Burning DVD's: Burn the tutorials too.

[Greyhorne]

Hello all,

It seems to me, the DVD burning community would be far better served with fewer applications, that eesentially do the same thing, fewer tutorials trying to instruct the same thing, and more importantly better authors to write them.

I'm not sure if anyone here is very familiar with DVD Shrink, Its a free application, and trying to read the tutorial explains why.
Then again, I have Nero which I paid for, and yet seems even worse.

I'm having difficulty accessing and determinung which audio files are needed, for a movie only burn.

[Deku Scrub]

Their tutorials are garbage.
Here is a good guide for DVD Shrink
http://www.dvd-guides.com/content/view/16/59/

For Nero I would suggest NOT using Nero express.
Use the latest regular version.

[photolady]

I use Nero Express latest updates included and never have a problem with it. Better than that coaster creator in my opinion. Express has all the options of the regular version, if you use them. Maybe, Greyhorne, if you explained some of the problems you're having we can help with that too.

[Greyhorne]

Thanks Deka Scrub, and photolady for replying.

I should say that after trying a few different burning apps. It wasnt until I found a link "Back up any DVD, using DVDecrypter, and DVDShrink" on DVDhelp, before I succeeded in creating a single backup. The quality was a bit reduced, as I didnt edit anything out.
I suppose I was just happy to see results, period..

Now however, I just wanna nix the excess BS, for some to successfully fit on the backup disc, and others to simply maintain visual quality, but the instant I opened up the guide, trouble arose.
Funny thing, the guide you suggested, is the very one that drove me to to post here, but actually, as long as your familiar with it, I couldn't have picked a better place.

When I used DVD Shrink prior, and successfully, was with DVDecrypter,
but I read the latest version,( 3.2) was able to complete everything without it, and when I tried using the tutorial. which upon futher review, wasn't exactly the same one, but similiar. trouble quickly arose.
The one Deka Scrub provided, is for DVD-9.
Neither of the Apps informed me what was created. Just "movie was copied successfully"

http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg...rink31-mmo.htm

Step 1. No problem.

Step 2. No problem. Once directed to the DVD drive, it opened and quickly analysed the DVD.

Step 3. Despite the picture showing 6 different languages, It all looks Greek to me.
I have no idea, how one gets the languages to display like that, as clicking on each file, shows nothing of the kind.
I also have no idea what hes suggesting to use, in determining what (other than extra's or photos) can possibly be cut out, or left in? I mean, wouldn't most simply expect the movie to remain intact?
How many users, compromise the integrity of the picture, by hacking into files, other than the extra forementioned?
I apologise if this comes across as a rant. Its only to show my lack of understanding for what is being conveyed.

Thank you again for your assistance, as always, it is very much appreciated.

[Deku Scrub]

After analyzing, look at the bar on top. If it is green, you're ready to burn without compromising quality. If not, you need to compress.

Before compressing, I try to remove any unecessary files.
Start by clicking on the left side on one of the files (menus, main movie, etc.).
This will open up their sub folders on the right. Remove the tick from all foreign languages (unless you want them for some reason) and secondary English languages (these are usually directors commentary stuff).

Some DVDs have a folder which is just wasted space. i.e. FBI warnings and random logos.
Click on that folder, remove all language and subtitle ticks and instead of compression, set it to "still pictures."

If the compression is 70% or higher, I'd go ahead and back up.
If not, you can try removing everything but the main movie.
To do this, click Re-author. Find the main move file on the right side (it will be the largest file) and drag it over to the left. Click on compression and remove all foreign languages.
This saves a lot of space. Some DVDs use as much as 40% of their memory devoted to fancy menus.

When you're ready, click back up. Select a destination folder. Always click "deep analysis" even if you already analyzed the disc. Also, remove the tick from "low priority."

After that depends on your burner, software, etc.
I strongly recommend some quality media (blank discs).
The cheap stuff will be tempting, but you'll wish you sprung for the good stuff after 100 coasters.
Here are some great guides:
http://forum.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=72

Good luck!

[Greyhorne]

If the line is all green, yet the compression reads between 50 - 60%, is it basicallly saying, that even though its gonna fit without re-authoring , it had to fully crunch it down to do so?

[Greyhorne]

By ticks, are you referring to the checked radio buttons under the red audio line?

Those boxes rarely ever display,
other than when the main movie is clicked. When its opened up,
all these files display, but none of them have anything different than what is shown here.
As for subtitles, "English"
is the only language I ever see displayed, when clicking through the folders.

[Deku Scrub]

If the line is all green, yet the compression reads between 50 - 60%, is it basicallly saying, that even though its gonna fit without re-authoring , it had to fully crunch it down to do so?

Yes, that pretty much sums it up.
If the line is all green and it's compressing, that means it's on "automatic compression." That's the minimum amount of compression that it has to do and still fit on the disc.
50-60% is not very good. I would leave it on automatic compression and take out extra features/languages like described above.
Some people have had good luck with 60% or better. I'd give that a try and see how the quality is.

The ticks are the little check marks on the right next to each language option:


I usually leave the subtitles alone; they take up very little memory.

Those boxes rarely ever display, other than when the main movie is clicked. When its opened up,
all these files display, but none of them have anything different than what is shown here.

I wouldn't worry about those other files. They are very small. I think they're menu folders.
Since your main movie is so long (three hours and forty six minutes!) I would use the Re-author method. This will remove all menus and extras, but it might be your best bet.

[Greyhorne]

I usually leave the subtitles alone; they take up very little memory.

So I take it your saying, that aside from whatever space losing the "Extra's" folder is gonna buy me, this particular backup, is destined to be a fat, grainy, good for nothing, coke can dodger by default?.

It is helpful to know, that the menu folders saves little room by their exclusion, as they do provide a welcome convenience, and given that, I would just as well leave them in.

"Since your main movie is so long, I would use the Re-author method"

Are you saying, I can remove certain segments "without" clicking the "re-author:" button? As I recall, the directions said to select the main movie file, and drag it across to the box, above the the preview screen. That wasn't re-authoring?

One of the tutorials stated somthing about various options to shrink the file, but was just too vague, seems I'm still fumbling between the lines to decypher what he meant.

Actually, lits probably best to just keep this clean and simple, even if I don't maximise my space, its not nearly worth fighting the agravation.
(and your patience)

So, if menus, and subtitles offer little significant value of space, the only thing I'm gonna try to cut loose is the Extra's folder. because its probably the biggest file hog, and the easiest to leave behind. right?

Ok, now, when clicking on the extras folder, in the window above the preview screen, I still see no tick boxes appearing, where yours show up. How do I actually cut this extras folder from the movie?

I have to make sure I include the audio files.
Before I posted here, I tried burning that main movie file that I dragged over, to DVD.
But not before unclicking one of those Audio ticks under the red audio line. The Backup resulted with no sound.
Do both those AC3 radio buttons have to remain ticked to record sound to the back up?
If so, is it the "unticked" that includes it, or by leaving it "ticked"?

Lastly, isn't there an option to such compression, to instead, simply split it into a 2 disc backup?
Or is that procedure even more of a pain in the ass uming mind?

Thanks Deku, I appreciate your patience, and sorry for this colossal post of text.

My Drive..
NEC ND-3500A Dual Layer DVD±RW Writer 16x

[Deku Scrub]

Hi.

Ok, now, when clicking on the extras folder, in the window above the preview screen, I still see no tick boxes appearing, where yours show up. How do I actually cut this extras folder from the movie?

Some discs are different. Not every DVD is going to have audio options in the extra and menu folders. That might be why you don't see any tick boxes. I'd say just leave those alone.

If you re-author, you'll only get the main movie. You can stack other folders on top of that, but what's the point becuase they'll play after the movie is over and you'll lose your menus anyways.

So, if menus, and subtitles offer little significant value of space, the only thing I'm gonna try to cut loose is the Extra's folder. because its probably the biggest file hog, and the easiest to leave behind. right?

Some menus take up a lot of space. You can see how large the file is on the left. On the example shown above (Bad Company disc), the menu is 105 MB.
This is relatively small, and I wouldn't tinker with it.
But some menus are several hundred MB.
In those cases, I re-author and ditch the menus altogether. They're convenient, but they're not worth a loss in quality IMO.
Leave the subtitles alone. They're so small, they're not worth the effort.

I have to make sure I include the audio files.

Yes include the English audio files. Untick the foreign languages.

Lastly, isn't there an option to such compression, to instead, simply split it into a 2 disc backup?
Or is that procedure even more of a pain in the ass uming mind?

I have never tried splitting into 2 discs, but if I was going to, here's what I'd do:
Use Re-author. Drag main movie to left side, then select the small icon with arrows circling eachother. This allows you to cut off the beginning or end (or both). Type in the chapter you want it to stop at. Back up. Burn.
Repeat, only this time select the start time from the chapter you left off at, and back up the rest of the disc.
I believe there are other ways to back up 2 discs, but I haven't tried any, so maybe someone else can chime in.

[Greyhorne]

No need Deka Scrub.

I now have a grasp with which to move forward.
You've answered all my questions, and done so with a promptness,
impressive for even CyberTech.
Infact, I'd contend that the DVD community need look no further than this very thread,
for that author they so sorely need.

Thanks again Bud!

[Deku Scrub]

No problem, Greyhorne.
Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.