Why is Authoring Necessary

[jordanbm13]

I was wondering why it was necessary to do any authoring, to create menus, on a backup DVD copy, I would appreciate if someone could answer my question. Thanks.

[Greg12]

It's not "nessisary"


U can simply burn mpeg's under a DVD file structure.

But most people like the menu's and scene selections.


One of the big pushing points of DVD is that u can acesss any scene instantly, unlike VHS were u had to rewind or fast forward.

[Anonymous49854]

I think he may mean why doesnt a DVD copy also copy the menu structures for you

[jordanbm13]

Yea, thats what i mean, why doesnt a backup dvd have the menus, if u put the exact files on the dvd.

[vitualis]

Most DVDs now are dual-layered and make good use of the extra capacity. Your DVD-R disc is only single layered and doesn't have enough capacity to do a 1:1 copy.

Thus, you will probably have to re-encode the main movie +/- other things to fit it onto a DVD-R disc. This would require you to re-author the menus.

Regards.

[mijman]

I think he means that if he's backing up a DVD that is single layer, what happens to the menus and stuff. Are you writing under the correct category?

[djtrixx]

greg12,

How can you burn .mpg under the dvd file structure? and does each file act as it's own chapter?

Thanks

[alkieman]

You can't djtrix. If you simply copy MPEG files to a blank DVD-R what you will end up with is a DVD data disc that contains MPEG files. They will play on your PC of course but the disc will not work in a home DVD player.

You need a DVD Authoring package to create a DVD Video disc. You design the menu(s), create your links and chapters, select what MPEG files to use and the authoring package then creates the correct DVD Video layout. In simple terms your files are converted to DVD standard VOB files by the authoring package and other files are then created that tells your player how to navigate through the disc (the IFO file for example).

If you have an unencrypted DVD video disc that is less than 4.7Gb (actually 4.5Gb due to the different ways PCs and the DVD forum calculate what is 1Gb) then you can simply drag and drop the files to your blank as long as you have selected DVD UDF format in your buring package. DVD Authoring is NOT the same thing as DVD burning and that does confuse a lot of people. DVD burning is the process of simply burning the disc in exactly the same way as you probably currently burn CDs. DVD Authoring is the practice of creating your DVD Video/Audio disc layout. The fact that some authoring packages can burn directly to your DVD-R disc is a bonus.