Please Help me Convert Video

July 6, 2012 11:47 PM

How do I make a DVD from a MP4 file?

I have a video file (legally recorded), in a specific format. I need to burn a DVD with that file.

So far I've tried all the options in hanbrake. I can't it to export to a format that I can import into a DVD.

So...

Can someone help me turn a mp4 into a avi?

posted by krisak to technology (7 answers total)

I've okay with installinng new tools. New suggestions, new whatever.
posted by krisak at 11:54 PM on July 6, 2012

Mac or PC? I found both options for Handbrake, but I have never used it.

Do you need the file to be an .avi specifically or are you wanting to output the file to "proper" DVD format with all its VIDEO_TS Files?

If so, does this help?
https://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/WindowsGuiGuide
posted by Mezentian at 12:02 AM on July 7, 2012

For PC only - since you wrote AVI, I will assume PC:

The easiest way is to use Ashampoo Burning Studio, version 10 or 11 only. You can download fully working trial versions at the link. The trial versions are time limited for 10 or 40 days but have no working limitations during that time.

You would just start the program, choose Make DVD Video, browse for or drag your MP4 into it, give a title for the DVD menu or disable the menu, insert your blank DVD, then come back in an hour or so to your finished burned DVD-Video. The program does everything automatically.

Version 10 is what you need to automatically make a DVD-Video from any video file you can play, Version 11 adds more menu effects and more options in its basic video editor and claims to be faster.

Be careful installing, it defaults to installing its browser toolbar. It is safe but it is annoying. You can uncheck that part during installation.

If you register by email to get a code to extend the 10 day trial to 40 days, sometime around the 30th day they'll email you a special offer to buy a full registration for half price. You will get other emails with other discounts. You can opt out of the emails permanently at the bottom of any email from them, and Ashampoo is a trustworthy company.
posted by caclwmr4 at 12:30 AM on July 7, 2012

ConvertXtoDVD, all you'll ever need.
posted by kuanes at 2:12 AM on July 7, 2012 [2 favorites]

Mezntian - thanks, I've tried Handbrake, and I can use it to create more formats, but it just lacks a convert to obvious disc formats. (From those formats it works great.)

calcwmr4, kuanes - it looks like both of those solutions will work. Thanks much, I'll purchase whichever ends up producing the best DVD.
posted by krisak at 4:31 AM on July 7, 2012

DeVeDe (free) worked for me. Windows downloads here: http://www.majorsilence.com/devede

If you need menu's and stuff, I'd recommend DVD Flick (free too).

AFAIK, Handbrake is a DVD ripper, it's not really supposed to be able to make DVD's, only rip them.
posted by ysangkok at 10:40 AM on July 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

Worth noting as always that AVI and MP4 are container files, just like a ZIP file, but they contain a video file and an audio file that're "interlaced" (AVI: Audio-Video Interlace) or the more commonly used term "multiplexed," aka "muxed." AVI and MP4 don't tell us what codec the video (h.264, MPEG4, xvid, divx, windows media) the video or (mp3, AAC, AC3) audio is using, and it's usually helpful to know that.

When making a DVD, search for "DVD authoring" software-- whatever it is, it should be able to convert the videos into the proper MPEG2 files with chaptering overhead (VOB files) and convert the sound using the AC3 codec, as well as do, at the very least, the "no-menu menu" which is to show no menus and start playing upon disc insert. And most of these softwares can burn the DVD too, possibly even generate a nice .iso image of the DVD.

I'd go with DVD Flick here.

Two absolutely essential websites to know:
For all DVD backup-related needs, go to Doom9.net.
For all Video Conversion needs, including DVD authoring, go to VideoHelp.com.

Both have a ton of links to free and trial applications, loads of helpful walkthroughs. The only hard part is figuring out which site will help you for the task at hand. Read multiple walkthroughs-- some of them are simple 1-2 app wonders, while others really take you down the rabbit hole of peculiarities of analog and digital video.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:34 AM on July 7, 2012