If you want the DVDs to play on a standard DVD players, use mpg2. If you look at a DVD, you will see VOB files. Those VOB files are mpg2 files under a different extension name. If that is the case, why encode (render) to something else and when the program will render to mpg to be burned to the disc.

Rule of thumb, for best resolution, put only about one hour on a single layer DVD; a little less on a double layer DVD.

If you are:
1) Just using a computer to play the video files, then DV-AVI being uncompressed would be slightly better but probably not enough to tell. Uncompressed DV-AVI files are very large compared to mpg2 files.
2) If you want to put more than about 1 hour of video on a DVD you could use DivX or XVid compression. Your DVD player would need to be able ot use that file format.

If those are very old DVD players, stick with +R discs. Some old players had an issue with -R discs. There is no way to guarantee that all discs will play on all players.

I don't know what you budget is but don't try using store brand or a brand beginning with the letter "M". Those have been iify in the past. For best DVD media, look at JVC -ToiyoYuden (on line only), Verbatim and some of the older Sony media. .
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BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.

Wow, thank you. I am new to PowerDirector and producing the videos so your advice is really helpful. Thanks for getting to it so quickly.

Stevek,
Rule of thumb, for best resolution, put only about one hour on a single layer DVD; a little less on a double layer DVD.

Just a question for clarification. Why do you advise adding less than one hour if using a double layer DVD? What is it about the double layered DVD that it is preferable to have less than one hour?
Thanks for your anticipated response.
Terry

Just a question for clarification. Why do you advise adding less than one hour if using a double layer DVD? What is it about the double layered DVD that it is preferable to have less than one hour?

Good question. I use D/L DVD's all the time for the added space..... or when I go over 1 1/2 hours on my video... just remember you need a D/L burner, but any DVD reader can read D/L discs same as standard movie you buy at Wal Mart uses.... (I am not talking blue ray) __________________________________________
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Rule of thumb, for best resolution, put only about one hour on a single layer DVD; a little less on a double layer DVD.

OOPs I left out the "a lettle less than 2 hours on a DL disc.

Sorry for the typo.

Also I was talking about best quality. You can put more but it will be lowered definition. You have to test it yourself to see how much you can put on a disc and still be good enough for you. .
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BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.

Quote: I am going to be burning a bunch of disks of a video for our Seniors. What are recommendations for format, AVI or MPEG 2? I burned a trial as an MPEG2 but am curious about it playing on old dvd players and computers. Thanks.

Hey as another Newbie I would like to say thanks for that as well something Im gald I now know. I am working with
MPEG 2 in Powerdirector (10) what do you recon?
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