Howto: AVI to DVD

How to Burn AVI to DVD discs....Using Open source software!!!!! ..... In 5 steps!!!! well maybe one more :/ When I find a better way, I will update this article :)

DeVeDe is another package that I tried and saves some steps :), yet it crapped out on me so I thought I'd try this SLOW way. Yet I am sure if I tried again, it probably would of worked.

I needed to learn how to encode from AVI to DVD format for proper burning to DVD discs. This is my findings so far....

STEPS

1. Install wine,K3b, tovid, tovidgui software. Found using "synaptic package manager"
2. Ran "Applications-Sound & Video->tovid GUI" and ran through Layout, Encode and then Burn (Buggy burning part that)
   Layout : Add a menu then add your videos
   Encode : Just click start at the bottom (TAKES an age!!!)
   Burn : Completed but failed to burn as my DVD was single layered format (Takes a while but less than encoding). Ignore the errors if you did tick "Burn to DVD"
   
3. Copy the contents of the completed work made by "tovid GUI" to another area
   Normally stored in /tmp/someproject -> [another place for backup]. This is so it doesn't get lost.
4. Using Wine install DVD Shrink (google it and find the download link) and Run it on the folder (So it changes the format from dual layered to single layered)
   Click "open files..." (Browse to projectfolder a and then "Backup"
   
5. Ran "Applications-Sound & Video->K3B" and created a "New Video DVD project". Then dragged the finaly video_ts folder over to it :) Just click that button "Burn" now :)

Finished.

My Final Thoughts
This probably would work for other video formats also like (mpg etc... possibly, providing you have installed teh correct "restricted codec formats package" from the restricted repositories).

I decided to install all the "to?????" packages (tovidgui,tovid,todraw,todiscgui) as I thought they may of inter-twined with each other....I now believe they don't now.

I feel K3B is far more matured CD/DVD burning software than Brasero. Yet I do use them both, only I trust K3B for burning video projects for now.

Wished DeVeDe didn't crapped out on me :/