.avi file - How to burn on DVD?

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I have an .avi file on my computer that I want to get onto a DVD to play on my DVD player.

I have downloaded converter software recommended on another thread on TP and converted the .avi to a PAL video file (.mpg) Then burnt it onto a disc, but won't play in my DVD player.

Have I picked the wrong format? I can't find my DVD instructions anymore to see what formats it will read. So is there a generic format that I would be better off using?

There is an .mp4 option, but my player is pretty old and .mp4 wasn't around then.
 
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You need to convert it and burn a DVD which has a particular file format. Sounds like you have converted to MPEG, but you need to build a DVD file. What software did you use to convert it and what software do you have for burning the DVD?
 
I have used 'any video converter' which was spoken about on one of the threads on here. I converted to .mpg then burnt it to DVD - Have I missed something out? When I look on the DVD on the computer, there's an audio and video folder and there is no complete .mpg file.

** update ** OK, so I have just used 'video converter' to convert the file from .avi to .mpg. I have then used windows media to burn the .mpg file onto a DVD - On the DVD I have the .mpg file, but it will not play on my DVD player, but I can get it to run on the PC. There is something that I am not doing right, but not sure what it is now.
 
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DVDs use VOB files and it looks like any-video-converter can read VOB files, but not write them, so you will need additional software to write a playable DVD.

The easiest way I found of doing xxx->DVD when I needed to, was convertXtoDVD, but that's paid for software.

You could try AVI to DVD: http://www.trustfm.net/divx/SoftwareAvi2Dvd.php but I'm not sure how user friendly it is. It will create an image that you will then need to burn using your DVD writing program.
 
I have used 'any video converter' which was spoken about on one of the threads on here. I converted to .mpg then burnt it to DVD - Have I missed something out? When I look on the DVD on the computer, there's an audio and video folder and there is no complete .mpg file.

you wont see an .mpg file, when you burn to DVD format it creates a VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders containing VOB files.

also worth noting that if you do not finalise the disk you will only be able to play it in the drive it was burned.
 
you wont see an .mpg file, when you burn to DVD format it creates a VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders containing VOB files.

That was what I saw on the disc on the first burn and assumed that it was wrong as it wouldn't play in the DVD player. That was done on the video converter software.

also worth noting that if you do not finalise the disk you will only be able to play it in the drive it was burned.

Thanks, will make sure I do that :thumbs:
 
DVD Flick, its free and you can add more than one avi. Create menu's and I 'think' you can add music also. Chapters and so forth.
 
DVD Flick, its free and you can add more than one avi. Create menu's and I 'think' you can add music also. Chapters and so forth.

Just tried DVD Flick and it converted the avi file to an mp3 in seconds, but it's only sound now, it doesn't seem to have converted the video bit :thinking:

Man, this is really hard - Who would have thought it.

Any other free programmes I could try - I'm happy to purchase something once I know that it works and is simple to use.
 
Never used this myself, but has to be worth a try?
 
Thanks for that Derek - Unfortunately, doesn't do what I want. How difficult can it be to get an avi file onto a DVD that can be read by my DVD player :bang::bang:
 
Andy [Arad85] mentioned ConvertXtoDVD I've used this myself for a number of years and have found it to be easy and mostly reliable. I've mostly used it to burn avi files [downloaded tv progs] to rewriteable dvds.

But here's an alternative solution. Have you considered a media player device? A tiny little box which plugs in to your tv [normal video/audio red/yellow/white phono sockets, or a HDMI if you have a HD thing]. Put your avi file on to either a usb stick or an external usb drive and plug it in to the media player, and away you go. You can also put photos and music on.

One of these

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/167205

I have one of them. It works well and is cheap, but I hated the remote. Dark grey with dark blue print - need good light to see the buttons or a good memory.

or these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Dig...1_1?ie=UTF8&s=computers&qid=1289847706&sr=8-1

Much more expensive but a much better remote. I got one of these too.
 
Thanks for that Derek - Unfortunately, doesn't do what I want. How difficult can it be to get an avi file onto a DVD that can be read by my DVD player :bang::bang:

In which way won't it do what you want? AVI2DVD def sounds like what you want? Just downloading it myself to try it anyway..... hold fire!
 
Lots of fairly new dvd players will play avi files ... Have you checked yours?

Might be worth burning the avi file to a dvd/cd to find out.

Checked my blurb on the dvd player, don't think it will play anythink other than DVD video type files (along with normal cd's) - It's about 6-7 years old! I did burn an avi onto a DVD and it didn't work.

Looking around for other options!!
 
In order for a DVD player to play movie files it needs a specific file structure to exist on the DVD. To get this you need to use a DVD authoring program.

Windows Vista and 7 Home Premium offers a free DVD authoring program called Windows DVD maker, although you have to download it fron Microsoft. I do not think it available for XP.

Have a look here for other software. Most of these are trial versions, but some might let you make a DVD before the trial expires:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/authoring-dvd
 
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Cheers folks for all your help - May have found a solution - Fingers crossed!! Will look at the Windows DVD maker as I am running Vista - Thanks Mike.
 
Mpeg2 is the normal file associated with DVD players. You need to convert the original AVI into MPEG2 then use this file in a DVD authoring programme.
 
Mpeg2 is the normal file associated with DVD players. You need to convert the original AVI into MPEG2 then use this file in a DVD authoring programme.

Most DVD authoring programs, including Windows DVD maker, will do the conversion to mpeg2 as part of the authoring process, all in one step.
 
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