Adding CSS to Authored Project

and0nyx wrote on 1/16/2010, 9:52 AM
I have always told clients that once they have a playable DVD there's not much I can do without re-authoring it. (I know you can use various tools to make alterations to the IFO files, but with all the trouble that worth, It's going to end up being the same billable hours.)

Now two people have told me previous authoring clients were able to add CSS into their projects without re-authoring. I ran a quick test and found that an old Volume folder I had lying around could be run through DVDa and turned into master files with CSS without opening a project or having the project file nearby.

Has anyone tried this? In other words if the client supplies me with a playable DVD I am going to take the Audio_TS and Video_TS folders, use them as my "Previously prepared folder" when I go to write master. Turn on CSS and make DDP 2.0 files.

When I used to use Sonic Creator, or Spruce, you had to point to the project files to write masters. Here you don't seem to have to. Am I going to end up making 10k coasters?

Your help is appreciated in advance.

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 1/18/2010, 5:25 PM
You may be sailing on uncharted waters here. Please post back with your outcomes and what you did to make it work.
Chienworks wrote on 1/18/2010, 5:30 PM
Well, CSS is utterly useless anyway. There's so many ways around it that are so easy that it might as well not even exist.

But, if you've got clients foolish enough to want to pay for it, give it a shot!
Sierra Nomad Photography wrote on 2/18/2010, 7:52 PM
I did a search on adding css to DVDs, and found this in FAQ on discmaker's website.

Q: Can you take my DVD master and add copy protection?
A: Strictly speaking, no. Copy protection (CSS and/or Macrovision) for a DVD requires a master supplied on DLT, which has been flagged for copy protection by the author. DVD+/-R media does not support the required flags. If your project will require copy protection we advise you to address the issue with your DVD authoring facility at the outset of your project. Disc Makers' authoring services include full support for both CSS and Macrovision copy protection.

However, we have been successful in re-authoring some customer's DVD projects to include copy protection. We do charge for this service, and in most cases there are no cost savings over our normal DVD authoring rates. While the image quality of the supplied video is retained, we must recreate all the programming functions and recreate menu highlights, and as a result we cannot guarantee your new master will be identical to your source DVD. This service should be considered a last resort.