Can extra files be included on a video DVD?

[wharfrat]

Will including other files on a DVD hurt it in any way? I am about to vine a (not commercially available) concert DVD at a live music trading group, and I would like to include an md5 file (type of checksum) in the VIDEO_TS folder so that people who burn copies can be sure their copy is identical to mine. I'd also like to include maybe a text file describing the DVD and a piece of artwork.

Has anyone tried anything like this, and does anyone know if it can affect playback?

Nathan Scott

[andkiich]

As long as you don't put anything in "extra" in the video_ts or audio_ts folder, nothing else should affect the normal DVD playback. I'd make sure and test the finished product on a RW.

[BJ_M]

as andkiich says- you can put anything else you want on a dvd , even extra folders and such or in the root as long as you dont put anything else into the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folder ...

many dvd's have lots in them -- even games and such .

[ImaWeTodd]

Can you put a ".lay" file in the VIDEO_TS folder?

Sorry, had to say that.


wharfrat:

I have actually put a bunch of junk files in the root of some short DVDs, and my sony likes them better that way. Strange, but it works.

[TBoneit]

Yup, I usually make a folder called "Info" that goes into the root of the DVD and put Text files describing the DVD contents there along with any images that pertain to the DVD and any covers I created.

That way later on if I need to recreate the cover I created for a copy of the home Video to hand out to relatives, I just reprint the cover before I copy. Examples trips to FLA. Disnyeworld, Disneyland, Unversal, magic Mountain, New Orleans, Carlsbad Caverns, The Alamo, etc.

I have never had a problem doing this as long as remember to leave room for the Info folder.

Cheers

[wharfrat]

as andkiich says- you can put anything else you want on a dvd , even extra folders and such or in the root as long as you dont put anything else into the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folder ...

many dvd's have lots in them -- even games and such .

Thanks for the responses guys. I thought about this some more last night after I got through posting and decided to try it out. So I put a .txt file, a .jpg file, and a .md5 file on a DVD, all in the VIDEO_TS folder (I hadn't read the responses here yet).

I wrote to an RW of course so as not to waste a disc. When I popped it in my home player (Norcent DP300) it played perfectly, like those extra files weren't even there.

Is this player the exception rather than the rule? I sort of thought that since all the files in VIDEO_TS are referenced in VIDEO_TS.IFO, any extra files would just be ignored when the disc was in playback. Is this a wrong way of thinking about it?

Thanks again for the responses. I'm a little torn here though since you guys are telling me one thing, but I'm seeing another (at least on my player). Any further discussion would be greatly appreciated!

Nathan Scott

[BJ_M]

some players choke on non standerd files in the VIDEO_TS folder - the disk will be unplayable in somecases ..

[dcsos]

Yup you found out you can do a lot without screwing up!
I would put the content outside of the VIDEO TS folders to be sure

although one poster cryptically referred to a "LAY" file
this is placed in VIDEO_TS by SPRUCE AUTHORING
... I don't know if any other authoring packages that add their own propietary files to the VIDEO_TS

But the answer certainly is ADD AWAY..but to those of you that use the authoring application to burn your DVD's directly from the program, you either have to get a kind of authoring that lets you add these files...(EG ROM_CONTENT as its sometimes called) or else use a burn program after your authoring deposits its project on the HARD DRIVE first

[BJ_M]

when you make an image file in maestro -- maestro removes the LAY file ..

otherwise you should remove it yourself ...

you can update the burning engine in maestro to support all pioneer and sony dvd burners ... though i still prefer to use prassi (accually i have to use prassi) to burn maestro image files ..

if you DO want to update the burning engine in maestro -- i'll give you a hint .. it uses the Padus burning engine .. compare both programs and right away you will see which files get replaced .. ( Pfcu*.dll's and ini it appears )

PFC - Padus Foundation Class(TM) ;
; Professional CD & DVD mastering toolkit ;
; Copyright (C) 1996-2003 - Padus, Inc. ;
; All rights reserved ;
;

is what you will need .. i havnt fully played around doing it - so im not going to do a guide on it -- but the info above will get someone going on it .

[Nolonemo]

Yup, I usually make a folder called "Info" that goes into the root of the DVD and put Text files describing the DVD contents there along with any images that pertain to the DVD and any covers I created.

That way later on if I need to recreate the cover I created for a copy of the home Video to hand out to relatives, I just reprint the cover before I copy. Examples trips to FLA. Disnyeworld, Disneyland, Unversal, magic Mountain, New Orleans, Carlsbad Caverns, The Alamo, etc.

TBoneit -- what a great idea, I can't believe it never occurred to me (so freaking smart I am). Thanks so much.