Patent Application
20050232609
The present invention relates to a system for converting DVD based video recording formats among each other. The invention also relates to a method for converting any video recording source format of data stored on a DVD-source medium into a desired video recording destination format.
In the past, videos has been recorded generally on magnetic tapes using a standardized video format, for example the VHS-video format. Recently, DVD-recorders become more and more popular not only in computer equipment but also in the field of home entertainment products. It is to be expected that DVD recorders will take over the role of magnetic tape video recorder. This change will be accelerated by the plurality of functions offered by up to date DVD-recorders. Particularly, the user is allowed to easily add additional information and menus to the normal video recordings.
However, the user of DVD-recorders is confronted with a plurality of different DVD-video recording formats which are not compatible among each other. That is, it may happen that a DVD produced by use of a computer based DVD-recorder may not be played on a stand-alone DVD video player.
Moreover, conventional approaches allow only to convert from DVD-video recording format to the same DVD-video recording format not to others.
Since it may not be expected that the industry will agree to one common DVD-recording format, there is a general demand for a system being able to process every DVD-format.
In addition, the system should be so designed that it easily allows incorporating new DVD video recording formats.
In view of the above it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and a method which overcome the problems caused by different DVD-formats.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and a method for converting DVD based video recording formats among each other which are designed less complex and allow to incorporate new DVD video recording formats.
A further object is to make remastering unnecessary by incorporating all information available on the original DVD medium to create the DVD layout of the destination DVD.
Another object of the present invention is to avoid further use of the temporary storage space other than a data processing applications RAM while copying data from a source DVD to a destination DVD.
These and other objects of the present invention are solved by a system for converting DVD based video recording formats among each other, comprising a reader unit for reading source data organized in any DVD-source format from a DVD-source medium; a writer unit for writing destination data organized in any DVD-destination format on a DVD-destination medium; a processing unit coupled with the reader unit for receiving data from the source medium and coupled with said writer unit for supplying data to be written, wherein said processing unit is adapted to convert DVD-source data in any DVD-source format into DVD-destination data in any DVD-destination-format.
The objects of the present invention are also solved by a system which comprises a reader unit for reading source data organized in a DVD-source format from a DVD-source medium, an input module coupled with the reader unit for receiving data from the source medium, a writer unit for writing destination data organized in a destination format on a DVD-destination medium, and an output module coupled with said writer unit for supplying data to be written, wherein said input module is adapted to offer or provides source data in at least the DVD-source format and a generic DVD-format, and said output module is adapted to request or get data from said input module in one of said offered DVD-formats depending on the DVD-destination format.
That is in other words that the system comprises two main modules, namely the input module and the output module, both performing a part of the DVD video recording format conversion. The present invention hence provides a modular system which is more flexible with respect to the incorporation of new DVD video recording formats, for example.
In particular, the input module provides an interface offering data in at least two different DVD video recording formats. The first video recording format is the format of the DVD source medium while the second video recording format is a system inherent generic DVD-format. The output module selects one of these offered video recording formats depending on the desired DVD-destination format. Even if the input module does not offer source data in a video recording format corresponding to the destination format, the output module is able to write the destination DVD by using the generic DVD-format.
Due to this inventive modular concept it is easily possible to incorporate a new video recording format for the DVD destination medium just by adapting the output module. The input module has not to be changed since the output module may at least use the generic DVD format for creating the DVD-destination medium.
In the context of the present application, the expression “DVD-medium” not only means a DVD but also any physical data storage for storing the DVD-data, e.g. a hard-disk, a memory stick, etc.
In a preferred embodiment, said input module comprises a data format analysing unit for detecting and analysing the DVD-source format.
It is further preferred that said input module comprises a converting unit for converting said source data in said DVD-source format into said generic DVD-format upon request of said output module.
That is in other words that the input module processes the data on the DVD source medium to supply at least those data being part of the generic DVD-format. All other data being part of the DVD-source format are not considered and will therefore be lost with respect to the DVD-destination medium.
In a preferred embodiment, said output module comprises a converting unit for converting said data requested from and supplied by said input module into said DVD-destination format.
That is in other words that the output module processes the supplied data such that it corresponds to the desired DVD destination format. This is particularly necessary in case that the output module request the data in the generic DVD-format.
In a further preferred embodiment, said DVD-source and destination formats are DVD+R VR (VR means video recording), DVD+RW VR, DVD−RW VR, DVD-RAM VR, DVD−R VR and DVD-video. It is further preferred that that generic DVD-format contains information common to all DVD-source and destination formats.
That is in other words that that generic DVD-format contains the pure video recording data without any supplemental information which is not supported by all DVD-video recording formats. Generally, said generic DVD-format contains just information about chapters and recordings, however no menu, or other information.
In a preferred embodiment, said converting unit of said output module is adapted to request selected data being part of a further DVD-format provided by said input module.
That is in other words that the output module tries to obtain additional information beside that being part of the generic DVD format from the input module as far as it is available. If the output module uses the generic DVD-format for creating the DVD-destination format some of the information elements (information space in the data structure) offered by the DVD-destination format remains unfilled because this information is not part of the generic DVD-format. In this case, the output module tries to obtain this information via the other DVD-formats offered by the input module.
Hence, this measure allows to better process the information available on the DVD source medium.
In a preferred embodiment, a video converter unit coupled with said output module for converting video data on that source medium into a format required by said output module is provided.
This unit serves to convert the video content recorded on the source medium into a format usable by the output module. Such conversion for example comprises a re-quantisation or re-encoding of the video data.
In a preferred embodiment a data allocation unit assigned to said write unit for allocating space on said DVD-destination video when data is not immediately available for writing is provided.
This allocation unit serves to reserve space for video content elements when data is not immediately available for a particular element.
In a further preferred embodiment, a file-system driver unit assigned to said reader unit for reading data on the DVD-source medium in a file system is provided.
This file-system driver unit is used to read data organized on the source medium in a file-system. However, some video recording formats are not providing a file-system but rather relay on a more primitive way of describing an index of the content recorded on the medium, based on tracks, frequents or other ways of representing units of data and allocations. In these cases the file-system driver unit is not active.
The object of the present invention is solved by a method for converting any video recording source format of data stored on a DVD-source medium into any desired video recording destination format, comprising the steps of analysing source data on a DVD-source medium for determining the DVD-source format; generating destination data organized in said desired DVD-destination format by using selected source data on the basis of the result of the analysing step; and writing said destination data on a DVD-destination medium.
The object of the present invention is also solved by a method for converting any video recording source format of data stored on a DVD-source medium into a desired video recording destination format, comprising the steps of analysing source data on said DVD-source medium for determining the DVD-source format, offering or providing said source data in at least said DVD-source format and a generic DVD-format; requesting or getting data in one of said offered DVD-formats depending on the DVD-destination format, parsing said source data into said requested DVD-format, and parsing said data provided in said requested DVD-format into said DVD-destination format.
This inventive method has the same advantages as already pointed out with respect to the inventive system so that it may be referred to the respective passages above to avoid repetitions.
In a preferred embodiment, said DVD-source format and said DVD-destination format is one of DVD+R VR, DVD+RW VR, DVD−RW VR, DVD-RAM VR, DVD−R VR and DVD-video and possibly others as they hit the market. It is further preferred that that generic DVD-format is selected so that it contains only information common to all DVD source and destination formats.
In a preferred embodiment, said steps of analysing, offering and parsing said source data are performed by an input module and said steps of requesting and parsing said data are performed by an output module.
This modular approach has the advantage that future changes or adaptations of the method may be carried out more easily in contrast to a none-modular design.
In a preferred embodiment, the step of requesting data in one of said offered DVD-formats comprises the step of determining which of the offered DVD-formats matches best with the DVD-destination format.
That is in other words that the input module offers source data in at least two, preferably more DVD-formats and the output module uses the offered DVD-format which contains the most usable data for creating the DVD-destination format.
In a further preferred embodiment, for elements in said DVD-destination format having no correspondence in said requested data corresponding data is searched and requested in the remaining offered DVD-formats.
That is in other words that the output module always tries to obtain as much usable data as possible even if this data is not part of the requested DVD-format. The output module is able to use data being part of other offered DVD-formats.
In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the step of converting a video content recorded on said source medium into a video format desired for said DVD-destination medium. More preferably, the method comprises the step of writing said data in said DVD-destination format on said DVD-destination medium, wherein the step of writing said data is performed without using extra temporary storage.
The object of the present invention is also solved by a computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, for converting any video recording source format of data stored on a DVD-source medium into a desired video recording DVD-destination format, wherein said computer program product comprises computer readable program means for carrying out the inventive method as described above.
Further features and advantages can be taken from the following description and the enclosed drawings.
It is to be understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combinations indicated, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without leaving the scope of the present invention.
Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and will be explained in more detail in the description below with reference to same. In the drawings:
a-d show examples of different converting constellations for explaining the function of the input and output modules.
In
The system 10 comprises a first DVD drive 12 allowing to play any DVD. Assigned to the first DVD drive 12 is a reader unit 14 which serves to manage the read operation of the DVD-drive 12, particularly to read out requested data from a DVD medium in the DVD drive 12.
The system 10 further comprises an input module 16 which is coupled with the reader unit 14, for example for transmitting data requests to the reader unit 14 as to access data on a DVD-medium.
The input module 16 also communicates with a file-system unit 18. The file-system unit 18 is provided to read data on the DVD medium in the DVD-drive 12 (source medium), the data being organized in a file-system (which is not always the case). Hence, the file-system driver unit supports the reader unit in accessing and transmitting data to the input module 16.
As it is apparent from
For managing the write operation on the DVD-destination medium, a write unit 24 is provided and coupled with the second DVD-drive 22. The write unit 24 communicates with an output module 26 which supplies the data to be written on the DVD-destination medium. The function of the output module 26 will be described below.
The system 10 also comprises a data allocation unit 28 and a video converter unit 30 both being coupled with the output module 26. The data allocation unit serves to reserve space during writing of data when data is not immediately available for a particular element.
The video converter unit serves to convert video content recorded on the source medium into a format usable by the output module.
As it is generally known, there is no common hierarchical structure (called “format”) for organizing data on a DVD-medium, particularly video recording data. Instead, up to now there are a plurality of different DVD-formats, some of which being not compatible to each other. Therefore, it may be that a DVD comprising data organized in a first DVD-format may not be read by some DVD-player.
As already mentioned before, the presently used DVD-formats are DVD+R VR (video recording), DVD+RW VR, DVD−R VR, DVD−RW VR, DVD-video and DVD-RAM.
The data format analysing unit 32 is hence adapted to determine which of the mentioned DVD-formats is used on the DVD-medium in the DVD-drive 12.
Further, the input module 16 comprises a converting unit 34 which is adapted to convert the data stored on the DVD-source medium in at least one other DVD-format, for example a system inherent generic DVD-format.
The generic DVD-format may be described as an intersection of the above-mentioned presently used DVD-formats. This means in other words that the generic DVD-format provides those data which are absolutely necessary for creating any of the above-mentioned DVD-formats. In particular, such generic DVD-format comprises at least chapter and recording information. In addition to that, special extensions will be provided to allow custom conversion between similar formats, maintaining as much of the original medium's layout as possible. For example, when converting from DVD+R VR to DVD+RW VR or to DVD-Video, the layout of the menu presented to the user when the disc is inserted, can be maintained while this will not be supported when converting to/from DVD−{RW/RAM} VR. Such additional information shall never be necessary to produce the destination medium but will significantly increase the richness of reproduction of the original medium, adding non-generic details wherever applicable.
A further converting unit 36 is part of the output module 26 and serves to convert received data into the desired DVD-destination format.
In
The input module 16 and the output module 26 are the main elements within the system 10 for processing and converting data from one DVD-format into another. The function of both modules 16, 26 will now be described with reference to
In
First, the input module 16 determines the format of the DVD-source medium by analysing source data on this medium. This will be performed by said data format analysing unit 32. Particularly, the data format analysing unit 32 analysis the source medium by reading file-system and video recording components up to the point where all relevant information has been collected to provide an outline of the source medium's recording structure, that is number of recordings, the playing time, chapter marks and other key information.
In the next step, the input module 16 offers the data on the source medium in two different DVD-formats, namely in the DVD-video format (which is the DVD-source format) and a generic DVD-format. This generic DVD-format sufficiently describes the source medium to be able to generically reproduce it in an other video format.
In other words, the input module 16 provides two different interfaces for accessing data on the source medium.
The output module 26 now checks whether the input module offers an interface corresponding to the desired DVD-destination format, which is the DVD+R VR format in the present example. Since such an interface is not offered by the input module 16, the output module 26 uses the generic DVD-format interface for accessing data from the DVD-source medium.
The output module 26 uses this generic DVD-format interface for accessing and requesting data, which are then used for creating the desired DVD+R VR format. Since this generic DVD-format interface provides only a minimum of information, the DVD+R VR format contains elements (in the data structure) not being filled with data from the source medium.
In
In this example, the input module 16 offers (after analysing the data structure on the DVD-source medium) three different DVD-format interfaces, namely DVD-video format, DVD+R VR format and the generic DVD-format interface. The DVD-video format interface may be offered since the source format is very similar to that.
As already mentioned before, the output module 26 first requests for an DVD-video format interface. Since the input module 16 offers such an interface, the data transmission between the input module 16 and the output module 26 is carried out via the DVD-video interface. Hence, the output module 26 have not to pars or convert the received data into another format.
In
The input module 16 offers three different interfaces, namely a DVD-video format interface, a DVD+R format interface and the generic DVD-format interface. As mentioned before, the DVD-video format interface may be also offered since the DVD+(R/W) format is very similar to that.
The output module 26 uses the DVD+R format interface for accessing data since this interface allows to use the data without any further format processing. Nevertheless, the output module 26 could also use the DVD-video format interface as it is indicated by an arrow in phantom lines, because of the similarities between both formats.
In
The input module 16 offers three different interfaces, namely a DVD-video format interface, a DVD+R format interface and a generic DVD-format interface. Due to lack of conformity between DVD−R format and the DVD+R format, the output module 26 uses the generic DVD-format interface for accessing data from the source medium. This data will then be used for creating the DVD−R format used on the destination medium.
It is to be noted that the examples shown in
It is also to be noted that the described inventive method may be implemented as software or hardware. Particularly, both modules 1b, 2b may be realised as software or hardware modules.
In the following, a brief description of the mentioned DVD formats presently used and details concerning the conversion between different DVD-formats is given.
1. Supported DVD Video Formats and their Applications
a. DVD-Video
DVD-Video as according to the DVD-Video specification published by the DVD Forum was the initial format used to provide video content on DVD media. It is a read-only format that requires mastering that is, creating the entire medium at once, using pre-processed video data. Key features of this medium format are:
Restrictions:
b. DVD-R Video Recording
The format used for creating DVD-Video compatible media using real-time recording. Currently, manufacturers are using primarily proprietary standards.
In addition to the properties described for a. the following applies:
Restrictions:
c. DVD+R VR
The DVD+R VR format has been standardized by the DVD+RW Alliance to foster free exchangeability among set-top recorders while maintaining both a reasonable set of editing features and high compatibility to DVD-Video standalone players. The following specialties apply to this format (in comparison to the DVD−R Video Recording format)
Restrictions:
Supported Audio Formats:
Supported Video Formats:
Supported Bit-Rates:
d. DVD+RW VR
Just as its write once companion DVD+R VR, this format has been standardized by the DVD+RW Alliance. By using DVD+RW media which are rewritable, it is possible to reuse space used for deleted recordings. Although this is not supported by most set-top recorders or at least supported only in a limited way, PC software like Ahead Software's. DVD±VR defragmenter may be used to take full advantage of that possibility:
Supported Audio Formats:
Supported Video Formats:
Supported Bit-Rates:
e. DVD−RW/RAM VR
The DVD−RW VR is the designated format to be used for recording video data as specified by the DVD Forum. As the only listed format it doesn't have any kind of compatibility with the DVD-Video format and is not playable by standalone DVD-Video players. Apart from a different file naming scheme, a different version of the UDF file-system is used for storing the video content (UDF 2.00). The following features are provided by this format:
Restrictions:
Supported Audio Formats:
Supported Video Formats:
Supported Bit-Rates:
2. Conversion Among the Different DVD Recording Formats
The six formats described above used for recording DVD media can be converted amongst each other. In some cases, the medium only needs to be copied which would correspond to the prior approach only allowing a copy of data organized in the same DVD-format. In others, major parts of the medium's layout need to be reworked. The table below specifies the different recording formats (left to right) and what needs to be done for conversion to a specific destination format (top to bottom):
Legend (Increasing Level of Complexity):
a. Conversion Between DVD+RW VR and DVD+R VR
This is the simplest case in the diagram above. It can be accomplished without having to recreate the file-system or any of the actual presentation or navigation content. It all adds up to having to resolve or create the RSAT sector mapping table mapping sector addresses into the first 15872 logical blocks of an un-finalized DVD+R VR medium. There are three different scenarios that can occur when copying from/to a DVD+R(W) VR medium:
b. Conversion from DVD−RW VR to DVD-RAM VR
While not quite as simple as the previous topic, the conversion from DVD−RW VR to DVD-RAM VR does not require the entire file-system to be re-authored. By avoiding file-system re-creation the described method not only ensures that there will not be any loss of data due to file-system errors on the medium, it also helps to maintain maximum compatibility with the original producer of the medium by maintaining all the attributes and implementation-specific details the originator produced.
The differences between the file-systems used for DVD−RW and DVD-RAM VR are only marginal:
c. Conversion from DVD-RAM VR to DVD−RW VR
While generally similar to the conversion from DVD−RW to DVD-RAM VR, this task cannot be performed easily by transparently modifying the existing file-system. The reason for this is that on packet writing media, all DVD−VR files must be aligned on a packet boundary which for DVD−RW is 16 logical blocks while DVD-RAM does not have a designated packet size so a packet size of 1 logical block is assumed. Modifying an existing file-system to have all it's objects aligned correctly would require relocating all file items and adapting their references. While technically possible, it is a lot easier to recreate the file-system from scratch. Thus, when copying from DVD-RAM to DVD−RW, files stored on DVD-RAM will be added to a UDF 2.00, Physical Partition file-system adapted to the DVD−RW VR specification and adhering to all it's restrictions and will be written to the destination medium using Nero-API and the built-in UDF file-system generator.
d. Conversion from DVD+R(W) VR to DVD-Video
Converting from DVD+R(W) VR to DVD-Video can be accomplished by re-authoring the file-system and applying some patching to the user content (files). In particular, RLBN references within the IFO files need to be adapted because of the modified writing order of such files as defined by the +VR format specification. In addition to that, the following DVD-Video specification violations need to be resolved:
All these changes are accomplished by transparently patching file-objects taking their input data from the original files stored on the source medium.
e. Conversion from DVD−VR to DVD+VR
This process is marked as requiring re-authoring which is true only in a way. While DVD−VR media do not contain a menu, it can be generated from the information available through parsing the VR_MANGR.IFO and applying a self-defined menu template. As the menu layout for +VR media may be changed any time until the medium is finalized, the menu template doesn't have to be too elaborated as a proper menu may be created using e.g. Nero Vision Express 2 (a product of the assignee of the present application) if desired.
When converting from DVD−VR to DVD+VR, the following things need to be taken into account:
Note that any additional data stored on a DVD−VR medium that is not part of the video content is lost during conversion. This might be changed in the future when creation of DVD+VR 2.0 media is supported.
f. Conversion from DVD−VR to DVD-Video
Conversion from DVD−VR to DVD-Video is similar to DVD−VR to DVD+VR conversion. In respect to the statements above, there are only two major differences:
g. Conversion from DVD+VR to DVD−VR
Conversion from DVD+VR to DVD−VR is less problematic from an implementation perspective than going the opposite direction. However, all menu presentation is lost during the process since DVD−VR does not provide for a means to define custom menus. Secondly, while DVD−VR supports a few exceptional resolutions not supported by the DVD-Video specification, all resolutions provided for by DVD-Video are also supported by DVD−VR so all media and titles thereof can effectively be converted to DVD−VR. These are the steps necessary for this conversion:
3. VR Recording Formats and the Kind of Information Provided
a. The +VR Recording Format
b. The −VR recording format
The present invention, therefore, relates to a system and method for converting DVD based video recording formats among each other. Hence the inventive system and the method allows the conversion of any DVD-video recording format into any other DVD-video recording format.
The preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a method and a system of converting the different DVD based video recording formats (namely DVD+R VR, DVD+RW VR and DVD−RW/RAM VR) as well as the read-only DVD-Video format and their recordable variant, the DVD−R video recording format amongst each other. The primary goal is to make remastering unnecessary by incorporating all information available on the original medium to create the disc layout of the destination disc. No temporary storage space other than a data processing application's RAM shall be used while copying. Furthermore, copying shall take place from one medium of a specific kind (as listed above) to a different kind from the list of supported medium formats.
The generic Video Recording Format conversion as described above consists of several distinct parts which are designed in a modular and extensible way. Communication between those parts is performed using extensible and clearly-defined interfaces in a way that a variety of plug-ins may be used in conjunction with each other to convert from any video recording format to another.
a. Reader Unit Driver 14
The purpose of this module is to provide low-level block reading access to the source medium, exporting a generic and extensible interface that is independent of the underlying hardware (e.g. the reader unit). The extensibility of this interface is used to provide low-level information about the source medium being dependent on the input recording format.
b. File-System Driver 18
In so far as may be required, a file-system driver exporting a generic and extensible interface shall be used to read data organized on the source medium in a file-system. Communication with the hardware is performed using the Reader unit driver and sector access layer (a.) to be independent of the underlying hardware.
c. Input Module 16
Access to the medium is provided independently by both a. and b. where b. is an optional component applicable only for input formats containing a file-system (some video recording formats are not providing a file-system but rather rely on a more primitive way of describing an index of the content recorded on the medium, based on tracks, fragments or other ways of representing units of data and their locations).
As a first step, this module will analyse the source medium by reading file-system and video recording components up to the point where all relevant information has been collected to provide an outline of the medium's recording structure that is number of recordings, their playing time, chapter marks and other key information. All this information will then be provided through a generic interface, sufficiently describing the medium to be able to generically reproduce it in another video recording format. In addition to that, special extensions will be provided to allow custom conversion between similar formats, maintaining as much of the original medium's layout as possible. For example, when converting from DVD+R VR to DVD+RW VR or to DVD-Video, the layout of the menu presented to the user when the disc is inserted, can be maintained while this will not be supported when converting to/from DVD−{RW/RAM} VR. Such additional information shall never be necessary to produce the destination medium but will significantly increase the richness of reproduction of the original medium, adding non-generic details wherever applicable.
The second step will consist of providing video content recorded on the medium in the original format stored on the source medium. This is done by means of a piping object, allowing any interested parties to read video content for specific recording or part of a recording from the input module.
d. Video Format Conversion Unit 30
If necessary, the video content recorded on the source medium needs to be converted into a format usable by the Output Module. This module is to take responsibility of converting video content accordingly. Such conversion shall take care of gradually changing the video content only as much as strictly required, e.g. no re-encoding shall take place if the compression format is already compatible. Instead, re-quantization shall be considered in as far as only the bit-rate needs to be limited. As a general rule, as much of the original format as possible shall be preserved during the conversion process.
e. Output Module 26 with a Destination Format Authoring
Provided with the output of the Input Module described in a. this layer will reproduce recordings in the destination format it has been implemented for. Generic information as obtained through the interface mentioned in a. will be interpreted using additional, non-generic information as far as it is available.
Video format conversion is triggered by this module as required, by specifying a list of supported destination formats to the video format converter (d.).
The Output Module communicates with the recording hardware through a driver using a descriptive interface, describing portions of data and their intended layout on the destination medium as well as the writing order of such elements. The latter is necessary in order to allow data portions to be dependent on each other. Although the logical layout of the video recordings to be reproduced are described sufficiently well, it may become necessary to convert video content using a video content converter as described in a. in order to obtain recorded data in a format that can be stored on the destination medium. In this case, the final physical layout of the destination medium depends on the allocation space required for the converted video data whose size is usually known only after encoding it. In order to prevent intermediate storage, e.g. on a hard-disk, data elements need to be produced in a certain order such as to allow the allocation space required for the video data to be known when the element describing the video data is written to the destination medium.
f. Data Allocation Unit 28
This module will interpret the production rules for the video content elements by reserving space when data is not immediately available for a particular element. Implementation of this mechanism is based on an abstract block writing interface providing extensions for particular types of media.
g. Writer Unit Driver Unit 24 with Block Based Content Output
Destination medium writer hardware is being accessed through a dedicated recorder driver, providing a generic and extensible interface for block-based writing of the destination medium. Depending on the video recording format being used and the type of destination media, additional functionality is provided by interface extensions, e.g. for reserving space on a write-once medium.
Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the forgoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms although a specific implementation has been described in detail. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with a particular example thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification and the claims. For example, the inventive concept defined in the claims may also be implemented other than using the input and output module. Rather, one single module could realise the converting function according to the invention.
4. Further Information Concerning DVD-Formats may be Found in the Following Documents, the Content of Which are Incorporated Herein by Reference
