Dvd-A Copying? also Cd-r dvd-r help needed

[fab98]

Hey, has anyone been able to copy a DVD-A disk and burn to DVD-r yet? I know there are very few DVD-A people out there, but if someone knows i would appreciate any info on it.
..Now to the point of why I need it. I had two data Cd-r's and a dvd-a disk that were placed too close to a radiator and the reflective layer "shrinky dinked" up so there are gaps in the disk.. There are no scratches on them but nothing can read them. Is there any way to replace the reflective layer or "fake" one so at least I can get some important data of the cd-r's? Thanks!!!!

[AntnyMD]

My guess is if you can't get your DVD-ROM drive to read the DVD-A, you won't be able to copy it.

However, if the disc is unencrypted (and I'm not sure what encryption scheme, if any, has been employed on the content in the AUDIO_TS folder), you should be able to copy it as you would any unencrypted DVD Video or DVD data disk. Give it a try.

[fab98]

Well it can read the disk fine (at least the non-screwed up one).. but I think there is watermarks and DEcss2 for copy protection on most if not all DVD-A Disks.

[[*]_BonKerS_[*]]

I would like to know if you ever were able to copy that disk. I just got a DVD-A disc and would like to copy it so I can have a backup (these things are pricey!) but the DVD Backup 1.3 program only seems to rip the VIDEO_TS file.

The computer reads and plays (in 5.1 through optical out) the disc just fine. But copying is unknown. THx.

[AntnyMD]

You could always choose to just back up the VIDEO_TS folder (which contains a stereo and/or multichannel compression of the content in the AUDIO_TS folder).

The thing I would try, if I had a DVD-A settop, would just do a straight disc copy of the entire thing then try to play it back in the DVD-A settop and see what happens.

[[*]_BonKerS_[*]]

Okay, I just made a perfect copy of the DVD-A disc (on a mac). The copy protection was seriously a joke.

DRAG the AUDIO_TS to the deskop, wait until it copies (20 minutes for a 2.8 gig folder), yes thats right, it will copy directly to the desktop with no problem.

Then do whatever you normally do to rip the VIDEO_TS file off, this is actually encoded just like a video dvd.

Now you have your AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS. Drop them in your burning program and if you did everything correctly it will work just fine as mine did.

[AntnyMD]

I couldnt help but say this ... Most of the users here who seem to have all the answers to everything learned much of what they know by Just Trying It Out.

So let this be a lesson: Just Do It.

[fab98]

No you didn't. you just copied the DVD-V portion of the disc

[[*]_BonKerS_[*]]

I used "Bjork - Vespertine," are you using a mac or a PC? PCs might be a little funkier than Macs to rip DVD-A on. However, if you are on a PC there are DVD-A ripping programs I believe.

[fab98]

look below

[fab98]

delete

[[*]_BonKerS_[*]]

Hmm, is the problem in the copying of the whole DVD or the playing of it?

I am using my G5 as one source and my PS2 as another source. They both are connected via the optical out and play in 5.1.

[fab98]

...... Wait a second, the PS2 and your G5 dont play the DVD-A part of DVD discs. Thats why it is working for you.. Try sticking it in a DVD-A player and I bet it will choke on you.

You arent copying the DVD-A tracks at all, only the DVD-V with the audio streams.Your PS2 and G5 DVD player totally ignore the AUDIO_TS folder, so there is no point to copying it (Plus as I have found out, the AUDIO_TS folder is copy protected as I suspected, so if you had a DVD-A player it wouldn't work).

[[*]_BonKerS_[*]]

Hmm... a few things:

1) The size of the copy and the real disc are the same 2.2 gigs. Now unless there is a part of the disc that its simply not reading during ripping (which I don't think is true because the AUDIO_TS folder was the same size on both discs) then maybe that is one reason the copy is screwing up. But this would then mean that the copy is a dud which I don't believe it is.

2. Maybe your DVD-A player can't read copies? I know that my first DVD player wouldn't play CDRs. Will it not load at all?

3. I thought DVD-A discs were supposed to work in all dvd players, what the hell is this DVD-Audio player crap?!

[fab98]

Well.. DVD-AUDIO is a somewhat new format , that has been out for the past few years. DO a search and you will find out all the info on it.
It plays in all dvd-players, but YOU CANT ACCESS the DVD AUDIO ( The high resolution lossless compressed audio) portion of the disc without a special DVD_Audio player. With a regular DVD player, you get the either AC-3 audio stream, a DTS signal, or just plain old PCM audio files but NOT THE MLP packed dvd-audio files.

So you can copy the audio_ts folder... It just does nothing without a DVD-A player. And with a DVD-A player, it senses the copy and rejects it, because of the uncracked DECSS2 and watermarking copy protection.

http://www.disctronics.co.uk/technology/dvdaudio/dvdaud_copyprot.htm.

[Lynx_TWO]

OK.

DVD-Audio disks use a format called MLP, or Meridian Lossless Packing (it's a mathematically lossless format) to encode either 5.1 channels of audio at 24-bit 96000 Hz, or 2 channels of audio at 24-bit 192000 Hz. Many DVD players do not support this high-resolution audio format. Many DVD-Audio disks also contain Dolby Digital AC3 files encoded at 480 Kbps (the same format used for movies.) Your DVD player will default to this sh-tty low-end Dolby Digital compressed format if it does not support DVD-Audio decoding. By the way. All the DVD players that support DVD-Audio only support Analog out for copyright reasons. So if you are serious about DVD-Audio, by yourself a good pair of Viper Interconnects from Audioquest (www.audioquest.com). About $200 a pair for 1.5 meters, they are well worth it. Believe me, you will hear sound as you never heard it before!

About copying DVD-Audio? Use DVDBackup or DVDDecryptor. Then use Toast to burn. Violas! I'm a genius!

[[*]_BonKerS_[*]]

God, that is so stupid to have a digital format with analogue output. I mean, sure piracy is rampant, but why ruin it for the people that actually want to invest in this high quality format.

Although what you have said may clear up a few things that I was wondering while listening to my Bjork DVD-A...

1) It didn't sound that special, so it must have been reverting to the AC3 track, but is the DVD-A REALLY that much better?

2) Is the Bjork CD mastered well? I mean, I am listening to it on a JBL soundsystem that was basically a home theater in a box (it was like a $500 sound system though and yes I know that you can spend upwards of $400,000 on a 'good' home theater setup).

3. How much do DVD-Audio players normally cost? I don't think that I am going to be purchasing another expensive dvd player until they produce 1080i HD quality and have DVI-D output, but I'm still curious.

[Lynx_TWO]

Well, it all depends on your point of view. I personally prefer the analog output simply because it adds a warmth to the audio that digital does not have. To me, the optical ouput sounds too sterile. There is no character, life, or feeling to the sound.

As far as DVD-Audio sounding better.

The bottom line is that you won't hear the difference between DVD-A and CD with the system you have now. My personal advice is that, if you have the money and desire to upgrade your system. Go with either the this system:

www.psbspeakers.com

PSB Image 5T ($799) Floorstanding Speakers
PSB Image 8C ($299) Center Channel
PSB Image 10S ($749) Bipolar Surround Speaker
PSB Image SubSonic 6 ($649) Subwoofer

www.nadelectronics.com

NAD T752 A/V Reciever ($899) Reciever/amplifier

At a combined price of $3399 (and that is list price) you won't be able to find a better system for the money.

If you dont want to spend that much, go with four PSB Alpha Bs ($249 a pair) an Alpha C ($229), an Alpha SubSonic 5 ($449) and the NAD T752 ($899).

At a combined price of only $2075, this is also an amazing-sounding system.

[Lynx_TWO]

Oh, one thing I forgot: You can have the highest-resolution audio in the world, but if the recording artist doesn't know what he is doing (and believe me, a lot of them don't) you are not going to get the potential of DVD-Audio.

You can trust me on this one. I definitely speak from experience!

[AntnyMD]

Many DVD-Audio disks also contain Dolby Digital AC3 files encoded at 480 Kbps (the same format used for movies.) Your DVD player will default to this sh-tty low-end Dolby Digital compressed format if it does not support DVD-Audio decoding.

When did Dolby Digital audio go from being largely the standard in motion pictures throught the 1990s, to being shitty and low end?