VHS to DVD

[Vaios]

I tried the RipIt4Me procedure with the new FixVTS. It has all the options checked? I`ll try once more.
I`ve never used Ifoedit. I guess I could try, but if I will lose the menus anyway, I could reauthor with dvdshrink which is easier for me.
The recorder I used, I borrowed it from a friend (few years ago) just to make the recordings of my svhs tapes at that time and I don`t remember the brand. It`s not from a popular brand anyway.
I wrote them on Verbatims 4x but because I notice they are starting having problems , I want to make fresh backups.
I tried the first one in two computers and the same thing happens on both. First, DVDShrink doesn`t open it, it says invalid navigation structure. So I tried RipIt4Me, lots of different warnings in dvddecrypter (first it can`t create the file, it can`t find the path, later it can`t patch the ifos and bup (invalid) and some others later). After fixvts, the files open in dvdshrink but the big title of 55 minutes and almost 4Gb is in the unreferenced category and in the movie there is only the second small title.
The original dvd, the extracted files on hard disc, a copy I made on dvd-rw all play fine on computer and on standalone dvdplayer.
The disc and the files open in PgcEdit v7.4 without warnings.
The original disc besides the video_ts folder, has a video_rm folder (236 kb). If I try to copy paste the video_ts folder, it stops in the last vob (corrupted or something), but no such problems in RipIt4Me and the transfer rate test of the disc in cddvdspeed is very good. (The dvds are Verbatims +R 4x, in perfect condition).
Because home videos are extremely important for all of us, I would prefer my dvds to open correctly in dvdshrink (psychological issue perhaps).
But if there is not something I could do, do you think I should do an iso copy of the disc or is better after the RipIt4Me process?
Thanks a lot

[r0lZ]

As far as I can tell, the original IFOs are good.

Try to clean your DVD a bit, and rip it with DVD Decrypter alone. You don't need RipIt4Me, as your DVD is not protected. It might as well be the culprit.

Another problem might be with the VOB IDs of your VOB files. (I have a similar problem with my recorder.) Can you post also the VIDEO_TS.VOB file?

And another question: When exactly does Shrink complains? During its first analysis of the video, or at the beginning when you load the DVD?

[Vaios]

When I click ok at the open disc box, it starts rotating the disc, I see the clock icon and after a few seconds it says "encountered an error - invalid navigation structure". It doesn`t make it to the first analyse .
Do you think I should clean the disc even if it hasn`t anything visible problem? I have some other dvds from the same period that now don`t play, without using them even once, but those I can see at cddvdspeed or in the dvddecrypter that they have read errors. In dvddecrypter alone it gets the same warnings. I tried RipIt4Me because I thought there was a problem with the ifos. After processing it opens in dvdshrink in a very strange way. Besides the main title unreferenced , at the end of it there is a frame of the menu.
I`ll try again with only dvddecrypter and perhaps dvdfabdecrypter.
I don`t understand the first warning of DVDdecrypter, immediately when it starts. "Unable to create, replace or append to file
(the name of the file)
Reason. the system cannot find the file specified "

Thanks very much for your time....

When I use only dvddecrypter by itself, dvdshrink doesn`t begin analysing and it complains about invalid data in vts 5 . vob

[r0lZ]

The menu VOB seems good, but that doesn't mean that the title VOBs are good also.
Maybe you could try to use a private plugin I've written for my XiRON recorder. It has a function to rebuild the cells table from the VOBs, and several other functions you should not need. Of course, work on a copy of your original files! As this plugin is made to fix some specific authoring errors, it might be dangerous if you use it on material with other problems.

To use it, extract it from the ZIP, and place it in your plugins directory. Restart PgcEdit and load your DVD. Select Plugins -> XiRON -> 3. Fix Titles LBA Pointers. Let me know if the plugin warns you with some error messages.
Do NOT use the Enhance and Redo authoring functions, as they are very XiRON specific, and there are no checks for proper format. You should not need Fix VMGM VOB IDs neither.

[Vaios]

Thank you rOIZ.
I used the files on hard disc I got by using only DVDDecrypter. I opened the files in PgcEdit 7.4. No warning. I run the third option of XIRON. During the process I got lots of warnings of two types in vts 4 and 5.

First type
"PgcEdit: Load NAV pack
Error loading NAV pack from "C:/LSIL29319913/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_4.VOB" at sector 304040 (in file): Nav Pack identifier not valid. The VOB file *may* be CSS encoded: You cannot edit a CSS encoded disc! Or the VOB doesn`t match the IFOs: Try to do a mock strip with IfoEdit. Skip remaining 'Bad Nav Pack' errors messages for the current domain?"

Second type
"Error loading NAV pack from "C:/LSIL29319913/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_4_VOB" at sector 304052 (in file): May be a ARccOS protection sector skipped by a DVD ripper. Skip remaining 'Bad Nav Pack' errors messages for the current domain?"

After it finishes, it writes down at the left: VTS1 Done. Fixed bad VOBU addresses of two cells.
It still gives the same message of invalid data in dvdshrink when it tries to analyze.

[r0lZ]

Normal. Now, try to FixVTS and cross your fingers.

The errors are similar than with my XiRON. You will probably lose the last seconds of your movie, or maybe more.

[Vaios]

Good morning.
I tried FixVTS and DVDShrink still gives the same message of invalid data.
DVDFabDecrypter can`t open the original disc. It says can`t get dvd information and asks for the ifos. I`ll check my email, perhaps I have an offer from sony for my copy protection system...
Anyway, I`ll try once again your procedure. But , what do you think is the problem? It`s a problem from the authoring of the dvd by the recorder, or from the decaying of the disc these passed three years?
Perhaps I`ll use RipIt4Me which is the only program that gave files that could be opened in DVDShrink, and I will reauthor (only a small second title could be easily accessed from the menu) and I`ll start checking the other dvds (4 -5). If they have the same problems and I have some with five six different titles I will need the menu. You think I will lose part of the movie anyway? With RipIt4Me seems ok... This is very confusing stuff for me. Your final verdict ??

[r0lZ]

As I haven't seen the title VOBs, I cannot be sure. IMO, the 4th VOB is the culprit, as you cannot rip it without problem.

Try to load the VOBs in a player (Media Player Classic is fine) and pay attention to the content of the 4th VOB. If it looks damaged or incomplete, that's bad news, as you will probably not be able to recover totally the video.
But if everything seems OK, you can try IfoEdit's Create IFOs. You can even reimport your original menus back. Here is how to do:

• Move the original VTS_01_1.VOB to VTS_04_1.VOB (thus, NOT VTS_01_0.VOB) in a new folder.
• Open IfoEdit and click on the Create IFOs button. Select the first VOB in the folder you have just created. When prompted, answer Create chapter for each cell. IfoEdit will work during some minutes. When finished, close it.
• Open the new IFOs created by IfoEdit in PgcEdit, and verify that the DVD plays fine in MPC and can be opened by Shrink.
• Note that you have now only one title in your DVD. We need to recreate the two original titles. Right-click on Title 1 and select "Clone PGC". Create a new Title number.
• Double-click on Title 1, and locate the first cell that is not a part of title 1, using the preview buttons at the right of the cells list.
• Click "Remove Cells", and delete all cells pertaining to Title 2. Accept the modifs.
• You will probably want to change the programs numbers (used to define the chapters). Click on the program button to toggle a program.
• When everything is OK, click Edit Chapter (PTT) Table, and remove all chapters that are not present any more in the titles.
• Repeat the last four steps for Title 2, but this time remove the cells pertaining to Title 1.
• Now, you have two titles, but no way to play Title 2, and no menus. First, import the original menu back. Right click on the First-Play PGC and select Import Menu. Navigate to your original DVD and select VIDEO_TS.IFO. When prompted, copy the menu VOB.
• Similarly, import back the VTSM menu. Right click on Title 1, Import Menu, and select VTS_01_0.IFO of your original DVD. There is no VOB to copy or move.
• Now, open your original DVD in another instance of PgcEdit, and copy the commands from the First-Play PGC, Title 1 and Title 2 from the original DVD to the new one, to recreate exactly the original navigation structure.
• Save and test.

If IfoEdit cannot accept the original files (ripped but untouched by FixVTS), try this method on the files you have "cleaned" with RipIt4Me and FixVTS.

[Vaios]

Thank you very much rOIZ. I appreciate it a lot.
I must forget the re authoring idea too, because the big unreferenced title doesn`t appear in the available titles list.
I`ll download IfoEdit and start the procedure you describe. You know, I can`t struggle again with the cassettes and I don`t want to buy a standalone dvdrecorder. You know, perhaps I could do it again with connecting my svhs video recorder with my dvd cam, but I`m afraid that the picture on the tape is worse than three years ago. I hope that I can make a descent dvd and relax...
I`ll get back for the results...
Thanks again

[Vaios]

I don`t know if this can help. The transfer rate test and the quality disc test of cddvdspeed on the original disc are perfect. When I open VTS_01_4 plays all fine. VTS_01_5 doesn`t open at all (it`s the last vob about 350 mb). And when I play the dvd it stops at a point some minutes before the end. Perhaps it`s the point when it goes to read from VTS_01_5.
But.... The files I have written after RipIt4Me, play fine. The movie continues normally to the end, or I can select VTS_01_5 from windows explorer and play only that normally. Have you seen something like this again? In the original a 350mb vob totally unaccessible (God knows the reason) , and after RipIt4Me plays absolutely normally (this RipIt4Me is magic stuff??). So I guess I`ll try these vobs and create ifos for these with IfoEdit and I really don`t need a menu or two titles for this dvd.
I couldn`t download from ifoedit.com and I got it from videohelp. The latest version is 0.9.7.1 from November 2004 ?

[r0lZ]

Yes, v0.971 (Public) is the latest version.

Good luck!

[Vaios]

FixVts needs to be run for sure because otherwise DvdShrink always finds invalid data in vob 5. I put the five vobs in ifoedit and it creates ifos with no problems or warnings, but in dvdshrink I get one big unreferenced title.
I tried several times with different order of the program but I always end up with the whole movie as unreferenced title in DvdShrink. PgcEdit 7.4 doesn`t give any warnings. It can`t be done any reauthoring with DvdShrink either.

[r0lZ]

Well, seems the last chance to recover your video is to demux the "good" version of the VOBs with PgcDemux, and to remux them with MuxMan. If Muxman accepts the demuxed streams, it will certainly create a good DVD.

If you use this method, don't forget to create a celltimes.txt file (with the chapter points) with PgcDemux or PgcEdit and import it in MuxMan, or your chapters will be lost.