What's The Point?--Can't View ISO Files Burned or Not!

[paulb]

I have Nero v8 (latest) and Clone DCD2, both of which can burn ISO images. The problem is that the dvds that I have burned are not viewable on my computer or more importantly, my home dvd players. I have downloaded a number of dvd movies in ISO format, have attempted to burn them to dvd successfully, and have created a bunch of doorstops that are unplayable.

 

Am I missing something? Do ISO files have to be converted to VIDEO_TS files before burning in order to be playable or even viewable? I also have VSO ConverX to DVD and AnyDVD Converter, but I see no setting in any of the conversion software I have that would convert iso to video_ts. What is the point of having or burning an iso image file if you can't view it? Yes I know that you can compress a large video file into a smaller image file, and that's probably why more and more video files on the internet are being made available in the iso format, but unless someone can explain why and how I can create a VIEWABLE file, I don't see any purpose for ImageBurn or any other similar program. HELP!!

[LIGHTNING UK!]

ISO is a container format.

 

Like a jar / box / tin.

 

The contents of the ISO are what's important.

 

So what files do you see on the disc once you've burnt it? Open it up via explorer / my computer and take a look.

[paulb]

ISO is a container format.

 

Like a jar / box / tin.

 

The contents of the ISO are what's important.

 

So what files do you see on the disc once you've burnt it? Open it up via explorer / my computer and take a look.

[paulb]

ISO is a container format.

 

Like a jar / box / tin.

 

The contents of the ISO are what's important.

 

So what files do you see on the disc once you've burnt it? Open it up via explorer / my computer and take a look.

 

 

Perhaps I wasn't clear. Once I have burned the iso file to dvd, the burn software (I tried it with ImageBurn, Nero 8 and CloneDVD2) says the burn to the dvd was successful. I then try to open the burned dvd by playing it, and the result is a message that says my dvd player cannot read the disk or the burned information is unsupported. My dvd player can read dvd +R and -R and can read and play DIVX. It is obvious that iso is a "container" format, but it is utterly useless if it cannot be read or converted into something that can be read. What I need to know is...is there something I am not doing that I need to do to the iso files that will allow them to be converted and burned as VIDEO_TS files, or should I be able to view and burn them as iso files able to be read and viewed by any standard dvd player? I can't tell you what I see in explorer because I can't access the files as iso files. That's why I am asking all the "should I be able to" questions. Then I can determine if there's something I am not doing, doing incorrectly, whether or not the files are incomplete, or if there's something wrong with my software.

 

Paul.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I can't tell you what I see in explorer because I can't access the files as iso files.

 

Eh?

 

You burn the ISO in 'Write' mode... that's all you have to do. (Assuming the ISO was created properly in the first place)

 

Then just close ImgBurn, open 'My Computer' and open up the drive you just burnt to.

 

If opening (double clicking) on the drive doesn't open it as a standard folder (i.e. where you can see the files it contains in a normal explorer window), right click it instead and choose 'Open' off the context menu.

 

When you've done that and can see which files are on the disc, tell us what you see. Take a screenshot if you don't want to type out the names.

 

The ISO is not burnt as a file, each 2048 byes of the file represents a sector on the disc. So I guess in that sense, no you can 'view' an ISO. Once burnt in 'Write' mode (or mounted in a virtual drive program) you'll be able to 'view' whatever files it contained though.

[paulb]

I can't tell you what I see in explorer because I can't access the files as iso files.

 

Eh?

 

You burn the ISO in 'Write' mode... that's all you have to do. (Assuming the ISO was created properly in the first place)

 

Then just close ImgBurn, open 'My Computer' and open up the drive you just burnt to.

 

If opening (double clicking) on the drive doesn't open it as a standard folder (i.e. where you can see the files it contains in a normal explorer window), right click it instead and choose 'Open' off the context menu.

 

When you've done that and can see which files are on the disc, tell us what you see. Take a screenshot if you don't want to type out the names.

 

The ISO is not burnt as a file, each 2048 byes of the file represents a sector on the disc. So I guess in that sense, no you can 'view' an ISO. Once burnt in 'Write' mode (or mounted in a virtual drive program) you'll be able to 'view' whatever files it contained though.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your patience and assistance, but you keep dancing around the central issue. I can only infer from what you have said so far that since my only interest in .iso files is to produce viewable video files that I can add to my library, I should stop downloading .iso image files immediately and forever, because as .iso files are only image files THEY CAN NEVER BE CONVERTED TO VIDEO_TS FILES ABLE TO BE VIEWED IN ANY DVD PLAYER. You have described an .iso file that can only be viewed on my computer, therefore once again, I for the life of me, cannot see what is the point of such programs (at least for us "videophiles" When I mentioned that I have Nero8, ConvertX to DVD, AnyDVDConverter, etc., you did not address whether or not these programs that convert every other file type should be able to convert .iso to DVD. Now I see why...although you have not said it, it is clear that .iso image files cannot be converted to anything other than image files. So again I say...what's the point? Who wants to limit themselves to only viewing images on their computer...on purpose!? You could have answered my initial inquiry very succinctly by saying:

 

1. .iso files may only be viewed on your computer.

2. In order to even view the image, you must first burn the image in Write mode to be viewed on your computer

3. .iso images cannot be converted to any other viewable format.

4. There is no explanation why people choose an .iso format in spite of its limitations.

[Dialysis1]

Open the ISO file with Winrar or any other ZIP program and you will see what's inside. You can then extract the files to wherever you choose. If they are not DVD compliant files, you will need to look into a program that will convert them.

[volvofl10]

Thank you for your patience and assistance, but you keep dancing around the central issue. I can only infer from what you have said so far that since my only interest in .iso files is to produce viewable video files that I can add to my library, I should stop downloading .iso image files immediately and forever, because as .iso files are only image files THEY CAN NEVER BE CONVERTED TO VIDEO_TS FILES ABLE TO BE VIEWED IN ANY DVD PLAYER. You have described an .iso file that can only be viewed on my computer, therefore once again, I for the life of me, cannot see what is the point of such programs (at least for us "videophiles" When I mentioned that I have Nero8, ConvertX to DVD, AnyDVDConverter, etc., you did not address whether or not these programs that convert every other file type should be able to convert .iso to DVD. Now I see why...although you have not said it, it is clear that .iso image files cannot be converted to anything other than image files. So again I say...what's the point? Who wants to limit themselves to only viewing images on their computer...on purpose!? You could have answered my initial inquiry very succinctly by saying:

 

1. .iso files may only be viewed on your computer.

2. In order to even view the image, you must first burn the image in Write mode to be viewed on your computer

3. .iso images cannot be converted to any other viewable format.

4. There is no explanation why people choose an .iso format in spite of its limitations.

 

1 yes, unless you burn them on a disc and watch on a standalone dvd player

2, No, you can mount the image on a virtual drive rather than burn it to a disc

3, No, you can view the contents of an ISO file and extract the contents. If the contents are an avi or xvid file you can convert them to DVD compliant.

4 people choose an .ISO file as it is just 1 file of a whole disc, rather than have say 500 picture files

 

I think your missing what an ISO file actually is . an ISO or .iso file is usually a box,container,package of several files conveniently made into 1 file.

it could be a DVD , or a bunch of pics from your camera or a load of mp3 music files, but it will be just 1 large file instead of a list of all the smaller files that make up that image . ( an "image" is a mirror copy of a disc or folder ect ect) .

 

if you have an ISO Image file, its basically 1 large file which is an image ( mirror)copy of something ( something could be a cd a dvd. a hard drive a folder, anything you want really. and all you do is 1 of 3 things

either burn it to a suitable size disc

mount it on a virtual drive and view it

OR

mount it in a program like ISOBuster and extract the parts you want then save to your hdd

 

wether you can convert an iso to dvd depends on what is "IN " the iso file . if its video, then yea, use the programs you mention and convert to dvd. if its a bunch of .jpg pictures, then you could make a slide show of the iso, if the iso image is a load of .doc letters, then you CANNOT make these into a dvd .

 

for simplicty , call your iso image "a folder" instead. then whatever type of files you have put in the folder depends what you can and cannot do with them. IF you want to convert your iso/image/folder to VIDEO_TS folder, then as long as you have video content ( avi/xvid/divx) within that iso/image/folder then you CAN convert the it to dvd

[paulb]

Open the ISO file with Winrar or any other ZIP program and you will see what's inside. You can then extract the files to wherever you choose. If they are not DVD compliant files, you will need to look into a program that will convert them.

 

 

Finally! Thank you so much. I wish I had spoken with you from the beginning. YOUR reply speaks like a laser to video extraction and conversion, and is exactly the assistance I was looking for from the start. Have a fabulous day, Dialysis my friend.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Opening in WinRAR etc is the same as mounting the image in DAEMON Tools and browsing the virtual drive, or burning to a disc and browsing the disc.

 

All of those methods let you see the content of the ISO.

 

Where had you been reading about ISO files in the first place?! They seem to have got you in a right muddle.

 

The whole point is that you shouldn't need to convert anything that's in an ISO. It's already going to be in the format it's supposed to be.

 

You wouldn't (normally) get an AVI file in an ISO (hence no need to extract the AVI, convert to DVD Video and then burn), you'd only get a playable DVD Video ISO (i.e. with a VIDEO_TS folder and IFO/BUP/VOB files).

[paulb]

Thank you for your patience and assistance, but you keep dancing around the central issue. I can only infer from what you have said so far that since my only interest in .iso files is to produce viewable video files that I can add to my library, I should stop downloading .iso image files immediately and forever, because as .iso files are only image files THEY CAN NEVER BE CONVERTED TO VIDEO_TS FILES ABLE TO BE VIEWED IN ANY DVD PLAYER. You have described an .iso file that can only be viewed on my computer, therefore once again, I for the life of me, cannot see what is the point of such programs (at least for us "videophiles" When I mentioned that I have Nero8, ConvertX to DVD, AnyDVDConverter, etc., you did not address whether or not these programs that convert every other file type should be able to convert .iso to DVD. Now I see why...although you have not said it, it is clear that .iso image files cannot be converted to anything other than image files. So again I say...what's the point? Who wants to limit themselves to only viewing images on their computer...on purpose!? You could have answered my initial inquiry very succinctly by saying:

 

1. .iso files may only be viewed on your computer.

2. In order to even view the image, you must first burn the image in Write mode to be viewed on your computer

3. .iso images cannot be converted to any other viewable format.

4. There is no explanation why people choose an .iso format in spite of its limitations.

 

1 yes, unless you burn them on a disc and watch on a standalone dvd player

2, No, you can mount the image on a virtual drive rather than burn it to a disc

3, No, you can view the contents of an ISO file and extract the contents. If the contents are an avi or xvid file you can convert them to DVD compliant.

4 people choose an .ISO file as it is just 1 file of a whole disc, rather than have say 500 picture files

 

I think your missing what an ISO file actually is . an ISO or .iso file is usually a box,container,package of several files conveniently made into 1 file.

it could be a DVD , or a bunch of pics from your camera or a load of mp3 music files, but it will be just 1 large file instead of a list of all the smaller files that make up that image . ( an "image" is a mirror copy of a disc or folder ect ect) .

 

if you have an ISO Image file, its basically 1 large file which is an image ( mirror)copy of something ( something could be a cd a dvd. a hard drive a folder, anything you want really. and all you do is 1 of 3 things

either burn it to a suitable size disc

mount it on a virtual drive and view it

OR

mount it in a program like ISOBuster and extract the parts you want then save to your hdd

 

wether you can convert an iso to dvd depends on what is "IN " the iso file . if its video, then yea, use the programs you mention and convert to dvd. if its a bunch of .jpg pictures, then you could make a slide show of the iso, if the iso image is a load of .doc letters, then you CANNOT make these into a dvd .

 

for simplicty , call your iso image "a folder" instead. then whatever type of files you have put in the folder depends what you can and cannot do with them. IF you want to convert your iso/image/folder to VIDEO_TS folder, then as long as you have video content ( avi/xvid/divx) within that iso/image/folder then you CAN convert the it to dvd

 

 

Again, thank you for your most able assistance. I apologize for the time and effort it has taken to educate me, but it was necessary and appreciated as finally...I get it. Using WinRAR, I have opened the image, extracted the dvd files, saved them to my hard drive and used VSO ConvertXtoDVD to convert them to DVD files. And I now understand why it is easier and more convenient to place a large video file on the internet for download as an image (.iso) file. Many dvd files are clips that are "stitched" together to make a compilation, and an iso image is a much more efficient way to deliver the content without first compressing it. Have a fabulous day!

[bskchaos]

Still wrong...

 

You don't need to do anything you mention above, most burning applications (incl. ImgBurn) can burn ISO files directly... that's the point about ISO files.

 

Well at least you have all your "stuff" working...

[paulb]

Still wrong...

 

You don't need to do anything you mention above, most burning applications (incl. ImgBurn) can burn ISO files directly... that's the point about ISO files.

 

Well at least you have all your "stuff" working...

 

 

I reject your "still wrong" comment.

 

Yes, ImageBurn, Nero and CloneDVD can run ISO files, but DVD players don't read and therefore play ISO images. My point from the beginning was that I needed to be able to burn/create home dvd playable files. When I used WinRAR to open the iso image, the image was of six .avi files which I was immediately able to convert with my VSO ConvertXtoDVD software to VIDEO_TS files, then join and burn to dvd using Nero 8 as playable. So as I said previously, I now freely acknowledge that the best thing about ImageBurn and similar software is that burning an image, allowed using a single file to contain six individual short movies, instead of the poster having to post each short for download separately. That is the magic of ISO.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

They're not supposed to play ISO images, they play the content of it.

 

Once the ISO has been burnt to a disc it ceases to be an ISO image.

 

i.e.

 

ISO image containing a VIDEO_TS folder becomes a disc containing a VIDEO_TS folder once it has been burnt.

 

It appears to me that you don't quite understand that whole concept.

 

You've been thrown off course by the muppet that made an ISO containing the AVI files. That's just not how things are supposed to be packaged up - because it throws people for six and unless you've got a DivX capable player the disc wouldn't work. The AVI's should have just been compressed into a zip or rar file.

[laserfan]

I now freely acknowledge that the best thing about ImageBurn and similar software is that burning an image, allowed using a single file to contain six individual short movies, instead of the poster having to post each short for download separately. That is the magic of ISO.

STILL wrong! This is not the "magic" or purpose of ISO at all! As LUK said the packaging of short files into a single file can be done many other (and much better) ways, the most obvious of which is .zip files.

 

An ISO is a bit-accurate *image* of a CD or DVD, which allows one to re-create (with the right burning software, as ImgBurn is) the CD or DVD from which that ISO was made, in not only content but also structure (i.e. exactly where the content is actually located on the disc). The "magic" is that burning from an ISO makes a disc that is identical to the original from which the ISO was made, irrespective of what is actually on the disk (could be anything--DVD/VIDEO_TS, programs, files, avis, etc.).

[Peter O]

I now freely acknowledge that the best thing about ImageBurn and similar software is that burning an image, allowed using a single file to contain six individual short movies, instead of the poster having to post each short for download separately. That is the magic of ISO.

STILL wrong!

---------------------------------------------

 

Well I have read all the comment on the this lengthy exchange, & what seems remarkable to me is that the original poster, although he now has a practical solution, is still probably uninformed about the best use of iso files.

That's not remarkable because I am also, despite the above "explanations", here & elswhere.

For those of us who wish to use our computers in a simple effective way, it's beyond belief that so much material is posted in iso format. Who cares whether its a container file, we want something we can use without engageing in an education forum. Why rar anyway zip is only about 1 to 2 % less well compressed & most zip programs are easier to manage.

I still have no real idea when you might use an iso file which elsewhere I read does not compress anyway. As for the original poster who wants to recieve playable Vid files, surely he should expect just that perhaps in zip format.

Thats my $0.02 worth anyway.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Consider it this way...

 

You want to travel from A to B.

 

Do I give you:

 

A. A car (a single ISO image file)

or

B. All the parts needed to make a car - engine, sheets of metal, wheels, tyres, wiring loom, seats etc. (various little files)

 

???

 

Both are effectively the same thing but it's much easier to have the car pre-built!

 

Of course the answer is going to be A!

 

Burning an ISO to a disc is a VERY simple process. (Load program in Write mode, select the source ISO file, click burn)

 

Assuming the ISO wasn't made by a complete moron the disc will then play/load just fine. The user burning the ISO doesn't have to worry about settings because the content of the ISO is totally irrelevant. With various little files, the user would need to know what type of disc they want to burn, select the right file system, inclusion and restrictions options etc.

 

If you want to write 2048 bytes of data to a disc you just read 2048 bytes from the ISO file and burn it as-is.

 

ISO is the easiest format to work with. Don't think otherwise just because you don't understand it.

[Peter O]

Consider it this way...

 

You want to travel from A to B.

 

Do I give you:

 

A. A car (a single ISO image file)

or

B. All the parts needed to make a car - engine, sheets of metal, wheels, tyres, wiring loom, seats etc. (various little files)

 

???

 

Both are effectively the same thing but it's much easier to have the car pre-built!

 

Of course the answer is going to be A!

 

Burning an ISO to a disc is a VERY simple process. (Load program in Write mode, select the source ISO file, click burn)

 

Assuming the ISO wasn't made by a complete moron the disc will then play/load just fine. The user burning the ISO doesn't have to worry about settings because the content of the ISO is totally irrelevant. With various little files, the user would need to know what type of disc they want to burn, select the right file system, inclusion and restrictions options etc.

 

If you want to write 2048 bytes of data to a disc you just read 2048 bytes from the ISO file and burn it as-is.

 

ISO is the easiest format to work with. Don't think otherwise just because you don't understand it.

 

Look I genuinely respect your technical ability & that of other contributors & I note that as author of ImageBurn you have provided a free, simple, & apparently very useful tool for many users.

However:

I think your "car" example is just plain silly, it helps not one jot in establishing what iso files are for & why they are created as a presumably optimal distribution format.

As for CD' burning being very simple I suppose Yes it is.

But take my example of today:

I have to locate a suitable CD burn program, for some reason the one I had just failed.

I chose CDBurner XP.

I have to dwnld & install.

I searched for forum advice on how to view my iso file.

The answer was burn a CD as an iso, which I did using the new program, set to burn iso files (possibly it should hav been set to data since i already had the iso file).

I burned at a conservative rate of x10 having previously been disappointed with failures at high burn rates.

The burn process took an unbelievable 43 minutes.

And best of all I can't open/ read the damned files so burned.

What a simple & glorious waste of time.

Ah, you may say, well you did something wrong, or maybe you had a burn failure, or file corruption, or ..... whatever.

My point is simply this, I strongly doubt that the iso format was justified in the first place, & the trouble it has caused me, & maybe thousands of others, is just not worth the use of iso in envronments/applications where, with a little thought, a simpler package of zipped files could have been created.

What was gained, God knows except maybe the file packager got to demonstrate his technical prowess.

Please just describe in simple terms an example of a real world situation in which the iso format is clearly superior given a "recipient audience" of average non-tecnical users.

Also bear in mind that there are several forums where threads like this have gone on almost endlessly until one or other party gives in. Nobody should need to understand it, the enquirer can be "satisfied" with a work around (burn to CD ..... ) but I think I know how you would feel if say, MS suggested a work around to you.

Rgds & thanks for the response

[Cynthia]

The burn process took an unbelievable 43 minutes.

And best of all I can't open/ read the damned files so burned.

In my ears it sounds as you have a problem with your burner/firmware/media and not with ISOs.

 

Why not post a burning log?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

It wasn't a silly example it was the truth and I'd hoped you'd actually follow it and get the whole idea... obviously not!

 

The files you've got/are looking at are meant for easy burning. That's what an ISO does, it makes for easy burning. It's very hard for the user to f*** things up.

 

Take a DVD Video disc for instance...

 

You *could* just be provided with the raw IFO/BUP/VOB files and then be smart enough to know what those files are and the type of profile / wizard / options to use in your burning software to stick them on a disc *PROPERLY* so it's playable, or you could be given the ISO instead and not have to worry about anything - you burn it and it just works.

 

Of course what this doesn't account for is idiots that make ISO images from files that aren't playable in standard devices - i.e. ones containing avi (divx etc) files. When that happens you just have to feel sorry for them and pray that they grow a braincell sometime soon.

[LOCOENG]

Where's Shamus?

 

[Peter O]

It wasn't a silly example it was the truth and I'd hoped you'd actually follow it and get the whole idea... obviously not!

 

The files you've got/are looking at are meant for easy burning. That's what an ISO does, it makes for easy burning. It's very hard for the user to f*** things up.

 

Take a DVD Video disc for instance...

 

You *could* just be provided with the raw IFO/BUP/VOB files and then be smart enough to know what those files are and the type of profile / wizard / options to use in your burning software to stick them on a disc *PROPERLY* so it's playable, or you could be given the ISO instead and not have to worry about anything - you burn it and it just works.

 

Of course what this doesn't account for is idiots that make ISO images from files that aren't playable in standard devices - i.e. ones containing avi (divx etc) files. When that happens you just have to feel sorry for them and pray that they grow a braincell sometime soon.

----------------------------

Cynthia & Lightning,

 

Thanks for your responses.

Cynthia I am pretty sure you are correct but rather than trouble you in attempting an analysis of what went wrong, I will try to sort out the mess, that's well within my capabilities even if it means different SW. My burner I will check with a few audios MP3 songs, that should be quick.

However if I end up using CDBurner XP (good reviews) I am still uncertain if I should burn my ISO files as data or ISO. Apparently I need to make this decision & the program selection options imply I should burn as ISO. Sounds simple I know, but if I had data files & wished to burn & convert to ISO would I not use the same selection?

 

Now for the car example: it it does not help its just pointless (& it may be seen by some as condescending), & as you can plainly see because I told you, It did not help me.

All I have been able to digest from your reply is:

ISO files are very suitable for the electronic distribution of "regular" DVD video & you explained why quite well.

I would like to see some other examples & some discussion of alternatives.

I already have many video clips & a few "movies" on my HD. None got there by ISO means & some are obviously very condensed & the quality suffers, I guess in proportion to the degree of condensing.

In what format are such files distributed?

When I see "movie dwnld offers", there's no mention that I recall, of ISO files & the need to burn.

I presume these are uncondensed movies & the user who paid for the dwnld would expect high quality, how is all the track material distributed in such cases?

 

Finally you appear to acknowledge that there are plenty of idiots improperly using ISO files, as well as people like me who are frustrated by a format that is generally troublesome to the relatively inexperienced/non-technical, even though that ought not to be the case as you point out.

 

Again thanks for taking the time to reply,

Peter O

[cornholio7]

the car is the iso , its already completed and ready to use, but if the factory assembled the car incorrectly , the car won't work

[Cynthia]

the car is the iso , its already completed and ready to use, but if the factory assembled the car incorrectly , the car won't work

Like this one...

 

[cornholio7]

that seems to work fine