Can I put DVD-Video content on a CD-R or CD-RW?
[Note: This section refers to creating original DVD-Video content, not copying from DVD to CD. The latter is impractical, since it takes 7 to 14 CDs to hold one side of a DVD. Also, most DVD movies are encrypted so that the files can’t be copied without special software.] There are many advantages to creating a DVD-Video volume using inexpensive recordable CD rather than expensive recordable DVD. The resulting “cDVD” (also called a “miniDVD”) is perfect for testing and for short video programs. Unfortunately, you can put DVD-Video files on CD-R or CD-RW media, or even on pressed CD-ROM media, but as yet almost no settop player can play the disc. There are a number of reasons DVD-Video players can’t play DVD-Video content from CD media: 1) checking for CD media is a fallback case after DVD focus fails, at which point the players are no longer looking for DVD-Video content 2) it’s simpler and cheaper for players to spin CDs at 1x speed rather than the 9x speed required for DVD-Video cont
Copying from DVD to CD is impractical, since it takes 7 to 14 CDs to hold one side of a DVD. Also, most DVD movies are encrypted so that the files can’t be copied without special software. However, there are many advantages to creating a DVD-Video volume using inexpensive recordable CD rather than expensive recordable DVD. The resulting “cDVD” (sometimes called a “miniDVD”) is perfect for testing and for short video programs. Unfortunately, you can put DVD-Video files on CD-R or CD-RW media, or even on pressed CD-ROM media, but almost no set-top player can play the disc. Computers are more forgiving. DVD-Video files from any source with fast enough data rates, including CD-R or CD-RW, with or without UDF formatting, will play back on most DVD-ROM PCs as long as the drive can read the media.
