Master DVD vs ISO question
 

Hi,
I am using Premiere Pro CS5.
In my quest to learn more about the DVD creation process what is a Master DVD? Is it the same thing as making a DVD off of the ISO file or is it something different? I think there is an option in Encore CS5 to create such a disk.

Thanks,

John Gerard

No, it's not a Master DVD, it's a DVD Master. From the help files:

Adobe Encore CS5 * Building the finished project

As soon as I'm done burning DVDs or BDs in Encore, I always burn both an .iso and a set of DVD and BD folders to the same place I have my project files, for triple backup so I don't have to transcode again if I need to burn more discs. When the project is ready to be archived, it all goes into 2 HDDs I put onto the shelf.

To answer the question in a more general way, a Master is whatever you want it to be (unless you are talking specifically about a DVD Master, in which case it is a DVD by definition and not any other media). The goal of the master is to help duplicate DVDs without recalculating the project from scratch, in addition to being a durable medium over the long term.

The options include but are not limited to:

1. DLT Tape (for replication)
2. Glass Master (derived from a 'burned' project without the use of DLT)
3. DVD-R (burned off the disk/project)
4. Project on hard drive (which recalculates and writes for each DVD)
5. ISO or other backup on hard drive which is used to duplicate on a computer
6. Any other tape based format (it can be done)
7. Tape based archiving solution.
8. Film, via reverse telecine!

As you can see, the scale, scope and budget of your particular project decide what your master should be. It also depends on questions regarding quality, longevity, quantity and distribution. If you really analyze the above options, you'll notice most of them will get worn out in a large-scale replication process, which means you'll have masters of masters! See my point?

DVD master vs iso
 

I answered my own question. I think all I need is to create a DVD from the created ISO file. This will be a hard copy of sorts backup in case I lose the ISO file. Which I lost a few ISO fileS from two hard drives a while ago. So having a DVD backup is not a bad idea. Especially since I bought TY WaterShield DVDs.
I found out that a DVD master or Master DVD is when you create a copy onto DAT tape which contains information that a replication company used in it's process. I know that I don't explain every detail but that is enough information for what I needed to know.

John Gerard