Complete Manual

Version 3.0.0.5, March 28th, 2008

Table of Contents Key Features System Requirements Installation First Run Interface setup Basic Conversion 3 3 4 8 10 12

Customizing your Project 14 DVD Options ..................................................................................................................14 Title Options ...................................................................................................................16 Titleset content editor 20 Merge several video files to one title ..............................................................................21 Add audio/subtitle streams .............................................................................................22 Image resizing and processing options Burning your Project 23 25

Settings 26 General...........................................................................................................................26 Language .......................................................................................................................27 Chapters.........................................................................................................................27 Menu ..............................................................................................................................28 TV Format ......................................................................................................................29 Burning ...........................................................................................................................29 Subtitles..........................................................................................................................30 Subtitle style editor .........................................................................................................31 Audio ..............................................................................................................................34 Encoding ........................................................................................................................34 Video processing ............................................................................................................35 Sound events .................................................................................................................35 Frequently Asked Questions Copyright 36 37

Key Features
Supported video formats: AVI, DivX, XviD, MOV, MKV, FLV, MPEG-1, MPEG2-, MPEG-4, NSV, DVR-MS, TIVO, TS, IFO, VOB, ASF, WMV, RealMedia, RM, RMVB, OGM, existing files from digital camcorders, TV/Sat, capture cards, etc. No external codecs needed. Create DVD menus with different templates available, possibility to add background video, image or audio, have chapter and audio/subtitle menus Conversion advisor wizard, control of the conversion speed vs. quality Fast and quality encoder, typically less than 1 hour for converting a movie, and support for multi-core processors! Included burning engine with burn speed control, choice of SAO or packet writing methods, supports all DVD formats Custom and/or automatic chapter creation with markers and preview window Advanced file merging possibilities Supported audio formats (internal and external): AC3, DTS, PCM, OGG, MP3, WMA and more... Supported subtitle files (internal and external): SRT, .SUB/IDX, .SSA with color and font selection, and supports tags like italic, bold Video output in NTSC/PAL, selection of TV screen (Widescreen 16:9, Fullscreen 4:3), and DVD resolution (Full D1, Broadcast D1, Half D1, SIF), or choose automatic for all choices listed above. Also convert video from NTSC to PAL, or PAL to NTSC Video post processing settings like video resize (pad/crop) and de-interlacing options Multilingual support Optimized for Windows 2000 / XP / Vista

System Requirements
The following are the minimum system requirements to run ConvertXtoDVD. We do not recommend running the software on a computer not meeting these requirements, as the performance will be very poor. Processor: Memory: Graphics: Sound: Hard drive: Burner: Intel Pentium III or AMD Athlon XP (2000+) 512 MB RAM (running Windows 2000/XP) 1 GB RAM (running Windows Vista) AGP/PCI video card with DirectX 9.0c support (or DirectX 10 for Vista) PCI 16 bit sound card Hard drive with at least 4.3 GB space free DVD burner with latest firmware released by the manufacturer

Operating System: Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, or Windows Vista

Installation
The first step during the installation process is to select the language you want to use during this process:

Figure 1

Announces the version you are about to install and any suggestions you should follow during installation.

Figure 2

Select the folder where you would like ConvertXtoDVD to be installed. We recommend installing to the default folder proposed:

Figure 3

Next, you have to select the video standard you would like ConvertXtoDVD to use for output. Select the region where you live. Some DVD players are able to read both formats but not all.

Figure 4

Select the folder where you would like the Start Menu folder to be created:

Figure 5

Check the options you would like to be set up during installation:

Figure 6

Some additional information about media statistics (last option): In order to improve the quality of our software, and to establish a chart of good media based on the end user's experience, we are collecting media and hardware information. Each time a burn process has been finished, information about the process (software version, used writer and media, success/failure) is submitted to our server. As an internet connection is required, you should only activate this feature if you have a permanent connection. NOTE: We do not collect any information that may help to identify a given computer or person!

A summary of what will be done during installation:

Figure 7

Shows the version history of ConvertXtoDVD, i.e. the last changes that were made to the application, list of bugs fixed and features added:

Figure 8

Now that installation has finished, you can choose to launch ConvertXtoDVD immediately:

Figure 9

First Run
When opening ConvertXtoDVD for the first time, you will see the following window, which allows you to use the software in trial mode (just click Try), open the shop to buy a license, or enter your personal license key if you already have one.

Figure 10

NOTE: If you own a license to the precedent version, you will need a new license key. Just click the blue link and follow the instructions on the website. If you have a license key for version 3, click Enter key and paste it in the corresponding field. Click Activate to continue.

Figure 11

After the trial window, the next thing to appear is the update prompt. It allows you to decide, if ConvertXtoDVD should check for updates on the internet. Check Do not ask again to save your choice and not display the prompt again in the future. Please allow ConvertXtoDVD access to the internet in your firewall settings if required.

Figure 12

NOTE: You can also check for updates manually via Help

Check update from the main window.

Interface setup
ConvertXtoDVD has an interchangeable interface you can configure for your comfort. Here are some of the ways you can set up the interface. Additional windows presenting different information can be opened (Video Preview, and Log). To open these windows go to Main Menu, select Window, and choose from Video Preview, or Log (see below).

Figure 13 (Video Preview)

Figure 14 (Log)

10

Highlighted below are the ways in which you can move and resize each window. To move a window, place your mouse on the title bar (boxed in red), hold down the button and drag it to the desired position. The double arrow cursor (boxed in green) appears when you place your mouse between two touching windows. You can change their size by holding down the mouse button and moving.

Figure 15

You can also have all windows open all at once detached or within the main frame window of ConvertXtoDVD:

Figure 16

11

Basic Conversion
The basic procedure for a conversion consists of just a few mandatory steps. First, add the video file(s) you want to convert, by simply clicking the Add button or via File Add video file:

Figure 17

Once your video has been added, it will appear in the project tree as Titleset. Notice that whenever you add a video, the conversion advisor on the bottom left will display the expected quality of the output. If it turns red, a very low quality output is expected. Remove one or more videos to improve quality. Note: The Conversion Advisor is exclusively based on the total time duration of the files added, providing only a rough indication of expected quality output assuming the files are of Full D1 standard video format. The traffic light assumes that for a single layer DVD-5 (4.7 GB) 2 hours of video will fit on the DVD with excellent quality (green light), 2-4 hours of video will fit on a DVD-5 and could have some quality loss that may or may not be visible to the eye (yellow light), and over 4 hours of video will require compression and therefore most high chance of visible quality loss (red light). Some users are more or less sensitive to the quality of output.

12

If you are happy with the DVD title and video title (highlighted in green), just click Convert to start the conversion process:

Figure 18

Following this procedure, ConvertXtoDVD will create your DVD based on the default project settings. Please refer to section Settings (page 26) to learn more about these default settings. If you want to lean more about customizing your individual project (e.g. change titles, choose a different menu template, and more), read the next section Customizing your Project.

13

Customizing your Project

Assuming you have already added your video (as described in previous section Basic Conversion), there are several options in your project that can be customized. DVD Options Click on the symbol in front of DVD Options to expand the following options:

Figure 19

Template Allows you to choose the menu template to be used for your DVD. Double-click to display a list of available templates:

Select the desired menu template, and then click the checkmark button on the right. Select No menu to have all titles be played after each other without a menu. Hover the mouse cursor over DVD Options to see a static preview of the selected menu template (it will not reflect changes you do to titles or background). Play video automatically If checked the burnt DVD, when played on your living room player, will start by playing the first video on the DVD (without showing the menu even if there is one) Loop playback Check to play the first title again once the last title has finished.

14

Play videos one after the other Will play video files one right after the other instead of going back to the menu, even if there is one on the DVD. Skip root menu When a title is selected from the title menu, it is played immediately instead of showing its root menu. Title Menu parameters Title text in Title menu Double-click to specify the text which will be shown on top of the title menu (where you select which video to play):

1) Enter the title here 2) Shows if the title will fit into the menu (green = ok, red = too long) 3) Text style to be used 4) Click this button to edit/add text styles 5) Click here to apply your changes Background video in Title menu Double-click to specify the background to be used for the title menu (may not be available for all templates):

1) Possible choices:

Use a custom file allows selecting an image or video file to be used as background Remove no background will be used Do not change will use the default background as defined in the menu template 2) If a video has been selected as background, specify the starting time code to use from the video. 30 seconds of the video will play in loop here as the background from the starting time you indicated. 3) Click here to apply your changes once you are done 4) Displays the image or video file (only if Use a custom file is selected) 5) Specify the transparency for the background image or video (0 = transparent, 100 = opaque) 6) Click this button to browse for an image or video file (only if Use a custom file is selected)

Disc name Double-click to change the label of the burned disc, e.g. how the disc will be identified when inserted into a computer (default is My DVD):

Menu text style editor Double-click to open the text style editor for menu items. The number of pre-defined styles is determined by the template you have chosen. At most you can have the styles for title (used for menu titles by default), the other caption (used for buttons by default), and small caption (used for content in the sub menus, i.e. names of subtitles and audio streams available). For a detailed description of the style editor, please refer to section Subtitle style editor (p. 31).

15

Title Options Click on the symbol in front of Titleset [Number] to expand the following options:

Figure 20

In Title Menu

Double-click text item to modify how this title will be labeled in the title menu, or thumbnail to modify the small preview image used in the title menu. See previous page for details on the edit mask. Menu Parameters

This section lists several menu items (like titles, buttons, and backgrounds) which can be changed. Doubleclick an item to change the text or background image to be used in the respective menu. Double-click Background video in several menu pages to set the same background for all menu pages, or expand the item to change them individually.

16

Audio

Audio streams contained in your video file are listed here. ConvertXtoDVD assumes the language to be the one set in Audio settings (see page 34), but you can change this in case it is not correct. You can also change how the audio stream will be labeled in the audio menu. To do so, double-click the stream:

1) Select the language of the stream 2) Enter the text to be used in the menu 3) Check to use this audio stream as default audio (selected automatically when you play the DVD) 4) Click here once finished Subtitle

Subtitle streams contained in your video file (internal subtitles), or have been found in external files are listed here. If you have a subtitle for your video and it does not appear here, you can add it manually (see Add audio/subtitle streams, page 22). Analogous to audio streams, you can change the language identifier and how the subtitle will be labeled in the menu. Chapter

This section lists the chapters for this title that have been created automatically by ConvertXtoDVD (based on the Chapter options, see page 27). To change how a chapter will appear in the menu, expand it and doubleclick the text or thumbnail item (see previous pages for details on the edit mask):

To add more chapters, just right-click on Chapter or any existing chapter mark and select Add Chapter. Then enter the start time of the chapter. You can add chapters in the video preview window as well. Use the slider to navigate through the video, and right-click on the cursor to add or remove a chapter. The individual chapters are displayed as little pins ( ) on the timeline. Hold down the left mouse button on a chapter pin and drag it to move it along the timeline.

17

Video

Resolution Double-click to choose the resolution this title should be encoded in. For a list of possible resolutions see Encoding settings (page 34). Standard Double-click to choose the standard (PAL/NTSC) this title should be encoded in. TV Screen Double-click to choose the aspect ratio this title should be encoded in. Click the resizing and processing options (see page 23 for details). Video resize method Double-click to choose if and how the video should be resized (cropped/padded). Click the open Image resizing and processing options (see page 23 for details). Deinterlace Check this option if the source video is in interlaced format (often applies to TV or camcorder recordings). If you have converted a project and find that the result appears choppy or horizontal movement is distorted like in the image below, convert again with this option enabled. button to button to open Image

interlaced

deinterlaced

18

File set This section lists all files that belong to this title. Expand individual files to display some information about them. The following image shows a video files information:

Most of these are just for informational purposes and cannot be changed. You can change the offset of audio or video streams though. This might be required if you converted a project and find that the audio is not in sync with the picture. In such a case you can adjust the audio offset by selecting the audio stream here, and then click it once again. Use a positive value if audio comes too early or a negative one if it comes too late. For subtitle files, you can click on Subtitle style editor (grayed in above image) to change the appearance of this subtitle (see page 31 for details). button on the right. See If you want to add another file (video, audio, or subtitle) to this title, click the Merge several video files to one title (page 21) for more information on this procedure.

19

Titleset content editor

The titleset editor helps you manage all the files that are used to build a title (video, audio, and subtitle files). Use it to merge several videos into one title, or add more audio and subtitle tracks. Access the editor by selecting a title from the project tree, then click the title and select Merge more files to this titleset). button on the right (or right-click on the

Figure 21

In the editor window, you will see the individual files (video, audio, and subtitles) that our title is composed of. At the moment this is only one video file:

Figure 22

The different icons represent the types of streams that can be added at this place: Video files Audio files Subtitle files

20

Merge several video files to one title Sometimes it is required to put more than one video file into one title, for example if you have a movie that consists of two or more files (e.g. Movie cd1, Movie cd2). To achieve this, add the first file to your project normally (as described in Basic Conversion, page 12). icon in the very right column to Next, open the titleset editor as described on previous page, and then click the select a video file to be added (or drag and drop the video file to the corresponding place):

Figure 23

The added video file will appear in the queue list, right next to the first file:

Figure 24

Click OK once youre done, and the added files will appear under File set in your project:

Figure 25

21

Add audio/subtitle streams ConvertXtoDVD tries to detect additional streams for a video file (like subtitles) automatically. This only works for subtitles that are named accordingly to the video files they belong to (Movie.avi, Movie.srt). However, audio and/or subtitle streams can be added to a title manually. To do so, open the titleset editor as described on previous pages. below to the video file to select a video/audio/subtitle file to be added Next, click one of the add icons (or drag and drop the file to the corresponding place). In this example we want to add a subtitle:

Figure 26

Select the subtitle/audio track to be added and repeat for additional video parts if necessary. The added streams will appear in the queue list, below the video track:

Figure 27

Note: If you add a video file as a stream, only its audio track will be used. If you want to merge a video to a title in order to play one file after the other, please read the previous page.

22

Image resizing and processing options

To check and adjust how your video will be displayed on screen, expand a title by clicking on the of Titleset [Number], and then right-click on The following window will appear: Video and select Set video parameters. symbol in front

Figure 28

4:3 / 16:9 Select if the video should be encoded in full screen (4:3) or widescreen (16:9) format. The correct choice depends on the aspect ratio of the source video and is usually determined by ConvertXtoDVD automatically. Resize Automatic This is the default setting, which makes ConvertXtoDVD try to fit the video into the selected DVD resolution the best way, losing as little of the picture as possible. Stretch This setting will stretch the video into the selected resolution. This may result in a wrong aspect ratio. Letterbox This will fill the whole width of the screen and add black bars on top and bottom if required as the icon illustrates. Useful if you want to encode widescreen (16:9) material to full screen (4:3) and do not want to lose any part of the picture.

23

Pan-Scan This will zoom in on the center of the video and cut off the rest as the icon illustrates. Useful if you want to encode widescreen (16:9) material to full screen (4:3) and accept some parts of the picture being lost. User-defined Use this setting if you want to control exactly which parts of the picture are visible on screen. For that, use the sliders below. User-defined resize Use the sliders to control how much padding (black bars) is added to the picture and how much is cropped off (or zoomed in). Show safe area Check this option to display a frame in the preview that visualized the safe zone that is guaranteed to be displayed on every screen. Due to the overscan performed by your TV, some of the outer parts may get cut off. For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overscan

Preview Use the slider on the timeline to navigate through the video and find a suitable still image to verify your settings are satisfactory (picture is not warped, etc). A still image with a round object (tire, etc) allows for easy checking. The dropdown box allows you to select the video file, in case the title consists of more than one file.

24

Burning your Project

By default, ConvertXtoDVD will automatically burn your project (see page 29 for burn settings) after conversion. The following window will appear, asking you to insert a disc. If a disc is detected, the burning process will start automatically after 15 seconds.

Figure 29

Please note that by default, the folder containing the DVD files will be deleted. If you plan to burn additional discs of this project, uncheck Delete folder after successful burn. If you have disabled automatic burning after conversion (see page 29), you have to burn your project manually. To do so, click Action Burn already converted project:

Figure 30

Select the folder you would like to burn. By default ConvertXtoDVD opens a selection dialog with the folder where your converted files are stored. The folder will usually be named after the first file contained in your project. Once the folder has been selected, a new window will open where you can specify your burning options (see above).

25

Settings
The settings are accessible from the main menu:

Figure 31

Here is a look at each of the tabs found under Settings. Notice that the button Reset to defaults will reset all settings to their default, not only those on the current tab.

General Working Folder Where ConvertXtoDVD will place all created files. You can change this location. Remember last folder If checked, the dialog for adding files will start at the same place you added files from the last time. Else it will start at the default location (Documents). Flip preview If the preview appears upside down in the interface check this box, close ConvertXtoDVD and open it again. The preview will now be right side up. Check internet for updates regularly Will check for version updates. Allow ConvertXtoDVD to access internet in your firewall settings if required. Do not prompt for updates
Figure 32

If checked, ConvertXtoDVD will not ask for permission before checking for an update.

Theme Change appearance of the interface by clicking on the various themes in the list.

26

Language Allows you to select the language you want ConvertXtoDVD to appear in. For certain languages you must first select the language, and then restart the application for all the changes to take effect.

Figure 33

Chapters A chapter is an invisible mark in the video that helps you navigating through the film as you are watching it. Instead of fast-forwarding to a specific point you can jump at intervals, these intervals are chapter points that you can determine here. Insert Chapter every Allows you to automatically insert a chapter every X minutes or seconds. M = minutes, S = seconds If unchecked, no chapters will be added automatically. In the main interface you can manually add chapters at specific places. For videos longer than Inserts a chapter at the value indicated above only if the video is longer than the specified duration (default value is 15 minutes). In this example it means that no chapters will be added if you would add a video that is only 10 minutes long, e.g. suitable for music video clips. You may also set up chapters manually in your project. See Title Options (page 16 and following).
Figure 34

27

Menu On this tab you can specify menu defaults that will be used for new projects. You will be able to customize the menu options within each project individually as well (see DVD Options, beginning on page 14). Default template The default template to be used for new projects. If a text label is too large in the menu? Select how text should be dealt with that is too long to fit into the menu. Possible choices are: Ask (a message box will appear to ask you what to do) Reduce the text (the size of the font will be reduced) Crop the text (letters will be removed) Ignore (do nothing, some parts of the text may not appear) Fail (cancel the conversion and highlight the problematic text) Default values for text labels Specify default texts for certain buttons that may appear in the menu. Which buttons will actually appear depends on the template used for a project.
Figure 35

Auto-start playback The burnt DVD, when played on your living room player, will start by playing the first video on the DVD (without showing the menu even if there is one). Loop playback This will play the first title again once the last title has finished. Play videos one after the other Will play video files one right after the other instead of going back to the menu, even if there is one on the DVD. Skip root menu When a title is selected from the title menu, it is played immediately instead of showing its root menu.

28

TV Format On this tab you can specify video format defaults that will be used for new projects. You will be able to customize video format options within each project individually as well (see Title Options, page 16 ff.). Video Standard Select your video output format here. Not all DVD players can read both formats (PAL/NTSC). If you are unsure, select the region you live in. Select Automatic to let ConvertXtoDVD use the video standard of the source file. DVD Resolution The output resolution for your DVD projects. Possible choices are: NTSC PAL 720 x 480 720 x 576 Full D1 704 x 480 704 x 576 Broadcast D1 352 x 480 352 x 576 Half D1 352 x 240 352 x 288 SIF Default is Full D1 resolution; you may however change this to a lower resolution to fit more videos onto one disc (will reduce image quality). Select Automatic to let ConvertXtoDVD decide the resolution based on the resolution of the source file.

Figure 36

TV Screen Allows you to select whether you want the video aspect ratio to be set automatically or either be full screen or widescreen format. Normally, this should be left to Automatic.

Burning Burn results to DVD If checked will burn video files to DVD after conversion has finished; select the default burner and speed you would like to use. If not checked, the files will be saved in a folder on your computer (see General tab). Default DVD Label Default text to be used for menu title and name of the disc. Leave empty to use the name of the first video file. Add original files to DVD (if possible) Will add original files to DVD (useful in terms of a backup, saving space on your hard drive) Delete folder after successful burn Will delete project output folder created during conversion. Original files are not touched. Send burn statistics to VSO online database
Figure 37

Will send burn statistics to VSO, requires an internet connection (for more information see Installation section, Figure 6)

29

Do not eject disc when burn is complete Will not eject media when burn is complete SAO options on DVD-R Specifies the burn method for DVD-R media used by ConvertXtoDVD. This should be left to Automatic, unless you have problems burning to DVD-R media. Possible choices are: Automatic (recommended) Force SAO (will stop in case of failure) Force packet writing (will stop in case of failure) Prefer SAO (try SAO, then packet writing) Prefer packet writing (try packet writing, then SAO)

Subtitles On this tab you can specify subtitle defaults that will be used for new projects. You will be able to customize subtitle options within each project individually as well (see Title Options, page 16 ff.). Default language This is the default language which is assumed for all added subtitle files. Text subtitles rendering settings This button opens up the Subtitle Style Editor (see next page), proposing advanced subtitle editing possibilities.

Figure 38

30

Subtitle style editor

Figure 39

Current Style You can save the default style with the setting you prefer and create additional styles for your subtitles and save them each with a new name. To create a new style, click on the plus button. You will see Copy of default appear on the left, modify this name by clicking on it and entering in the name you would like to call this style. Click on the settings you want to apply to this style. The little arrow button resets all values to their defaults. Font Select the font and font size. If you click on the button Font... you have the option to specify a color in HTML code. For a more complete definition of this please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_color_codes. In this section you can also change the code page. For more information on what Code page is please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_page. The default code page (ANSI Latin 1) is the character set for Western European spoken languages. If you are not sure what Code Page to use please consult this page which identifies different code pages: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms776446.aspx Colors - Contrast Define the color of the text, outline, shadow, and the background for your subtitles. In the boxes beneath each of these you can modify the transparency of the color applied (0-100: 0 = transparent, 100 = opaque). Text rendering Define if and how subtitle text should be wrapped: Evenly distributed text, Top line wider, End of line, No word wrapping, or Bottom line wider. Define character and line spacing, and maximum number of characters to be displayed per line.

31

Margin Define left, right, and top margin on screen (0 being edge of screen for left right and bottom, and 535 being top edge of vertical) Outline Define the thickness of the outline desired. You can check Square outline or not (see difference in images below). Square outline fills more pixels when outlining your subtitles. What is considered the most clear each varies from person to person.

Square outline disabled Text Align Select how to align subtitle text on screen. Shadow

Square outline enabled

Define the shadow position used on text. Offset lets you define the space between font and shadow. Check Opaque box and a box (somewhat transparent) will be placed around your subtitles. Some prefer this for better readability. Multi-line subtitle test zone (1) Space provided for you to type your own text as subtitle example. Background (2) Add a background image from your hard drive to preview, or change the background color (via arrow). 16:9 (3) If checked will preview will be displayed as video would be in widescreen format. Safe view (4) Display a frame that shows you parts of the screen which may not be shown, depending on the amount of overscan done by your TV. For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overscan Note: If you are having a hard time seeing what each adjustment does, set font of text to 72, and enlarge the preview window.

Additional information on subtitles DVD Standard allows only 4 colors for subtitles (and the number 4 includes the background color, so the real amount is 3). What this means is depending on the number of colors you will use in your subtitles you border and shadow may or may not show: Number of colors used in subtitles 1 2 3 Border Shadow

32

List of SRT Tags supported <BR> Break The rest of the tags work in pairs with a beginning and an end: Example: Here is <i>text with applied tag</i>text without applied tag Tags are invisible when correctly applied in subtitles. <I> Italic </I> <B> Bold <B/> <U> Underline </U> <S> Strikethrough </S> <Font size = xx> Font Size </font> (replace xx with desired font size) <Font color = xxx> Font color </Font> (Font color is a number in html color code. For a more complete definition of this please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_color_codes) Multiple tags can be applied at once: Type your <u><font color = "#FF0000"><i>text </i></font>here</u>

When using these tags, make sure to nest them properly. If you open Tag A then Tag B, you must first close B then A, you cannot close A before B. List of SSA tags supported 1= apply 0 = dont apply {\b1} Bold {\i1} Italic {\u1} Underline {\s1} Strikethrough {\fn} Font name (ex {\fnArial} ) {\fs} Font size (ex {\fs33} ) No color tag is currently available for SSA subtitles Multiple tags can be applied at once: {\fs33}Type {\u1}{\i1} your subs {\u0} here{\i0} and more

33

Audio On this tab you can specify audio defaults that will be used for new projects. You will be able to customize audio options within each project individually as well (see Title Options, page 16 ff.).

Default language Select the default language identifier to be used to name audio tracks. Audio boost Check this option to modify the audio gain. Use the ruler below to select the desired loudness. Volume can only be amplified (checking this option and moving ruler to the left will still amplify sound compared to original file, not reduce it). Dont check/fix audio discontinuities Normally, ConvertXtoDVD will try to fix discrepancies in the audio stream automatically, in order to avoid video and audio being out of sync. Check this option to disable this automatic fix for new projects.

Figure 40

Encoding Log engine messages Allows very technical messages about the engine behavior to appear in log file (for diagnostic purposes). Encoding quality/speed If you choose high quality this will take up more space; the encoding process will also take a bit longer. The output quality can be of equal quality as the input but the output quality can never be better than the original (make sure to have good sources if you are looking for good quality output). Target size You can choose your target size DVD-5 (Single Layer, 4.7 GB), DVD-9 (Double Layer, 8.5 GB), or a custom value (in MB). The engine will make sure during conversion that the output file size is small enough to fit on the type of target size you selected. On average, about 4 hours of compressed video file can be converted and burned on to a DVD-5 without losing significant amount of quality thus keeping Encoding quality at either medium or high.

Figure 41

Conversion priority If you are doing other tasks at the same time on your computer you can set the priority level in which your computer will treat the conversion in order to not slow down your other tasks or to prioritize the conversion instead. Generally, it is best to run ConvertXtoDVD without any background tasks going on.

34

Video processing On this tab you can specify video processing defaults that will be used for new projects. You will be able to customize video options within each project individually as well (see Title Options, page 16 ff.). Deinterlacing Check this option if your source videos usually are in interlaced format (often applies to TV or camcorder recordings). Video resize method Select how videos will be resized to fit the screen by default. Please see Image resizing and processing options (page 23) for more details on the avilable choices.

Figure 42

Sound events On this tab you can specify audio files to be played once a specific event has occurred. Play Sound Events Uncheck this option if you do not want to be notified using sound events. Process Completed Is played whenever an operation has been finsihed (i.e. conversion or burning process is done). Question Is played when the application needs you to make a selection in order to continue. Writable DVD Required Is played when you need to insert a media to burn. Problem Detected Is played when an error or other problem has occurred. Update Available
Figure 43

Is played when a newer version is found online.

35

Frequently Asked Questions

What does audio discrepancy mean? This may appear in the log file during conversion. It is simply a note that the encoding engine makes to itself so that it can treat the file appropriately. It does not me that you with have audio synchronization problems. Let the conversion finish and watch it on your computer before burning if you want to be sure the file is fine before burning it to DVD. How come I do not see my subtitles? When watching your DVD on your living room DVD player hit the subtitle button on your remote control for your subtitles to appear. What does unsupported encoder for output stream mean? It means that in this version there is no support for the file format that you have added. Future versions of ConvertXtoDVD may support that file format. Check regularly for version updates or contact VSO to inquire about the file format. Can my computer be shutdown automatically after the conversion has finished? Yes, open ConvertXtoDVD go to main menu: Action and check Shutdown when finished. Why does nothing show up in the preview window? If the preview window is not functioning properly, make sure you have the latest version of Microsoft DirectX installed on your computer. Run Windows Update to obtain latest version of DirectX. Also, if you have 2 versions of ConvertXtoDVD installed you may need to uninstall both of them, reboot, and then just install the one you prefer. How do I burn several copies of the same project? First, go into Settings Burning and disable Delete folder after successful burn. This will leave your converted project files on your hard disk so you can burn additional copies. Please refer to page 25 to learn how to burn an already converted project. I want to add more videos to my project. How do I make them fit? Normally, ConvertXtoDVD uses the best quality to encode your videos. To fit more content on a disc, you can lower the encoding resolution for titles in your project. See Title Options (page 3), or Settings - Encoding (page 34) if you want to change the resolution in general. Why does my burned disc not work in my DVD player? Please make sure your DVD player is able to read the used disc format (+R, -R, +RW, -RW), not all players are able to read all formats. Try if the burned disc works in your computer. Sometimes changing the recordable brand and/or disc format helps. How do I remove the trial watermark once I bought a license? The watermark inserted by the trial version cannot be removed from the DVD. To have your DVD without the watermark, you need to convert your project again, so do not delete your source files once converted by the trial! Why is my system crashing/freezing during conversion? The conversion is a very CPU intensive process. If not sufficiently cooled, the processor can overheat, which makes the computer crash. If you experience crashes regularly when converting with ConvertXtoDVD, please check the insides of your computer and remove any dust or dirt that may impede proper cooling. I have a question not answered here. Where do I get help? First, please visit our forum community, where others share their knowledge and tips. Often you will be able to find your answer there quickly: http://forums.vso-software.fr If you could not get help from the forums, or need to contact us directly, please visit the support section of our website: http://www.vso-software.fr/support.php

36

Copyright
ConvertXtoDVD Copyright 2005-2008 VSO Software SARL, France. All rights reserved. All trademarks, logos, brand names, pictures etc. are the rightful properties of their respective owners.

37