Whats the difference between VIDEO_TS and MPEG-2 files?

[tankfreak]

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I keep reading that MPEG-2 is the format files need to be in to burn and watch on a standalone DVD player.

However I have also read TS stands for 'title set' and is part of a dvd structure. The Video_TS folder contains all of the files, correctly identified by informaton (ifo) and
their backups (bup) files, necessary for a DVD to play.

Whats the difference?

It seems like most apps I've tried to burn DVDs with only accept VIDEO_TS files. For example, I want to use MainConcept MPEG encoder to make quality DVDs but every time I try to throw the files in TMPGenc DVD author or DVD Shrink or even Nero Burning ROM I get errors saying they aren't the right format. Whats going on?

[perkster]

the video_TS and audio_TS folders form the structure of a DVD-video disc or project that is the structure standalone DVD players look for when playing the DVD, the audio folder isnt used and all the info and VOB files are in the video_TS folder.

what types of things are you trying to burn on to DVDs? there are easier ways than putting movies into MPEG-2 and then having to convert it back to DVD ready format.

http://people.csail.mit.edu/tbuehler/video/MPEG-2.html

the above link is a guide to using free software to encode MPEG-2 into DVD formats but its not easy or fast process.

if backing up DVDs just use DVD shrink to create the VOB files to burn with nero or create an ISO to burn.

if downloading movies on web then not so many options and converting will be required.

you cannot just put MPEG-2 files on a DVD and play it. most programs are designed to rip DVDS and encode them into MPEG-2.

[RJ]

I keep reading that MPEG-2 is the format files need to be in to burn and watch on a standalone DVD player.

Wherever you read this, it's not 100% accurate. The thing is the follwing:

First, MPEG-2 is a type of a video compression, it is not a file format. The common ending for a video file that contains MPEG-2 video, is .m2v

Now, neither .MPG files, nor the .VOB files, are pure video files, they are called containers.
A container file is a file that contains different other files. In the case of a DVD, a VOB file can contain a video file, audio file, subtitle track (actually even multiple video, audio and subtitle tracks can be packed into a VOB).

Since these files are just containers, you can always extract the pure video, audio etc. files from them (called demultiplexing, or demuxing), or put them into another container (called multiplexing, or muxing).

The .MPG container file does not support everything that was demanded for the DVD (like the amount of audio or subtitle tracks9, hence the .VOB container file was developed.

So, that now means: The video has to be MPEG-2, yes (actually, it also has to meet certain parameters as far as resolution and frames per second are concerned), but there are also rules for the audio, and they have to be multiplexed as VOB (put into a VOB container file).

You create the VOB files using a DVD authoring program. It will also generate IFO files (which contain navigational information, like chapter points etc.) and the BUP files (which are just backup of the IFOs).
They have to be burnerd in a given order on the DVD itself (as dvd players are kept simple, they're not as complex as a PC. They are built to look for the first file at a given point and get the address of the next file. If the file is not at the pointed location, the dvd player doesn't know what to do, so the dvd won't play).

As you see, MPEG-2 is the video compression used for DVDs, not the file format. You need video/audio/subtitles to be in the VOB container, navigational information (IFO files) and burn them in the correct order (the burning program will take care of the order), then the DVD will play.

to encode MPEG-2 into DVD formats but its not easy or fast process.

If the MPEG-2 is already DVD-Video compliant, there is no need to encode them. Just pack them into VOBs and burn, it's an easy and fast process.

if downloading movies on web then not so many options and converting will be required.

Actually it's the opposite You'll have to convert (encode) them to MPEG-2, and then create the vob files. It'll take quite some time.

most programs are designed to rip DVDS and encode them into MPEG-2.

No. DVDs are already MPEG-2, hence ripping programs don't encode, they just copy the data off the DVD. Putting them into the .MPG container does nothing to the video, no encoding, no transcoding, it'll remain untouched.

Another story would be transcoding, like if you have a video stored on a dual layer DVD and wanna make it fit on a single layer DVD. So you transcode MPEG-2 to MPEG-2 by just lowering the bitrate. But it's also an easy and fast process.

RJ

[tankfreak]

Thanks for the explanation.

I just got a program called Aurora MPEG to DVD burner. So I think now I wont have to convert to VOB file, right?

My whole aim is to put out a QUALITY DVD. So Im using MainConcept MPEG encoder and now Aurora to burn.

For future reference though could you guys recommend a program that converts MPEG to VIDEO_TS files and still maintains QUALITY?