1. DECIDE ON A FORMAT TO USE.

The rule of thumb of video burning says that the video file that will be burned to a DVD, VCD or SVCD should be encoded into the MPEG format. Therefore, the only choice of a format you have to make is the choice of a format of your media: DVD, VCD or SVCD.

• DVD
  
  
  DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc. It is a video file recorded on a DVD-R or DVD-RW disc, which contains superior quality video (in MPEG-2) and audio. Typically, a DVD can hold several hours of video. You can playback DVDs on a stand-alone DVD player connected to a TV, plasma panel etc. or on computer DVD drives with playback software. Usually, all DVD players can play VCD as well.
  You should use special DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, or DVD+RW discs to burn video on them.
  Advantages: unsurpassed video and sound quality and resolution; high capacity.
  Disadvantages: still high price of media and DVD players and drives.
• VCD
  
  
  VCD is a Video Compact Disc. It is a usual CD-ROM disc that contains video and audio. Typically, a VCD can hold about 74 minutes (650MB) of video and stereo-quality audio. The video and audio are stored in MPEG-1 format and follow certain standards (White Book). VCD video quality is roughly the same as VHS video. Almost all stand-alone VCD or DVD Players with CD-R or CD-RW playback capabilities can playback VCD discs. They can also be played without problems on DVD/CD-ROM drives with playback software. To create VCD, you should use common CD-R or CD-RW discs.
  Advantages: uses common Compact Discs; most compatible format; low price of medium.
  Disadvantages: cannot store more than a usual CD (650 Mb), almost the same quality as VHS.
• SVCD
  
  
  SVCD is nothing more than a Super Video Compact Disc. It is still an old good CD-ROM disc that contains video and audio of a higher quality comparing to VCD. Typically, a SVCD can hold about 35~45 minutes (650MB) of video and stereo-quality audio (depends on the data rate used for encoding). That is why several SVCDs are required to contain one movie. The video and audio are stored in MPEG-2 format, much like a DVD. SVCDs can be played on some stand-alone DVD Players with CD-R or CD-RW playback capabilities and on almost any computer DVD/CD-ROM drives with playback software.
  Use common CD-R or CD-RW discs to burn SVCD.
  Advantages: uses common Compact Discs, quality is almost the same as DVD.
  Disadvantages: several SVCDs are required for a standard movie
  
  Each MPEG file can be of three types, or picture standards: PAL, SECAM or NTSC. You should know, which picture standard is used in your country and what formats can be recognized by your player or TV. Usually, any lately manufactured player or TV supports all standards. Refer to manuals of your player and TV to check compatibility and necessary settings.
  
  PAL and SECAM
  
  
  PAL and SECAM formats are used in European and Asian countries. PAL (Phase Alternating Line) is used in almost all Western European countries, Australia and in some countries of Africa, South America and Asia. SECAM was introduced in France, and now France, most countries of Eastern Europe, many Asian and some African countries broadcast in SECAM. Some SECAM countries are currently switching to PAL and broadcasting in both PAL and SECAM formats.
  
  NTSC
  
  
  NTSC (National Television System Committee) is a Color TV standard for the United States, Canada, Japan, countries of North and South America and Asia.
  

2. CONVERT YOUR FILES.

Whether you have AVI, MOV, WMV, or ASF files, you have to convert them to MPEG prior to creating your VCD, SVCD, or DVD. You can easily convert all your video files using MOVAVI ConvertMovie. While converting many video files will certainly take quite a time, ConvertMovie allows you to speed up this process and lighten the work with its Batch Conversion Mode. Simply open as many files as you need, select a desired format and press the Convert button.

To prepare your files for burning follow these simple steps:

1. Add your video files for converting;

2. Select MPEG as your output format:



3. Select VCD, SVCD, or DVD and picture standard: PAL or NTSC:

4. Press Convert.

3. BURNING YOUR FILES

To burn your MPEG video files onto discs, you will need a so-called burning software. Some of such software are: ChiliBurner, Nero Burning ROM, GEAR, NTI CD&DVD Maker and many others. When burning discs, you should usually choose its type (VCD, SVCD or DVD), add the files you wish to burn and click a Burn button. Your burning software may have an option of converting your files to a certain format, resolution or picture standard. Feel free to turn these options off, as ConvertMovie has already done the job.