Can you copy entire DVD contents?? (menus and all)

[CanadianZ]

I was wondering if I could back up my DVD's on to DVD+-R(W)'s, but have the entire disc copy. So when I put the back-up in my DVD player it starts up at the menu and you can select a scene or watch out takes or special features just like the original or is it just the video that gets copied on to the disc.

I am new to DVD burning and haven't even bought a burner yet. I am just trying to learn as much as I can. Thanks for the help.

CanadianZ

[hech54]

If it's not a DVD9 you certainly can. If the original DVD is "of normal size" - 4.7gig.....you're actually better off using freebie software like DVDDecrypter in ISO Read/ISO Write modes and.....go to town.

[CanadianZ]

I believe DVD9 is a dual layer DVD format which holds twice the amount or information as a single layer DVD, correct?? How do you tell if a DVD is DVD9?? My DVD burner should recognize that, right??

Now its going to be just a matter of time before the home computer user can burn dual layer DVD's. Will that require an upgrade of the burner, software or discs?? (will current DVD burners be able to burn dual layer discs)

Thanks for the reply!!

CanadianZ

[Vejita-sama]

Short answer is that when/if (it looks more like when these days) dual layer burners come out your will have to buy new hardware and new media.

As for backing up a DVD9 disc with the full menu/extras see the guides you have two basic choices:

1) Compress DVD9 to fit on single DVDR
2) Spilt DVD9 to 2x DVDR discs

You can compress but either re-encoding (better quaility but lots of steps) or transcoding (various one click programs exists). You can re-encode with TMPGenc or CCE, then re-author the DVD. Or use a transcoder like: DVD Shrink (freeware), Instant Copy, DVD2One, DVD95copy, etc.

You can spilt the DVD (and keep menus) using DVD Fab (freeware), ISOEdit, DVD2One and some other programs.

It's all to the left in the guides, or in the guides at http://www.doom9.org