Burning DVDs

DVDs, much like CDs, can be burned using different means. Your DVD authoring, DVD transcoding, etc. Tool will normally give you a VIDEO_TS folder containing a number of .IFO, .BUP and .VOB files. Most commercial burning programs can directly burn such folders.

I have prepared guides for the burning programs that I currently own: Nero and Instant CD/DVD.

Alternatively you can create a disc image file first and burn this using any software capable of burning disc images. Initially this was the better solution as some commercial programs (especially Nero) had problems burning a VIDEO_TS folder. The discs created this way would often not work on a standalone. But if the same program was used to burn a disc image, there was no problem whatsoever. Fortunately, this has changed since but the tools to create an image are still interesting because they do not require any commercial software. Below you'll find instructions how to use ImgTool classic to create a disc image and burn this using DVD Decrypter. Note that the v1.x ImgTool is using the Nero engine, thus requiring you to have a commercial burning tool installed, and if Nero were to fail so would the new ImgTool. ImgTool classic on the other hand is based on the freely available mkisofs image generation tool.

In order to create a DVD image start up ImgTool.

Press the folder button to select the path where your DVD files reside.

Then press the disk button to select a filename for the image you're going to create, then set a name for the disc and last but not least press the Image button to get started.

In case the new classic ImgTool should not work you can always try the old one.

Once the image has been created all that remains to be done is burn the image. As stated before there are many options but I suggest one that I'm sure you will all like as you already have the program installed: DVD Decrypter. I doubt that there's any program that makes burning of DVD images easier and at the same time is a DVD ripper's delight. Don't forget to delete the virtual disk drive again after closing the image maker (use the Delete Drive button in ImgTool).

This document was last updated on April 12, 2003