Double-layer DVD to DVD-R and other questions

[SupaCoopa]

I am a happy man! The company I work for just purchased the Pioneer A03 DVD burner. They bought it as a general file back-up device, but I could use it for DVD authoring occasionally. I would have to author the DVD at home of course and then move some 6GB of files to the office PC using ten or so CD-RWs, a proceduce which I believe should present no problems.

So, let's assume we have a movie on a dual-layer disc, with anamorphic transfer, three Dolby Digital soundtracks, twelve subtitle options and a lot of useless extras. We have ripped the whole DVD on our hard-disk and see that it takes just below 10GB of space. Hmmm, too much for a 4,5GB DVD-R.

So, how do we get rid of all the useless extras, leave just one soundtrack and two subtitle options? We wouldn't care for menus or stuff, but would like to be able to select subtitles via the remote and proceed to next/previous chapter as usual. Is this a matter of deleting some of the ripped files and how do we tell which one we need and which not? If not how do we do it? If the remaining files are less than 4,5 GB is it then just a matter of burning them to a DVD-R or should we re-author it somehow?

If the remaining files are bigger than 4,5 GB I guess we have to re-encode the movie. So we extract the AC3 soundtrack we want and frameserve the movie to TMPEG, load the DVD template and lower the bitrate so that the movie will fit. How do we make a DVD out of them? Is it just a case of using DVD It or Ulead DVD Creator to multiplex AC3 audio and DVD video? And what about subtitles? How do we rip them from the original disc and how do we include them on the final one so as to be able to switch between two options or no subtitles?

I know these are a lot of questions, but I'm so excited and so confused. Unfortunately the A03 came with no DVD-authoring software or manuals to help me and I'm slowly downloading some trial versions to see their capabilities, so any help as to what software is needed is welcome. Also Pioneer states that no "DVD-R For Video" can be recorded with A03. What's this? Will "DVD-R General Data" be able to play like a normal DVD on my Pioneer stand-alone player or not? Is A03 just a file back-up device then?

Thanks for your time!

PS Any DVD authoring/back-up guides out there?

[Baldrick]

please post dvd ripping question in the dvd ripping forum. i'm moving this one.

[vitualis]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-11-08 06:13:30, SupaCoopa wrote:
I would have to author the DVD at home of course and then move some 6GB of files to the office PC using ten or so CD-RWs, a proceduce which I believe should present no problems.</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Have you thought of simply using a removable HDD bay? It would make your life easier...

Regards.

[SupaCoopa]

Vitualis, that's a good tip. The guys at work may not like it too much though.

I'm surprised I got no answer about the other questions. Nobody has tried this yet, or are you just being too bored to answer?!

Anyone....?



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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: SupaCoopa on 2001-11-09 00:57:02 ]</font>

[zed]

Hi,

I can answer one of your questions as I too have the same burner....

Yes you can burn movie files to it and they will play on your set top player. I have converted my holiday video to DVD and it works a treat. Not sure on copying a DVD though cause I dont do that - I think that if a film is worth all that hassle to rip then just go out and buy it!!

Hope this helps

Zed