Instant Copy (Strange?)

[GenePool_]

I have a DVD that is just slightly too large to fit on a DVD-5. Everything was already stripped out, except the menu. I wanted to keep the menu, thats why I used instant copy and not DVD2ONE. The STRANGE? part is that when Instant copy is done, the size of the movie, plus menu is around 3.8GB. I find that odd because why wouldn't use the rest of the space available?

[GenePool_]

Wow!
I'm surprised that this hasn't peaked anyone's interest.
It certainly concerns me.
Why wouldn't Instant Copy use the full space available on the DVD?
Has anyone else experienced this problem?

The original VOBs are definately larger and are fully stripped, anyway, it couldn't be related to stripping out content because Instant Copy doesn't strip by default.

[GenePool_]

Just found out a little more.

Apparently othe people have been seeing this problem. (pinnaclesys forums)

The resulting files total 3.83 GB even if the source is much much larger.
Surprised no one has brought this up.

(ok, finished talking to myself)

[curryman]

hey genepool,
i'm here reading, i just don't have an explanation that's all

[GenePool_]

Thanks, curryman.
I love curry too. You should try japanese curry as well.

[bombart]

Hey Gene... I ran into the same problem when backing up "Panic Room" yesterday... When the whole dvd is ripped, it's like 5.something Gigs. After running it through IC, i ended up with a 2.8G directory. I started burning, saw the file size, thought there was a problem(missed some vobs or something) and tried cancelling the burn to save my DVD-r which I paid $5 CND for. ALAS, I cancelled it and it had JUST started burning. So I'm out a DVDR and I thought that the movie was converted incorrectly.

Is there a reason why this happens? Did you get any insight @ pinnacle's forums?

"The resulting files total 3.83 GB even if the source is much much larger.
Surprised no one has brought this up. "

Mine is 2.8???

Initially, I thought that it was a problem with my system... I have just upgraded from my old PIII 733 to a new P IV 2.4G processor with a new motherboard and new 512M 2700 RAM. I kept everything else though (hard drives and all other cards and perpherals) It would have taken me like 5-6 hours to convert this movie, but it took me like and hour and 10 mins or something. So I thought that maybe it I needed to install instantcopy for it to work properly, since Premiere 6.5 wouldn't even run and kept asking to be reinstalled. Didn't help ofcourse. So I figured, I'll check here

Anyways, please let me know if the quality was still good, it there is anything I can do to make it come out bigger (and hence better quality). I did deselect all audio tracks but the DD 5.1 english track and left only english subtitles on. Reduced everything else to 30% quality and increased the main movie to something like 89%.

Cheers.

Bombart.

[GenePool_]

The quality of the movie was fine. I was just bothered by it not using the full capacity.

Alas, it seems like it's still the same old Pinnacle, really bug ridden software. Maybe they'll clean-up their problems. Until then, I'd recommend sticking with DVD2One (I only really wanted Instant Copy becuase it should handle menus for episode based disks and will create SVCDs etc...) It seems like people are also complaining about issues with the menus not navigating properly and removing subtitles. Very buggy... It's a shame.

[VidGuy]

If you search around, you'll find this has been addressed at length in varioius forum discussions on instantcopy - use the F5 key to tell instant copy to burn something like a 4.6 MB DVD - you then get a DVD that's filled - YMMV, and it may vary by movie.

[GenePool_]

thanks vidguy.

Although, I find it dissapointing that I need to iteratively use trial and error to get the max quality. DVD2One works properly every time. The processing time of this software and this "bug" make it very impactival to use if you want the best quality on the FIRST try.... agree?

[curryman]

Thanks, curryman.
I love curry too. You should try japanese curry as well.

wouldn't have a recipe by anychance would you

[VidGuy]

thanks vidguy.

Although, I find it dissapointing that I need to iteratively use trial and error to get the max quality. DVD2One works properly every time. The processing time of this software and this "bug" make it very impactival to use if you want the best quality on the FIRST try.... agree?

Actually, I rarely have to iterate - I use 4.63 as the size, and it almost always works - and I use a sleaze to not have to redo it again - I keep an extra subtitle that I don't really want - they're not very big, but big enough that removing it will get me under the 4.3 boundary in the few cases where it screws up.

While DVD2One "works properly", it doesn't give me menus, and if you use the scripts floating around to make it give menus, it's more hassle than InstantCopy. Personally, I love InstantCopy - it makes it a whole lot easier to keep extras (although I still end up sometimes redoing them to cut them down to 352x480 so they look better - I've asked Pinnacle to make that a feature request

[bombart]

thanks vidguy.

Although, I find it dissapointing that I need to iteratively use trial and error to get the max quality. DVD2One works properly every time. The processing time of this software and this "bug" make it very impactival to use if you want the best quality on the FIRST try.... agree?

Totally agree Gene. I don't want to have to tinker around and process this potentially more than once!!

For this movie... I think I'll try DVD2ONE as well.

Cheers.

bombart.

[GenePool_]

I'll try the 4.63 setting with an extra subtitle... good idea.
I usually only want to use Instant Copy when I'm doing episode disks.
I rarely care about the extras / menus, but sometimes it's needed.
For example, the Wallace and Grommit DVD begs you to keep the menus.

[jarvis1781]

hey Gene Pool

other people have mentioned this "problem" countless times

that is why no one responded to this....

you should try reading the entire forum before you ask questions about a topic people have already answered to

just a little tip in case you were wondering why no one had responded....

[GenePool_]

Just to bring this to an end....

This guide seems to summarize everything...

Thanks.

http://www.deano.dsl.pipex.com/GUIDE/index.htm

Albeit, it's a pain. I hope DVD2One will allow menus soon, as they seem to understand how to size everything properly.