Is there an EASY way to drag VOB files and create a DVD that will play on DVD players

[Carlos Garcia]

I've read how complicated it is to author a DVD in order for it to play on a DVD player. But how about if you rip a DVD, and when you play the VOB files on your computer, they play complete, no broken files, all the files are complete episodes of a show. I'm wondering is there any EASY way to simply drag those VOB files onto a DVD+R/RW or DVD-R/RW, and make the disc playable on a DVD player? I know the APEX, and SAMPO players out there play VOB files AS VOB files with no problems, but I would like to see if I can do it right so it will play on any normal DVD player that isn't a Sampo or APEX. So far everything I've read seems so complicated and time consuming that it confuses me...I find it hard to believe that a ripped DVD that has complete VOB files containing entire episodes of a show, need to be re-authored in order to be seen on a DVD player. If anyone knows of a simple program that would author drag and dropped VOB files and make them into a playable DVD disc, please let me know. Thanks!

CG

[auenf]

if the total size is under 4.3gb (DVD-5) then you can just burn it straight to a disc, otherwise the easiest way to do it for the one you described (where each VTS is a different episode) is use dvddecrypter and extract the streams for each episode to .m2v and .ac3 or tmpgenc to extract the two streams from the .vobs

...here is where you would do any reencoding if necessary to reduce sizes...

then take them to an authoring program and either put them all in the one VTS with chapter points between them, or give them each their own VTS (in higher end programs only), create your menus, compile, test, burn.

Enf...

[Carlos Garcia]

Hi auenf...Here's my problem, I want to maintain the exact video quality, so I don't want to use any compression tools. The files themselves are between 600,000 and 700,000 megs in size, and I would like to put about 5 (3.5 gigs or so), on each disc...I don't want to bother with any menus, I just want the episodes to run contimous. I figure this is a pretty simple structure, I just hope there's a way to make the DVD playable on a regular DVD player, and the authoring method isn't so complicated, yet it can maintain the original quality of the file. Thanks for your info!

CG

[wakebrder]

Carlos,

1. Put your .VOB files in a VIDEO_TS folder.

2. Rename them so they are in order 1,2,3,etc.

3. Use the create IFO function in IFO edit.

4. Get VTS sectors and burn. (make sure you ad an empty AUDIO_TS folder for compatibility issues)

[Antonio S.]

Carlos:

You can use IFOEDIT ...

Antonio S.
www.antonio.owns.it

[p3distxii]

Originally posted by wakebrder
Carlos,

1. Put your .VOB files in a VIDEO_TS folder.

2. Rename them so they are in order 1,2,3,etc.

3. Use the create IFO function in IFO edit.

4. Get VTS sectors and burn. (make sure you ad an empty AUDIO_TS folder for compatibility issues)

From my experience, this is the perfect recipe for a coaster.

Here is my method:

1. Use Smartripper to extract the m2v and ac3 from all the vobs. This will retain the original quality.

2. Drag the extracted files into Scenarist and create title set for each movie (Not too hard if you follow the guide or if you've used Scenarist before).

3. (Optional) Create a simple menu that will link to each episode so you can easily pick which one you want.

[AlainDelon]

p3distxii,I don't want to pick a fight,but suggesting Scenarist to someone that wants as simple a process as possible is not a good idea(Even doom9 say's it's a VERY difficult program to deal with).Not even taking into account aquiring Scenarist in the first place.Let me suggest an easy walkthrough with SpruceUp for newbies: http://www.dvd2dvdr.com/index.htm Or you can take your vob's,rename them VTS_01_001,VTS_01_002 and so on,then join them together with VobEdit.VobEdit will repackage your vob's in 0.99GB chunks that will fit the dvd standard.After this open IfoEdit and click "Create Ifo's" open the first vob and save.4 new ifo & bup files will be created,now rename the folder to VIDEO_TS and see if your software player can play this(it should).Then you can burn it together with an empty AUDIO_TS folder.There is an issue with subtitles but see sticky "Ifo Q&A" in Ifo forum.

[padre]

I've followed the same instructions that AlainDelon lays out, and it works great. My only deviation is my last steps are to create an image file with IfoEdit and then I use Prassi to burn that image file.

[ErMaC]

I've found the image-burning thing isn't really necessary. I just dump everything to a directory and burn that directory with Nero's DVD-Video burning option (using the standard DVD data one will work on PCs but not on DVD players, much like burning a VCD as data as opposed to a real VCD does the same).

[Carlos Garcia]

Ok guys, I have done what Alain said, then tried burning the DVD+RW with Nero, like ErMaC said, in DVD video mode. What I get plays perfectly on the computer, chapters and all, however, when I pop the disc into my Philips DVDr985 DVD+RW standalone recorder, it plays the first title, skips a couple of times towards the end of the title, then there's no picture at all, but I can see the chapters all changing at 1 or 2 second intervals, until it reaches the final chapter, then the machine goes into stop mode. If I try to play the disc again, nothing happens. I am using a DVD+RW disc, burned on my HP DVD100i burner. The Philips plays all these discs perfectly if recorded on within the Philips itself, and I have burned <5gig discs, as complete copies with no problems, they play perfectly too. I wonder why my Philips doesn't want to play this disc though, while it can play perfectly on the DVD100i. Any ideas? Thanks.

CG

[Carlos Garcia]

Hi again guys...I'm using Windows XP, and I just read that IfoEdit doesn't like working in XP, could this be my problem? If it is, does anyone here know of any other program I can use instead of IfoEdit that will do the same job as IfoEdit, in Windows XP? Thanks for any info!

CG

[p3distxii]

Naw, I use it all the time and it never conflicts with XP nor does it give any other problems.

[Carlos Garcia]

Ok I'm starting to get a little desparate here. I "THINK" I've created an image file (.img), with imgtool. Now I'm having trouble with my burners. DVD Decrypter refuses to highlight the disc burning image on the bottom of the program, refusing to see my DVD+RW disc, fine, I do a complete erase with Nero, and it still refuses. I put in a NEW blank DVD+RW disc, and it sees the disk fine, but it gives me an error message...it won't work. Ok, I won't use Decrypter, I also have IfoEdit, can I burn it with that program? If so, how? I don't see any burning options, only a create image option. Man, what seemed like an easy drag and drop assignment has turned into a nightmare. If only someone could hack a DVD jukebox so it could play .VOB files, I wouldn't be freaking out now! Anyone? Any ideas or suggestions?

CG

[Carlos Garcia]

I finally got the Sampo 631CF, and used the latest unofficial firmware to hack it...Well guess what? My disc now plays perfectly! Apparently the Philips is a very sensitive DVD player, perhaps because it's intended to record DVDs from itself, maybe it's not so happy with DVDs authored on the computer...Anyway, after doing some tests on the Sampo to see what plays and what won't, I can see the Sampo doesn;t like the cheap Ritek media, Verbatim plays and so does Philips. I just ordered a Sony 300 disc changer, I just hope it too can play DVD+RW discs...Well, since I now plan on copying my DVD+RW discs to my Pioneer DVR-104 in the -R format, I hope the Sony can more easily accept those disks. Since the -R format has been around longer, I'm willing to bet it should play even better than DVD+RW. Anyway, I now feel really happy because I can back up my DVDs to play just what I want them to play! Thanks for all the info guys, you've all been great help!

CG