Does such a codec exist??

[ssummer]

I have approximately 20 DVDs of lectures I need to compress into a format that meets the following requirements:

1. MUST maintain DVD menus and chapters (to prevent me from having to FFW all the way through a 2hr lecture). If it can do it's own skip points (like say every 15min) that would be OK.

2. Format must be playable on atleast ONE other device other than a PC (i.e. a DVD player on the market, PMP, cell phone).

3. Obviously must have decent compression (otherwise I would just keep it in MPEG2 format).

4. Audio quality more important than video quality (original source looks to be VHS tapes).

Does such a beast exist? DVDx (or some other VCD solution) came close but I cannot get it, or any of the other VCD encoders I tried, to preserve menus and chapters.

[ronnylov]

The problem is to maintaining the menus. You can make it in DVD-format but with heavier compression. since your source is VHS then you may find half resolution (352x480 NTSC or 352x576) acceptable and you could fit up to at least 4 hours on a single layer DVD. If you can accept VCD quality then encode it at 352x240 or 352x288 in MPEG-1 format (still DVD compatible). Then you may fit up to 7 hours on a single DVD but the quality will suffer.

[ssummer]

Would converting the video to MPEG1 format be very labor intensive? I have about 20 DVDs to try and slim down and the fewer the steps the better. Can you suggest a non-expert user program that does this? Thanks for your help.

[setarip_old]

@ssummer

Hi!I have approximately 20 DVDscame close but I cannot get it, or any of the other VCD encoders I tried, to preserve menus and chapters.Please explain - If you're willing to convert to and burn VCDs, why don't you just make DVD backup copies instead?

1) Blank single layer DVDs cost no more than blank CDs nowadays.

2) By making DVD backups, you'll retain the original quality, as well as all of the DVD features.