How do you make a valid DVD that also has data files?

[Ladd]

I'm putting together clips off the local news broadcasts for a friend of mine that has had his photographs used to illustrate several days of a news event.

I have the news clips all done up as a DVD image (as VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS); when this image is mounted on the Mac desktop or burned via Toast 7 to DVD-RW disk, the videos play just fine.

I additionally have created some .AVI clips from the original file capture, each of which are are various resolutions for him to send to various friends, employers, etc.

So, what I've been trying to do is figure out a way to create a valid DVD image that will not only play the original news clips via living room DVD player, but also have the various .AVI files available as data files on the disc for access via normal computer file browser or desktop.

I've been playing around with various options in Toast 7, but no luck creating this hybrid video and data disc so far.

Any clues as to how to approach this?

[hech54]

I recently put DVD Artwork in an extra folder called ARTWORK....I was told to use all caps to name the folder and keep the title short.
I then created an ISO image of all three and burned it with DVDDecrypter....worked like a charm.

Not sure if it will work on a Mac though...sorry.

[Case]

Set Toast to UDF data, put the _TS folders in root, and the extra files anywhere outside the _TS folders.

[ZippyP.]

It was recommended to me to put any extra files in a separate folder, like hech54 did.

[Case]

I'd recommend that too. But I don't think it's essential. Look at some commercial DVDs for comparison, e.g. Revenge of the Sith, disc 2.

[Ladd]

I've tried putting the extra .AVI files in a separate folder and adding them to the Toast window, but it insists on reading each of the AVI files individually and creating a DVD menu for each one instead of ignoring them in the DVD menu and simply burning them to disc as data files.

A good suggestion though -- I wonder if we're on the right track. Perhaps there is a specific folder name that Toast will know not to read, just burn the files to disc.

[Case]

Use the Data tab in UDF mode, not the Video tab. For this, you need to have created the _TS folders in a previous step.

[rumplestiltskin]

Case is on the right track. Make the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders (with whatever app you prefer), then use the UDF Data mode in Toast. Then, before burning, add another folder (call it whatever you'd like, let's say, MORESTUFF) and then drop whatever data files you'd like into that folder (mpgs, jpgs, AppleWorks files, Excel spreadsheets, it doesn't what as that folder is just like any other data folder on a non-DVD. Then burn the whole shebang. It will play properly in a set-top box but, when inserted into a Mac or PC, will reveal that MORESTUFF folder and its contents.

[Ladd]

I'll give UDF a try tomorrow morning and report back.

One of my previous attempts at burning a DVD with both video and data using the previously-created VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folder (hey -- I try to do my homework before asking questions!) was done with "Mac & PC" format selected. Somehow I magically missed seeing the next format offered, "DVD-ROM (UDF). Doh!!!

Thanks for the tip.

[Ladd]

Wonderful things, those built-in help files! After all the years of showing folks the "Help" menu that is at the top of most Mac applications, you'ld think I'ld remember it myself more often.

Here's how I got this to work, following the Toast 7 help "Add data content" option for "Making a DVD-Video":

In the Video tab, set up the video portion of the dvd the way you desire.

To add data to the disc, click the Data tab, select "DVD-ROM (UDF) and then add your data files.

Click back to the video tab and burn disk or image file.

The directions didn't say if it was necessary or not, but I made the name of the disc identical for both the video and data sides.

Worked like a champ!