They're here! More Muvipix.com Guides by Steve Grisetti!
The Muvipix.com Guides to Premiere & Photoshop Elements 2024
As well as The Muvipix.com Guide to CyberLink PowerDirector 21
Because there are stories to tell
muvipix.com

Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Hardware, software, and methods for displaying & distributing your creations.

Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby Briantho » Fri Jan 20, 2017 5:05 am

For years I've been videoing local, amateur stage shows and plays etc in my area as a hobby. After the events the performers place their orders for the DVDs which can total up to as few as, say, ten up to a hundred and sometimes people order copies years after the event.

However, someone has just asked to have their copy on a USB stick. Creating DVDs has been easy as the tech and standards are well established. Being in Europe I mainly produce PAL but some people want NTSC - that’s it for choice.

However, for a USB stick, what would people recommend as a file format? I think that between FCPX and Compressor (plus other video software I have) I should be able to produce any format but which would probably work for the majority of viewers out there? Some will plug the USB stick into their computer and others directly into their modern TV or a box attached to it. Should it be .mov or .mp4 or what? H.264 maybe? It’s all a bit ‘unknown’ to me with my old simple, trusted workflow.

Many thanks in advance for any advice and opinions.
24" iMac. 17" MBP. FCPX and a little bit of Premiere Pro. Nine recent Panasonic HD camcorders. Many (but never enough) terabytes of external storage...
User avatar
Briantho
Senior Contributor
Senior Contributor
 
Posts: 454
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:51 am
Location: Near Geneva, Switzerland

Re: Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby Steve Grisetti » Fri Jan 20, 2017 8:16 am

It depends on what they are going to play it on, Brian.

If they're going to play it on a computer, a high-def MP4 makes perfect sense.

But if they're going to plug it into the USB port of a TV, MPEGs are still standard for playback. Not all TVs play MP4s.
HP Envy with 2.9/4.4 ghz i7-10700 and 16 gig of RAM running Windows 11 Pro
User avatar
Steve Grisetti
Super Moderator
Super Moderator
 
Posts: 14439
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:11 pm
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Re: Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby Briantho » Fri Jan 20, 2017 8:27 am

One other little question: in view of my intended usage (ie. playing back a movie on some sort of device), would USB 2.0 be OK or should I only consider USB 3.0? Thanks!
24" iMac. 17" MBP. FCPX and a little bit of Premiere Pro. Nine recent Panasonic HD camcorders. Many (but never enough) terabytes of external storage...
User avatar
Briantho
Senior Contributor
Senior Contributor
 
Posts: 454
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:51 am
Location: Near Geneva, Switzerland

Re: Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby Briantho » Fri Jan 20, 2017 8:44 am

Thank you Steve - we must have posted at the same time. I suppose I'll just have to ask people what their setup is each time and work out from that what my 'normal' offering should be.

Any thoughts on USB 2.0 or 3.0 in the circumstances? Thanks!
24" iMac. 17" MBP. FCPX and a little bit of Premiere Pro. Nine recent Panasonic HD camcorders. Many (but never enough) terabytes of external storage...
User avatar
Briantho
Senior Contributor
Senior Contributor
 
Posts: 454
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:51 am
Location: Near Geneva, Switzerland

Re: Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby Steve Grisetti » Fri Jan 20, 2017 9:53 am

Either should work fine.
HP Envy with 2.9/4.4 ghz i7-10700 and 16 gig of RAM running Windows 11 Pro
User avatar
Steve Grisetti
Super Moderator
Super Moderator
 
Posts: 14439
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:11 pm
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Re: Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby sidd finch » Fri Jan 20, 2017 4:12 pm

I am not sure about the vilume of sales that you have but you might check out Vimeo on demand where folks can purchase on line. Might save the hassle of creating the media.

There is also some freware called DVDshrink that allows you to make the DVD chapter menus work on the USB. http://dvdshrink.org/

Regarding USB, I think I would go with the USB 3.0 option as it is quicker to copy and can be played directly from the USB stick.



Sidd
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." ..... Ferris Bueller
User avatar
sidd finch
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 6542
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:20 pm
Location: Cyberspace

Re: Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby Briantho » Fri Jan 20, 2017 4:38 pm

Thanks Sidd - I didn't know about the video on demand. And thanks too for the info on DVDshrink which I'll definitely look into. I'm glad I asked the questions here!
24" iMac. 17" MBP. FCPX and a little bit of Premiere Pro. Nine recent Panasonic HD camcorders. Many (but never enough) terabytes of external storage...
User avatar
Briantho
Senior Contributor
Senior Contributor
 
Posts: 454
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:51 am
Location: Near Geneva, Switzerland

Re: Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby Peru » Fri Jan 20, 2017 7:39 pm

sidd finch wrote:There is also some freware called DVDshrink that allows you to make the DVD chapter menus work on the USB. http://dvdshrink.org/
Sidd


I couldn't find the instructions for that on their website. Could you point me in the right direction?
User avatar
Peru
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 3687
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:34 pm
Location: Peru, NY, USA

Re: Moving from DVDs to USB sticks

Postby Bob » Fri Jan 20, 2017 10:14 pm

DVDshrink is a DVD ripper. No magic -- the result is a DVD format folder or ISO which can be burned to a DVD or copied to a USB stick and played on a computer by a player capable of playing DVD format files or ISOs. You retain the DVD menus because it's still a DVD. You only need a ripper if you are trying to copy a commercial dvd (which is encrypted). You don't need one for your own unencrypted dvds, simply export your dvd to a folder or use imgburn or equivalent to copy the dvd files to a folder or iso.

Smart TVs do not play these files.
User avatar
Bob
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 5925
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 4:49 am
Location: Southern California, USA


Return to Video/Photo/Music Viewing and Sharing 


Similar topics


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests