Converting video on computer from Mactheripper to DVD...

[starflier23]

I have used my DVR to record some television programs I want to convert to DVD for playback on another machine (I can't finalize on my DVR as I am using RW disks). So, I used Mactheripper to move the content from the dvd to my harddrive. Now I want to use these files with iDVD to burn onto a disk I can play back on my other machine.

How do I accomplish this? I have two folders: video_RM and video_TS

RM contains video_rm.bup, video_rm.dat and video_rm.ifo
TS contains video_ts.bup, video_ts.ifo, video_ts.vob, and more files numbered like these

I have no idea how to get the video content from these files onto a dvd where I can actually watch them in my living room!! HELP!! Please....

Thanks!!

[starflier23]

I forgot to mention, I am using an iMac (Intel Core Duo) - I did mention iDVD, but thought I should include that information in case that makes a difference in the suggestions anyone can give me!

[redwudz]

Does your VIDEO_TS have all your video files needed on it? How big is it? If it's complete and compliant with the DVD format, all you would need to do is burn it to DVD Media with the proper burning program. You can see the DVD format to the upper left in 'WHAT IS' DVD. <<<<<<

The VIDEO_RM folder sounds like something specific to the DVR.

And you would likely get more answers to Mac specific questions in our Mac Forum. Moving you.

[rumplestiltskin]

Toast will burn that VIDEO_TS folder (make sure its all caps). Burn as a UDF disc with the VIDEO_TS folder inside the disc. Toast will automatically add the AUDIO_TS folder for compatibility purposes even though it's not used for anything.

[starflier23]

Okay... burning simply moved the same files I had moved from DVD to my HD back onto DVD again... They still aren't playable on a DVD player. Maybe I have been asking the wrong question.

Maybe what I need is a way to convert the files I mentioned above to viewable formats (ie. quicktime, etc).

Any suggestions?

[rumplestiltskin]

Did you burn the disc as UDF? If you burned as Mac or PC, your DVD player won't play it.

[starflier23]

I used "disc burner" to burn the disk, and it basically transferred all of the files to the DVD in the same formats as I listed above. I didn't see any options in how to burn the disk. It was just... "burn disk" as far as I could tell...

[rumplestiltskin]

Burning a disc in that fashion will not give you a UDF disc.

You need Toast to do this. (There might be another utility that will let you burn a UDF disc but I'm not aware of it.)

[starflier23]

Isn't there any shareware out there that can accomplish this? I can't believe that toast costs so much!

[Case]

DVD Imager (freeware) can create a UDF disc image from a VIDEO_TS folder, which may be burned with Disk Copy or Disk Utility (part of a standard Mac OS install).
But don't expect Toast's feature set.

[starflier23]

Thanks! Isn't there any way to just convert the files so that I can eventually burn them with iDvd?

[Case]

Isn't there any way to just convert the files so that I can eventually burn them with iDvd?

First converting to DV (for input into iDVD), then converting to DVD, takes a lot of time and degrades the quality, by two transcodings (MPEG2 > DV > MPEG-2).

[rumplestiltskin]

I think iDVD can work with the MPEG2 files directly by dropping them into a project. (IIRC, anyway)

[starflier23]

How do I determine which files to try dropping into idvd? The file names are basically ending with ts.bup, ts.ifo, and ts.vob (they are all listed in the first email). I have no clue what is what at that point...

[rumplestiltskin]

How do I determine which files to try dropping into idvd? The file names are basically ending with ts.bup, ts.ifo, and ts.vob (they are all listed in the first email). I have no clue what is what at that point...

Your original post asked how best to burn an existing VIDEO_TS folder. You have been told how to do so. Now you want to convert VOBs back to streams so you can drop them into iDVD and have iDVD make VOBs and author a DVD. Do you see how convoluted your desired set of actions are becoming?

Please; save yourself some grief and use either Toast or Burnz. The latter app may be downloaded here: http://thinkertons.com/downloads/burnz.dmg

[starflier23]

I'll try Burnz. I don't know how convoluted my thinking is, because I don't really understand my options in this arena. If you can walk me through the easiest way, believe me, I'd be GLAD to listen!!

Here is a summary of what is really going on.
1) I bought a DVR recorder to record television programs to watch later.
2) The recorder is in my office, and we want to watch these programs in our living room (where we have a dvd player)
3) The recorder will not finalize an RW disk (which I want to use as its reusable, but I didn't realize this would be a problem for the machine when I purchased it).
4) I had been told that if I burned the content of the DVD recorded from my DVR to my Mac HD then I could burn it to a playable DVD that I could use on my other machine.
5) The DVD from the DVR plays fine on my Mac, but, again, not in the living room!! GRRRR!!!
So... there you have it.... What is the shortest, least convoluted, and quality way for me to take a TV show I want to watch from my DVR, using my Mac to burn it to a playable DVD? (in a nut shell... as I'm so confused now, my head is spinning!!!) I now have on my computer... Mactheripper, DVD imager, and Burnz, plus my regular Mac stuff.... Quicktime PRO, iDVD, etc....

[rumplestiltskin]

Burnz will do what you need.

1. Set Burnz's Format preference to HFS+ (the topmost position on the slider). This will encompass all of the formats lower down on the slider (which includes UDF).
2. Create a folder (on your Mac). Name it something like MYDISC (yes; all caps).
3. Drop the VIDEO_TS folder you copied from the RW disc into that MYDISC folder.
4. Drag the MYDISC folder onto the Burnz app icon (or onto the disc icon in the Burnz window).
5. Insert the DVD when requested. Click the Burn button.
Done.

You'll end up with a DVD that will not only be HFS+ but will also contain the UDF formatting data necessary for a DVD player.