the Search for a Dependable App

[bluescorp]

This is an appeal for a dependable solution. I have been bouncing around various dv sites/forums for about a month now trying to get in the groove of doing this dvd ripping/converting/burrning thing and have experienced nothing but frustration and time wasted with flaky software. My question is: is there any such thing as a ripper/encoder that actually works smoothly across the different systems out there today? My system: AMD/Athlon, Via board, 256ram, many gigs of hd space, Sony DVD drive, Win98SE. Here is a sample of what I have experienced with some of the supposedly top freeware/demoware, etc out there in recent weeks, just trying to do a typical rip and encode:

Tmpgenc2.2 or 2.0 - from .vob files: freezes up the computer after 3-4 minutes, then freezes in shorter and shorter time on following attempts.

Tmpgenc2.5 (or whatever the latest version was) - will not even load .vob files to decode no matter what/where I tried. This is the most often mentioned encoder I've seen on these sites.

Smartripper - got this to actually rip a whole dvd once, but only by doing the files one at time, rebooting the machine 5 times, blue screens, etc, etc.. my 2nd attempt to rip "blue screens" on the second file every time, telling me it can't find the dvd/drive or it needs to be cleaned. I gave up.

DupDvd - same blue screen error as with Smartripper, when trying to make an image file. Multiple tries of course (wants $40 for this app)

Clad - prompts to use Trial, then asks for a serial number when you try to use the trial option. duh. (it was this app or FreeRip or something like that).

DVDx - "doesn't support all options" and gives a "error in MPEG2 decode/initialisation, etc, etc" (er, this is a commercially bought DVD not a bootleg, what does it support?)

There are a couple others I can't even remember. On and on. I don't want to load anyone down debugging the entire Software and Hardware World, but Christ! Is this technology worth the effort or should I just go buy the damn things? Do the writers of all these rippers/encoders actually bother to test their stuff on anything but their own system? I'm willing to pay, man, pay, for software that will actually work to do this, and I haven't found one app yet that does what they say it does without an hour of b.s. first, then failure. Take the challenge, dv app writers. Or stop wasting my and others' time with juvenile software. If I wrote software that gave the users where I work that kind of "performance" I'd be out on my ass the second day. Enough of my bitching. Gonna make me a convert or should I blow dv off?
Thanks,
bluescorp

[setarip]

Don't give up - yet...

As I've done in response to several other postings at these forums, I'll gladly share with you the procedures taht I've used to convert more than 200 DVDs (that I own) to DivX-compressed .AVI files (for viewing on your computer screen) and then, subsequently to VCD format (for viewing on your TV via a standalone DVD player). Please make the effort to read through the entire document (The actual DOING of what's described is far easier than getting through the verbiage). Let me know what your thoughts are ;>}

From Ripping through VCD (by me)

1) Rip DVD with Clad v.1.71(not MDEC, the one I use is an older, totally reliable version - not to say that the MDEC version is unreliable)

2) Convert to .AVI using Flask v.0.594PX3 (improved conversion time versus "plain vanilla" 0.594 - and less prone to lockup)
A) Using DivX v.3.11 codec (Fast Motion 910kbps, keyframe every 10 seconds)
B) Using PCM (uncompressed) audio at 48,000Khz (Maintains synchronization of audio and video)

3) Load .AVI into VirtualDub v.1.4D
A) Set "Video" to "Direct Stream Copying"
B) Set "Audio" to "Full Processing Mode"
C) Under "Audio", click on "Conversion", select "44,100Khz"
D) Under "Audio", click on "Compression" select "MP3", "44,100Khz", "96Kbps"
E) Save revised .AVI with new filename

Then, to create a VCD:

1) Load .AVI file into TMPGEnc
2) Set to "System Video and Audio" (lower right side)
3) Click on "Setting" radio button
4) Click on "System" tab, change mode to "MPEG1-VideoCD" (from default of "MPEG1")
5) Click on "Advanced" tab, change "Video arrange method" to "Center (Custom Size"), change dimensions to 352x288 or 352x240
6) Change "Source aspect ratio" to either "4:3 525 line (NTSC 704x480)", "4:3 525 line (NTSC)", or "16:9 525 line (NTSC)" - If you're in the PAL world choose either of the two similar PAL settings instead
7) Under the "Video" tab, change the dimensions to 352x288 or 352x240 (Note: "Video" tab mode of "MPEG1" is okay)
8) Change "Rate Control Mode" to "Automatic VBR (CQ_VBR)
9) Press "Start"

Note that if your video runs longer than 60 minutes, you'll have to subsequently split your VCD-MPG file in two. This too can be easily and precisely accomplished using TMPGEnc. Under the "Files" dropdown menu, click on "MPEG Tools" and select the "Merge & Cut" tab. Once again, make sure to change the mode to "MPEG1-Video CD". Load your file and enter a new (.MPG) name in the "Output file" box. Then doubleclick on the ORIGINAL file's name in the window, which will bring you to the cutting area. Select your desired start and end points for the first half, click on "Okay" which will bring you back to the first window and generate (in a sequence of three automated steps) the first new file. To create the second new file, repeat the steps starting with "Then doubleclick on the ORIGINAL..." (be extra patient with the second half, as the program has to do more seeking to establish the beginning of the new file)

[cg24]

Maybe you have a driver confliect somewhere? I've used Smartripper 2.11 for about a year now and I've only recently upgraded to the lastest version to see if it solves a problem I'm getting while encoding. But other than that, never a problem with Smartripper. It's rock solid as far as I can see it.

[Thrawn]

dvdx is the greates and easiest dvd tool

it might not be working for u because u selected mpeg2(SVCD).
why did u want to get mpeg2?
To watch in on pc, u should make divx (avi) files.
To watch on DVD standalone players (except Playstation 2) u should make vcd (mpeg1) files and burn them with Nero on a CD-R (a 700 mb CD-R can get nearly 800MB mpeg1 with Nero *lol*)

mpeg2 is just supported by the latest dvd players, and doesnt work well with most progs on the pc

i recommend u to make at least 2 cds using DVDX, because u really get good quality then. (bitrate at least 900-1100 kb)

[bluescorp]

Well thanks...

Thanks guys. To Thrawn: I didn't notice if there was an option to mpeg2 or mpeg1. I didn't touch any settings, I think I just hit "go" (rip) and got the error. I'll check it.
To Setarip: thanks much for your explicit steps and patience. I'll set it all up and give it a go again.
To cg24: I hope it's not a driver. But I'm not going to get into a big Hunt for the Perfect Driver at this point. Everything else I'm doing (music, vid-editing) works fine so....

One thing that looks suspicious: the dvd disk (and drive?) was quite warm after making these multiple attempts at ripping, with Smartripper in particular. I got the suspicion that the Smartrip seemed to be less able to read the drive after awhile (i.e. more "disk may need cleaning..." errors. I've read by now that it can be hazardous to your dvd drive to have the thing spinning for too long in a ripping process, but I was only at it for maybe a half hour with this. Is the warm disk effect normal? How long can you run the drive (obviously needs to be able to play a movie for 2+ hours, but ripping? )
b.c.

[setarip]

"To Setarip: thanks much for your explicit steps and patience. I'll set it all up and give it a go again."

My pleasure ;>}

Do post again and let us know how things have gone...

[bluescorp]

progress...

Hi again SR,
A little progress and a question. I got the Clad1.7 to work fine, something I found out was that my "clean your dvd drive"/bluescreen error only occurred with a particular dvd. I tried it on another one and it ripped the whole thing in short order, no problem. Yay. Question on the Flask step: I was trying to get the DivX codec available, I "installed" (I think) using the Register.exe, but in the Flask options upon "flask it" button click I didn't see anything that allowed a "Divx" codec selection, in the video list anyway. There's DivX something in the audio list, and a couple other things in the video list, but nothing that says Divx. As well, when you click on a codec in the list and then it Ok (sorry, don't have Flask in front of me), it appears to flick back to some default options or something, so I don't know what it's using when it comes back to the actual conversion screen. Funny behavior anyway.
thanks,
b.c.

[setarip]

The video codec choices appear when, after clicking on the "Optios" tab, you click on the "Output Format Options" tab, after you've loaded your video into Flask. By the way, if this tab is grayed out, click on (similar, but NOT the same) "Select Output Format" and make certain that it's set to ".AVI output".

[bluescorp]

thanks

Thanks SR, I'll continue making my way on that avenue, whichever works quickest. Meanwhile, to Thrawn or yourself

re: DvdX1.6 :
I tried this guy again and made some progress this time, but ran into something else wierd. Per my earlier question, it was getting this "mdec2 / can't init error" when I tried to open ifo files. I got the thing to encode some stuff last night, quick and stable, no crashes (very encouraging!), but here's what I'm getting:
My rip gives me five .ifo files:

video_ts.ifo
vts_01.ifo
vts_02.ifo
vts_03.ifo
vts_04.ifo

It seems that this thing gets confused in the open-ifo/select input options (by the way, output was set to mpeg1, not mpeg2). I figured out the sequence which is:
a) open Dvd root / click on an .ifo file in the list
b) open Ifo file - the Input options screen pops up, hit Select button, main screen loads the file, hit Encode button, makes the mpeg file.

However, in step (a) only 01-04.ifo's are showing up, not the video_ts.ifo. When I got all done encoding via ifo's 1-4 and checked them in a player, only a few chunks of the movie were encoded (the previews, and about the first 1/4 of the movie). It seems like the main part of the film is tied to the video_ts.ifo (where else could it be?). BUT, this file will NOT load via the above a-b sequence. I keep getting the "could not load as an ifo file / mdec2 error " business no matter how I try to load it. Also, I can't figure out why it seems to need to "open the dvd root" when all the files are ripped to my hard drive. So the big questions are:

- why isn't the video_ts.ifo in the "dvd root" list?
- why doesn't it load the video_ts.ifo file?
- where is the rest of the movie if it's not in the 01-04.ifo's?

thanks,
b.c.

[Thrawn]

using dvdx

did u use dvdx correctly?

1) u have to play the dvd with a dvd software a little bit first
2) then u import it in dvdx by "Open DVD Root"
3) There u select the title with the longest duration (note: movies should have a duration of > 1 1/2 hours, i also found some dvds with comedy shows that has been split in more little parts, so i didnt find a long lasting file, but this shouldnt happen with most dvds, especially movies)

4) Then u should choose your input settings (individual)
5) and the output settings
For example screenprints take a look at:
www.e-media.at (german page)
There search for "dvdx" and go to workshop and follow the links and u will find the screenprints for settings

(i just tried it with a dvd, little error: i got a file without the extension .mpg, i just renamed it to *.mpg and it worked fine)

[eFrisky]

Hi,

I'm not new to tinkering with DVDs etc. but i've been away from this stuff for at least a year now. I tried DVDx for the first time a couple of days ago and I've already had some amazing results.

All I wanted to do was rip from DVD to SVCD, to play on my home DVD player (a CyberHome). I wanted to find a "newbie" app for my first few rip attempts, and then maybe graduate to some of the more complex methods that I had used before (like some of the older miniDVD and SVCD guides).

But I think I might just stick with DVDx for now! I watched an SVCD of "Space Cowboys" that I ripped, with a couple of friends. They agreed that it didn't really look (or sound) that much different from the original DVD

I've just got a couple of questions...

How many discs would you normally use? I know that this is closely linked to the bitrate and length of the original film. It seems that it's necessary to use at least a bitrate of 2000kbps, so it's possible to fit rougly 45 minutes of mpeg2 SVCD format on a CD-R. Many films, therefore, will require three CD-Rs; but that's fine with me, as three blank discs are still cheaper than a blank video tape anyway!

Does anyone have first-hand experience with using Cinema Craft Encoder SP with DVDx? How do the results compare with just using DVDx on it's own?

How do SVCDs made with DVDx compare with SVCDs produced by some of the other guides/methods?

Suggestions, hints and recommendations welcome. Thanks in advance

[Thrawn]

hm, did u ever try bitrate of at least 900 kb/sec?
900 is really that border, if u go down more u it wont look like anything good at all.

i made good results with at least 1500 kb/sec, if u go up to 2000 u wont see any differences between the dvd at all. If u make it with 1500 u might get them on 2 CDs (using Nero u can burn VCDs on a 700MB CD with at least 780 MB or so, i dont know about SVCD)

[eFrisky]

Haha!

Ok, my choice of 2450kbps bitrate for encoding the 3-disc set of Space Cowboys would explain why it looked so good! Well, as I said it doesn't make much difference to me if I use 2 or 3 CD-Rs.

I'm interested to experiment with different bitrates, so I will give it a go, as you suggest - thanks for the quick reply

If you see any encoder comparisions around (I've already seen the ones on vcdhelp.com) then I'd appreciate a link.

Have you tried using ChapterXtractor and VCD-Easy to make chapter points etc. for your SVCDs? I did last night, with great results on my standalone DVD player. Well worth the 5 minutes of extra effort

[bluescorp]

a little more re: dvdx

Thrawn and other DvDx'ers: Ok, forgive me for being a blockhead. I followed the instructs (per the guide I already had, duh) and things behaved fine, up to a point. The mpeg file it did make looked/sounded very good. Here's the (hopefully ) final glitch: the thing only encodes, at least with this dvd, up to about a third of the time span (yes, clicked the "Whole" button), and then blue-screens and says it can't find the dvd drive anymore. Kicks up the prompt to play the dvd in a player for awhile, etc. I did play it for a couple minutes before starting to encode. I tried setting the dvd-to-drive buffer at 500mg up from default 100mg, and so on, still happens. Why can't it hang onto the drive? I'm going to try a different dvd tonight but this is a commercial dvd disk, should be able to handle it. Thanx! b.c.

[bluescorp]

newbie success

Guys,
Since I loaded everyone down with my moaning I thought I'd relay a success finally. Thanx to your help and patience I broke through the wall on this stuff and got a vcd created (does he want a medal??). For the newbie record here was my success formula along with gems of learning:

- ripped dvd using Clad1.7 and/or Smartripper. THE DVD MATTERS! I had a horrible time with one dvd (2.5+ hrs long), had to keep switching between "full rip" and "file rip", tried a different dvd (shorter) and the whole thing ripped with Clad smooth as hell.

- encoded using DvdX. Thing gpf'd a couple times, fixed this with a) defragging the disk, b) paying attn to "no MMX with Athlon", and c) set size to 74min VCD in Output. Encoding with "custom size" evidently didn't flip over and start making the 2nd file when it hit the size limit... don't know if this was due to (a) and (b) or not. Anyway, encoded 2 mpeg1 files ok in about 10 hours.

- resized files no problem with TmpGenc2.2 (v 2.5 wouldn't load the file/s...locked up...why?)

- burned to cd's no problem with Easy CD v5 Platinum.

thanks for your patience and help. I'm going to try this over-long vcd next and hope it goes ok. If not, I'LL BE BACK!
b.c.