How Do I Combine Files from One DVD And Another to Create Single DVD?

[sonicdeth]

Here's what I need to do; I have 2 DVD's - they're regular DVD-R discs, nothing official. The 2 DVD's consist of a concert, but one half of the concert is on 1 DVD, and the other half of the concert is on the other DVD. I just want to be able to combine these into one file so that I can then author it into a single DVD so the show is contained all on one DVD rather than 2. Is there a way to do this without losing any quality? Since they're DVD's I guess the files are considered .VOB or that's just the same as mpeg2 since these are DVD's correct? Any info on how to do this task would be a big help. Thanks a lot.

[Baldrick]

Several ways.

You can use DVD shrink using the reauthoring mode, http://www.dvdshrink.info/re-author-v3beta5-advanced.php

Or with tmpgenc authoring works.

Or if you would like to keep menus use dvdremake.

Or demux the dvd to video and audio streams and reauthor in dvdstyler, guifordvdauthor, etc.

[Baldrick]

Or avstodvd. It wont reconvert either.

[misermidas]

You wll have to re-encode your videos to reduce their size.Quality loss will come from that.Since these are concert videos ,it would be better not to re-encode the sound track.
In DVD shrink, you can ask for an "analysis" , it will make a two pass re-encoding , it is slower but will give better picture quality.

[manono]

You wll have to re-encode your videos to reduce their size.

Not necessarily, if they'll fit on a dual-layer DVD and if sonicdeth is planning to use a dual-layer DVDR.

In DVD shrink, you can ask for an "analysis" , it will make a two pass re-encoding , it is slower but will give better picture quality.

DVDShrink will perform a 'transcode', not a full 'reencode'. They are two very different things.

[Cornucopia]

You need to first see how large the 2 deconstructed (mpg) media files actually are. If BOTH are maxing out each disc, you can't even fit it onto a Dual-layer disc without shrinking/transcoding/re-encoding it.

Scott

[Baldrick]

I just assumed that they were small enough for one dvdr or dvdrdl...or else must you of course shrink AND you will lose some quality.

[V Bot]

What about using Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD? Combine the two with no interruption. Export. May have to use a Dual Layer DVD. Someone please tell me if this would be a good option.

[Cornucopia]

At a glance, I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Scott

[sonicdeth]

I should specify more as to what I've got: The first DVD contains 2 titles, the 2nd title is the one that I want. I guess it's good that it's broken down into titles, it'll be easier to snag what I need. The other DVD contains 1 title and I need the whole video of that. Each title is maybe 45-47 minutes long.
So far I have copied the whole VIDEO_TS file of each DVD to my computer. So they contain the VOB files..... Now, a VOB file from a DVD is essentially an mpeg2 file, correct? My question is - shouldn't I just be able to grab the VOB files that I need, that contain the footage that I want, then combine them? I use Linux OS (Ubuntu specifically) and I believe it's fairly easy to merge files via command line in terminal. Anyway, if I merged them and of course if the space is 4.7 GB or under, I could author into a new DVD? There's a simple DVD authoring program for linux called Devede, and it has an option that let's you tell the program that "these files are already DVD compliant format," therefore no need to transcode/re-encode, therefore not losing any quality.

Would this process work?

[Cornucopia]

If it were me doing it, I would do it like this:
1. Decrypt to ISO discimage on HDD (AnyDVD, DVDFabHDDecrypter, DVDDecrypter, etc).
2. Mount ISO and then using DVDDecrypter, in IFO mode choose movie/title and demux to raw/elementary streams
3. Remux to standard MPG in Imago.

or

1. Same as before
2. In DVDShrink, Re-author mode, select movie/title and (at 100%, aka no re-compression) re author to new discimage
3. Use VOB2Mpg to get standard MPGs (single file).

There are a few other ways, too.

Note: VOBs are not IDENTICAL to MPG, they have other things added and are packetized differently, though many apps don't seem to care. But if you are trying to get a good combo disc done correctly, don't skimp on this - remux it correctly to standard MPG2-PS container (or just as raw/elementary streams). Use those as source files for re-authoring, either via Womble MPEG editor then DVDAuthorGUI then ImgBurn, or something similar.

I've written about this before: for truly & strictly legit media files (with most compatibility) one SHOULD NOT use simple binary merge techniques (it doesn't follow strict byte packetizing rules of the container, includes duplicate or conflicting headers, etc). That's what editors are for.

Scott

[johnnyquest]

You should be able to use dvdfab and copy both discs to your hard drive, then use avi joiner or any other video joiner to make one then burn to dvd.

[sonicdeth]

What about using Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD? Combine the two with no interruption. Export. May have to use a Dual Layer DVD. Someone please tell me if this would be a good option.

Looks like this program costs $, I'm looking to go free. Thanks anyway though for the info.

[sonicdeth]

If it were me doing it, I would do it like this:
1. Decrypt to ISO discimage on HDD (AnyDVD, DVDFabHDDecrypter, DVDDecrypter, etc).
2. Mount ISO and then using DVDDecrypter, in IFO mode choose movie/title and demux to raw/elementary streams
3. Remux to standard MPG in Imago.

or

1. Same as before
2. In DVDShrink, Re-author mode, select movie/title and (at 100%, aka no re-compression) re author to new discimage
3. Use VOB2Mpg to get standard MPGs (single file).

There are a few other ways, too.

Note: VOBs are not IDENTICAL to MPG, they have other things added and are packetized differently, though many apps don't seem to care. But if you are trying to get a good combo disc done correctly, don't skimp on this - remux it correctly to standard MPG2-PS container (or just as raw/elementary streams). Use those as source files for re-authoring, either via Womble MPEG editor then DVDAuthorGUI then ImgBurn, or something similar.

I've written about this before: for truly & strictly legit media files (with most compatibility) one SHOULD NOT use simple binary merge techniques (it doesn't follow strict byte packetizing rules of the container, includes duplicate or conflicting headers, etc). That's what editors are for.

Scott

Thanks for all the info. I have a question. Since I have the both VIDEO_TS folders on my computer already couldn't I just do this step:
-use VOB to MPG to get standard mpg's (single file)

But since It's 2 DVD's I would have to do this process for each disc... is there an easy way to merge the mpg's together after this (I assume this will give me 2 separate single mpg's for each DVD)? Also, is there a free program that can cut mpg's without quality loss in case I need to do that as well?

[Baldrick]

Did you try devede? Or maybe dvd styler?

They shouldn't reconvert dvd compliant streams.

You can cut mpeg2 with mpg2cut2....ugly and complex interface though.

[sonicdeth]

Did you try devede? Or maybe dvd styler?

They shouldn't reconvert dvd compliant streams.

You can cut mpeg2 with mpg2cut2....ugly and complex interface though.

I may need to cut mpg's, thanks for the tool, hopefully it isn't too hard to use. I have Devede, but I don't think that will allow me to merge the 2 mpgs into one would it? They don't reconvert, at least I kow that devede doesn't.

Do you happen to know a free program that can join 2 mpeg's?

[sonicdeth]

This turned out to be easier than I thought. Thanks Cornucopia for recommending Vob2Mpg - I used that to extract the mpg's, I have a DVD ready to burn - just need to go out today and buy a dual layer DVD though! I don't really want to shrink it and risk losing quality.

[Georgiosp]

is there an alternative program to VOB2MPG i have a problem it does not work in Windows 8 64bit

thank you very much