Quality issue after burning a DVD from a YouTube video

[shalebing]

I found a concert on YouTube that I really wanted to keep so I downloaded it using the Firefox Download Helper add-on. The source file was a 720p MP4 but after downloading it I converted it to AVI before burning a DVD using Windows DVD Maker. The resulting DVD is very blocky when played on a domestic DVD player, admittedly onto a 37 inch plasma TV. When the concert is viewed on YouTube the quality is excellent but am I expecting too much for this quality to have been retained?
Would it make any difference to create the DVD straight from the originally downloaded MP4 rather than the AVI?

 

[Gornot]

Why convert it to AVI? That's the reason the quality of the clip drops dramatically. Burn the DVD directly from the MP4 file and you should see much better quality.

 

[shalebing]

Thanks for the reply Gornot. Unfortunately I have just tried that but Windows DVD Maker states the MP4 file is not a supported file type and won't import it.

 

[Gornot]

Do you have any other program to do it? Microsoft doesn't really support that many formats across its default programs on 7...

 

[shalebing]

I'm giving the trial version of Aimersoft DVD Creator a try at this moment.

 

[cyclic]

I do think that playing a u-tube vid on a 37" is not going to give terrific results whatever format you use.

 

[Gornot]

True. It depends on the equipment used to make that video, even if it is in HD.
One would actually have to apply a certain amount of effects to the video to at least enhance the colors and stuff, which is neither easy nor cheap for those who don't know how to do it.