DVD backup

[BaD_BURN]

I'm thinking of backing up my SEE DVDs of the first 2 LOTR movies. Problem is, my DVD burner doesnt really support dual layer and as far as I know there are no dual layer discs available. The movie file is 7GB+ including the two subtitles (English/Spanish) plus the 7 (or is it 6?) different audio tracks available for the movie, which explains why the file is friggin' big. I'm looking for a DVD authoring software (or a ripping software) where you can just edit the whole thing and trim it down to just one audio track plus subtitles without reencoding the video in order for it to fit to a DVD-R disc. XMPEG unfortunately needs you to reencode the whole darn video track (DVD/MPEG2 output) but for the audio track, you can just choose which one you like to keep without reencoding it. Now reencoding DVD video takes too darn long, even for the most badass computer out there. I just need something where I can directly copy the whole video stream and choose which audio stream to keep. I'm thinking of the Ulead DVD Authoring software but I'm not really familiar with its features. If you guys can recommend something else that does the job, I'm open.

[Razor Blade]

Your looking for DVD X Copy Platinum. You can change the file sizes of the DVD's but loosing quality or cut out features etc ... Personally when I backup my movies, I just use 2 DVD-R's or DVD+R's. And I get all te quality plus the menu's and special features.

[dpence]

get dvd shrink, it will shrink the size to 4.3gb (Dvd single layer standard) with virtually no loss in quality. Be sure to do deep scanning takes about 2 hours to complete the whole copy but it is worth it.

[Raziel]

CloneDVD also does a nice job at it.

[BaD_BURN]

So which one does a better+faster job: CloneDVD or DVDShrink? Better in terms of picture quality since some movie files are going to need compression. And there's another dilemma: I wanna keep 2 audio tracks. The first one being the cast audio commentary and the other, well, its kind of a toss up between the 5.1 AC3 and the 5.1 DTS. Which do you guys think should I keep?

[Noxious Ninja]

I've never really used CloneDVD, but I do know thta DVDShrink will let you rip or keep any audio and subtitle tracks as you choose.

[[Thoughtless]]

get dvd shrink, it will shrink the size to 4.3gb (Dvd single layer standard) with virtually no loss in quality. Be sure to do deep scanning takes about 2 hours to complete the whole copy but it is worth it.

DVD shrink is wayyyyyy much better.
Use clone dvd if you want to split your movie into two disc.
DVD media's are expensive IMO. So I would use dvd shrink to backup my movies. Even there's a little quality loss, but I dont care

[BaD_BURN]

Doesn't CloneDVD do the same?

[Gamer1]

dvd shrink is the best, create a iso with dvdshrink (which is free btw) and burn with nero. the videos look better on dvd shrink than in dvd x copy.

http://www.dvdshrink.org/what.html

[Vanit]

Bah! I just dummy file the vobs and put it on 2 discs. Here's how I do it:

1. First of all make a dummy vob file. I've attached the one I made to save everyone the trouble and me trying to get people to understand. But I'll still say how I made the dummy. I made a black image in adobe photoshop the resolution of a dvd file (the actualy resolution shouldn't matter but it has no file size difference as vobs are pretty small). Then I converted the single frame to avi with CPoint's Animator Professional. Then I converted the avi to mpeg2 with Boilsofts AVI to VCD converter. Then I used DVDLab to make a dvd out of the mpeg2 blank file and then I took the vob file out of the dvd (you don't have to actually burn it). Now aren't you glad I attached it?

2. Take the contents of the dvd off the disc via DVD Decrypter or a similar program (Smart DVD Ripper is another one I think).

3. Now you'll have to identifty which files are the actual movie. Just systematically go through all the vob files in Windows Media Player until you find them. Generally I think the main movie files are VTS_01_*.VOB (* is a number).

4. Once you've identified the movie files replace the second half of them with the dummy file (which leaves you with the first part of the movie, ie disc 1). So basically you delete the vobs from halfway on (eg if there are 6 main vobs you replace 4-6 leaving you with 1-3). Be sure that you rename the dummy files to that of the vob your replacing. Also be sure that you keep a copy of the files you replace to save you from ripping them again, so basically just move them away into a different folder for the time being.

5. Also while I was at it I dummied the warning message (you know the 'its illegal to copy this bla bla bla'?, its useless keeping it on a burnt copy anyways).

6. Assuming you've dummied the 2nd half of the movie, burn that to a DVD with Nero and label it disc one. Now replace the dummied files with their original parts and now dummy the first half of the movie. So once you've burnt that and label it disc 2 in the dvd player it will just play through those 1 frame vobs and basically skip straight to the 2nd part of the movie. Clever, ey?

By using my technique you keep the EXACT original quality and you keep all the menus etc, which is always a nice thing. Also you can dummy anything that appears as a vob file (like if you find you need more space you can dummy the extra features components). So basically what my technique does is you're just splitting the movie into 2 discs.

Now for the problems. I actually screwed this up the first time I tried it because there was something wrong with my dummy file, so I recommend you just use the one I've attached. If you do end up replacing the warning message and you find you just get a black screen, just press the menu button on your remote and it will just go straight to the menu. The only other issue I can think of is the fact you have to be tolerant enough to get up and change the disc halfway through. But thats not much if you maintain original quality.

I came up with this idea all by myself so I'm pretty proud. Enjoy!

[Razor Blade]

Wow nice thing. But um ...

>>So basically what my technique does is you're just splitting the movie into 2 discs.

DVDXCopy does the whole movie, extras, commentary, menus and everything a regular store bought DVD would have with no quality loss and a push of 1 button. The best seventy bucks I ever spent (CAD)

[Gamer1]

dvd x copy is horrible with interlaced films.

[Razor Blade]

I backed-up about 10 films already. They all work perfectly fine? Is there a list of interlaced films? Maybe it's because I havn't backed any up.

[Vanit]

Are you sure it loses NO quality at all? I can almost guarantee that there is some quality loss even if its unnoticible.

[BaD_BURN]

Ok, I just tried out DVD Shrink. Speed's definitely fast, definitely easy to use, picture quality seems okay though I do notice some 'ghosting' around the edges of the subtitles burned into the movie (i.e. LOTR's Elvish lines). Not bad, though. There is some quality loss but only to a degree. The real test would be to play the backup on an HDTV, which I don't have.

Just a quick question: what's the best custom compression ratio to keep? Does the video quality suffer when it's below 50%? Because I'm planning to keep the DTS track and some commentaries but the ratio dips to less than 50%.

[Noxious Ninja]

Quality starts to suffer noticeably when you get below 70%... it will probably look pretty back below 50%.

[kilivippin]

I downloaded dvdshrink and it copied Kids in around two hours, with 72% whatever, with my crappy specs.
How does deep scanning help?

[Noxious Ninja]

If it has to recode the file to reduce size, then using deep analysis will improve the quality. Sometimes, the difference is quite noticeable.

[BaD_BURN]

Originally Posted by kilivippin

I downloaded dvdshrink and it copied Kids in around two hours, with 72% whatever, with my crappy specs.
How does deep scanning help?

Judging from your specs, I think its justifiable the way DVD Shrink processed your DVDs. What's your HD, by the way? Things definitely go faster when your hard drive is 7200 RPM or beyond.

[kilivippin]

I wasn't saying that dvdshrink is bad, I was trying to say how much of an achievment it was. I mean, my pc is ancient, and it backed up, while compressing a dvd in a alittle over real time.
By the way, my Hd is only 3.7gb. It has a transfer rate of around 3500kb/s. I now have 250 mb left in c:!!