2 Films on one DVD-9

[JoNty]

Just a few questions.

1: Are blank DVD-9's available.

2: Is it possible with DVD Decrypter and/or IFOEdit to decrypt and burn 2 films onto 1 DVD-9, if in theory they should fit?

I'd like to try and put 2 average sized films onto one DVD, retaining the video quality. Subtitles (unless used for alien language translation, such as Star Trek DVDs) and extra stuff such as menus, interviews etc can be spared for extra space. If AC3 audio can be converted to MPEG then that also should help. Can that be done?

Any help appreciated.

[jsnkc]

No, burnable DVD 9's are not available to buy, and there are no drives that will burn them. DVD 9's must be replicated from a glass master. The closest thing you will get is a double sided DVD-R wich will allow you to record the standard 4.37GB on each side. You can then burn one movie on each side of the disc, but it won't be a seamless playback, you will have to flip the disc if you want to watch the movie on the other side.

[JoNty]

That's not too bad.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[JoNty]

Don't soppose you'd know how to do what I'm trying to do but on one side?

[jsnkc]

You'd probably have to have to encode the video at a 352X240 resolution in order to get 2 movies to fit on 1 DVD. I've seen where people get around 5 hours or so on 1 DVD-R although I have never done it myself due to the poor quality of the final product.

[JoNty]

I thought it might be possible to join two films together with IFOEdit and/or VOBEdit.

Anyone know if this can be done?

[yongkuk]

You can put 2 films on one DVD, BUT try to choose short films with lowish bitrates. I put 2 john carpenter films together and it looks good, however you are going to lose a bit of quality. Rip both films, to two folders, using DVD decrypter, compress both movies down using DVDshrink or DVD2one (set the size to about 2.1 GB). Get rid of everything in the folders apart from your VOBs. Next rename your second set of VOB files to follow your first set (if you have VTS_1_1 to VTS_1_5, rename your second set VTS_1_6 to whatever you need). Once you have all the VOBs named stick them all into one folder. Fire up IFOEDIT and write a new .IFO for your VOB set. Even if the films have different aspect ratios the picture will switch between them. If you really want something to do try to figure out how to put a menu structure on it.

[Gazorgan]

You can encode at 1/2D1 and probably do it. Use 1 audio track only, and a simple menu? Should be good for 4+ hours.

[JoNty]

This should give me something to do tommorow on my day off.

Can chapters be removed with either DVD Decrypter or IFOEdit?

[Donny661]

You mentioned earlier about converting ac3 audio to mp2. Don't bother. mp2 is worse quality than ac3 at the same bitrates. If you want to save some space maybe convert the 5.1 audio, which is either 384kbps or 448kbps, usually, to a 2 channel ac3 at 192kbps, or, better yet, use the 2 channel audio provided wich is usually at 192kbps.

Also, 352x480 doesn't nessesarily mean poor quality. It just means less resolution so the picture won't be as sharp, but, in reality, it will have much less noise because if you have less pixels you will have more bits/pixel. Furthermore, to put 2, 90-minute movies on 1 dvd would take about 3100kbps, with 192kbps audio, which you could manage 720x480 resolution with a good encoder (tmpg or cce not the crappy all in one dvd copy programs). Any more minutes I would suggest you use 352x480.

[JoNty]

Thanks. All of this is helping.

If a 2 chan AC3 exists on the film I'll be using that, but I will convert a 5.1 chan AC3 to 2 chan if needed.