(OT) Archiving data on DVD'S

[GrandmaStabone]

I have about 60 GB of MST3K movies on my Hard drive that I want to get off there. How do I go about transferring them to DVD'S? I have a DVD burner but little experience with it.

[Orpheus]

Well, the process is pretty simple, but there are many possible complications, so I'd suggest using a commercial or popular shareware program. Nero is probably the most popular, but others may be better.

You didn't say what format your existing files were in (i.e. what audio and video codecs) or what output format you want.

The simplest solution would be to record them as computer files to a DVD-ROM, but you might not be able to play them back on your DVD player (for the past year, I've had an inexpensive Phillips DVP-642, which has played every non-Indian file i've thrown at it, including MPEG4 (like Divx/Xvid) and even a few files recorded in proprietary codecs, like RealPlayer, though I understand it doesn't work on all RealPlayer files) Most DVD players aren't nearly as versatile -- it's not a function of quality/price (My Sonys, etc. can't handle them) If you didn't look for a DVD player that handles MP4 avis and the like, you probably didn't get one

However, all is not lost: commercial DVDs use a well-known well-defined standard (e.g. the video is in the old MPEG2 standard, which was current at the time DVD was invented). However, while it is possible to use free programs like VirtualDub to convert your files, from a wide range of starting screen sizes, codecs, etc. it would probably require a much steeper learning curve, and a larger suite of free programs than you would like. Sites like videohelp.com (http://www.videohelp.com/guides), afterdawn.com (http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/) and domm9.org (http://doom9.org/) have detailed how-tos, but you'll probably find yourself facing details they don't address.

If you have to ask, you're probably better off using a commercial program to detect the settings and codecs of your existing files, and autoconvert them to the standard DVD video format. Personally, I enjoyed studying the developments as they arose over the years, but I'd hate to have to start from scratch now. With a little good luck, I could be turning out working results by the end of the month, but depending on the codecs and formats I was starting with, I could still be scratching my head and cranking out coasters at the end of the summer with nothing to show for it.

In fact, you might find that even *with* a commercial program, like Nero (which many diehard video hackers hate), you'll still need the How-Tos on the sites above, and auxillary programs like TMPGEnc. It's not "hard" per se, but it's not always straightforward, especially if you have files in many codecs and screen formats.

[BTW, the above sites, especially videohelp.com, have a LOT or resources beyond the how-tos indices that I linked. it's worth exploring them thoroughly. Book mark the hardware and blank media compatibility/feature/performance databases in particular -- and refer your friends before they make any purchases]