My question is, when you convert a ratdvd back to dvd5/9 is it identical to the original?
If it was, this would be similar to zipping or rarring a file, but with a greater amount of compression
The reason I need this answered is because my goal to use ratDVD would be to compress DVD9 images and store them on cheap media, then when dual layer discs are affordable and reliable to uncompress and burn.
The concept of watching the ratDVD seams to be the main goal with this project, but over here I watch my movies 99% of the time on a standalone. If my question is to be answered with a yes, then this is a miraculous product worthy of a donation/registration (yea I've been doing that with freeware recently :) )
so if anyone can ansewer my question, you are an angel.
the question again is: When you convert a ratDVD back to original DVD5/9 is it the same as the original?
Have you converted to a rat file yet? If so how long did it take? I'm running a 2.66 GigaHertz P4 w/ 512 SDRAM and 1 movie took nearly 6 hours to convert; it maintained all of the original content @ about 2.5 GB though the quality in media player was subpar (way less then VCD). Anyway just curious as I never did try to convert another movie due to the time involved.
although i haven't RATed any dvd, from what i have read it is a LOSSY compression meaning that info WILL be lost. I think Dissone has contradicted himself in his post
"From everything that I've read the answer is yes"
and
"the quality in media player was subpar (way less then VCD)"
If you were asking if the ratDVD can be decompressed to the same quality as it was before then the answer is NO.
neilm247,
The quality I'm refering to is that of the file while still in the ratDVD container. I was not refering to a file that had been reconstituted to it's original full blown DVD9 state. I suggest that you go ahead and use the software and then formulate your own opinion; rather then speculating and second guessing someone elses opinion.
I suppose I should write the creators this question, I do think it is an important one, because on several occasions people say backup is one of the benefits. And it is only truly backup if you can un-rat back to its original state.
now assuming that my hopes are shattered, and it does lose its original data/bitrate etc. then it is in my opinion, that the ability to Un-Rat it back to dvd5/9 should be taken out, because it is quite worthless. I would rather back up a DVD9 to DVD5 with CCE and have an unoticable lost.
if this is the case this format should just be dirrectly compared to that of DivX. it is more advanced then DivX because it retains all the features of the dvd.
Also I guess if you use the mp3 analogy that has been used in several "officail descripitions of this product, you think about it this way:
you can take an original cd, rip it to mp3, lose the original and then convert the mp3's back to original cd format (when burning) and what you will have will not sound like the original. Which is why when i see a band live I do buy their cd, on loud/quality speakers you can hear the loss of dynamics in mp3, on cheap headphones you cant.
When you convert back to DVD you keep all the features but you loose some part of the quality. It's the same as if you do it with CCE - only that ratDVDs can be a lot smaller because the compression is much better than MPEG-2.
The question if the quality is better, same or worse as with other methods can't be answered because this depends on the movie, the settings, your viewing preference, etc.
BTW: I don't think that viewing on PC is the main goal. Personally I also like to watch it on a standalone and see this as one of the major differences to XviD, DivX, etc.
I don't want to get into an argument because that is not the purpose of these forums but the question asked was
" When you convert a ratDVD back to original DVD5/9 is it the same as the original?"
If you did as you say you did, then you did not answer the question but merely post some superfluous details that did not help the asker of the question. Post count is not everything.
Dissone not to be a prick but neilm247 is right ratDvd wich i have been using since the day it went public is a lossy format menig its going to look worse if you rat it then even worse when you unrat its more like ogg vorbis than flac hope this helps
DVD>Xvid=lossy
DVD>Xvid>DVD=more lossy
DVD>ratdvd=lossy
DVD>ratdvd>DVD=more lossy
still ratDVD kicks butt put quality slider at 110 for menus,movie and
105 for extras low size good quality rember look at rat dvd in percetages i have 11 ratDVDs taking up less space than 2 1/2 dvd images on one hdd i can hold 99 ratdvds or 20 dvd iso very nice ;)
