.iso or VIDEO_TS folder?
 

Is there an advantage/disadvantage for burning a dvd using an .iso image file compared to one burned via VIDEO_TS folder?

Is one more stable than the other, or less prone to data errors?

Have you experienced problems or compatibility issues with one or the other?

I started burning to .iso files years ago and never looked back. I've not had one problem burning the .iso images to DVD even years later using different machines. I have never tried burning to VIDEO_TS since the .iso files worked so well.

I use the video folder as it gives me the option to check the DVD for possible navigation issues on my PC before burning it to the disk; never had an issue with it.

That's actually brilliant. I never thought of that... probably because I'm not.

I liked the concept of having everything buttoned up and self contained in the ISO file, but outputting to folders could save me from wasting disks. I'm going to try this.

The free VLC media player can navigate and play .iso and .img files.

Nero Showtime can show videos from .iso files but not navigate menus. I don't know about .img files.

I'll have to check out the VLC player. I know it's been mentioned around here more than a few times.

I played around with VLC years ago. I forget the details but I ran away and decided I'll never again install that player. For the last three or so years I use Media Player Classic for pretty much all of my media files; it's a very lean, unobtrusive, very small piece of software, and in conjunction with QT Alternative it plays MPEG2/DVD files, fully understands DVD navigation. [Despite rumors, QT Alternative can live peacefully alongside the official QT on the same machine].

For checking DVD folders still on the computer (before burning to disk) a click on the second file in alphabetical order in the VIDEO_TS folder (VIDEO_TS.IFO) starts the DVD as it would in a set top box. I love it!

Another advantage to burning a VIDEO_TS folder is that you can make a hybrid DVD. For the master's portfolio, I made a hybrid DVD that played in set-top players and had extra files on the DVD that could be accessed by a computer. For example: I put a graphic in my video that we know doesn't have high resolution shown as video, but I also put a high res copy as a PDF that someone could access on the DVD with a computer if they wished. The same for some papers that I wrote. I put a short overview in the video and then a full PDF copy on the disc for access if desired. I really liked the way it turned out.