mp4 files in folder backup to dvd?

[ghola]

I just got my new LG dvd burner (thanks to those who recommended it) and I have questions...
I have a few folders on my hd that I want to backup to dvd. these folders contain multiple mp4 vids- one folder is almost 20gb.
I have installed imgburn (which seems great but it's a little overwhelming with soooooooooo many options) and the burner came with cyberlink as well.
My questions are: can I copy the large folder as a folder or do I have to copy each file separately? do I have to convert each mp4 file to a dvd format? I had hoped to simply backup the entire folder and then open each file as needed, even if that meant not playing them on a dvd player. iow, keep each file as an mp4 and use media player to open them on my laptop rather than make the dvd playable as a dvd.
if that is possible, will imgburn let me use multiple discs to copy the entire 20gb folder in one process?
I use freemake video converter to convert some files to mp4, and I know it contains an option for converting a file to dvd, but have never used it for that. is there a better free option than freemake?
any help is appreciated, only PLEASE don't throw around a lot of technical terms because as it is I am at the limits of my knowledge on this subject. I did a search for "mp4 to dvd" here and found so many pages and so many unfamiliar terms I think I aged a few years...

[Baldrick]

No, you don't have to convert to dvd-video. You can burn your mp4 files as a DATA disc. In Imgburn select Write Files/folders to a disc. Add entire folders by clicking File->Browse for a source folder (or click on the folder icon with a search icon).

Or maybe get an easier data burning software like BurnAware Free, Nero burning rom, etc. Because imgburn is mainly for copying dvds, making isos.

[ghola]

so I just select "write files/folders to a disc?"
there's no specific DATA setting as opposed to dvd setting? I don't have to change any of the default settings?
also, since it would take several discs to fit the entire 20gb folder, does that mean the files will be spread out in the most efficient way across the discs? or will they be assembled according to name/ the order they are in the folder?
I'm wondering if I should take the time to split the large folder into smaller folders, that way each disc will have its own folder which might make navigating them easier.

[Tom Saurus]

ghola: A lot of Blu ray players will play those files whether they are on Data Discs, USB thumb drives or portable hard drives. I would suggest making five folders and drop four gigabytes worth of files in each folder. Hopefully you have already named the files in the order you want them to play which is alphabetical. What I do is select "Build An Image File" with ImgBurn. After I have my files for the data disc I let ImgBurn create that ISO file and I then burn that to disc and I have chosen in the settings for it to be verified so that I know everything has turned out right.

[ghola]

ghola: A lot of Blu ray players will play those files whether they are on Data Discs, USB thumb drives or portable hard drives. I would suggest making five folders and drop four gigabytes worth of files in each folder. Hopefully you have already named the files in the order you want them to play which is alphabetical. What I do is select "Build An Image File" with ImgBurn. After I have my files for the data disc I let ImgBurn create that ISO file and I then burn that to disc and I have chosen in the settings for it to be verified so that I know everything has turned out right.

having them playable on a dvd/blu ray is not crucial (but would be a nice bonus I guess)
I simply want to clear up space on my hd, make backup copies and also get away from storing files on flash drives (since I had a patriot flash drive die on me recently has made me paranoid)
I would be more than happy with just keeping them in mp4 format and accessing them with windows media player on my laptop off of data dvds.

[Tom Saurus]

ghola: I can understand your viewpoint and please let us know how your project turns out. If you are happy with just playing them on the laptop it is indeed a bonus to be able to play them on the Blu ray player as well.

[ghola]

I just burned a data dvd with imgburn by adding 2 entire folders, worked like a charm!
I can read the mp4s from each folder right off the disc in my laptop.
thanks for the help, you guys rock!
(I was going to make an image file but there wasn't enough free space on my laptop... well, that's what I bought the burner for)

[Tom Saurus]

ghola: I'm glad it worked out. You must have a dual layer blank disc so that you can fit 8 GB on it. It is good to back stuff up and your laptop will benefit from having more free space on it. Also if your laptop has HDMI output you can always hook up to a TV if you want to watch your files on a bigger screen.