November 27, 2008
Burn Microsoft Webcast to DVD in 3 Simple Steps for Free
To maximize your learning speed, you need to de-couple yourself from your computer so that you can learn in bed, in the tub, or while driving (be careful, please!), etc.
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Start by using the menu buttons of webcast series on IdealProgrammer.com homepage to locate a webcast to burn.
Once you have burned the Microsoft webcast to DVD, you can use any portable DVD player to watch each lesson. You can also watch the webcasts on the DVD player attached to your TV in the living room if you want! (Use google on the name of your DVD player to find out if it accepts DVDs formatted as NTSC).
Here are the three simple steps you need to take. You do not need to buy any software to burn the DVD, as everything is free.
HINT: When burning DVDs, it is easy to get confused about what step you are on. I use notepad to help me keep track of what step I am on with burning each DVD. I have also purchased a little, round, canvas DVD case that holds about 20 DVDs. I store the video series that I am currently watching in this portable case and keep all the other DVDs stored on the spindles that come with the dvds when you buy them at the store. This helps to reduce fingerprints on the dvds and keeps me very organized.
0. Install the Free Software
Install the pre-requisite software (it is totally free):
- AVS4You Video Converter - converts .wmv to VIDEO_TS format
- Video DVD Maker Free Version - takes VIDEO_TS format and burns it to a dvd.
1. Download webcast
When you are on Microsoft's view webcast page, select download option instead of view. (If you use BitComet to speed up downloads, you have to cancel that and let internet explorer do the download normally.) I download the video to My Documents\My Videos\webcastname.zip Then, you extract the zip files to get the livemeeting.wmv file.
2. Convert .wmv to VIDEO_TS
Use the free version of AVS4You Video Converter to convert the .wmv to a VIDEO_TS format. In AVS4You converter, choose the To DVD option, and select standard DVD NTSC to get 2 hours on one DVD. Output for AVS4 should go to MyDocuments\DVD\webcastnamefolder (When AVS4you finishes, do not choose the Burn CD option - use Video DVD Maker instead).
Note: You can use Windows Movie Maker to combine several short videos into a larger .wmv file before using AVS4You in this step. I do this when the videos in a series are 15 minutes each to help me reduce the total number of DVD's burned.
3. Burn the DVD
Use Video DVD Maker Free Version to take the VIDEO_TS output from AVS4YOU and burn it to a DVD. Put a blank DVD in your DVD drive. In Video DVD Maker, choose the first icon under File to start Video DVD Maker. Select "Burn an already authored DVD Video (VIDEO_TS)". Click Next, and navigate to MyDocuments\DVD\webcastnamefolder\VIDEO_TS. Then click BURN.
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