Splitting Episodic DVDS and keeping the menus?

[Dkreaky]

trying to see if theres a way to do this without using DVD X Copy..

i get a 4 episode DVD disk...

I want the menus (extras i dont care for) but at least the menus to show what episode is what...

is there a way to split it? so i can keep the original menu but just have 2 episodes on each disk?

I dont care if it asks me "insert disk 2" or not.. thats not a big deal.. cause ill know which disk plays what episodes (the wonders of the pen)

i currently use DVDX Copy.. but as we all know.. some episodic disks dont work with it.. and it just takes 2 damn long.. heheh

any advice would be appreciated

[jnk76]

I have never tried this but you can try Instant copy. Exclude the extras and just choose the proper tite for first two episodes. This however will not work for something like sopranos which has 1 title set with 3 or 4 PGC's for the episodes. You would first have to use Ifoedit to strip the movie of just the first two episodes and then change the IFO file of that title set to ignore the first 2 or last two PGS's so that Instant copy will accept the IFO file. It should work then with Instant copy but there will be no "insert disk 2" I don't think there is a guide for this method but if you don't know how to use all the progrmas mentioned then it will next to impossible to do it without a lot of research and playing because I only have given a method but have been vague.

[Dkreaky]

hehe im new to this game

I have used IFO edit.. so i kind of know what yorue talking about..

can you point me any direction for any good IFO edit gudies?

[jnk76]

What are you trying to back-up?

[Dkreaky]

well mainlyh episodic dvds .. i bought ALOT ..

from friends to buffy to sopranos to Oz to whatever..
and want to back them up so i can put these away..

i know each one has its different things..

Buffys seem to be simple since all the VOBS are all on one strand.. but the others i know from what ive read arent so simple so just seeing what advice could give hehehe

[Dkreaky]

I usually do one of 2 things..

1st thing I try -> DVDX Copy... if it works great.. i keep everything it usually willsplit the DVD episodes in hald (so 4 episodes will be split 2 eps per disk)

if that doesnt work I will generally try a dvd2one full disk copy.. if im satisifed with the results.. done deal..

if im not satisfied..

i usually just split 2 episodes per disk..

i do that by using DVD2ONe and using that to split each episode into its on VOB and then using vob edit and ifo edit making 2 episodes per disk.. no menus.. and then just straight burning them to DVD or if its too big then DVD2ONE again

but like i said in an earlier post.. i wonder when im using DVD2ONe to split each epsiode its compressing each episode (even though the episode is less than 4.3 gb) or if DVD2ONE recognizes this and just splits it without compressing...

=(

[jnk76]

Well if you have time and are not in a rush and have CCE I perfer to do this way.

Take sopranos season 1 which has 4 episodes per disk on first three disks.

I encode each episode separetely with DVD2SVCD just changing a few settings to be DVD compliant. Alternatively you could use a new set of programs called DOIT4u, DOCCE4U and REauthorist which uses the Robshot method in CCE. It is supposed to be a bit faster and better quality. I can't see the quality improvement but it is a bit faster.
I tried backing up full disk with there method but I could not get it to work because it had problems with the layer breaks.
So continuing.....you end up with 4 mpv files and 4 ac3 files which I import into Spruce Up. As for menu.......I too like having something to choose from so I just used vobedit to find where the sequence was showing the episodes. Using Ifo edit I ripped out just that vob cell and then encoded that file. Brought into spruce up, played the clip and pressed the use as backround buttom. Applied chapters to files (my own) and then made transparent buttons on top of the episode picture and then linked to proper episode. I can't get Maestro to work and sonic scenarist is way too complicated for me to spend time to learn so this seems the best. For season 2.....the disks with 3 episodes I just used Instantcopy and it did a good job.

Does this help or did I confuse you even more?

[mkelley]

Absolutely use DVDShrink 2.0 (or 2.2 :>)

This is a no-brainer -- it takes me all of a minute total time to set this up. All you have to do is go to the episodes you don't want and turn them to level 8 compression (which turns them into stills) and remove the audio. Let it create the files (about 15 minutes) and then reverse the process for the other episodes. Works perfect on every series disk I've tried (and I have a LOT of series disks).

You'll still have everything else -- the disk will play *exactly* as if it had all the episodes (same quality, extras, everything) except if you select the episodes that you turned into stills they will just play like a slide show. This is without a doubt the best way to go for series work.

[jnk76]

mkelley,

I have not used dvdshrink as of yet but can it determine different PGC codes within a title set and remove separtely? Instant copy can remove title sets but if other title sets use same VTS file and other Title will be removed as well. Does DVDshrink do this as well or not?

[mkelley]

As I said, you're not going to remove anything -- all you're going to do is to change the episodes you don't want into still images. DVDShrink allows you to preview what you're doing (has a great preview window that plays what you highlight), so if it is at all possible to find those episodes, DVDShrink will allow you to... shrink them.

Just go ahead and try it -- it's freeware, it won't hurt your machine, and will only cost you a total of 20 minutes or so to test a disk completely out (it doesn't have burning software, so you'll create the VIDEO_TS folder and drop all the files into that and burn if you want, or just preview with PowerDVD).

I'll bet you good money it's exactly what you've been looking for.

[GreyDeath]

I used Instant copy to do a disc with 4 eps, splitting 2 for each disc. It included the menus which was a suprise. Selecting a feature that you didn't copy to the DVD-R just ends up not working, it doesn't freeze or crash, which was also a suprise.

[jnk76]

Instant copy will only do it that way if the episodes are on different titles and on different VTS. Many episode disks have same Title with different PGC's. so Instant copy will not do those. I am however interested to see if DVDshrink can do it. Currently I was only able to do it in IFOedit.

[Dkreaky]

thanks yall for all your replies.. DEFINITELY HELPFUL and if anyone else wants to add anything thanks in advance !