Solved Size/length limitations for DVDs

I'm working on creating basically a home "slideshow" of pics and video clips of a family reunion. I'm using Microsoft's Vista-included Windows Movie Maker program to do it. The person I'm making it for isn't interested in anything fancy which is why I went with that program instead something more...substantial. Anyway. So far it's about 10 seconds shy of 2 hours long and I still have about 30 more pictures to add at like 5 seconds each, and maybe some more that need to be added. I know on the DVD's they all say 4.7GB/2 hours of video limit, But I know all the content I'm putting in is taking up barely about half that space.

So when I burn this to a DVD to be played on your average DVD player, is it going to force me to stay within that 2 hour limit, or since all the media is less than 4 gig, will it be ok to go over a little? (I'm looking at like maybe 2 hours 20 minutes) I know if I was just copying all the files onto it, it would let me fill up the 4.7GB, but don't know if it will still let me do that with an actual playable dvd.

(I know I could just wait until I'm done making it, pop a DVD in, and see what happens, but if I can't go over the 2 hour limit, I'd rather not take the time to add all the extra media I have for it)

If you're burning it as a video, then there is a 2 hour limit (on 4.7gb DVDs), this means that the software is making a folder called VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS on the disc and the DVD player will treat it as a movie

If you're burning it as data, ie just copying your newly made video file onto the disc, then your limit is 4.7gb (the 2 hours is irrelevant now), be warned though, some DVD players can't play video files when stored as data on the disc, you'll just have to try it out and see if it works

Tom

If you used a dual layer disc, then as long as the file size is under 9.4GB then your limit is 4 hours

Tom

Ok, I was afraid of that. Although I wasn't aware that any DVD players could play raw video stored as data. Interesting.

I hadn't even considered a dual layer disc, but my computer can't burn them anyway, I don't think. Plus I bet they're a lot more expensive... Thanks for the info!

I might be wrong, but I thought there were some which allow that.

Yeah, looks like you're stuck with 2 hours then

Tom