Guides To Converting A Downloaded Video Torrent To
A Playable DVD
For Mac Users
Special Thanks to Weesam for
providing screencaps for Mac software and modifications to these Guides
for Mac users!
Guide One - using Mac
OS X, Toast and VLC
Media Player
Guide Two
- using Mac OS X,
VLC
Media Player and LiquidCD
VLC
Media Player and LiquidCD
are freeware.
Toast is commercialware
and comes bundled with Mac computers.
For this guide we will be using 'Buffalo Tom - Pinkpop 1992' DVD
The software used is:
Mac OS X
Toast
VLC
Media Player
VLC Media Player is freeware, Toast is commercialware and comes bundled with Mac computers.
We recommend that you close your BT client prior to
doing anything with your downloaded files. Sometimes a BT client 'hangs
on' to files and you may get a 'file in use' error if the client is still
open.
We also recommend that, during the burning process, you
don't have any other programs running that might use substantial computer
resources.
Step 1 - The folder structure for the Torrent you have downloaded is dictated by the .torrent file created by the original uploader;
Notice that the uploader has saved the info text file
outside
the VIDEO_TS folder.
Step 2 - Play the DVD on your computer, or at least some of it, by dragging the VIDEO_TS folder to the DVD player icon and check that there are no apparent errors contained in the download. If the DVD has menus and chapters check that they work.
If you find an error it could be caused by a corrupt file in the Torrent, in which case you would contact the Uploader and make them aware of it. On the other hand it could be caused by corruption during the download process, in which case you would download that particular file again.
In either case you need to identify exactly which file
is corrupt.
To do this, play the .VOB files individually using VLC
Media Player.
Go to the File menu -> Open -> Browse;
and select and play the .VOB files in turn;
Step 3 - Open Toast. Click the 'Video' panel at the top of the Toast window. If the side panel window is not open, open it by clicking the blue arrow in the top left corner of the Toast window, then select 'DVD-Video from VIDEO_TS'.
Drag the VIDEO_TS folder to the main Toast window. (AUDIO_TS folders are not used);
Step 4 - Click The big red button in the bottom right hand corner. (the green scale shows how much space on the DVD your burn will use). You will see the following dialogue box;
The 'Basic' options are self-explanatory - Write Speed is the SLOWEST speed that your DVD writer will burn at OR the burn speed of the DVD media you are using. However, as with burning CD-Rs, we recommend burning at the slowest speed that the media and the drive will allow. For this example we're burning at 6x.
Click 'Advanced' and use the settings suggested by the screencap below;
Click on the 'Record' button. Toast will ask you to insert a blank disc. Do so and burning the DVD will commence, with a progress bar at the bottom of the Toast window.
When burning and verification is complete, Toast will ping (like a toaster) and the disc will mount on the desktop. Now that your DVD is burned you should test it by playing it using either computer software or a standalone DVD player, or preferably both. DVDs, especially home-made ones, can be problematic and may play in one player but not another.
We mention again that keeping and archiving the original
video files and any other files that accompanied them in the downloaded
Torrent, such as the info text file and any artwork, is a good idea. You
can archive them to a harddrive (though space quickly becomes a premium
if you choose this method) or burn them to disc as data using OS
X Finder or Toast.
For this guide we will be using 'Pavement - 1994-08-17 Venlo, Netherlands' DVD
The software used is:
Mac OS X
LiquidCD
VLC
Media Player
VLC Media Player and LiquidCD are freeware.
We recommend that you close your BT client prior to
doing anything with your downloaded files. Sometimes a BT client 'hangs
on' to files and you may get a 'file in use' error if the client is still
open.
We also recommend that, during the burning process, you
don't have any other programs running that might use substantial computer
resources.
Step 1 - The folder structure for the Torrent you have downloaded is dictated by the .torrent file created by the original uploader.
Notice that the uploader has saved the info text file
and artwork outside the VIDEO_TS folder.
Step 2 - Play the DVD on your computer, or at least some of it, by dragging the VIDEO_TS folder to the DVD player icon, to check that there are no apparent errors contained in the download. If the DVD has menus and chapters check that they work.
If you find an error it could be caused by a corrupt file in the Torrent, in which case you would contact the Uploader and make them aware of it. On the other hand it could be caused by corruption during the download process in which case you would download that particular file again.
In either case you need to identify exactly which file
is corrupt.
To do this, play the .VOB files individually using VLC
Media Player to play individual .VOB files.
Go to the File menu -> Open -> Browse;
and select and play the .VOB files in turn;
Step 3 - Open LiquidCD. Click the Video DVD panel at the top of the LiquidCD window. Drag the VIDEO_TS folder to the main LiquidCD window. (AUDIO_TS folders are not used).
Step 4 - Click
the 'Burn' button at the top right of the window.
Insert a blank DVD and you will see the following window;
'Speed' is the SLOWEST of either the speed of your DVD
writer OR the burn speed of the recordable DVDs you are using. However,
as with burning CDs, we recommend burning at the slowest speed that the
media and the drive will allow. For this example we're burning at 8x.
Step 5 - Click 'Burn'
LiquidCD will burn and verify your DVD and mount the disc on the desktop when done. Now that your DVD is burned you should test it by playing it using either computer software or a standalone DVD player, or preferably both. DVDs, especially home-made ones, can be problematic and may play in one player but not another.
We mention again that keeping and archiving the original
video files and any other files that accompanied them in the downloaded
Torrent, such as the info text file and any artwork, is a good idea. You
can archive them to a harddrive (though space quickly becomes a premium
if you choose this method) or burn them to disc as data using OS
X Finder.
Special Thanks to Weesam for
providing screencaps for Mac software and modifications to these Guides
for Mac users!