Combining Multiple Mini-Dvds?

[HMBowers]

Hi- I've been using a Mac for about a year, but at times still feel like there are tricks I must be missing.

 

I purchased Popcorn 4 some time back, as I have a need to combine multiple mini-DVD's created on a Sony videocam into a single large DVD-R. I've successfully used the 'Copy/Video_TS Compilation' routine under Popcorn 4, and have combined up to six mini-DVDs with a resulting 41% compression of the original material. The video still looks good enough for my application, however.... the routine strips all the menus, so that when playing the final DVD-R you have to click on the DVD Menu in the Mac player to jump among what was originally the six separate Video_TS folders. Clicking on the DVD Menu button in the player never shows a menu - it just jumps you to the next video section. The people these DVD's will be distributed to are not very technically savvy (most are older folks) and I don't think this is going to be acceptable.

 

Is there a way to combine more than one Video_TS folder under Popcorn and preserve the menu system? If not with Popcorn, would an upgrade to say Toast solve my problem? Can I combine them with some other program and then burn with Popcorn?

 

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[tsantee]

The way to create a video DVD with menu from your multiple mini-DVDs is to use the Popcorn Media Browser to access the content on the mini-DVDs.

 

First, choose DVD video as the format in the Popcorn Copy window instead of choosing the VIDEO_TS folders option. Mount a mini-DVD on the Mac and choose DVD with the top button of the Media Browser. Double click on what appears in the browser window to see individual titles included on the mini-DVD. Add the title(s) you want to the main Popcorn window. You'll get a window that lets you select portions of the title if you want. Once you've added the video from one mini-DVD proceed to do it with the others.

 

Now you have the individual titles in the Popcorn window where you can specify the menu description and style that you want. When you have everything ready I suggest choosing Save as Disc Image. The disc image can be mounted to preview with DVD Player. You can burn the disc image to disc using the Image File setting in the Copy window (where you can also enable fit-to-DVD compression if needed).

 

Choosing DVD with the top button in the Media Browser can also access VIDEO_TS folders on your hard drive.

[HMBowers]

Thanks!! I'll try it over the weekend.

[HMBowers]

Thanks so much for your directions. I tried them yesterday and it worked perfectly. I now have six mini-DVDs compressed onto a single DVD with new chapters, titles, etc.. It compressed at around 40% but the video and audio seem fine. Best Regards.

[Jeffreycal]

I am getting a message when I try to record on Popcorn 4 saying: "Could not record the disc because (ID = -43). Result code = -43

I cannot find out what the problem is. Can anyone help me. Thanks, Jeffreycal

[tsantee]

Did the video from the mini-DVD get copied to the hard drive when you added it to Popcorn? If not you may need to do that before adding it to the Popcorn window.