Burning Movies to a DVD

[steve.ledger]

I don't use the MS video maker thing myself, Does that create a menu file?

Yes it does.

I have tried burning short DVDs to a CD, but DVD players have real trouble with that. It gets real frustrating when you use an entire DVD just for 90 seconds worth of commercials.

You are speaking miniDVD which as you say, playback is ony possible on some players. This is because the DVD Player must be able to identify the CD-R/W miniDVD as a ordinary DVD-Video disc, many players identify CD-R/W as VCD, SVCD or CD Audio and not DVD-Video.
Blank discs have embedded information on them which describes the manufacture, the type of disc and power calibration details for the burner to interpret, and is why Firmware upgrades for burners are necessary in order for new blank media to be accepted and written to.

From doom9.org:
miniDVD is basically a DVD on a CD. A miniDVD can contain bitrates up to 10mbit/s (audio and video combined). Video is MPEG2 of course.. preferably VBR and audio can be MPEG1 audio layer 2, raw uncompressed PCM or AC3. Video quality can be up to an actual DVD level if you accept the limited playtime of a CD. You can create DVD-like menus as well. The drawback is miniDVDs will only play on PCs and on a very limited number of standalone players.
----------------------

At the end of the day, blank DVD's are the same price as blank CD's (sometimes cheaper the CD) - so for me at least there is no issue about space/time not used.

[handrawn]

The MP4 codec is not standard for PC's by default, it is however, as Bill and I have noted, present after Nero 7 or 8 has been installed. (Other suites may also ship with the MP4 codec, though Nero is by far the most common)

is that not because mp4 was originally quicktime [Apple] format ? - if so, installing quicktime would fit the bill as well as Nero ?

[ss-kalm]

Yes, Steve is right - And as I said earlier most of todays computers can play MP4's. Normally through Quicktime Player. I would also suggest that Quicktime is more common than Nero. I know that all my computers have quicktime on them and although I haven't tested them all I know that my main computer plays MP4's without any problems.

Since I don't own any DVD burners, I don't have Nero installed.

Are there any freeware MP4 players? If not, Quicktime may be a more cost effective option if you just want to play the downloaded MP4 sermons.

As my kids have iPods, I have iTunes also installed, and I believe (although I haven't tried it) that iTunes also plays MP4's. As usual I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Sledger - I don't disagree with you, I'm just trying to provide other options .......

[Soquili]

Actually mp4 and quicktime are not the same. The Apple quicktime player was one of the first to support the new mp4 format but Apple did not create the format for the player.

Apple quicktime does not like to share it's codecs with any other player. The Nero codecs are available for any other player you may have on your system.

[handrawn]

wiki says based on apple, if I read it right

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4_Part_14

whatever the ins and outs - quicktime I have had since the year dot [actually for mov] and it has always played mp4 - and its free

edit - not to be confused with Nero Mpeg-4 which is proprietory - because its not standard mp4 - confusing - yes

[joroho]

It wasn't my first choice, but I ended up going with Nero 8 for now. Burned a DVD last night and it's fine. I eventually want to try the programs offered by MediaChance, like DVD Lab Studio.

.joel.

[Soquili]

Yes I have read the Wiki article and it continues to mention how the mp4 has extended features from other audio and video "containers".

[ScottF]

Nero always worked well for me. When I got a new system, I couldn´t find the install disk and they wouldn´t accept my credit card for a new purchase. Again the joys of living in the third world

Roxio came installed on the new machine and it, too, seems to work well. However, it´s not free either.

[steve.ledger]

Are there any freeware MP4 players? If not, Quicktime may be a more cost effective option if you just want to play the downloaded MP4 sermons.

Yes - Look Here

Also, one doesn't have to have Apples QuickTime, there are alternatives:
Quicktime Alternative (FREEWARE)

MPEG-4 Part 14 was based on Apple’s QuickTime container format (.MOV), it doesn't follow that installing QT means that your PC will play the .mp4 movies from your digital camera. Like .mov, DivX is infact one other MPEG-4 container. As is Xvid, a fully free alternative to DivX. However installing DivX or Xvid will not mean that .mp4 encoded movie will be playable on your system.

How common QT is over Nero is a different debate - but (for better or for worse) certainly all new computers at least over the last 2 years or so have DVD burners installed with Nero being the burning software most commonly bundled by manufacturers. Infact 100% of retail and OEM DVDR/W drives that I have ever stocked are bundled with Nero. QT is not installed on new PC's by default, though a few Laptops have been bundled with QTP and RealPlayer pre installed. PC's that don't have any optical drive which can at least burn CDR/W (IOW: ROM drives) are rare indeed nowdays.

For ScottF:
There are a number of freeware CD/DVD burning apps available.

[Howie]

I'm new here but have been reading for several months.
I would like to offer the following information rather then a long rambling lesson on DVD burning.
The best information site about DVD burning with FREE software is at www.afterdawn.com I've gotten a lot of information there over the last 5-6 years.
Look for a DVD codec there are bundled codecs there that will cover just about any DVD burner or players on your computer.Why Microsoft doesn't include one is beyond me, however even bundled play software like WinDVD won't work without a codec. As for DVD menue creation software I have seen a few at www.majorgeeks.com most of the stuff there is free as well but there is shareware as well.