Help with DOTX

[JJOD]

Just bought my copy of DOTX and tried to burn a DVD. Failed on the first try. Came across this forum thread which warned against just dragging the VIDEO_TS folder over to Toast to burn. Following instructions to create a "new DVD" in Toast and dragging the VIDEO_TS folder to this as well as adding an AUDIO_TS folder (but making sure not inside the VIDEO folder) I tried again --- another coaster. When I try to play it in my Mac I get a "can't find valid media file" message. If I try just to play the VIDEO_TS from the desktop in the Mac DVD player it works fine.

I've already paid for my copy of DTOX and am not happy that I'm unable to burn a usable disk. I'm out of thoughts on this---can somebody please help. I don't want to burn more coasters.

[schmeg]

Have you been able to burn anything successfully in the past?

Are you sure that you're using the right media for your drive (DVD-R and DVD+R are different things)?

Does Toast appear to burn correctly, and complete the verification process with no errors?

When you play your new disk on your Mac using Apple's DVD Player, are you sure you're opening the VIDEO_TS directory on the disk, and not just opening the root folder on the DVD (which will give you that error message)?

[JJOD]

The Disk itself won't play on the Mac either. What I can play is the original VIDEO_TS folder created by DTOX. I'm using Verbatim DVD-R media on a SuperDrive, but I don't think that's the problem. If I prepare for a burn but instead create a disk image and then mount that, that won't play either. It must be something I'm doing with Toast. I note that there are desktop folders created in the AUDIO_TS folder and I can't delete them. Is that the problem?

[TugBoat]

On your hard drive, try placing the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders inside another folder named the same as the original disc. Your new folder should now have the same structure as the original disc, compare them. Now drag the new folder to the empty Toast DVD window. Do NOT press the 'New DVD' button. Make a Toast image and see what happens.

[JJOD]

I did as you asked and made a disk image, which then wouldn't mount. So I inserted the original DVD and compared the VDEO_TS folders. Here there was a discrepancy. The original had 22 files in the folder and the copy only 17. I don't understand where this problem would have occurred (DVDBackup or DTOX) and why the VIDEO_TS folder would still play fine by itself in the Mac DVD player.

Looks like I'm at an impass. I'll probably have to go to my credit card company to dispute the charge since it seems it's not working for me. I'm really disappointed as it seems to be so highly rated.

[phillip9]

Judd: Do this...After you have created the VIDEO_TS folder, create an empty folder called AUDIO_TS. Now place these two folders in a folder having any name you like ... so long as it is all caps. I simply call this folder DVD_DISC. This is the folder to drag into Toast in order to make the burn. After dragging into Toast open the folder to make sure it has the vob. (etc.) files in it. The hierarchy is this:

DVD_DISC
AUDIO_TS
VIDEO_TS

(The AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS folders are inside the DVD_DISC icon.)

But before you burn any DVD always try running your movie using Apple's DVD Player. If Apple's DVD player doesn't play it, it's no good. If it does play it, it should burn properly.c

• n.)

[TugBoat]

If the difference is in the number of VOB files that's normal. DTOX compresses the .VOB files therefore, in the compressed version there's fewer files than the original. But the .BUP and .IFO files remain the same. I believe your problem is in the STRUCTURE itself. As in, a main folder named the same as the original containing a VIDEO_TS folder (which contains the .VOB, .BUP, .IFO files) and an empty AUDIO_TS folder. The Image not mounting is troublesome. I suggest beginning again from scratch, try reinstalling Toast. Believe me, the Programs WORK, something on your end is amiss.

[jazzman]

It ain't DETOX I can assure you of that. You used DVD Backup to get your VIDEO_TS folder that you are target selecting with DTOX correct? Before you opened DTOX you created a destination folder titled same as the DVD with no blank spaces (use a "_") in the name? You checked the "make video_ts folder" option before you hit DTOX's start button? You added a blank AUDIO_TS folder into the title folder before dragging into the Toast window? You selected and cleared any ".ds" files that appeared in the Toast window after dragging but before burning? I have never had a single failure with DTOX. I have had maybe three DVD titles that crashed DVD Backup (and OSex worked on those).

[JJOD]

First, I'd like to thank you all for your help. I'm grateful that there are so many folks out there that would take the time to help me out. I think the best advice right now is just to start the project over and try again. I'm at work now, but I'll be back to you after I give this another try.
Thanks again.

[JJOD]

Let me try going through the steps I went through to see if you can find out at what point I went wrong:

Backed up the dvd using DVDBackup 1.3 to a folder on the desktop called VIDEO_TS. This folder would play in Mac DVD player. Then processed this in DTOX as "Disk Copy" to another folder I named "VIDEO_TS" in my documents folder. This folder, too, also plays on the DVD player.

I then created a folder on my desktop with the name of the movie in caps (with addition to the title of "DISK_1" as it is a 2 disk set), dragged the VIDEO_TS folder to that and created an empty AUDIO_TS folder and placed it in the Movie folder as well. So on my desktop is the folder
MOVIE_DISK_1
VIDEO_TS
AUDIO_TS
I noted that inside the VIDEO_TS folder there is a "DS" file.
Now I dragged this over to TOAST, making sure DVD is selected under the "Other" menu and click "burn". I also notice at this point, if the AUDIO_TS folder is open, 2 Desktop files appear inside it.
Burns successfully, but won't play in any DVD player or the Mac either.

Where did I go wrong, so I can try it again tonight?

And thanks again for all your help and patience -- I want to use this software.

[AntnyMD]

Are you allowing Toast to verify the burn once it's finished burning? I found that, until I ran a disk repair utility on my external drive, that the burn would appear successful (at 2x) but the verification would always fail (meaning I had a bad disc). I started burning the DVDs at 1x (even Apple brand DVD-R) until I could get the disk repair utility to fix things. Burning at 1x, although slower, never created a coaster.

[jazzman]

I am pretty sure that DVD Backup and DVD2ONE create their own VIDEO_TS folders so I would let them do that on their own. You just have to create the title and AUDIO_TS folders. Get rid of any ".ds" files with the "clear" command in the Toast menu. I would use a DVD-RW until you get it right. It should all come natural after a few successful backups.

[JJOD]

Success!
I just want to thank all that responded. I probably would've given up without your help and insights. There are so many things that can go wrong along the process, it was hard to determine where I made the mistake. I'd like to post where I think I went off track in case it might help somebody else.

I should've created a destination folder for the processed DTOX file 1st. I should've made sure this folder had EXACTLY the same name as the original disk. Then when I started DTOX I should've specified this folder to put the VIDEO_TS folder into, then put the empty AUDIO_TS folder into this, drag to Toast and burn.

Well, only made 2 coaster to get it right--not bad. Thanks everyone, again.

[galactica]

Yet again how important proper burning methods can be for playback on standalone dvd players.

for those wandering down to this part, here's a detailed HOW TO for proper burning
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=156359