Key Post: DVD Capacity

[Marion]

I was making a backup of one of my DVDs, only to find that I couldn't because of insufficient storage capacity. PC World advise me that a single sided DVD has a 4.7Gb capacity, yet my original DVD has files totalling 6.7Gb. Can anybody explain how this is possible on a single sided DVD?

 

[Guest]

DVD Capacity

Perhaps the files were stored with some sort of compression applied by the DVD writing software or the drive itself?

electronics.howstuffworks.com/dvd3.htm

 

[fatherdougalmaguire]

Re: DVD Capacity

'Real' DVDs have two layers. These can be thought of two sides. Typically you can store 4.7GB per layer/side. Oftentimes you experience the layer switch when watching a DVD. There might be a slight pause.

Anyway, consumer-wise there aren't any dual-layer DVD writer/rewriters yet but they should be here soon.

In the mean time, you can use a thing called DVD Shrink to back-up the movie portion only (no extras).

 

[Geoffreyod]

Dual layer DVD writer

Dual Layer DVD writers are available to the consumer for €74 + carraige now.

www.jes-computer.de/produ...?pID=17434

 

[fatherdougalmaguire]

Re: Dual layer DVD writer

Good man/woman Geoffreyod.

Must go an fill in a purchase authorisation form with the wife. I'm sure I only saw these in the news a while ago. But then, maybe that was a high-speed version.

 

[eamonn66]

dvd-r capacity fix

try dvd shrink - www.dvdshrink.org
it will compress your commercial dvd to fit on a dvd-r
it can create an iso image file on your hard disk.

this can then be burned to a blank dvd using dvd-decrypter in iso write mode


both are freeware and free of spyware/trojans etc
the total process takes under an hour with a speedy machine

great for backing up the kids barney collection etc