dvdauthor -o DVD/ -t final.mpg

and then:

dvdauthor -o DVD/ -T

Simple and fast, you now have the your DVD structure!

Step 4: Create The .ISO File

Type:

mkisofs -dvd-video -v -o DVD.iso DVD

And you finally have the .iso file ready for burning!

Merry Christmas!

[netyire]

If you find this useful, please drop a comment! I wrote a python program which asks you for the file you want to convert and a few other things like whether you want PAL or NTSC and whether you want the aspect 16:9 or 4:3 and then creates the DVD.iso for you, ready to burn! Please note that you need mencoder ffmpeg dvdauthor and mkisofs (pre 8.10 users, 8.10 includes this in the genisoimage package). You also need python to run the program. To use it just cd to the directory you extracted the file I attached in this post to and type

python program.py

Oh, and if you do not have any of the required programs installed just type this into the terminal if you are running pre 8.10:

sudo apt-get install mkisofs ffmpeg dvdauthor mencoder python

or if you are running 8.10 and above:

sudo apt-get install genisoimage ffmpeg dvdauthor mencoder python

Just make sure you enable their repositories. Oh and please post a comment.

8/12/2008: Updated required packages, thanks smoka! 18/12/2006: Added support for subtitles as requested by Rejser

[rejser]

Great guide, how would I add subtitles to the dvd, from for example an srt file

[netyire]

Howto: Add Subtitles To Your DVD

Ok, this actually just requires you to use the -sub <mysubtitle.srt> switch on pass 2 of encoding of your movie to avi. For example:

mencoder <inputfile> -sub <subtitles.srt> -ovc xvid -xvidencopts pass=2:bitrate=1000 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=3 -o <outputfile>

In order to change the size add -subfont-text-scale <n> to the output, where n is a number. The smaller the number, the smaller the font. For example:

mencoder <inputfile> -sub <subtitles.srt> -subfont-text-scale 3 -ovc xvid -xvidencopts pass=2:bitrate=1000 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=3 -o <outputfile>

Cheers!

Ok, I updated the script to give support for subtitles!

[454redhawk]

[FONT="Tahoma"][SIZE="3"][U]A Guide To:

Step 4: Create The .ISO File

Type:

mkisofs -dvd-video -v -o DVD.iso DVD

And you finally have the .iso file ready for burning!

Merry Christmas!

Where is this typed (what dir)?
Where do you input the source into that command?

What is the max size of the first input file to be converted?
What determines the final output size of the DVD and is there any control of it?
How do I know if the file is too big to fit on DVD?

[netyire]

OK, firstly thanks for asking questions!

Where is this typed (what dir)?

It is typed in the terminal, in the same directory as where you typed the commands shown in step three. (Creating the DVD file structure)

Where do you input the source into that command?

Since the source is not clearly specified, I shall assume that you mean the directory created in step three. That is specified in the synax in this format:

 mkisofs -dvd-video -o <output iso file> <source directory>

And in this case the source directory is DVD, supposing you followed the guide exactly.

What is the max size of the first input file to be converted?

This depends on the capacity of your DVD, please specify if it is a DVD 5 or DVD 9.

What determines the output size of the DVD and is there any control of it

Simply put, the final output size of the DVD depends on the what file you want on the DVD. There is control over it (you can do what you want with the files...).

How do I know if the file is too big to fit on DVD?

Hmm... perhaps it is possible to do this by multiplying the amount of seconds of playback time your media (file) has by 1000 (the bitrate of the mencoder conversion, but this may not be exact), which would give you the possible (video) file size - then add this amount to the length of audio by the bitrate you are using. Once you have the size for the final one, perhaps you can multiply it according to what ffmpeg's bitrate is for the specifications you use. Maybe this will give you what you want. But if you do find a better, more accurate method, please share it

[xyz]

Fantastic! Thank you...it works, it's simple; it's understandable! Thx!

[454redhawk]

THANKS!

OK, firstly thanks for asking questions!


It is typed in the terminal, in the same directory as where you typed the commands shown in step three. (Creating the DVD file structure)


Since the source is not clearly specified, I shall assume that you mean the directory created in step three. That is specified in the synax in this format:

 mkisofs -dvd-video -o <output iso file> <source directory>

And in this case the source directory is DVD, supposing you followed the guide exactly.


This depends on the capacity of your DVD, please specify if it is a DVD 5 or DVD 9.


Simply put, the final output size of the DVD depends on the what file you want on the DVD. There is control over it (you can do what you want with the files...).


Hmm... perhaps it is possible to do this by multiplying the amount of seconds of playback time your media (file) has by 1000 (the bitrate of the mencoder conversion, but this may not be exact), which would give you the possible (video) file size - then add this amount to the length of audio by the bitrate you are using. Once you have the size for the final one, perhaps you can multiply it according to what ffmpeg's bitrate is for the specifications you use. Maybe this will give you what you want. But if you do find a better, more accurate method, please share it

[Crube]

How big is the file supposed to be. I'm trying to converts a 700mb video into an mpeg. Now ot's 1,6gigs big and 20 minutes long O.o The original file is 1.20 hours

[gspinnada uhu]

thanks for the guide.
i just have one problem:
step three when i am trying to create the dvd file structure i get this error message:
"WARN: unknown mpeg2 aspect ratio 1"
but not just once it fills up the whole terminal window and doesn't stop. all i can do is close the terminal.
i do not know much about formats and conversions, so i do need some help with this.
the original file was pal divx mpeg-4 version 4, 25fps, 616x488.
after step two, the mpg was ntsc, 200x150. the difference in aspect ratios is probably it.
now, could i run the ffmpeg line and specify 616x488, like you showed with the 16:9 aspect ratio? and if yes, would a dvd with that aspect ratio work allright in a ntsc dvd player with a regular ntsc tv?