Posted by Bill's News on 12/18/07 18:00

"janet" <janl_d@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:_wK9j.130$se5.85@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...
> On Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:44:13 -0800, Bill's News wrote:
>> With IFO files, there is no
>> semantic issue regarding DATA or VIDEO.
>
> Hi again Bill's News,
>
> From my practical standpoint, meaning I do what works and that
> doesn't mean
> I understand things - the information (IFO) files are just
> another file
> inside the VIDEO_TS directory (along with the backup (BUP) to
> the
> information files, and the 1GB video (VOB) files themselves).
>
> So, from my practical sense, the VIDEO_TS directory just
> contains "stuff".
>
> When I burn that VIDEO_TS "stuff" to the root of a DVD disc, I
> get a
> playable DVD. With ImgBurn, I just burn the VIDEO_TS directory
> like I would
> any other data.
>
> But with Nero, I apparently had to do hokey pokey and not call
> it data but
> call it a DVD and go through menus and hoops and bells and
> whistles, and
> only then did Nero create a working DVD. It was so much work,
> I scrapped
> Nero and wondered why on earth anyone ever used that crap in
> the first
> place.
>
> Now, I admit I don't understand any of this stuff - so that's
> why I persist
> in asking why Nero needs a special button called "DVD" where
> ImgBurn
> doesn't need anything special to burn DVD data as a DVD.
>
> Are you saying that a VIDEO_TS directory doesn't have to
> contain an IFO
> file? ANd, if it doesn't contain an IFO file, then Nero
> somehow magically
> creates that IFO file?
>
> janet

While there is much available on the net regarding DVD structure
and you might find it of interest to read, I'll just make this
comment which might be helpful:

The data on your hard drive, in any given folder has no specific
organization. If any natural sequence occurs, it is probably by
time of arrival. What you see when you view a directory in
Explorer, is whatever order you (or its programmer) have chosen.

The design of the DVD structure is specific. In part this is to
aid in data protection. For example, the BUP files, backup
copies of the IFO files, are specifically stored as far away
from the IFO files as possible. Now, there is no reason for a
DVD player to insist that this specific structure be adhered to,
but it is just one more way to assure factory creation rather
than a pirated copy.

Modern DVD players, especially those which handle non-DVD
formats (like DivX) disregard this old constraint. Thus, you'll
find that some players will play DVDs written by Nero in data
format.

Both ImgBurn & Nero do the same thing, they create an ISO image,
properly organized, prior to burning. The difference is that
ImgBurn is designed only for DVD video format, while Nero is
designed to be a general burning program. Thus Nero asks what
your intent is (data, video, music, etc.) but ImgBurn knows what
your intent is.

And no, I did not mean that IFO files could be left out. They
are the directory to the VTS sets.

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