Hi there,

I have just downloaded CloneDVD and AnyDVD for the first time. I found the tutorial here, and am looking forward to trying these programs this evening.

I have been looking for an affordable backup programme for a while now (even tried the "other" CloneDVD - before I found this forum), and hopefully CloneDVD2 will be what I am looking for.

If I like what I see, I will certainly be buying both these programmes (from SlySoft???)

Thanks for an informative forum

Regards

Welcome to the forum schalk!
You'll be happy with these tools, it's worth to invest in it and also you'll get constantly new updates.

Hi,

Thanks. Just a question, how well does CloneDVD and AnyDVA handle DVD-R dual layer discs. I would like to find out, since this is what I intend using to create backups of my DVDs. Do you have to choose the size of the output media (DVD5 or DVD9), or is this done automatically by CloneDVD?

Thanks again.

Schalk

If you're doing 1:1 backups on DL media, most here would suggest using CloneCD (not to be confused with CloneDVD). The reason for this is that CloneCD preserves the original layer break when using DVD+R DL media. CloneDVD does not. And no program will preserve a layer break with DVD-R DL media, so stay away from that. Verbatim DVD+R DL are highly recommended around here.

Good luck!

Hi

Does this mean that a 1:1 back-up on DVD-R DL will not play in a standalone DVD player? And please excuse the stupidity, but what is the layer break and why must the original one be preserved.

Thanks again.

If your standalone player can play DVD-R DLs, then yes it will play.

Layer Break -
Manufactured DVDs (well, the vast majority) are DLs, also called DVD-9s. At some point in the movie and on the disc (not necessarily the very end of the first layer) the player is instructed to move to layer 2 and continue the movie. In some movies you can tell where this is by the slight (maybe up to 2 sec) pause in playback.

When copying a movie it is preferable to preserve this original layer break, as it is edited so it's in a good place and least noticeable on playback. CloneDVD removes this layer break point completely, so whether it's burned on a +R or -R the movie will change layers at the end of whatever chapter happens to be the last on layer 1.

CloneCD however will preserve the original layer break. If you burn onto a +R the movie will switch layers in the same place as the original.

But due to the structure and formatting of -R DL media every disc has a predefined layer break. No software can change this so all discs and movies will always change layers at the same physical point on the disc.

So to answer the second part of your question, no you don't have to preserve the original layer break. But you'll probably notice the layer change more because it could come in a bad place aesthetically, like in the middle of an action scene or on a jump cut between scenes.

I hope that clears things up for ya.

For 1 to 1 backups there is another way of doing it. Use DVD Decrypter to rip the whole movie to an ISO image & use ImgBurn to burn that image.
DVD Decrypter will overcome many of the protection systems but will fail on some of the latest so ANYDVD running in the background will solve this.

Both these preserve the layer break as Wraithdu has explained.

I tried moving the layer break on a movie I was backing up but saw a pause as the layer was switched. It was explained to me that the point where the layer break has been set is usually at a point of minimal movement so any hesitation is not noticed.

yes you'll have to set it to dvd-9
just remember when using clonedvd2 to use -r dl media and when using clonecd use +r dl media.

Thanks for your answers guys. Some light is starting to appear at the end of the tunnel (and in this case it really might be the train!).

I try and see what I can accomplish with my trail versions!

Thanks again.

You mentioned this -R vs +R distinction in another thread. What's the basis for this? It's the first time I've heard anything about using + or - specifically with CloneCD/DVD...

since clonecd can save the original layerbreak and +r dl media can use the original layerbreak
since clonedvd2 can't preserve the original layerbreak and -r dl media can't preserve the original layerbreak. so why waste a +r dl media on clonedvd2.

I see your logic, assuming you consider using a +R with CloneDVD a waste. Since I only have/use +R, and they cost the same, I don't. I just thought there might be some other technical reasoning behind it.

James chimed in on the importance of preserving the layer break in another thread. He said it doesn't REALLY matter and that CloneDVD does a decent enough job with creating a new layer break. However, for me with my POS Sony player, it makes a big difference to me. His advice...drop the Sony player. LOL! The reason I mention this at all is that it is sometimes desirable to remove trailers and other useless crap from your backup even if you're planning on using a DL disc to avoid having to transcode. If you do that, obviously you'll be changing the layer break. Does that matter? Well, not REALLY for most people. We had made the argument that preserving the layer break was important because it was theoretically placed in a non-critical scene on most movies whereas James thinks that it's just randomly placed on the originals anyway. Anyway, it was an interesting discussion. There's been a lot of discussion about layer break lately so do a search of the forum if you're really interested in it.

OK, so I tried copying the Godfather III last night.

The trail of AnyDVD works fine, and I am considering buying it.

CloneDVD, however, gave me the infamous WriteDVD 14 W2, "source data too large" error. I see there are quite a lot of discussion about that here .

- I have a new LG drive (GSA-4167B), for which no firmware updates are available, and
- I was using a Verbatim DVD-R DL disc. The disc is rated at a speed of 4x, and my setting was for 2x.
- I did double check to make sure that CloneDVD was set to dual layer.
- I used the latest AnyDVD and CloneDVD (downloaded the day before yesterday)


Any ideas or other info that might be required?

I will try to get hold of another brand of blank DVD, and give it another go.

In the end I used CloneDVD to create an ISO image, and burned it (successfully) with ImgBurn (thanks for that suggestion!).

Could anybody shed more light on this?

Thanks.

Oops, I found a new firmware update for my writer. Will give it a go and see what happens.

Schalk