[konstantinos88]

Does anybody know the process from converting a file from the .avi extension to a format that will play on a consumer DVD player? If the purchase of additional software is necessary, that will not be a problem. Please help, as I have a limited timeframe to get this file to DVD format.

[mduell]

AVI is just a container; it can contain a variety of audio and video codecs.

You may be able to move it to DVD with no or minimal quality loss, but you need to tell us what the content inside the container is encoded with.

[konstantinos88]

Sorry to be a pain, but how would I be able to find such information from the file? I tried using "Get Info" but I don't see anything relevant.

[Simon]

VLC will tell you what kind of audio and video is encoded in an AVI file. It's an awesome player too BTW.

[konstantinos88]

Okay, here is the information shown:

Stream 0:
Codec: XVID
Type: Video
Resolution: 640 x 352
Frame Rate: 29.97

Stream 1:
Codec: mpga
Type: Audio
Channels: 2
Sample Rate: 32000 Hz
BitRate: 80 kb/s

I obtained this information via VLC, as Simon suggested.

What is the next step in this procedure?

[Simon]

OK, so you need a tool that can convert XVID to DVD.

Try a search on MacUpdate. The first hit I got is VisualHub.

[JonoMarshall]

A simple method would be to use VLC's exporting/streaming wizard to export the video to mpeg4 format and then use iDVD to author a DVD - if you just want the movie to play when a DVD is inserted in a player then...

Start a new iDVD project and open Map view. Drag the movie or slideshow that you want to autoplay and drop onto the 'Autoplay' icon. If you want your autoplay movie to loop, with the autoplay icon selected, from the Advanced menu, select Loop. The Loop icon will appear. Nothing could be easier. If you want to remove the autoplay feature, drag the movie or slideshow icon out of the autoplay icon. It will turn into a puff of smoke. To return to the 'main menu view' from Map view, click the Map button. source here

Hope this helps a bit..!

[konstantinos88]

Would this work, as well:

ffmpegX a DVD, SVCD, VCD, CVD, VOB, DivX, XviD, H.264, PSP, iPod, MP4, MOV encoder for Mac OSX

I'd rather not spend the money, if I don't have to!

[mdc]

The easiest method I have found is using Toast.
Click the menu to create a DVD. Drag the avi, click burn, and wait about 2 hours or so, for it to convert and burn the dvd.

[konstantinos88]

Toast will do everything automatically?? I wouldn't've thought there was a program that would... Toast is the one that I'll use!! Thanks for all of your help!

[P]

Originally Posted by konstantinos88 

Would this work, as well:

ffmpegX a DVD, SVCD, VCD, CVD, VOB, DivX, XviD, H.264, PSP, iPod, MP4, MOV encoder for Mac OSX

I'd rather not spend the money, if I don't have to!

Yes, ffmpegX works, but IME some set-top DVD-players won't play what ffmpeg produces. YMMV.

[mduell]

Converting to MPEG4 then having iDVD convert to MPEG2 mens reencoding twice, and losing quality twice. Why iDVD can't just accept MPEG2 source material, god only knowns.