Converting from .avi

[SCRawl]

Using an excessively convoluted method, I've managed to capture my father's old home movies from VHS. They are now in a series of four 2GB .avi files, encoded using the YVU9 codec. (I used this format because the quality is far better than the VCR 2.0 I've already tried.)

The problem: although I can view these files on my computer, I can't convert them into something I can use to make DVD player compatible DVDs. All I need to do is convert them to MPEG2, and the rest is easy.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Uraniun235]

I hear WinAVI Video Converter works decently well.

[SCRawl]

I hear WinAVI Video Converter works decently well.

It might work well, but not for me. It (and every other converter program I've tried) always conks out. I assume that it's the video format.

TPMGEnc will convert it to MPEG, but only the audio; the video is just black.

I guess I'll have to live with a crappy quality picture. Thanks anyways.

[Vertigo1]

you try ULead's software? Bloated as it may be, I've had no real trouble out of it. It gets bundled with damn near anything, so I'd be amazed if you didn't have a copy on CD from when you bought a video card or motherboard.

[Laird]

Using an excessively convoluted method, I've managed to capture my father's old home movies from VHS. They are now in a series of four 2GB .avi files, encoded using the YVU9 codec. (I used this format because the quality is far better than the VCR 2.0 I've already tried.)

The problem: although I can view these files on my computer, I can't convert them into something I can use to make DVD player compatible DVDs. All I need to do is convert them to MPEG2, and the rest is easy.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Use This, drag>drop>hit convert...set it and forget it. Then open burning program and bam!

[phongn]

You might seriously consider investing in some real DVD authoring software to do this. Sonic's MyDVD is pretty good (and if you root around their site you can find a trial edition)

[SCRawl]

I've tried these new suggestions, and have still failed to come up with a satisfactory result. The problem, I think, is the .avi codec I used -- it's uncompressed, high quality, and (it seems) completely unconvertible. I had already made a version of the same video using the VCR 2.0 codec, and although the quality is wanting a little, the result is at least something I can work with.

As for DVD authoring software, I've been evaluating TMPGEnc Pegasus, and have found it thoroughly useful. This project has full, customized menus, multiple tracks, and has been very satisfactory. This isn't to say that there aren't better products out there, but this one, for now at least, is good enough.