Do you backup the whole disc or just the movie?

[Super Warrior]

On a select few films, I have also used dual layer blanks, instead. These are usually reserved for two disc sets of films where I am especially a fan of the film. This is mostly experimental, while I wait and watch the prices of dual layer media continue to drop. $2.00 per disc is not at all bad, but I will not truly switch over for all of my backups until they cross the $1.00 per disc threshold. Should not be long...

-Bruce

I don't think i'll ever bother with Dual-layer. Single layer/DVD-5 have proven itself plenty great enough.

Maybe in the future when DL media becomes as reliable and cheap as single, then i might switch. As the idea of being able to combine 2 DVD-5's to 1 DVD-9 is neat for compact purposes. Till then naa.

[ybeard]

why would you back up anything other than simply the main movie? If you want to watch the Extras, etc, you can simply pop in the original and do so

Well some would want to preserve the original and not touch it all. Hence backing up everything on the disc.

Ummm, sure. Personally, if I care to watch the extras, I doubt if I watch it more than once. What would be more more important on a DVD that is larger than a DVD-5, menu structure and extras or maximum quality of the main movie. I don't primarily buy the movie because I want to watch the extras.

[soneman]

On a select few films, I have also used dual layer blanks, instead. These are usually reserved for two disc sets of films where I am especially a fan of the film. This is mostly experimental, while I wait and watch the prices of dual layer media continue to drop. $2.00 per disc is not at all bad, but I will not truly switch over for all of my backups until they cross the $1.00 per disc threshold. Should not be long...

-Bruce

I don't think i'll ever bother with Dual-layer. Single layer/DVD-5 have proven itself plenty great enough.

Maybe in the future when DL media becomes as reliable and cheap as single, then i might switch. As the idea of being able to combine 2 DVD-5's to 1 DVD-9 is neat for compact purposes. Till then naa.

I agree.

If Dual layer discs become as cheap as single layer discs, only then would I consider buying them.

That's a fantastic idea by the way. The fitting of two movies on 1 Dual layer disc. I might try that one day.

[ntscuser]

However, after the first viewing, I'd rather not have to navigate the menu again, unless it's an episode disc. Personal preference.

I would agree its all down to personal preference in what people do like to keep or ditch. I prefer menus because of the scene selection feature.

On some titles the scene selection menu is more trouble than it's worth. Phantom of the Opera for instance. Only four (badly placed) chapters per menu page and you have to sit through a rendition of "Masquerade" after selecting each page before you can choose a chapter.

Then there are the overlong flashing light/loud music menus such as on Sin City. Really annoying if all you want to do is jump to a scene in the movie. In both cases I sacrificed the menus in order to preserve the DTS soundtrack.

[Sifaga]

Movie only here

a separate Extras with menus disc if the extras are any good

[otpw1]

I NEVER! backup w/menus for one reason. Without the menus the dvd player will shut down, standby, whatever you choose to call it. With menus the disc will be playing as long as it is in the player. This used to happen way too frequently with kids in the household.

[ntscuser]

I NEVER! backup w/menus for one reason. Without the menus the dvd player will shut down, standby, whatever you choose to call it. With menus the disc will be playing as long as it is in the player. This used to happen way too frequently with kids in the household.

Duh?

If you use re-author mode you don't need a menu of any kind and the disc will still play normally. You can even access chapters, subtitles and alternate soundtracks using various buttons on the remote handset.

[sacajaweeda]

All da' chit, mon.
All da' chit.

[TBoneit]

1. whole disc single layer
2. whole disc dual layer
3. custom menus with some extras (mainly PAL TO ntsc)
4. whole movie with movie as first play menus still present
5. movie with regular menu, extras removed

What I do depends on the movie and circumstances.

[SatStorm]

I keep the menus.
I get rid the extra audio languages, the extra subtitles, the warnings of any kind, the promos of other DVDs, the 2-channel AC3 audio and what I don't like on extras. I mostly use Voblanker.
Rarelly I need to shrink a DVD after all those modifications.

[jtoolman2000]

Just the movie, unless it's aDVD5 to begin with . Menus are for people who get off by pressing buttons.

[edDV]

Since I've seen all the Lost episodes, the only DVD that I rented was the bonus features disc.

[lumis]

i only back up the main movie, but i do keep the menu's. clonedvd is really good for this, any extras are brought down to miniscule sizes.. unlike dvdshrink which only does (or the last time i checked only did) the "still pictures" thing, which could still be 100MB+ taking away room from the actual movie.. it works really well, even if you dont want to use clonedvd to transcode.. you can just have it "blank out" the extras and output to dvd9 files, then use the transcoder of your choice to actually do the real work.. but clonedvd is fine for me.. if i can, i always try to keep 1:1 quality, and if i can fit in some extras, then good.. then i go in with menu edit and delete the buttons that wont work (extras, unavailable audio tracks)..

[csloane@nwnexus.com]

I read this with great interest. I am trying to make a backup copy of "Angels in America" because the quality of the pressing is not exactly reassuring.

So here is my problem. Because it was a mini-series, there is no "main movie." When I compress with DVD Shrink AND remove subtitles AND remove all but 2-channel audio AND edit menus to stills, it is still 4.8 GB. Even overburning rarely reaches such limits. There are no real "extras" (like director commentary), so nowhere else to economize.

So how DOES someone split a DVD like this, and with which programs? How can I manage to "split" the menus, too?

I have the full Nero suite, DVD Shrink, MenuShrink, AVI2DVD, IFOEdit, DVDFab Decrypter.

Cliff

[DereX888]

I read this with great interest. I am trying to make a backup copy of "Angels in America" because the quality of the pressing is not exactly reassuring.

So here is my problem. Because it was a mini-series, there is no "main movie." When I compress with DVD Shrink AND remove subtitles AND remove all but 2-channel audio AND edit menus to stills, it is still 4.8 GB. Even overburning rarely reaches such limits. There are no real "extras" (like director commentary), so nowhere else to economize.

So how DOES someone split a DVD like this, and with which programs? How can I manage to "split" the menus, too?

I have the full Nero suite, DVD Shrink, MenuShrink, AVI2DVD, IFOEdit, DVDFab Decrypter.

Cliff

I just can't believe it
Look to the left, under "HOW TO" select "DVD BACKUP" and enter the world of 1001 guides

[Sifaga]

hey cliff,

you could just run it thru dvdshrink twice

[ROF]

Angels in America comes on two discs with 5.6 GB on one disc and 5.8 GB on the other. Both can easily be shrunk once in DVD Shrink with no need to remove anything.

I highly recommend not shrinking either of them and backing this excellent HBO Film to dual layer discs.