Strange Problems with Flask

[Havok]

Hi,

I am relatively new to ripping, however I believe I am doing the right thing. After ripping a DVD with flask (I used DivX 5.0 and MP3 codec and 128 kbps @ 48Khz) the file always has trouble playing in Windows Media Player, it always comes up with an error and ends when you try to open it. The file does work however in Real One & the DivX player. It's almost like the file is corrupt or incomplete but it doesn't make sense to me. I can see it ripping all the frames and everything always seems to go well but it just never plays properly in media player. Any help would be much appreciated - I have spoken to others but they appear to just scratch their heads saying that they've never experienced the problem and it works fine for them. I have tried ripping on many machines.

[jagarus]

Your aspect ratio/size may not be right. Try Gordian Knot anyways. www.doom9.org

[Havok]

Nope, I keep it locked - it's on the normal one 4:3 or something.

[Enchanter]

Post the details of your encoding procedures, resolution, bitrate, etc., here.

[Havok]

I open up FLask, I open DVD, select the only file available to me under the video section on the dvd drive. I select the language, the file & the subtitles. I then open up output format options, I select the divX 5.0 codec, I click configure and change the bitrate to anything b/w 780 and 250. I then click ok, select the audio codec which is MP3, 128 kbps @ 48kHz. click ok, then i select the output movie settings, change the dimensions to 720x480 as well as the location of the output file, click ok. then start the conversion.

The conversion always appears to end but when I open it with explorer and select the file, explorer comes up with an error and closes. (I have come to realise it's not really explorer but windows media player - since it always opens up the file for a preview in explorer) When I open it up in explorer it always aborts with an error. I can succesfully open it up in real one and divX player. I have tried re-indexing it and using virtualdub to redub but the same thing happens, the file still appears to have trouble running properly.

[Havok]

Also, I have noticed the Mp3 encoding doesn't really work, after I click ok - i notice it reverts back to PCM after i click on audio encoding again. as well, regardless of how many kbps i set the divX to, the file size still remains relatively big, I mean I always calculate it to fit onto 700 mb but it always remains about 1.2 gb.

[Enchanter]

It is a problem with your MP3 encoding. Flask does not seem to have done the job properly and this causes any programs that attempt to access the supposedly-MP3 sound stream to crash, including Windows Explorer.

I suggest you process the audio separately and mux it together with the video later using Virtual/nandub. Here's how it goes:

1. Rip audio to .wav using Graphedit or Vob2audio
2. If you wish to amplify the volume, use an audio-editing program, like Cooledit
3. Convert the .wav file to .MP3 using an MP3 encoder, like LAME
4. Use Virtual/nandub to mux the video with the audio (Direct Stream Copy the video and audio streams)

...but it always remains about 1.2 gb.

The reason for it is because the audio is not compressed and hence the overblown size. Now you know what to do, don't you?

[Havok]

I see, ok then - what program should I use to encode the video with then, I need something that takes into account subtitles.

[Enchanter]

Flask handles subtitles as well. There are other programs, like GordianKnot and Nandub, that will output better quality video. However, I suggest using Flask for creating the video and then muxing it with the audio, for now. This allows you to gain a better appreciation and understanding on the subject. Only then you should tinker with GordianKnot.