First let me offer praise to all of you who are making satisfactory backups of DVDs. All I want to do is backup a full-length movie and keep the features. I don't mind using two discs since I don't like compression and my player doesn't support +R dual layer.
Currently running XP, Athlon 64 2800, 1.5GB ram and about 125 GB free hard disk space, drives LG Super Drive and BenQ dual 1610, disks HP, Maxell, Mitusmi (sucked), Ridata and no-names.
Here's the sad history. Shrink and 1 Click work fine but I can't get all features and an uncompressed main. DVD Fab works great and does exactly what I want except copies have so much digital breakup I can't get past the credits. DVD Cloner II also worked great but the disks showed as incompatible in the player. DVD Wizard Pro wouldn't run claiming 0 KB available disk space even though the HD has tons (changed directory in options no difference). No mention of that one anywhere on-line all reports are glowing. Forums I've read warned against Cloner II saying it's just Shrink in an expensive suit and others warned that once Wizard Pro have your cash it's all over. These results are fairly consistant with any make of disc, two different drives each swapped into 2 different computers. Has anyone found a program that will put a full length movie plus features uncompressed onto 2 -R discs that will play in a standard (Panasonic) player. I will take freeware, shareware or shrink wrapped, I don't care as long as I can find something that works at least 85% of the time.
If you can find a working copy of "DVD X Copy", it will do it to two discs. That's the only one I've had experience with. May be more though.
Why don't you want compressed to one disc? You won't notice a difference, unless you're using a HUGE tv or front projector. Just curious...............
You can check here, to see if there's a firmware upgrade for your burner, that will make it a DL burner......
http://forum.rpc1.org/index.php Good luck!
I don't totally object to compression I just want to be able to do a 100% 1:1 transfer if I ever feel the need. Also I'm an old school techie who has an instinctive dislike of compression. My major issue is, if Sony, MGM et. al. can get all this info onto one disc why can't I get it all onto 2 and have the thing work. I've used things like Fab that do what I want but the discs never play properly.
What is the capacity of the movie? most fit to a standard DVD5 or can be slightly compressed using DVD Shrink usually without noticing reduction of quality.
Your player may not support DVD+R DL media but would most likely play a DVD+R DL booktyped dvd-rom (since that is what new pressed dvd's are) and your benq should be capable of doing this.
Another alternative but involves compression would be to use DVD Decrypter or dvdfab decrypter to rip then dvdremake or IFOEdit to edit out previews and adverts leaving a functional menu, the movie, and extras then rb/cce or rb/hcenc to encode and Nero or DVD Decrypter to burn. You can use all free proggy's to do this (dvd decrypter, dvdfab decrypter, IFOEdit, rebuilder beta vs, and hcenc are all free) although I prefer CCE to encode, dvdremake to edit, and Nero to burn.
I use this method for all my backups and I have a 52" HDTV and notice very little if any loss in video quality.
