I was mistaken. It actually weighs in at 4.5. So, it does in fact fit on a single layer DVD (verified with Nero). In fact, we have about 87MB to spare. So, in light of this new information, the question is whether we want to create a DL DVD or not. Thoughts? Aaron On 7/17/09, Aaron Cannon <cannona@fireantproductions.com> wrote:
Hi Greg, Keith and all.
I found this quote at http://www.burnworld.com/howto/articles/intro-to-dual-layer.htm:
"Dual layer DVD recordable discs offer up to four hours of high quality MPEG-2 video, or up to 8.5GB of data on a single-sided disc with two individual recordable “layers.” Dual layer capable recorders will have the ability to record on the new dual layer DVD recordable discs, as well as on traditional single layer DVD discs and CDs too. Want more? Because a recorded dual layer DVD disc is compliant with the DVD9 specification, the discs are compatible with most consumer DVD players and computer DVD-ROM drives already installed in the market."
It reads as if it were written before DL burners became available (or shortly after the first ones were released), so hopefully the author knows of what he speaks.
My initial tests have shown that just the zipped text content of all the books (excluding all HTML, and non-ebooks except for a little sheet music, and also excluding some of the larger data files such as the HGP files and the numbers) weighs in at about 5.5 GB. This is also excluding ASCII encoded files when UTF-8 or ISO-8859-X files are available. This does not exclude any images that were included in the zip files with the text version, nor does it exclude any copyrighted texts.
5.5 GB leaves us a good 3 GB more to play with.
I think it would make more sense to offer the dual layer DVD ISO, and also offer two single-layer DVD .iso images for folks with only a single layer DVD burner. A lot of people who have emailed us in the past have had a hard time just burning the .ISO. If possible, I would like to keep things as simple as we can for them.
I'll have to check to see if PG's 11-disc burner can handle dual layer drives, or if by any chance it already has such drives installed. It might take a firmware upgrade, but I would be surprised if it can't at least use DL drives. Greg, do you by chance have an easily accessible record of what model of duplicator we bought? If not, I can open it up and check the model numbers on the controler. I just don't have the email anymore, and there aren't any labels on the outside of the case.
Thanks.
Aaron
On 7/17/09, Keith J. Schultz <schultzk@uni-trier.de> wrote:
Hi All,
Actually, there are more DL-burners out thier than you think. As mentioned most should be able to read DL-DVDs.
One thought though: If somebody is willing to download the 8 GB whether DL or two DVDs I do not think they will burn it. At least I have not burned the images I have. I have the images on my drive and just mount it when I need it. No fuss with having to carry a DVD along. It is also, possible to put the image or its content on a USB-stick.
Second, if the users can burn a DVD they could divide it themselves. With a carefully crafted index.html and a little javascript magic one could easily divide the content among two DVDs. All they need to do edit the index.html in one place for the two DVDs. Another approach would be to use two directories for the content containing say DVD1 and DVD2. Then if somebody has a DL-burner s/he can you that and who only can burn single layer can do that.
I see no big problem using DL-images. Then again I maybe to savvy. Personally I would prefer an image with all the PG-content zipped. I use to ftp the PG directories. But, at one point the guys at the unversity ask to me to take it easy because one day I had effectively used almost all bandwidth by using "get -r *.*". That was a long time ago, maybe I should try that again.
All aside, I would suggest using the second model containing directories, this way in another couple of years we can use the same model for even larger images and we do not need to bother with what type of burner the user has whether it be single, DL or even Blue-ray, or whatever might appear.
regards Keith.
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