Why you should consider it: This method of archiving DVDs (As opposed to DiVX/XViD) is much more alluring amongst the general populace because archives of their DVDs that are playable in the primary location is a valuable quality. Many people would like to make copies of discs they use rather often to make sure they have the disc maintained if it were to ever come under some debilitating scratch.

Disclaimer:

This document does not promote, condone, or otherwise legitimize piracy. All
Digital Video Discs (DVDs) used herein are legitimate retail copies with copyrights
belonging to the respective authors and associated facilities of creation. The
author of this document and the domain on which it is hosted shall incur no
penalties from mishandling of this document in the extrapolation thereof for
illegal purposes. We at Short-Media insist that this guideline is to be used
with Digital Video Discs (DVDs) that are also legal, retail copies.

Warning:

The author of this document doesn’t actually own a DVD burner (Care to donate
to the “Thrax Needs a Pioneer DVR-A05 To Live” fund?), so information
herein is theoretically sound until a DVD burn is required. I have done my absolute
best to make sure that the details provided are accurate and as compliant as
possible with DVD standards given the circumstances. Upon the premise of sound
theory, the end result (A playable DVD) should be as intended. Your mileage
with this document will vary.

Additionally, your choice of burners will dramatically affect the playability
of your final product. The Sony DRU-xxx line, and the Pioneer DVR-A0x line are
known to have the highest rate of success as far as the burner is concerned.
DVD-R media is the most compatible, featuring apparent support for the widest
range of set-top devices. DVD+R media features the fastest burn times, but suffers
from lower compatibility than its -R brother. Furthermore, DVD-RAM will not
work.

Introduction:

In the second installment in a long line of digital video processing articles,
this tutorial is focused on getting retail Digital Video Discs to archive on
DVD±R media. Within the tutorial, the necessary instructions, pictures,
and programs will be written, posted, and linked to successfully make replicas
of your purchased DVDs. In the first installment, the
DivX Tutorial, the process of archiving DVD content to CD media and/or hard
drive was thoroughly examined.

This method of archiving DVDs (As opposed to DiVX/XViD) is much more alluring
amongst the general populace because archives of their DVDs that are playable
in the primary location is a valuable quality. Many people would like to make
copies of discs they use rather often to make sure they have the disc maintained
if it were to ever come under some debilitating scratch. Personally, I would
use the DVD9 to DVD±R to produce copies of my most-watched movies so
I am able to maintain their presence for my enjoyment should they ever incur
scratches or damage. They are my personal property, and I don’t like paying
for what I own twice.

Tools needed:

DVD Decrypter
DVD
Shrink
ImgTool

DVD5 (4.37GB) to DVD±R:

This is the easiest backup procedure to perform as retail DVD5 discs are precisely
the same size as retail DVD±R media. The only thing that stops an individual
from doing a disc to disc copy (1:1 duplication) is information (Useless scrambling
of bits) pre-recorded onto DVD±R media. This anti-copy measure is easily
defeated as you will see. Additionally, DVD5 discs are always encrypted with
CSS (Of DeCSS fame, the catalyst for today’s Digital Millenium Copyright Act).
CSS is the encryption/scrambling format recorded to the inner ring of any retail
DVD5 movie that prevents it from being directly duplicated. Furthermore, the
CSS information stored on the inner ring of DVD5 media is the exact location
where DVD±R media maintains its pre-recorded information. So obviously
the natural method would be to unscramble the DVD5 and remove CSS, and then
burn it directly to our DVD±R in its unscrambled format.

This method of constructing a DVD is the easiest method, however fate would
have it that it’s the most oft unused. Very few retail DVDs produced today are
DVD5, as the buying public demands more content for lower prices. The industry
has informally standardized DVD9 as its choice of media, both to serve the call
of capitalism, and to keep would-be pirates at bay. Even though it is a rare
sight now, the DVD5 to DVD±R conversion method is still begging to be
included. Without further delay, the DVD Decrypter interface after hitting the
“R” key to switch to DVD -> HDD ISO mode:

As with my past article, and all future articles regarding DVDs,
this program is the starting point. You’ll notice in red the boxes that outline
the two important pieces of information the size of the DVD (7.426GB) and the
number of layers contained on the disc (In this case; two). These two pieces
here will immediately tell you what method of archiving you can use.

-If the size is greater than 4.37GB, a 1:1 copy can not be produced.
You must use the DVD9 to DVD±R later in this article.
-If there is more than one layer (And never more than two), the disc is automatically
a DVD9 (8.74GB).
-If the size is less than 4.37GB, a 1:1 copy can be produced using the DVD5
to DVD±R method above
-If there is only one layer listed on the side currently being read, the disc
is automatically a DVD5 (4.37GB).

As you can see here, Kelly and his heroes clock in at 7.426GB,
so we can’t really use them to burn a DVD5 (Always with them negative ways,
Moriarity!). However, we shall use it as a consistent example throughout our
processes. So, wasting no more time at this screen, select your output directory
by tapping the yellow folder with the magnifying glass. When your output directory
is selected, hit the DVD -> HDD button and come back in a few minutes. This
process will extract an ISO of the disc, disable CSS and macrovision, and leave
you prime for burning by hitting the “W” key.

It so happens DVD decrypter is also capable of writing several
of today’s most popular CD image formats including .BIN, .IMG, and .ISO. Upon
tapping the “W” key, you get the following screen:

The source selection boxed in red is obviously where you need
to select the ISO you just made in the previous step. Write mode should be set
to DVD. Outside of that, simply hit HDD -> DVD and wait for your drive to
do what you bought it for. Upon completion, you should have a perfect 1:1 replica
of your DVD5.

DVD9 (8.74GB) to DVD±R:

This is the harder backup procedure to perform as retail DVD9 discs are twice
the size (Capacity-wise) of retail DVD±R media. As one would imagine,
the process increases in apparent difficulty when trying to wedge a product
into something half the size of its original container, so to speak. Furthermore,
as with DVD5, we must also take into account the CSS codes written to the inner
rings of both DVD9s and DVD±Rs, making it impossible
to do any work without removing the CSS codes from the source media.

DVD9s are the most commonly found retail DVDs today. In the drive to produce
DVDs with more content for the consumer at lower prices, and to circumvent the
ever-persistent drive of piracy, an informal adoption of the DVD9 standard has
produced an overwhelming percentage of DVD9 discs. In excess of 95% of all released
DVDs run on this format. To you, the individual who wishes to archive this particular
format of media, your task is slightly more difficult, but still quite simple
thanks to a very high quality program called DVD Shrink. DVD Shrink uses an
advanced and extremely complex enterprise-level algorithm called a
“Compressed Domain Transcoder” to reduce the size of MPEG2 streams
on the fly for purposes of studio broadcasts, negating the need to reencode
the entire duration of the film. Applying the same principles to DVD backup
at a slight reduction in video quality, a DVD9 video can be shrunk at a significant
rate of speed to produce a DVD-compliant disc at a fraction of its original
size. DVD Shrink is better than similar programs (DVD Xcopy, DVD2One) and also
enjoys the benefits of being both freeware and entirely open source. Launching
DVD Shrink, we find the introduction to its interface:

DVD Shrink v3.0 provides a revolutionary step in quality for the
CDT process over both other programs and its previous version. Within 45 seconds
the program is capable of scanning the entire movie at regular intervals within
the film and producing a fairly accurate compression percentage needed to do
the conversion, entirely automatically. Furthermore, should you choose to click
the Analysis button at the top of the window, a deep scan that will take thirty
minutes or more will produce even better visual quality on the final product.
The deep scan checks the source in smaller intervals, thusly obtaining more
samples by which to judge the compression needed with the CDT operation.

Under the Video section of the Streams pane is where the bread
and butter of the operation lies. The uncompressed video’s size is the first
listing entitled “No Compression.” As you can see, at 5.71GB, it’s
several GB too large for our DVD±R media. However, right
below that heading we see the product of our preliminary scan which automatically
rates the DVD’s size at 3.71GB or 65% of the original file. Had I desired to
do the deep scan, this number would probably be more accurate. Below the “Automatic”
we have ratio, which allows you to fine tune the size percentage of the original.
For example, as I’m not a speaker of French, I could easily uncheck the AC3
1-ch French audio track as well as both subtitles (As I have no need for them)
and free up 217mb of space on the final disc for video. Checking the ratio box,
I could drag the blue slider (Which appears when you check the ratio radio button)
and add 217mb (Which would set me roughly at 3,918 (3,727 actual)). It’s a matter
of choosing to increase the visual integrity of the video in exchange for some
DVD features, or keeping a complete disc at the cost of a marginally reduced
picture quality. The choice is entirely up to you.

After defining the parameters by which to CDT your DVD, bring
up a calculator and make sure that all the contents you have selected weigh
in under 4,370MB. In this particular case, I have selected all the contents
of the disc and the automatic compression which reduces the video size by 35%.
Adding the size of these features up, we get a final size of 4,325MB which clears
our maximum by a safe 45MB. Once you have this complete, click the Backup! button
at the top of the window, which now presents you with this screen:

Once that button is pressed, you must select your target folder
to where the video will be archived to disc before burning. As an option to
produce the best quality for your movie, I would suggest you check the box to
perform a deep analysis of the disc. Spending your money on a DVD±R
(Which are relatively expensive for disc media) should be worthy of an extra
hour of your time to get the highest quality out of the process. As the video
is scanned and is manipulated by compressed domain transcoding, you have some
time to spare. The author suggests using this time to either donate to the “Thrax
Needs a Pioneer DVR-A05 To Live” fund, or ordering a Pioneer DVR-A05 for
him. DVD Shrink automatically produces the necessary directory structure to
burn a compliant DVD (.IFO and .VOB) as well as strips CSS and other such encryptions
that prevent us from making archival copies of the DVDs we bought, and subsequently
now find among our personal property.

And here is the video transcoding to my harddrive. A classic scene!
Kelly interrogating a plastered Hauptsturmfuehrer as to the whereabouts of ze
heeden gold! Natürlich in der Bank, herr Kelly! Ahem. As the encoding
finishes, you will have neat little 1GB and change .VOB files plus the .IFO
file which indexes them all for DVD burning. We will be using DVD Decrypter
to get these files to disc, however that particular program only supports the
burning of image files. That said, we must make an intermediate step with a
program called ImgTool which will take our .IFO/.VOB and package them into a
functional ISO format for DVD Decrypter to burn. Here is the interface:

This program is very simple and indispensible. Select the source
directory (The location to which you transcoded your DVD in DVD Shrink), the
target file (Name your ISO), and the Volume ID (Name it the same thing as your
retail DVD). After these simple steps are completed, you will have a .ISO or
.IMG that you can burn with DVD Decrypter. Launching DVD Decrypter, and hitting
the “W” key:

The file to select is the ISO you just produced with ImgTool.
Set write mode to DVD, speed to max, BURN-proof on, click the magic button and
wait. In this waiting period, please take the time to donate to the “Thrax
Needs a Pioneer DVR-A05 To Live” fund.

Upon completion of the burning process, toss your fresh disc (DVD5-to-DVD±R
or DVD9-to-DVD±R) into your set top box or DVD-ROM.
If my theory was correct, and the directions were adhered to, you should be
closing your browser right about now to watch your archived copy of your retail
DVD!

Conclusion:

Thanks to the increasingly-common compressed domain transcoding
algorithms employed by broadcast media to downsize MPEG2 streams, regular folks
like you and I are able to enjoy speedy DVD compression for archival purposes.
Furthermore, thanks to DVD Shrink’s (A quintessential tool) implementation thereof,
the entire process is made undoubtedly easy. I hope for you, that this tutorial
was a success, and I hope the quality is as good as I theorize it to be. As
usual, please email any questions you may have to Robert
“Thrax” Hallock, or more conveniently, sign up for our forums
(And our folding@home team, team #93!) and drop me a line in private messages.

Please look forward to my DVD to XViD tutorial coming soon where
the entire contents of a DVD (2h:16m:13s or so) is compressed into a mere 700-720mb
file, retaining 95% of its visual and audio quality, and stomping a big fat
hole into my DiVX
tutorial and the codec that powered it. Let’s hear it for open source MPEG4
codecs.

Comment about this review in the forums.