combining .avi files

Question

combining .avi files

Is there a way in DVD studio pro or any other mac app where I can combine two separate .avi files so they both play from one individual file? I have a movie file that has been separated into two different files and I wish to burn them to one dvd.

Thanks

Ryan

Posted on Sep 28, 2005 9:51 AM

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Answer 1

David S.

Level 7

20,636 points

Sep 28, 2005 9:55 AM in response to Ryan Laskowski

Sequence them in one track.

Of course, make certain that they can play in DVDSP.

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Answer 2

Sep 28, 2005 10:28 AM in response to David S.

Thanks for getting back to me David.....

sorry but i'm a newbie at this, how exactly do i sequence them? Both files are pretty large, when i put them in my project as two tracks they won' fit on one cd. can dvd pro do this too?

thanks for your help

Ryan

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Answer 3

David S.

Level 7

20,636 points

Sep 28, 2005 1:21 PM in response to Ryan Laskowski

You create a track DVD SP.

Then you import each file as an asset.

Track the first to track one, and then the second one drag right behind the first one.

I don't understand your reference to a CD?

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Answer 4

Sep 28, 2005 1:47 PM in response to David S.

Wow i didn't realize it was that easy. In the previous question i meant one dvd not one cd. I'm going to try to convert them from .avi to mp4 using h264 codec and see if i can get the file size small enough to burn on one disc. is that a could idea?

Thanks so much

Ryan

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Answer 5

Sep 28, 2005 1:54 PM in response to Ryan Laskowski

If this is for a DVD, you can't use mp4, you have to use Mpeg2. DVD standards don't support Mpeg4, for playback.

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Answer 6

Sep 28, 2005 2:02 PM in response to Mr. Kelly Freebairn

So DVDSP encodes the files into mpeg2 before writing them to disc. I've sequenced both files into one track and the meter is saying the file is 5.7gb. That obviously won't burn to one DVD. Is my only option just to burn the movie to two separate dvds?

Very new at this, sorry for all the questions.

Thanks for your help, i really appreciate it.

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Answer 7

Sep 28, 2005 2:07 PM in response to Ryan Laskowski

Not at all, just open compressor as a stand alone app and encode your QT files there. Then take the encoded .m2v and AC3 files and import them into DVD SP.

When you let DVD SP do the encoding, it takes away all control over file size. You gain this back, manually encoding the files in compressor, where you can select the compression quality.

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Answer 8

Sep 28, 2005 2:33 PM in response to Mr. Kelly Freebairn

You were a big help man thanks!

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Answer 9

Sep 28, 2005 2:36 PM in response to Ryan Laskowski

Your welcome!

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Answer 10

Sep 28, 2005 2:46 PM in response to Mr. Kelly Freebairn

One more thing.....compressor is telling me the file is going to take 18 hours just to complete the first file! is that right? I'm compressing to 4:3 ratio on a quick encode of 150 minutes because the movie is over two hours long.

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Answer 11

Sep 28, 2005 2:53 PM in response to Ryan Laskowski

It is all dependent on the speed of your CPU, I use a dual G4 1.2Ghz Mac and that file size would take me about 7 or 8 hours. You seem to have a Power Book, so that may be due to your processor speed of the Power Book.

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Answer 12

Sep 29, 2005 10:03 AM in response to Mr. Kelly Freebairn

Kelly~

Well the first file has finished but dvdsp nor quicktime can recognize the file format. When i try to import the file an error message pops up stating that the file format isn't recognized. I have a compressor file that I found in finder with a MPEG-2 3.7Mbps 1-pass 4/3.m2v extention however compressor can't open it (Error opening up source media file) and I can't import it into DVDSP.

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Answer 13

Sep 29, 2005 11:50 AM in response to Ryan Laskowski

Did you install the Mpeg 2 codec, it's located on the DVD SP installer disk. Without it, QT can't recognize the .m2v files.

Compressor's output file extentions are as follows:

Your video files should end with .m2v, correct?

Your audio files should end with .aif or AC3, (AC3 is prefered for DVD creation.)

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Answer 14

Sep 29, 2005 3:19 PM in response to Mr. Kelly Freebairn

My video files are now playing, however I never compressed any audio files because I don't know to make individual audio files from the original .avi file. I believe the term is demuxing? I only compressed the .avi files to .m2v file types.

Pretty much I'm not sure how to get compressor to make me the necesssary ac3 files i need to import into DVDSP.

Thanks for your continued patience!!!

Ryan

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Answer 15

Sep 29, 2005 3:23 PM in response to Ryan Laskowski

one more thing,

when the original .avi files are in dvdsp i can see the corresponding aiff audio files in finder. however i can't drag them into dvdsp. that is the only time i've been able to spot a video and audio file.

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