Burning DVDs with only IFO and VOB files

[Andre123]

When I started backing up my DVDs I didn't have a burner so I decrypted them to my hard drive which soon filled up. After I moved and sorted my stuff I find I don't have two of the original DVD's. I tried burning them with NERO but when I tried it said I didn't have all the files.
What I can't understand is why the video files that I have will play on POWER-DVD but I can't burn them without having all the files. I noticed that even with just one VOB by itself it will play so why can't I just burn what I have and have them play? It seems I should be able to burn them as files in a DVD and have them play. Isn't there some way a can save them and have them play? I tried DVD shrink but ran into the same problem.

[ammck55]

It might be that you've lost or misplaced the pertinent IFO files that correspond to the VOB files that you are failing to send to the burner.

Here's a link to the DVD Structure page, this information may be of some help, and at the least, will give you some insights as to what purpose the IFO files accomplish.
http://www.doom9.org/dvd-structure.htm

ammck55

[Andre123]

Your reply doesn't answer my question. Why is it that I can play the entire movie on PowerDVD with just the VOB files? I'm sure there's nothing else because I duplicated them and put them in a separate folder
and it still played when I selected the folder from the PowerDVD module.
I read somewhere that I might have to burn the files as data instead DVD DVD with NERO. I think I'll try that. All I can lose is a disk. I'll still have another problem though as I'll have to shrink them first and
SHRINK needs all the files. I'll ask that in another question.
Thanks anyway.

[Kedirekin]

PowerDVD can play in what is called file mode. File mode has issues though. For example, if the VOBs contain seamless branching, you get to watch all the branches sequentially, which can be a little odd (if the branches are for a different language, for example).

Set top players cannot play in file mode. They play stictly according to the DVD specification, which mandates that the complete DVD structure be present (all IFOs, and a special title set in VIDEO_TS.IFO and VIDEO_TS.VOB).

Consequently, burning just some of the files from a DVD onto a DVDR will almost certainly result in a coaster. You have to create a complete DVD structure to put on the DVDR, which is what programs like DVDShrink will do for you.

[Soulhunter]

If you only have the VOB files you can reconstruct the other stuff !!!

Its a bit tricky, but I found a way to do this !!! ;)

Just De-Multiplex your VOB files... For example TMPGEnc (under MPEG Tools) !!!

Then you should get a M2V and a AC3 file...

Now you can use a program like TMPGEncDVDAuthor to use this files as input...

If you get an error when you load the AC3 stream as input, try to De-Mux it again from the VOB's with DVD2AVI... This should work !!!

Now TMPGEncDVDAuthor can reconstruct the IFO files etc. and burn your DVD !!!

Don't know if this is the most elegant way, but it works... :p

Bye

[2COOL]

If you just have the VOBs and no IFOs, just open up IfoEdit and click on Create new IFOs. It's that easy. ;)

Read this other thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?threadid=67179) for more info about what to do next after recreation.

[Soulhunter]

If you just have the VOBs and no IFOs, just open up IfoEdit and click on Create new IFOs. It's that easy.
OK, I said I don't know if my way is the most elegant... ;)

Think I have to download IfoEdit the next days !!!

Bye