Best way to copy episode DVDs

[Hotskillz]

What is the best way to copy dual-layer DVD-9 episode discs onto dvd-5s?

[SaSi]

For some, best is the easiest. For others it's the method with the least quality loss.

The easiest way to do it is with a transcoder, like DVD2One or DVDShrink. Instantcopy is another but I've never tried it.

The hardest way would be to demultiplex each video and audio stream, re-encode them down to the size that would fit in a DVDR and re-author. Too much work.

The bottom line is that re-encoding with a "proper" MPEG encoder (CCE, Tmpgenc, Mainconcept, etc) will most likely give better image quality.

This is what I would do to start with.

Process the DVD files through DVDShrink (v.2.3). Remove any audio tracks and subpictures you don't want, and compress the extras down to level 10. Leave the main episode tracks uncompressed.

This step should turn a ~8 Gb DVD folder down to 6~7.

Next, use DVD2One to transcode the contents down to 4.36.

This should give you an adequate quality disk with the same structure with the original.

If you don't want that and you can author a DVD, then demux the video and audio tracks with smartripper, leave the (probably AC3) soundtracks as is and re-encode the .m2v video feeds to a lower bitrate. 4 episode disks fit well with 3000kbps bitrate. The fast way would be to use MainConcept that accepts the .m2v files. The good (excellent) quality alternative would be to convert to AVI (using hufyuv codec) and feed that to CCE for a 3 pass 200-3000-8000 VBR encoding. Mind you, each episode will result into ~18Gb as AVI. The final MPEG2 willbe ~1Gb for the video + 130Mb for the audio.
An improvement would be to open the .m2v files with VirtualDUB Mod and frameserve them to CCE. Never managed to make this work properly.

Try the fast way first.

[vance43211]

split it to 2 disc with ifoedit

as episode dvd are already compressed

to fit all of them episodes on 1 disc

[txpharoah]

I think it was flaystus that likes the DVDshrink method: Take a disc, leave some episodes uncompressed, make the rest still images. Repeat and change episodes.

I normally use DVD2one myself. Looks good to me.

[jar5000]

This thread might give you some ideas.

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=164634&highlight=