[LA Jim]

What is the best method, using Freeware, to take 2 short DVDs and combine them onto one DVD with two Titles and create a Menu that pops up when you put the DVD in the DVD player to select the title to play.

I have been trying to use the following tools but ran into problems.

- DVD Shrink to rip the 2 CD's down to one DVD Source that could be used to Burn a new DVD.
However, only doing this wouldn't give me a menu but just play one title after the first one was completed.

- DVD Styler - I used this trying to create a menu to link to the two titles. I had included links to the VOB files but when I went to create the ISO file by selecting Burn DVD it gave me errors. I read that it was because I needed to use mpeg files vs VOB files.

- Gui4ffmpeg - So I downloaded this program which allowed me to create mpg files. However, the output from this program had interrupts with the audio so it wasn't usable. I was planning on using the mpeg output files to use with the DVD Styler program for menus.

So I'm not sure what to do.

I had also used PGCedit software but it was too complicated to try to figure out how to add a menu for the two titles.

Any suggestions on Freeware programs that will do what I'm trying to do?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

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[officialblueboys]

http://club.cdfreaks...ead.php?t=77155

[LA Jim]

Thanks for looking at my post and responding.

I looked at the link you provided with info on DVD Shrink.

I did use DVD Shrink to sucessfully put together the two DVD's but

The problem still remains, HOW DO I ADD A MENU with two buttons to call the 2 titles from.

I want to put the DVD in and it pop up a menu to pick Title 1 or Title 2 and when done playing to go back to the menu so they can either quit or play the other title.

Hope that clears things up. And if your link provided that info I didn't see it after reading most everything.

Thanks,

Jim

[officialblueboys]

See this software
http://www.freedownl..._Maker_PRO.html
. It will help .

Or use Nero to burn those files . It'll create a Menu .

Edited by officialblueboys, 28 October 2006 - 03:51 AM.

[Jrenter2]

Hi La Jim...

Just want to add something to the mix here. If you want to continue to use DVD Shrink (which I use myself), you can accomplish what you want with the help of another program that works along with DVD Shrink called IfoEdit. With that, you can use DVD Shrink to do what you want.

What ends up happening is that you will end up re-authoring the DVD instead of just making a backup. But, with that in mind, you will be able to get rid of many of the "extra" stuff on DVD's that you don't need or want and save space such as the different language codes..etc.

Many of the programs listed in the previous posts work great, it just seems as though you are wanting to continue with DVD Shrink...which is a pretty straight forward program (IMO).

Hope this helps.

Jrenter2

[LA Jim]

Hi La Jim...

Just want to add something to the mix here. If you want to continue to use DVD Shrink (which I use myself), you can accomplish what you want with the help of another program that works along with DVD Shrink called IfoEdit. With that, you can use DVD Shrink to do what you want.

What ends up happening is that you will end up re-authoring the DVD instead of just making a backup. But, with that in mind, you will be able to get rid of many of the "extra" stuff on DVD's that you don't need or want and save space such as the different language codes..etc.

Many of the programs listed in the previous posts work great, it just seems as though you are wanting to continue with DVD Shrink...which is a pretty straight forward program (IMO).

Hope this helps.

Jrenter2

Thanks Jrenter2,

I have downloaded and looked into several free software programs but didn't check out IfoEdit. I'm not exactly sure what this one does. I'll have to look more into this. I am VERY NEW at all this and it's all so overwhelming trying to figure it all out. I am a programmer so am usually able to figure things out. The difficult part of all this is finding the resources and good documentation with examples of how to use some of these programs for re-authoring.

The good news is, I was able to figure out how to use DVDStyler to create the menu.
Yes, you are right, I do want to continue using DVD Shrink. I really like the way you can clean everything up.

I want the ability to be able to be creative in creating Menus which DVD Styler appears to be able to do with adding pics to make it look like you want.

I had come across similar problems through my searching where others were having problems when they created a DVD with Menus and when they went to play it in the Stand Alone DVD it gave an error that the player can't play PAL DVD's. I had selected NTSC 720 x 480, however, when it was creating the ISO file I could see it was creating it in a PAL format. What I found is that the empty.mpg file that DVDAuther uses is in a PAL format I guess and is the CAUSE of it not being able to play it in the NTSC format on Stand Alone DVD's.

Here's the link I used to fix the problem:
http://www.videohelp...ve/t180017.html - Author is by: borax posted 2004 Nov 12 05:58

Here is another that you can download the fixed files instead of creating them yourselves:
http://sourceforge.n...amp;atid=600266

I created my own files and replaced the originals as described and it then created the DVD's in NTSC format.

If any of you have known good resources I can look up on the net I would greatly appreciate any links to them. I'm sure if you pay you can find an all in one inclusive program that does it all. What would this program be and how much does it cost??? I prefer to stay free right now but in time I would love to have the best program to use.

Thanks,

Jim