Backing up Dual Layer DVD to 2 discs & retain DVD struct

[steve2713]

I have a simple question and I'm looking for some suggestions. I searched around, but I'm only more uncertain now than before about how best to go about doing it . I just wrote a short fricken novel and when I hit submit I was not logged in , so here I go again... I want to backup my Dual Layer discs to 2 single layer discs, and I want to retain the original DVD structure. I'm hoping to burn them to DVD+DL discs when the prices become affordable. I want to keep backup and restore processes fairly simple and painless, so I'm not to keen on doing complex DVD authoring, etc. The ability to view the 2 DVDs would be a plus, but is not a must. DVDFab sounds interesting, but will it alter the original DVD structure to where it would be a hassle, if not impossible, to restore the original structure of the DVD down the road? Right now I'm considering:

A)simply ripping all files from the original disc, and burning the files to 2 discs. I'd lose the ability to play the discs, but it would be simple

B)ripping the disc as an ISO file, then splitting it into RARs, and maybe using PAR as well to recover the files if I have any read errors (I've never use the PAR thing, yet). This would be more time consuming, but might save my arse if I encounter any read errors.

Is there a way to simply 'blank out' some of the files for each disc so that I could still play parts of each disc? Like I said before, I want to keep things simple - I don't want to get into complex authoring that makes it time consuming to backup and restore the discs. I'm hoping people have some simple suggestions that I've overlooked (I'm sure there are). Thanks a lot in advance

[guns1inger]

I don't think there are any simple ways of splitting it to two disks, keeping all functionality, and then being able to easily put it all back together again afterwards.

The simplest methods I have found (through my own playing) use either DVD Remake, or DVD Shrink. The methods are pretty much the same using either, although each has it's own pros and cons.

Using DVD Remake - load up the movie, and go into Advanced Mode. Disk 1 (Movie) - hide everything not associated with the main feature (extras etc.). Write the contents off to disk somewhere. Reload the movie for Disk 2 (Extras). Do the same as for Disk one, but this time hide anything associated with the main movie.

You know have 2 disks. No transcoding has been done, the the movie may or may not fit onto one disk. If not, run it through Shrink or similar to make it fit.

Using DVD Shrink. You do essentially the same as for DVD Remake, but this time change the compression method for each item to be Still Frame, then browse to you hard drive a load up a black frame you created earlier in Photoshop (or MS paint). Again, do this once for each disk.

The advantage of using Shrink is that you can transcode if necessary to ensure that your contents fit on one disk.

You will probably have to use something more complex like IFOEDIT to put everything back together again down the track, however as you are backing up DVDs that you own, all you really need to do is make a new backup onto DL, rather than trying to rebuild these backs - right ?

[djelimon]

Actually, the latest release of DVDRemake has a join movies feature.

If the movie is biggerr than 4.3 (or whatever) GB, you can use DVDRemake to split the movie as well.

[jimmalenko]

splitting to 2 discs is no problem - it's the joining back up later on that will cause the problems without decent to good authoring software ($$$). I would look at titlesetblanker or vobblanker for the splitting. DVD-lab or DVDRemake can possibly join them back up, but I'm not sure completely.

[jarvis1781]

I want to backup my Dual Layer discs to 2 single layer discs, and I want to retain the original DVD structure. I'm hoping to burn them to DVD+DL discs when the prices become affordable.

Why not just rerip with Decrypter in iso read mode and then burn using iso write mode once you get your dual layer burner? If you have the original to make your 2 single layer disc rips, then surely you will have it to make a single dual layer disc rip.

[MackemX]

it's best you also keep a copy of the original IFO's in a folder on the DVD

as jimmalenko mentions, you can join them again using DVDRemake. It will allow you to import both DVD's and then you can replace whatever you have missing on one DVD with the stuff from the other DVD

As guns1inger said, ou may still have to compress the DVD to split it onto 2 DVD's depending on how you split it

that's why I always say it's simpler just to rip the original DVD again anyway .

p.s. I learnt the hard way with posts as everyone probably does . I always CTRL+A then CTRL+C a post before submitting a post anywhere now. If it get's lost on the way then you still have it on your clipboard

[jeanl]

Here's how I would do it (based on an advice from 2COOL similar to what MackemX mentions).
- I would make a copy of ALL the original IFO files.
- I'd then use titlesetblanker to split to 2 DVDs (use it once for each DVD, blanking titlesets you don't want, but keeping all the menus - don't click anything in the right column). Titlesetblanker will nearly erase the Vobs corresponding to the titlesets you don't want, but other than that, keep the other ones absolutely unchanged, and that's important.

- Merging would be simple: grab the Vob files from both DVDs (chosing the larger ones of course), copy the original IFO files, and the DVD should play as before.

But like MackemX said, best is to rip the original DVD! Unless you no longer have it of course...
Jeanl

[MackemX]

I always wondered what is what when you 'backup' a 'backup' . What if you backup someone else's backup?

you haven't broken the encryption or removed macrovision or made it region free. Let's just say they also removed all the copyright warnings from that DVD

in your eyes it's an unencrypted DVD with no copyright so are you breaking the law?

what if the DVDR disc had no writing on it either?
Is it illegal to copy the data from an unidentified DVDR without even accessing it to play? (to me it's just a disc with IFO/BUP/VOB files)

[steve2713]

Thanks for the suggestions. As to why I can't necessarily count on the originals, many of these discs I'm backing up for my roommate, for his discs (yes, really). He's computer illiterate and has no burner anyway, and he has a nice habit of mistreating his discs (likes to leave them laying around outside of the cases, as well as lending his movies to his friends). I've backed up a few going the RAR route, it is quick but I'm not sure I'll be able to recover the data if it becomes damaged at all, as I tried to use WinRAR's built in error correction, lightly scratched a spot on the disc, and tried to have it fix the file. After 6 hours of disc spinning with nothing seeming to take place, I gave up. So I may have to figure out how to use PAR, or just hope the data is still readable if it ever needs to be recovered.

titlesetblanker is something I'll have to try, as it sounds like it may be a relatively painless manner of accomplishing what I want. I thought about IFOEdit, until I launched the program for the first time! I'm afraid of that program, I'm not familiar enough with DVD structures to risk messing up the discs with that thing. Thanks again for the suggestions