pointers offsets to what?

[ulfschack]

Just "narrowed" down spiderman with dvd2one. I burnt it on a DVD+RW, which worked fine in my philips stand-alone.

Right after I bragged about how nothing ever failed when I make DVD's (in another thread) ... it failed. I used the very same files to burn to a new (albeit a DVD-R ... but shouldn't matter) disc, only this time I added the DVD-cover BMP picture in the VIDEO_TS folder.

My Philips rejected the disc. Only my very compatible (cheap-ass) player played it and as VOB-files at that (no ifo-info, aspect, etc).

So I'm asking has anyone noticed anything similar? I bet if I ran it trough Ifoedit and corrected some VTS pointers it would work again, but I'm just surprised that theses pointers seem to have an "absolute" offset instead of a relative one, as I would expect.

cheers

[jdobbs]

The offsets are relative -- but based on a very specific file sequence. IFO--VOBS--BUP

[ulfschack]

Hi jdobbs

...So my squeezing in an new file after the authouring could upset these "relative" pointers by rearranging the file structure, thusly also the FAT (or is it TOC on DVD?)??

[mpucoder]

Yes, adding a file without correcting the pointers can be very upsetting.
DVDs have neither a FAT or a TOC, but use the UDF directory system. However, the pointers you are talking about are in the ifo files.

[ulfschack]

Ok thanks a bundle :)

Just that I'm sure that I've done this before without it being a problem. While I certainly understand that correcting the pointers in the ifos is justified after pullling out streams, removing angles, eliminating PGCs etc, I still have a heard time understanding why anyone would make a system that is dependant on global parameters, like what's added to the disc outside the scope of the movie itself. Maybe part of a stupid protection scheme?

It's very uppsetting indeed :)

Just to shoot of a lazy-question whíle I have you online: Is it then ok to add files outside of the VIDEO_TS/AUDIO_TS folders.

cheers

[mpucoder]

By "outside the scope of the movie" do you mean outside the VIDEO_TS folder? If that's the case it has no effect on what's inside VIDEO_TS. Also, only ifo, vob, and bup files should be in that folder.
It's not a protection scheme, but the way DVD players work, they are not file oriented. Instead they work on streaming data, occasionally reading and keeping in memory the ifo for guidance. Think of it more as a self-contained program with embedded objects.

[ulfschack]

I think that what I mean is more like: If you have a bunch of .h and .cpp files it'll still compile even if you have a couple of jpegs of your grandma thrown in the midst of it. The files should be self contained and only point to eachother not caring a whiff of partition, folders, subdirectories, what startsector or neighbouring files especially.

Do you think it's strange that I'M finding this strange ?

Also, only ifo, vob, and bup files should be in that folder.
Maestro always adds a .LAY file to the VIDEO_TS folder f.i.

I guess I'm somewhat help by your notion of "streaming data" that is not file oriented. Thanks.

cheers