Help with DVD rips

[Solidify]

OK, I'm just going to get this out there. I've been bending over backwards trying to find the right file types that will play on both my Xbox 360 and XviD certified DVD player. I've been watching media on my console and DVD player for several years now and have never had an issue. What I usually do is donwload the standard sized DVD rip from torrent websites (approximately 700MB films) and burn them onto DVD+/-R discs as data discs, not DVD-Roms, since there's no sense in wasting an entire disc for one movie when I can fit several on one.

Since the DVD player is not Bluray and my Xbox does not have a wide-array of supported codecs, I would always try to get my films and TV series in AVI file format because that file type works on both my DVD player and Xbox 360.

Recently, I found a great video converter. Afterwards, I decided to download a 1080p version of a film in order (MP4 file) and converted it to an AVI so that I can play it on my Xbox 360 but it didn't work. Nor did it work on my DVD player. This led me to believe that the container is not what decides whether media can be played but rather, its the audio and video codecs that the film uses. Having that said that, the usual 700MB films that I used to download must use different audio and/or video codecs that what the MP4 file uses, which is why when I converted it to an AVI, it still didn't work. At least that's how I understand it.

Here are my questions;

• Can anyone confirm that its the audio and video stream (codecs) that determine whether a DVD player or Xbox 360 can play the file and not the container (matroska, avi, etc.)?
  
• If I wanted to start watching full HD (1080p) films on both my Xbox 360 and non-Bluray DVD player (but still XviD certified), what file types would I need to be going for and what type of video streams would this container need to have?
  

I'm looking for someone that really know their stuff to help me out with this, quite possibly backing up their information with sources and links to articles. Why? I'm tired of burning through discs to find out the file is not supported.

[AceInfinity]

DVD-R are usually better for Video, whereas DVD+R is usually more suited for Data Discs, however both are usable for both purposes.

I know Xbox 360 will play .wmv, .avi, and .mp4 though, so you didn't necessarily need to try and convert it. I don't burn movies though for an Xbox 360, I just use my DVD player, but the format that you want is NTSC .mpg. PAL is different.

I only have knowledge on the DVD player half though, but that's the setting you want to be able to play a 1080p movie on a non-Bluray DVD player, assuming the movie originally came in the resolution for 1080p quality, you can convert to NTSC .mpg and maintain the same aspect ratio and resolution.

Xbox though i'm not sure.

[CLoudy]

When I burn movies I burn them in .avi format they work for Xbox and my DVD Player. But can't really help with the HD part since MY TV sucks and isn't HD.

[Gaijin]

An xBox 360 can play .avi formats and even 1080p.
Blu-Ray as far as I know uses H.264 codecs for Video, so I would go on and try it out with that codec.
I don't own a xBox (PS guy ), but a friend of mine does and he were telling me about TVersity....
http://tversity.com/ (I'm just not really sure what it is for, didn't listen to my firend..lol)

However, I found this article that you might find useful....
http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/X...page1.html

You should also check xbox.com (or what their site is) for new or more codecs....

[Solidify]

DVD-R are usually better for Video, whereas DVD+R is usually more suited for Data Discs, however both are usable for both purposes.

I know Xbox 360 will play .wmv, .avi, and .mp4 though, so you didn't necessarily need to try and convert it. I don't burn movies though for an Xbox 360, I just use my DVD player, but the format that you want is NTSC .mpg. PAL is different.

I only have knowledge on the DVD player half though, but that's the setting you want to be able to play a 1080p movie on a non-Bluray DVD player, assuming the movie originally came in the resolution for 1080p quality, you can convert to NTSC .mpg and maintain the same aspect ratio and resolution.

Xbox though i'm not sure.

I tried playing an mp4 film that was 1080 but it didn't work on my Xbox 360. It told me that the file was unsupported.

[Solidify]

After some exhausting Googling, I found exactly what I and perhaps many other may come to find very useful. Enjoy. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945416

[AceInfinity]

I had a hint that it supported mpeg, avi, and wmv. Mpeg is a very familiar file format with videos for me. It's a good source of information, but I don't have an Xbox 360 so I can't put it to a value lol.

[Legitti]

i have always used DVD-RW so i can rewrite on them if needed.

But i think it really dosent matter waht your using, if your ripping DVD's, rip them to .avi if your gonna share them

[Solidify]

But i think it really dosent matter waht your using, if your ripping DVD's, rip them to .avi if your gonna share them

It does too matter. Some one avi file may have another audio codec than another and therefore not be supported by your DVD player.

[Legitti]

It does too matter. Some one avi file may have another audio codec than another and therefore not be supported by your DVD player.

Well as Media Player, i suggest to use VLC Media Player.
It has support to all known video files iv ever needed to play!
Just google and you will find it!