How To Copy Double-Layered DVD On Two Single-Layered Disks For Free

You need to make a backup copy of your favourite DVD movie and keep the original quality? Not a problem if the original disk is single-layered, in this case the only thing you have to do is to get a blank DVD-R and make a copy. The difficulty is, most movies are actually recorded on double-layered disks and therefore are impossible to copy to single-layer DVD without loss of quality. The ideal solution here would be to make a full copy on a double-layered DVD-R. But, unfortunately, this solution is only available for those who have relatively new DVD recorders, and if you have an older model it won't be possible for you to create double-layer backup copy. Of course, there is always an option to buy new model of DVD recorder, but why getting a new one if the old one still works?

So, the best solution for backing up your DVD is to use two single-layered disks.

It will take two additional programs to do so: DVD Shrink (to split the movie on two disks) and DVD Decrypter (this utility allows bypassing copy protection measures and make a full copy of DVD; also this program is able to burn recordable DVDs).

The only drawback of such method is that only the actual movie will be copied and interactive menus probably will be sacrificed. On the other hand, this method is completely free and doesn't require any commercial software.

Ok, let's begin.

1. Copy DVD to hard drive

1.1 Insert DVD that you want to back up in the DVD drive.

1.2 Run DVD Decrypter

1.3 Make sure that in the "Mode" pop-up menu the "File" checkbox is checked, activate it if it is not.

1.4 In the "Source" menu, select the source DVD drive (the one with the disk to be copied inside).

1.5 Make sure there is enough free space on your hard-drive, the required amount can be viewed in the bottom right corner of the program window.

1.6 In the "Destination" section, press on the button with folder icon on it and specify a target folder where the copy will be stored.

1.7 Press the large button with hard-drive picture on it. The copying process will begin.

1.8 If everything is fine, you'll see the following message:

1.9 Close DVD Decrypter.

2. Preparing the first disk for the recording.

2.1 Run DVD Shrink.

2.2 Press the "Open Files" button and select the folder that contains DVD copy from the previous step. Select the "VIDEO_TS" sub-folder and press OK.

2.3 Wait while the program analyzes the contents of DVD.

2.4 Press the "Re-Author" button. In the right frame you'll see the contents of your disks split into different groups: Menus (all animated menus from the disk), Main Movie (movie itself) and, probably Extra (advertising materials and bonuses). The contents of each frame can be previewed in the bottom left frame so you can decide what to keep and what to discard.

2.5 Drag (with your mouse) contents from the Main Movie section in the right frame (DVD Browser) to the top left frame (Re-Authored DVD).

2.6 Select "Compression settings" tab in the right frame.

2.7 In the pop-up menu in "Video" section, select "No Compression".

2.8 Note the bar on top. The green color indicates which part of the movie will fit to standard single-layered disk, and the red color indicates the part that won't fit. But the most interesting thing here is the number at the end of the green scale, usually 4 664MB. This is the capacity of standard DVD recordable disk.

2.9 Now we have to select the part of the movie which will be on the first disk

2.10 Press "Set StartEnd Frames" in the top right corner of the "Re-Authored DVD" frame.

The selection window for the first and last frames of the movie will appear. For the first disk we need to change the position of the last frame in the "End Frame" section. This can be done by using slider and scrolling buttons (this will allow selecting last frame with the accuracy within one second) or by using "Chapter" drop-down list (this way allows which chapter of the movie will be first). It's better to preserve chapters and use the second method.

2.11 When selecting chapters or frames, try to keep the "Total Size" value as close to 4.464MB as possible, but not exceeding it. When you finish selecting it, remember the last chapter on this disk or the time for the last frame and record it somewhere. This information will be necessary for the creation of the second disk.

2.12 Press OK. If the red bar is gone and only the green one remains, you've done everything right.

3. Recording first disk

3.1 Press the "Backup!" button.

3.2 In the "Select backup target" drop-down menu select "Image File and burn withDVD Decrypter".

3.3 In the "Select target image file" field specify the folder that will contain temporary image file. Make sure that there is enough space by using "Space Required" & "Space Available in Folder" items that are located below.

3.4 Press OK.

3.5 After pressing OK the temporary image file will be created. The window will appear, allowing you to see what part of the movie is being processed at this moment and the estimation of total time required. Usually this process takes no longer than five minutes. After the image file is complete, DVD Shrink will close and DVD Decrypter will start.

3.6 After DVD Decrypter has started, insert a blank DVD recordable disk in the recorder.

3.7 Select writing speed in the "Settings" section and DVD recorder in "Destination".

3.8 If you want to test the disk after recording to be completely confident, check "Verify" in the same section.

3.9 After all settings are set, press the big button with HDD and disk picture on it (write). If the disk is not empty, the program will produce the following error:

3.10 In this case, change DVD recordable medium to the blank one or, if the disk is rewritable, press "Yes". In this case everything on the disk will be erased.

3.11 After the program have finished recording and verifying, you can start to create second disk. Exit DVD-Decrypter.

4. Preparing the second disk for the recording.

4.1 Repeat all steps from 2.1 to 2.7

4.2 Press the "Set StartEnd Frames" button.

4.3 Now you have to set the position for the first frame instead of the last one. In the "Start Frame" section, set the slider to the value that you memorized during the recording of the first disk. Alternatively, if you selected to split disks by chapters, select the next chapter after the one that was last on the first disk. For example, if the first disk had chapter 11 as the last one, select chapter 12.

4.4 Press "OK".

4.5 Make sure there is no red bar on top. If the red bar exists, try repeating steps from 4.2

4.6 The second disk usually has some space left, so you can add some bonus materials to it. These materials can be previewed in the preview window. If you find anything worth keeping, drag them with your mouse to the same place where the original movie is.

4.7 Select the "Compression Settings" tab.

4.8 Position mouse pointer on the disk title in the "Re-Authored DVD" frame.

4.9 In the "Video" drop-down menu of the "Compression Settings" frame, set "No Compression".

5. Recording second disk

Repeat all steps from 3.1 to 3.7

Congratulations. Now you have two disks containing the copy of your favorite movie with the same original quality. And the only money you have spent is the cost of blank DVDs.