NOTE: - I edited this 7-April-2008 to include a copy of the menu for build version
2047 as well as making the screenshots smaller (500 pixels wide) so the full image
will fit on a page when you print it.) Also, if you are interested in keeping a copy of
any thread or tutorial on your machine for later reference, consider using a utility
like the free "pdfcreator" --
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/ which allows
you to print the thread to a pdf file (including pictures etc.) for later reference.
I had several people suggest I put a copy of my ISO file information in the tutorial
section. I guess it fits since it does say how to create one from within Producer or
Gold. On the other hand, if our fearless leader feels it does not belong here, that
is OK too
After a number of questions about iso files, I thought I would put together a bit of
information here on what iso image files are and how to use them. Hopefully, this
will help people who are not familiar with them to understand how they work.
ISO image is a term commonly associated with CD and DVD burning.
An ISO image (or .ISO file) is a computer file that is an exact copy of an
existing file system (in this case, the file structure on the DVD). An ISO can
contain the entire contents of a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM disc or CD medium.
ISO files are typically created through a program such as Producer etc that
can create CD or DVD image files. They can also be created FROM existing
CD’s or DVD’s and are a handy way to backup those install CD’s and DVD’s
on your hard drive (so you can re-create them when you can’t find the original
that got lost somewhere … ) These ISO files can easily be used to allow users
to burn an exact copy of the original onto CD or DVD.
Note that ISO images are also often used to distribute images of CD’s or
DVD’s containing information such as operating systems etc. You download
one file (the iso), verify the error check number matches what was posted
(so you know the download was valid and error free) then use a utility such
as
Imgburn to create an identical copy of the CD or DVD the iso was
created from.
As an example, say I have a show you really like and you would like a copy
(including menu structure etc.) – I post a copy of the iso for the DVD on
a web site, you download that iso then use imgburn to create a new DVD.
That DVD will match my DVD byte for byte – it is an exact clone of the original.
Understanding that in the intermediate form, an iso image file is simply a container
that is just another file on your computer is an important concept. Since, in
the intermediate form, it is just a container, you can put it (along with others,
in a larger container if you will). Say you have a number of short DVD’s you
have made – if the iso file for each one was say 500 megabytes, you could
save 8 different iso’s of that size to one DATA DVD (at this point, the iso’s are
just another file of type .iso – you can’t (easily) combine them to be able to
play the 8 shows from the one DVD). What you can do with those 8 shows
saved to the DVD is re-create any one of the show DVD's later by simply
using the saved iso to burn the show DVD again. Effectively, you are
saving "images" (in this case) of 8 different DVD shows on one backup DVD.
Remember the iso image is simply a “containerâ€
Last edited by
gpsmikey on Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:32 pm, edited 7 times in total.