The subject of this page is specifically for merging or combining two, three or more mini 8cm DVDs into one regular sized DVD retaining the full data and menu structure of the originals with no loss of quality.
This procedure can also be used to merge or combine full sized discs into one but it is important to note that doing so will require third party software to re-compress the files down to the size of one DVD. This MAY result in a loss of quality.
Alternately if you are combining full sized DVDs you can burn to a double layer DVD but again you will need separate burning software to do so.
If you have no need to retain the original menus and file structure of the DVDs or wish to compile one DVD from the parts of various DVDs then just go to the DVD Copying Software page and the software there will do that for you.
If you are using -/+RW (re-writable) mini 8cm DVD discs in your DVD camcorder or device and want to archive the contents before erasing and re-using the disc then this page is for you.
Also, you may be using -/+R mini 8cm DVD discs and would like to backup to larger discs to save on space then similarly this is for you.
Merge DVDs with DVDReMake Pro
Although it may seem incredible, given the huge popularity of the current camcorders and devices using mini 8cm DVDs, there appears to be only one product on the market that will merge DVDs in this way.
DVDReMake Pro is a very specialized piece of software. Quite simply what it will do for you is combine two (DVDRemake) or up to four (DVDRemake Pro) mini DVDs into one full sized DVD.
You can find the full DVDRemake Pro Tutorial HERE.
If you need more data…read on!
Click Here to See DVDRemake Pro for Yourself
In doing this DVDReMake Pro creates a new, top level menu that will show an icon for the two or three mini DVDs you have placed on to the full sized DVD. When you click on one of the icons you go to the original menu of the original mini DVD and can navigate to individual scenes from there.
The importance of keeping the original menus simply cannot be overestimated.
If you were to just pull the video files off three mini DVDs in the form of MPEG2 files and burn them to a data disc you would end up with hundreds of little video clips with meaningless names in a sea of files.
Imagine two years later trying to find that one clip where aunt Bessie fell into the birthday cake (priceless!) in a morass of MPEG2 files!
The menus on your mini DVDs not only have the indexing data of where the file is on the disc but also the thumbnail picture of what the scene looks like as well as the recording date and all are vital for archiving.
Ugly warning!
DVDReMake Pro does exactly what it promises to do. It will copy two or three mini DVDs onto one full sized DVD with a “point and click” procedure. It will retain the original menus and it will do a straight data copy so that no quality is lost from the video files at all.
BUT!
It will create a new top level disc menu that will be arguably one of the ugliest pieces of graphic design you have seen in your life!
The company that produces the software is called DimadSoft and although they have a great programming department they have a lousy graphic design department.
There are instructions on the site as to how you can use your own graphics to create a more pleasing menu but I have never bothered. My use for the software is as an archiving tool so aesthetics are not a priority for me.
Quality.
There is absolutely no loss of quality using this software to combine or merge DVDs. It reads the structure of the DVDs in full and creates it’s own higher level structure around that then directly copies “bit for bit” the exact data on the original discs.
For the Technically Minded or Curious
DVDReMake Pro is a rather deceptive piece of work. Although you can simply use it to point and click your way to two or three mini DVDs on to one there is a whole range of tools and controls lying beneath that simple surface.
For most people who are not either technically minded or technically curious these features will be of no interest. But if you are interested in this then DVDReMake Pro is an incredibly powerful DVD manipulation tool.
Be warned though, these aspects of the software are not simple to use and require at least some degree of knowledge of both DVD structure and the willingness to overcome a bit of a learning curve.
The DimadSoft website has a wealth of information on the software and its capabilities as well as many user guides and an active forum to get you going. Below is a list of some of the functions within DVDReMake Pro.
- Merge/combine multiple DVDs preserving the original quality and menu structure.
- Analyse and correct disc navigation using the debugger.
- Replace a menu background with a still image of your own.
- Move and insert chapters on an existing DVD.
- Edit VM commands.
- Edit and create new title sets, titles, chapters, program chains and programs.
- Delete title sets, titles, chapters, program chains or programs.
- Move title sets, program chains or commands within the disc or between different DVDs.
- Find DVD navigation errors.
- Change the order of menu buttons.
- Change the properties of the video, audio and subpicture (subtitle) tracks.
- Modify the color schemes of buttons in either still or motion menus.
- Fix incorrectly authored or edited discs including mismatching between ifo and vob files.
- All in all DVDReMake Pro is an incredibly powerful piece of software whether you simply want it to merge two or more DVDs into one or engage in more advanced DVD manipulation.
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