Batch conversion of divx files to iso/nrg images

March 6, 2007 12:16 PM

Is there a software/scripting solution which will allow me to batch convert divx files into iso/nrg image files?

I have a couple dozen divx files that need to be burned to DVD for multiple conference attendees. I started preparing the DVDs by burning the divx files as a Nero disc image to my hard drive so that when orders for the presentations come in I can just use the "burn image to disc" functionality to prepare the DVD.

However the transcoding of the divx to "DVD format" is very time consuming and can take a few hours each. I would like to be able to queue up a bunch of conversions (i.e. choose the video file, specify the image file and location for 10 different images) and let my machine prepare the images without any user interaction.

I've done a lot of searching online but haven't been able to find anything. I don't mind paying $50 - $100 to find a software that can do this. Any help would be appreciated.

posted by snatchos to technology (4 comments total)

I use the free program avi2dvd. It can create ISO files and allows for batch conversions. It doesn't work with some files though, and make sure you have a *lot* of disk space (appx 9gb per 2 hour video, since it first converts the avi to dvd files, *then* creates the ISO)
posted by edjusted at 1:40 PM on March 6, 2007

I don't have the precise answer off the top of my head here, but having burned many different movies into DVDs using Nero, what I have noticed is that the transcoding time can be near forever or lickity-split based on the movie file format and resolution.

SO, what you may be able to do more easily is find a batch converter for the movies to put them into an MPEG-2 format and resolution overnight (VirtualDub comes to mind for this) and then be able to do the image conversion very quickly.

Alternately - Nero will run multiple copies simultaneously (or at least Ultra 6.6 will). You'll get a diminishing return but you could certainly just run 4 copies, say, at the same time.
posted by phearlez at 2:27 PM on March 6, 2007

I've used Tovid before. It offers GUI & command line interfaces, so it should be flexible enough to do what you want. It's nifty.
It's sort of a wrapper for other programs, providing a much simpler interface than them. However, the last time I checked, about a year ago, I found that it used non-optimal switches for the encoding. I modified those slightly for better quality, & it was still far faster than, say, tmpgenc.
posted by Pronoiac at 5:40 PM on March 6, 2007

There's a solution using mencoder and dvdauthor described here.

Both are available for Windows, I believe.
posted by chazlarson at 7:57 AM on March 7, 2007