Setting 16:9 flag and burning set-top compatible DVD disc

[3dit0r]

Hi,

I'm sure this has been answered before, but I'm up against a deadline and don't have time to read through and guess which solutions might work for me, so I'd hugely appreciate it if someone could give me easy to follow bullet points for this, with freeware software suggestions if possible (but I also own FCP6 and Avid Xpress Pro HD 5 if neccessary).

I have an edit of a show I wrote which isn't released yet, but came to me on DVD from the edit house on disc, BUT they haven't set the 16:9 flag properly so I have had to play on my mac and manually set 16:10 ratio when watching with VLC.

However, I have to send it to my agent, who won't have the computer knowledge to do this, and probably will just want to watch it on a normal set-top box and show clients that way too.

I have a Mac, or PC and am relatively computer/video literate, but modifying 16:9 flags *after* creation, and then re-burning a disc which will definitely play on a set-top box is beyond me. So, what I have is the original disc, which is not copy protected as it's not public release yet.

Any help greatly appreciated!

James

[admin]

This guide may be of help:

Using IfoEdit: Setting the 16:9 Flag

[3dit0r]

Brilliant- thanks so much!

Is there a similarly straightforward guide to burning those modified files to DVD that won't then mess it all up again? From previous experience, it's easy to mess up at that stage!

I have imgburn, I think, but not Nero...

[admin]

It's hard to mess up with ImgBurn, although you should invest in good media (+R Verbatims with the AZO logo on the box), and if you're burning dual layers (use +R DL, again I use mainly AZO Verbatims), then this guide can help you:

How to create a double layer DVD Video image file using ImgBurn

There are a bunch of other guides on the forum above - the one that you may have to read is the setting booktype guide, which enhances compatibility with older standalones, some of which have trouble reading +R media without the booktype being set to DVD-ROM.

And if you can, test on as many standalones as possible before sending it out (PC drives are less picky when it comes to media, so they don't make good tests).

[3dit0r]

Thanks, really appreciated

Sounds like I've probably not realised about the book type in the past, as exactly the problem I've had is certain players will play and others won't. Oddly Verbatim has always been my media of choice though, I have a stack here I normally use just for data backup, so no worries there.

I'll follow those guides and get back to you if I run into trouble. Thanks again!

[admin]

Also, just as a general rule not just with ImgBurn, burn the disc at the lowest supported speed, as that can also prevent problems.

[r0lZ]

Hum, according to Lightning_UK (author of ImgBurn), using the lowest speed is usually not a good idea, as the drive may use another "write strategy", for which the drive has not been optimized.
Personally, I avoid to burn at the highest speed, but usually I select the speed directly below the highest one. Never had problems with ImgBurn and Verbatim.

[admin]

I think I may be a bit behind the times when it comes to burning strategies ... haven't been doing much burning lately. Found out my burner was actually broken the other day when I tried to burn something - could have happened almost a year ago, since that was the last time I actually burned something!

On the other hand, I'm up to my third 1 TB drive

[r0lZ]

I bought my fourth yesterday!