Comments

bStro wrote on 6/15/2004, 12:56 PM
Please tell us the steps you took once you started DVDA. The usual method is to drag media onto the menu in order to create buttons (followed by any number of steps to customize the DVD), and then have DVDA Prepare DVD and then have it Burn DVD. There are other methods, of course, but essentually you have to 1) Add your media to the project; 2) Render everything to MPEG2 if it's not already; 3) Render the whole thing to DVD files; 4) burn the DVD files to a disc. DVDA does #2 and #3 in one swoop and can automatically segue into #4 if you wish (choose "Prepare DVD and Burn" for this).

When DVDA prepares your files for a DVD, it creates a VIDEO_TS folder and an AUDIO_TS folder and puts your prepared files (not your AVI files, but the files that DVDA makes from those) in the VIDEO_TS folder. (For DVD specification reasons, the AUDIO_TS folder is empty, but DVDA likes to include it anyhow)

If DVDA is telling you that your path does not "contain a VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folder", then you're either attempting to burn a project before preparing it, or you're selecting the wrong path to burn from.

If you've done a Prepare, then the next step is to click Burn and choose the folder above the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders that DVDA created for you.

Rob
Electromen wrote on 6/15/2004, 1:12 PM
Simply create a new folder and select it. The folder must be empty. To keep things organized I normally create a folder such as: Electric video. Under this folder I create a sub folder and name it: DVD burn This is the folder I select in DVD Arch. In the future when you want to make a copy of the DVD, click Burn only and select the DVD burn folder. As long as the avi is still in the same location, you can burn a copy years form now.

In the Electric video folder, I store all .avi, .jpeg. .veg, and all other files associated with the project. It helps in the future.
bStro wrote on 6/15/2004, 1:30 PM
In the future when you want to make a copy of the DVD, click Burn only and select the DVD burn folder. As long as the avi is still in the same location, you can burn a copy years form now.

Hm? If you're burning copies from the prepared DVD folder, you don't need the AVI.

Rob
bbrooks wrote on 6/16/2004, 6:04 AM
Rob,
I was wondering just that. Is the only thing I need to burn the DVD the prepared DVD folder with the Video & Audio folders within?

Brandon
bStro wrote on 6/16/2004, 7:14 AM
Correct. The VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders have the final, fully prepared DVD content. For the purpose of burning more DVDs, you only need those two folders and their content (AUDIO_TS is left empty, but keep it anyhow). Once you're satisfied with the DVD, the original AVI, MPEG, etc files are no longer needed.

If you want to change anything in the project (add content, edit the menus, etc), then you would need the source material. (Actually, you could rip the content from the DVD and fiddle with it, but that can be a hassle.)

Rob
bbrooks wrote on 6/16/2004, 10:24 AM
#1 How would you rip the content from the DVD
#2 Would it be a compressed (mpeg-2) format - this would make for lossy edits.

Brandon
bStro wrote on 6/16/2004, 10:47 AM
1. Might be able to just copy the files with Windows Explorer. Some people find success, some do not. You can also try SmartRipper, though it's a bit "illegal" 'cause it also works with copyrighted DVDs. The VOB will files will then have to be converted. FlaskMPEG and DVD2AVI are popular tools for this, available on the internet.

2. Correct.

Rob