AVI problem

[tomg]

I used PTE 5.5 to create a pte file. I then clicked on the video tab and transformed it into an AVI file. A message in the pop-up window told me to use "special software" to burn the AVI file to a DVD. I didn't want to do this.I simply wanted to save the AVI file to my hard drive and play it in WMP. I left the pop-up window in place, minimized the PTE programme and found my way to where I had saved the AVI file. I was then able to play it in WMP. I restored the PTE programme and clicked "finish" in the pop-up window. I then went back to where the AVI wa stored and it had disappeared ! How can I simply save the AVI file on my hard drive ?

Tom

PS What is the "special software" referred to in the pop-up window ?

[davegee]

The AVI is a temporary AVI used to burn the DVD and disappears when you have "finished".

You need to CONVERT the AVI into something else while it is still ACTIVE.

There are others here who might help you to do what you want to do BUT.........

........I would advise you to upgrade to V6.5 Deluxe where the alternatives are MUCH, MUCH better for what you want to do.

The special software refered to is something like ROXIO which would allow you to burn the AVI to a DVD. I you were going to go down that road I would advise you to create an ISO file rather than burn direct. Once the ISO file is created on your disc you can finish the process and burn the DVD at your leisure (again using something like ROXIO).

The ISO file will not however play in WMP etc.

[Ken Cox]

The AVI is a temporary AVI used to burn the DVD and disappears when you have "finished".

You need to CONVERT the AVI into something else while it is still ACTIVE.

There are others here who might help you to do what you want to do BUT.........

........I would advise you to upgrade to V6.5 Deluxe where the alternatives are MUCH, MUCH better for what you want to do.

The special software refered to is something like ROXIO which would allow you to burn the AVI to a DVD. I you were going to go down that road I would advise you to create an ISO file rather than burn direct. Once the ISO file is created on your disc you can finish the process and burn the DVD at your leisure (again using something like ROXIO).

The ISO file will not however play in WMP etc.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS THAT USED IS IN THE HELP FILE OF VER 4.49

How to create DVD-Video disc

Using PicturesToExe you are able to produce AVI video file which can be easily burned as DVD-Video disc with help of any special software (read below). Even it is possible to create SVCD disc on usual CD-R disc with high quality of image and sound (almost as DVD-Video). PicturesToExe provides fast and lossless transferring of video and audio for converting into DVD-Video format. This allows to keep excellent quality of your presentations and very smooth transition effects.

Advice: please create usual EXE files for playing of presentations on PC, and DVD-Video disc if you want to play your presentations on DVD players connected to TV.

1) Preparing of AVI file file in PicturesToExe:

• Start PicturesToExe; open your project; and then call AVI video output dialog ("AVI button in the main window of PicturesToExe").
  
• Choose "NTSC" TV system, if you live in United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan or South Korea.
  Choose "PAL/SECAM" TV system you live in Europe, Australia, Africa, or in any other country.
  
• Select "DVD-Video disc", if you have DVD-Writer or "SVCD disc" if you have usual CD-R/RW drive.
  
• "Interlaced for TV" option is highly recommended to get excellent quality and smoothness of transitions on TV.
  
• You can click "Preview" button to immediately see the resulting presentation playing as video file.
  In this mode, please ignore that transitions may be shown not so smooth. But on burned DVD-Video disc all transition effects will play excellent as in usual EXE file.
  Also we recommend to make sure that text fonts are enough large to be readable on the screen of TV.
• Now click the "Create AVI file" button and PicturesToExe will produce video file within 10-30 seconds.
  Important note: Please don't click "Finish" button until you didn't fully burn the DVD-Video disc.
  

2) Converting and burning AVI video file into DVD-Video disc:

• PicturesToExe can not burn DVD-Video, so you need to make use of any special software which can convert produced AVI video file into DVD-Video format and burn the disc.
  
• We recommend you to use Ulead DVD MovieFactory2 http://www.ulead.com/store/dmf/runme.htm which can do it. Also you will able to make simple DVD menu.
  (In this program, please don't forget to choose NTSC or PAL/SECAM in the Preferences window. To call this window, press F6 key).
  
• Please click the "Finish" button in PicturesToExe when the disc will be fully written.
  (Temporary AVI video file will be automatically deleted, because it is intended only for converting into DVD-Video format.)
  
• Enjoy with your recorded DVD-Video or SVCD discs!

Advice: SVCD on usual CD-R disc gives almost DVD video quality

Even if you don't have DVD writer, you can burn SVCD on usual CD-R disc via CD-R/RW writer with almost DVD quality! So it better never create VCD video which will looks very blurred and shows terrible transition effects.

And DVD or SVCD will make maximally possible (for TV) details and smoothness of transation effects in your presentations.

SVCD video disc can be played on any PC with CD-ROM or DVD-ROM and software for playing of DVD video disc. Or on most of stationary DVD players connected to TV.

Note: Advanced users can use "Create custom AVI video file" option for various purposes. This allows to produce AVI video file with necessary audio and video codecs (MPEG4, MJPEG, etc).

[tomg]

Thanks Dave and Ken,

It looks like I am able to burn a CD or DVD but not simply create an AVI file on my hard drive ? Dave, I am unfamiliar with the term ISO. What is it ?

Tom

[xahu34]

... It looks like I am able to burn a CD or DVD but not simply create an AVI file on my hard drive ...

As you may see here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Video_Interleave, AVI is just a container format for videos, you must specify a video codec in the dialog for AVI-creation with PTE. The PictureToExe Video Codec only gives a virtual AVI to be used only for transcoding with other tools, but there are other choices. So what kinds of AVIs you may create actually depends on the codecs installed on your computer. If you install x264vfw (http://sourceforge.net/projects/x264vfw/) on your machine, you can even create H.264 videos inside the AVI container.

Regards,

Xaver

[davegee]

The ISO file is an IMAGE of what is on the DVD when burned.

You can't play it in any Media Player.

ROXIO has a plug-in called "Burn ISO File" and double clicking on an ISO file brings up the correct plug-in to do the job.

PTE will create an ISO file as opposed to burning the AVI to disc. The advantage is that if an ISO can be made then you don't have to go through the process in PTE again.

They can be big files though.

I would urge you to consider upgrading to V6.5 Deluxe. That would solve all of your problems and also give you some options that you, perhaps, don't know exist.

DG

[davegee]

Thanks Tom!!

DG