New To The Game

[DR1]

I JUST GOT A NEW DVD PLAYER. I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT DVD, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A WAY TO RIP DVDS ONTO A REGULAR CD AND PLAY THEM IN A HOME DVD SYSTEM. ONE OF THE FEATURES ON THIS DVD PLAYER IS THAT IT IS ABLE TO PLAY WINDOWS MEDIA FILES. BASICALLY MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO RIP A DVD TO WHERE IT WILL PLAY ON MY DVD PLAYER AT HOME???

[setarip]

"ONE OF THE FEATURES ON THIS DVD PLAYER IS THAT IT IS ABLE TO PLAY WINDOWS MEDIA FILES"

Be good enough to share the make and model with us, won't you?

By the way, you shouldn't "holler" (type all in capitals)...

[DR1]

Sorry about the "holler" font that I was using. I will get the exact model for you. I still need if this should work. Or am I going to have to put the file in a different format.

[setarip]

This is how I do it:

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) - for highest quality set "Motion Search Precision" to "Highest Quality". Change the "Aspect Ratio" to match, as closely as possible, the "Source Aspect Ratio" you set under the "Advanced" tab.
8) Change "Rate Control Mode" to "Automatic VBR (CQ_VBR)
9) Under the "Audio" tab, set to 44,100 224Kbps
10) 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)