Burning video [MPEG-2] to CD-R

[leisuredoc]

I guess I must be a little bored with DVD backups and for thrills wondered if I could burn an MPEG-2 DVD image file into a CD-R using DVD Decrypter, and what if anything it would play on.

I took a six episode Simpsons copy that had been DVD2ONE'd to be under the magic 4.37 GB size that fits into a DVD-5 format. Decrypted this to the HDD using DVD Decrypter using <F>ile mode. After viewing it with DVD2AVI to select the proper VOB ID's, I ran IfoEdit and stripped all but the correct ID's (the rip already had the audio stripped to English 6 CH AC3). As always, "Get VTS Sectors" for the result afterwords. After a few go-arounds to remove the title lead-in and final credits, I had the total file size below 700 MB.

Used ImgTools version 0.89 to create the image file. Then used DVD Decrypter to burn the .img to CD-R. It didn't like "DVD Write mode" and gave me an angry message so I went with "CD Write mode." I kept all the other defaults for burning a DVD image. All went smoothly and I got the episode on the CD-R.

While it would not play on either of my Sony or JVC stand-alones, it played splendidly on my both of computers with Win-DVD IN THE CD-ROM DRIVE! Note that the drive is a 44x CDROM drive and was spinning top speed. I'm pretty impressed and the quality was as good as running the original DVD in my DVD drive.

I guess the transfer rate of the current, fast CD-ROM drives is sufficient to handle [MPEG-2] (?)

Any comments?

leisuredoc
:cool:

[atreides93]

Before DVD burners were available and affordable, some of us experimented with these "miniDVDs" which are essentially DVD structures on CD-R's. But for the most part, its worthless since you can only play it on your computer and a very small subset of standalone players. Might as well go with DIVX or something so you can squeeze more of the movie on the cd-r plus better quality :)

[leisuredoc]

atreides93,

Thanks for the comments! Before I bought my 'A04, I did a ton of DivX's and looking back, even at minimum wages, it would have been cheaper to buy two original DVD's just to have a secure backup. But it was interesting at the time. I know, based on the Doom9 and other video help sites that the only thing that standalones will play from CD-R's are VCD (and MPEG audio).

leisuredoc

:)