Is DVD authoring necessary?

[insaprsr]

Are there any standalone DVD players that can play dvd's with mpeg2 files on TV?
As a newbie, deciding how I'm going to save things on dvd, I'm wondering whether it's worth converting mpeg2 or any other files to audio_ts/video_ts so they can be played on current standalone dvd players, rather than just burning the mpeg2 or whatever files directly on a dvd, and getting lots more material on each dvd. Other than being playable on most (all?) standalones so you can watch on tv instead of just pc, is there any quality issue or anything I'm not thinking of that makes going the audio_ts/video_ts route preferable? In some cases I want to store footage to edit later, or I may want just to store finished product that I'd like to watch.

[888888]

I faced the same dilemma. Luckily, my Magnavox DVD player plays MPEG-iso so I could just dump 20 TV episodes on DVDR and forget about it. As I understand it, most DVD players do not support this feature. My Panasonic does not. I do not believe there is any quality difference and your decision should be determined by your own player.

Good luck!

[Roderz]

There are lots of dvd players that will play mpeg files stright of a dvd without authoring (known as iso mode - all 3 or mine do, but some better than others) check the players list on the left it has this covered.

[tmw]

Although I'm a definite newbie, my mintek (cheap purchase from Best Buy) DVD player and my in-laws Cyberhome (again, cheap purchase from Best Buy) DVD player will both play mpeg2 video burned to data CDs. I haven't tried DVD yet, but I did have problems while trying to burn the DVD structure without the iso thing.

This is appealing to me because my camera records MPEG2 files, and I can preview them on the DVD, or give the in-laws simple, easy to burn discs without having to worry much. However, I hope to make a regular habit of burning DVD in video format once I become more proficient.

[Craig Tucker]

and getting lots more material on each dvd

Just because you burn your mpeg2 files as data to a DVD does not mean you are going to fit a lot more video to a disc than a properly authored disc. Authoring does use up some space but it is pretty insignificant.

[insaprsr]

So, other than the menus and features (who needs 'em!!), there seems to be no good reason to mess around with DVD authoring unless you've got to produce a dvd that will play in ANYONE'S player?

[housepig]

So, other than the menus and features (who needs 'em!!), there seems to be no good reason to mess around with DVD authoring unless you've got to produce a dvd that will play in ANYONE'S player?

if you have a player that will play raw mpeg-2 files, and you're happy with the function and look, then no, there's no reason to author.

although personally, I do full authoring jobs - if my dvd player breaks down, I don't have to worry about searching for another one that plays raw mpegs, I can pick up most any player and know that my discs will work.

and realistically, authoring a basic dvd takes about 10 minutes, including compiling.

[insaprsr]

and realistically, authoring a basic dvd takes about 10 minutes, including compiling

I downloaded some funky old public domain productions on MPEG2 from the Prelinger archive (they also have MPEG4 downloads as an option, wondering if that's better, just went with the MPEG2 because it might be more 'standard' and less hassle), and the Roxio EZ v6 DVD Builder had no problem authoring them, but I tried DVD-Lab and got all sorts of messages about the sound being 44.1 instead of 48, and some problem with frame size, and other stuff, and when I just took the same files and was going to burn them as MPEG2's right on the DVD, I would have had a lot of room left over for more material, whereas the roxio burn pretty much used the whole dvd.
So, rightly or wrongly, the whole thing of authoring looks like an unnecessary PITA to me, but I'm a newbie and just wanted to be certain I wasn't overlooking something important.

[lordsmurf]

Authoring the movie only. It'll add a few under-1MB files (IFO/BUP). You can do a no-menu author in TMPGENC DVD AUTHOR. I do this ALL THE TIME on my movies I transfer from VHS, and is just one movie per disc.

[flemming kristiansen]

Beware that you cannot burn mpeg2 files larger than 2GB as data. If you dont author youll miss the chapters to jump from step to step on the DVD. Ill highly recommend to author and the whole process is done in less than ½ hour for a full DVD with a modern PC.

Flemming

[Craig Tucker]

and realistically, authoring a basic dvd takes about 10 minutes, including compiling

I downloaded some funky old public domain productions on MPEG2 from the Prelinger archive (they also have MPEG4 downloads as an option, wondering if that's better, just went with the MPEG2 because it might be more 'standard' and less hassle), and the Roxio EZ v6 DVD Builder had no problem authoring them, but I tried DVD-Lab and got all sorts of messages about the sound being 44.1 instead of 48, and some problem with frame size, and other stuff, and when I just took the same files and was going to burn them as MPEG2's right on the DVD, I would have had a lot of room left over for more material, whereas the roxio burn pretty much used the whole dvd.
So, rightly or wrongly, the whole thing of authoring looks like an unnecessary PITA to me, but I'm a newbie and just wanted to be certain I wasn't overlooking something important.

Your software is obviously encoding to DVD compliant mpeg2 files as well as authoring, as the files you have downloaded are not DVD compliant. This explains the difference in size, you are not just authoring but also encoding at a higher bitrate, thus increasing the size of the mpeg2 files. You could burn the mpeg2 files thar roxio is producing unauthored as raw data and it would still take up more room on the disc than your original non compliant files.

[insaprsr]

You could burn the mpeg2 files thar roxio is producing unauthored as raw data and it would still take up more room on the disc than your original non compliant files.

I think I understand what you are saying--roxio made the files be OK for 'authored' dvd, and that made them bigger. Just breaking 'em up into separate audio_ts and video_ts files doesn't add that much bulk.
Now, the question is, can I or should I save these 'skinny' NON-compliant files to dvd, and if not, why not?

[Craig Tucker]

Sure you can just burn them to DVD as data, whether they will play in your or any other DVD player is a different matter. You will just have to test it and see. If the quality of these files is not great then consider making a DVD-VCD. This will allow you to fit a lot more video on 1 disc and the player compatability will be far far greater than burning the files you have as data.