I'm sorry if I havn't looked properly but I havn't been able to find any info on how to create a kdvd (on one DVD-R) that is exactly the same as the original (with menus etc) except the video is KDVD. Is there any way I can do this? Thanks for any help.

I suppose you want to back-up your original DVD movie.

KDVD is supposed to help you back-up your 3-4 (look at this thread -> http://www.kvcd.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16073 ) original DVD movies on a single DVD-R (4.3GiB). Without menus and Extras. This way you can watch 3-4 movies without the need of disk-change

Now. If you want just to back-up with all features, you may try DVD-Shrink ( http://www.free-codecs.com/download/DVD_Shrink.htm ). If your original DVD movie has more than 4.3 GiB (and generally it has!), DVD-Shrink will compress the movie/extras to fit the DVD-R. The quality loss will not be so noticeable.

Yes, sparskter is true.
I would add a couple of tools:

- If you want to build it identical to the original, you can try DVDRebuilder, that will combine the strength (good quality) of KDVD methods with keeping your KDVD as the original. There's a free version here.

- If you just want to keep main film and audio and subs, you can also try another very good tool, also for free. You can get it here and try it.

Nice encodings![/list]

Thanks guys, the name DVD shrink just gave me the impression it decreased the resolution. Anyway, I already had dvd-rb but couldn't figure out how to encode it as a KDVD, theres a few different encoders it uses you see. Thanks.

Use HC Encoder (in paying version only I think) or use CCE with RB-Opt (an external programm delivered with DVD-RB). RB-Opt allows you to change things like Matrix, GOP, DC precision... exactly what you need to do a KDVD !

Look into the forum about rb-opt, there is a long thread that told about how to use it.

ok, I can't use rb-opt because I can't find the rebuilder.inf file, it isn't in the dvd-rb directory (I have pro and free). There is a rebuilder.ini but no rebuilder.inf. I'm using rb-opt 0.21.

The rebuilder.inf is created by the first step of the "three step" method of DVD-RB.

You have to launch this step ("Prepare") then you will find the .inf in the working directory you defined.

ok, but in dvd-rb, when I go to options --> expert options I can select what matrix I want to use, and I copied the kvcd matrix from rb-opt into the matrice directory, so I can select that, should I do this? Or should I just use the free version of dvd-rb? And also, the matrix setting, does it work with all the encoders? I'm using quenc at the moment (because it was default and its free)

Yes, this is a possibility. RB-OPT has been done for free version because this one does not allow to change matrix.

You can use the one you want. The way of using it is not the same, that's all.

As clearcly indicated in the doc (did you read it ?), in the Pro version, the custom matrix defined in the advanced settings is used also for Quenc.

Sorry, didn't realise there was any documentation (stupid me), checked it now though... cleared up a few things for me. One more question though, the preview and editing bit... it says you can replace scenes from extras that you don't want with either blank video or slide shows. Well I was wondering how long the blank videos are because the unwanted extra bits are adverts (which incedently I can't skip on my original copy, damn them) and they come before the dvd menus, so no good if they're just as long as the adverts themselves

Anyway thanks for clearing it up, I'm new to backing up dvds and I'm a linux guy so using all these crazy seperate programs left right and centre has been a bit confusing.

You should remove it with vobblanker (or PGC Edit maybe) before to proceed the disc with DVD-RB

I think the answer to this might be quite complicated but here goes. On this dvd I'm trying to backup there is firstly a menu asking what language you want it in... I want to get rid of this and just cut straight to the english menu because I'm not ripping the foreign audio streams/subtitles. Any ideas?

EDIT: forget it, it seems to have done this already some how (testing in vlc) and even if it hasn't it looks too complicated to attempt.

I'm not sure dvd-rb used the kvcd matrix properly, because after it finished encoding all the dvd files it was still 3.8 gigs, and thats with all the unwanted audio tracks and all the subtitle tracks gone... Doesn't sound right seeing as I'm supposed to be able to fit 6 hours of video on a dvd.

Is 3,8 gb the size of the complete rebuilt dvd? Or just the reencoded files from dvdrb? dvdrb remuxes the original audio when you rebuild the dvd. That could explain the 3,8gb.

Yes, with kdvd you can put up to 6 hours on one dvdr. But, dvdrb assumes it has 4,35gb at his disposal, so the bitrate is calculated in such way that the entire disc is used.

It's not a matter of matrix but more a matter of ability for the encoder to follow what it has been asked to do.
I never use Quenc but perhaps you use it in one pass encoding, and it is not good at this ?

No, it was 2 pass. I'll try HC next time if you think thats better?

I use CCE.

Which version of cce? How did you get it?