Solved Creating a DVD using DVD Architect 6

Hi friends
I'm making a dvd with like 7-8 different HD video files, I know i can't make a dvd using HD files, but just hold on i will explain, I know there are several different steps and different ways to making a dvd, I can render them all together as 1 big file before adding them to DVD AP6 , using a different program, and have them compressed to DVD format, but I have decided to add all 8 HD files to my project in DVD A6 and than once my menu is setup the way I want it I have use the program called Marks Bitrate Calculator, and in DVD A6 when i got to the final step of creating a dvd I put in the suggested bitrate for each HD file that I added. I'm hoping to render and burn/save all in the same step. Is there any issues anyone feel I will run into doing it this way?
Thanks for your comments.

If you are going to use Mark's Bit Rate Calculator, you need to render your videos with Vegas using the custom bit rate generated by the calculator.
You cannot import HD videos into DVDA and apply custom bit rates in DVDA - it will not work.
You must do all the compression in Vegas first and render only to MPEG-2 for DVD.

Hi Doctor Zen, you must be misunderstanding me because i did it and i now have it complete. Like I said I added all 8 HD files and than under the Optimize tab I clicked the project properties and where it asked if i wanted to "Use default bit rate" I said no, than I changed the bit rate to what the Calculator suggested. which was a bitrate of 7.440 BPS
The dvd folder ended up being only 7.43 gb (I'm planning on saving to a 8.5gb disc)
If I up the bitrate a little more despite what Mark Bitrate Calculator suggested shouldn't i get a higher video quality finish to my dvd?
Thanks

If you have read or watched any of my tutorials that show how to use Mark's Bit Rate Calculator, I have never taught to do what you are doing.
I have always shown to use Variable Bit Rate settings - every DVD you have ever bought uses a variable bit rate, which is more efficient at encoding video.
You cannot enter Variable Bit Rate settings directly into DVD Architect - you must render your video with Vegas first, to use variable bit rates.

If you want to do what you are doing, you can do that, but it is not something I would personally recommend.

Thanks . By the way I do watch your tutorials, and enjoy them!!

I let DVDA convert my 1080 HD into DVD. It's the only time I let DVDA recompress video. That's because someone on the Vegas forum said it did a reasonable job and indeed I find it does a better job than VMS. I set the DVDA project properties to my usual 7,000 Kbps bitrate and the resulting files are vbr as media info shows 7,000 as an average with the max of the file I checked above 9,000! Strangely my PAL files are produced bottom field first instead of the usual top first but players have no issue with this.

Thanks!!!

As I have mention at the start, I added separate files to my project ,created a single menu and added a scene selections for each file. I was hoping that when i hit the first one (which is the start of my dvd) than the movie would play all the way through to the end of the last scene, I just realized it don't. Is there a way I can structure my project to make that happen?
Thanks

I was hoping that when i hit the first one (which is the start of my dvd) than the movie would play all the way through to the end of the last scene, I just realized it don't. Is there a way I can structure my project to make that happen?

You need to create a Playlist if you want different videos to play one after the other.
This FAQ explains how to create a Playlist.
It also shows how to create a continuous playback loop, which is not necessary for a basic playlist.
Just follow steps 1 to 2.
www.moviestudiozen.com/doctor-zen-faq/152-continuous-playback-dvd

Eric said in Post 6 above that:-

"Strangely my PAL files are produced bottom field first instead of the usual top first but players have no issue with this."

I live in PAL land and have always used LFF for my work. I think this is because it was recommended by Douglas Spotted Eagle in one of his early manuals or instructional DVDs but that was a long time ago when Pro6 was at the cutting edge of Vegas so my memory might well be flawed. Suffice to say it has served me well throughout with no Preview, DVDA or DVD problems (and that covers a large number of projects).

Just an interesting aside.

Richard