How to Convert Video Files into DVD

Thinking about taking some video files and putting them on DVD? You want the DVD disk to play like any DVD movie where you just stick it in a DVD player? For the average computer user, it is not that easy unless he or she has powerful software that is easy to use and can handle many video formats.

This article will guide you on how to convert video files into the DVD format. DVD is not just a disk. It is specifications on how DVD formatted videos are stored in DVD disks. (The term “discs” is sometimes used. There does not seem to be any consensus on spelling).

The digital video formats that people tend to use frequently are AVI, WMV, MPG, Quicktime, and Flash. Within these formats are different versions. For example, MPG versions can be MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG3, and MPEG4 (also MP4). Quicktime formats can be QT or MOV. Flash has several types of formats: FLV, F4V, F4P, F4A, and F4B.

Smart phones have other video formats that would also need to be converted. The most popular format is 3GPP.

If you have old video in VHS tape or any tape format such as MiniDV, Hi8, or Video8 then it becomes more complicated. The tape formats must be turned into a digital video format such as AVI or MPG before turning into DVD format. The instructions are beyond the scope of this article but fortunately software and devices are available to convert videotape into DVD.

Windows does not have any free tools to convert various video formats into DVD video. You can copy video into blank CD or DVD as data but that is not the same as converting video into DVD video.

One free video to DVD software and one video to DVD software that is not free are described here. After testing several software tools, I have found these programs to be user-friendly and can automatically convert many types of video formats to DVD.

Free DVD Video Converter and Burner come in a package called Free Studio Manager. It is made by dvdvideosoft.com and you can google in the internet or use the resource below to find it. Get the software and test it to see if this tool is something you would like to keep.

Free DVD Video Converter and Burner works in two parts. It first converts the video format into DVD video format. The next part is to actually burn the converted files into DVD. What I like about this software is that it can convert many formats: avi, divx, xvid, dvd, h264, mpg, mpeg2, mpeg, mp4, vob, swf, dvr-ms, dat, mov, qt, wmv, asf, 3gp, 3g2, dv, flv, and h263.

What you should be aware is that the converted video is placed in a temporary folder. You must make sure your hard drive has at least 5 GB of space left. A full DVD can hold about 4.3 GB of information. So if you convert a lot of video files, the maximum size that will be placed in the temporary folder is 4.3 GB but you should still leave more space for reserve.

The user interface is easy. All you do is drag and drop video files of the formats described early and click a button to convert. You will also see the directory path where the temporary files will be placed.

After the conversion is made, you will be asked to burn the converted files into DVD through a simple “burn” button. If you make a mistake (ie. you are not asked to burn the DVD or you keep getting the Free DVD to Video converter window), just go back to the Free Disk Burner shortcut or selection in the Programs menu at the Start button and run the Disk Burner.

Test the burned software to see if it can be played back in a DVD player.

There are many video to DVD software programs that you can purchase. The benefits is that these programs are usually more user friendly and offer more features such as converting other formats besides the ones that can be done on the free program.

One software that I recommend is ConvertXtoDVD. The cost is around $50 and you can purchase only. The price is worth it.

After purchasing and installing ConvertXtoDVD software in your computer, all you do is drag and drop one or more video files into a project window. At a click of a button, the software will convert the files into a DVD-Video format in temporary folders in your hard drive.

The ConvertXtoDVD will automatically burn the converted files if there is a blank DVD disk in the drive.

Other programs not free that I can recommend is Ulead Studio and Roxio Creator. Editing of videos can be done prior to DVD conversion or burning. You can add videos into a timeline or scene sequence similar to Windows Movie Maker. These programs offer you the option of making a DVD menu.