What is DDP 2.0?

DDP (Disc Description Protocol) is an image of the disc, essentially a “virtual disc”. It can then be burned onto a DVD-R as DATA. The file format is acceptable to replication companies as master for replication. It eliminates the need for a DLT drive. Some of the reasons where exporting to DDP 2.0 files are necessary are DVD-9 titles, CSS, ACP and RipGuard encryption, etc.

Create DDP 2.0 image for DVD-9 (dual-layer DVD) using DVD Studio Pro

As we discussed before, when creating a master for DVD-9 title, sometimes the position of the layer break causes an issue in DVD replication. Creating a DDP 2.0 image can usually solve the problem, here’s the step by step:

1. Setting the layer break point manually

Find the point of the disc that is approximately halfway and the first layer must be larger than second layer

setting layer break on DVD-9

2. Creating the DDP 2.0 image

Bring up the Build and Format window, set the output format as DDP 2.0 and save them as files on the hard drive.

creating DDP 2.0 image using DVD studio pro

3. Burn files as data discs

You should now have a folder containing several folders like the next screenshot: video_ts, audio_ts, Layer 0, and Layer 1. (If you are exporting a DVD-5 project there will only be Layer 0). All you have to do now is burning the files the Layer 0 and Layer 1 folders to DVD-R as DATA, using Toast.

DDP 2.0 export results

The files inside the layers look something like the following:

Sample Layer 0

Sample layer 1

To make sure the content of the DDP 2.0 files are correct, you may want to burn the video_ts and audio_ts folders onto a playable DVD  to QC. However these files are not required for replication.