Gag reel - DVD or VHS?

[nativechick5]

First thanks to all on this forum, great advice on hardware/software. Also great help with capture problems. I have learned to make backups of a lot of my collection here. You guys are the best!

Ok, I want to make a gag reel of small (1 to 5 min) clips from the first season of a popular TV series on DVD for my sister for her birthday. I own it on both DVD & VHS. Of course I would like the best quality, but from what I read here, copying just a bunch of short clips with audio/video insync from the VOB files is the rhelm of the computer science major, not a MOM. I saw no less than 4 programs needed for this "operation".

My question is (aren't you glad I finally got to the point?) wouldn't it be easier to just capture from the VHS the clips I want? I know I lose quality, but don't really want to download (and learn) 4 more programs. Please tell me I am wrong & there is an easier way to do this.

Programs I HAVE used & thus know something about (because of advice from here)

DVD Decripter
Smart Ripper
ULead DVD Studio (which I love, but won't read vob's - needs AVI's or mpeg2's)
DVD Shrink (great program)
RecordNow (ditto)
MyDVD (eh - it works, usually)


Tried - but couldn't get to work

DVD to AVI - freezes & avi's won't import into Video Studio insync
TMPGEnc ?????


Thanks for any advice

PS - you need a spinning head smiley, that's how I feel today after reading here for over 3 hours. LOL

[setarip]

"wouldn't it be easier to just capture from the VHS the clips I want? I know I lose quality, but don't really want to download (and learn) 4 more programs."

Based on what you've said, yes, it would be easier.

That said, it would be relatively easy to extract and utilize DVD quality clips as follows:

1) Use DVDDecrypter (In "File" mode) to rip DVD to hard drive

2) Use MPEGCutter v.1.15 (MPEGCUT.EXE) to extract the desired clips from the DVD .VOB files

3) Use "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (not to be confused with "TMPGEnc) to load your clips - and (EASILY) create chapters and a menu

4) Use NERO ("DVD-Video" mode) to burn DVD

[nativechick5]

setarip wrote:

1) Use DVDDecrypter (In "File" mode) to rip DVD to hard drive

>>OK, that's no sweat...

2) Use MPEGCutter v.1.15 (MPEGCUT.EXE) to extract the desired clips from the DVD .VOB files

>>THANKS! Ok, sure I'll give it a shot. Downloaded MPEG2cut 1.15.rar (and a bunch of dlls) right?

I'll try using that first. How many of those dll's do I have to install?
Will they install where they are supposed to, or should I just put them in the directory with the program? Kinda confusing. But if it works....
Sorry for all the questions, I guess I'm one of those who knows just enough to be dangerous. But hay, I'm willing to learn.
Will I end up with little mpeg2's from this (MPEG cutter) with sound?

3) Use "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (not to be confused with "TMPGEnc) to load your clips - and (EASILY) create chapters and a menu

>>Thanks again! Have the download page bookmarked (with a 21.6 connection I'll have to wait for a lot of computer downtime to get it.) Will try when I get the clips cut out.

4) Use NERO ("DVD-Video" mode) to burn DVD

>>I tried Nero, but it wouldn't work on my machine. Recordnow works really good though. Should be able to use TMPGEnc DVD Author's files in RecordNow, right?

Thanks a lot for all you help to me & to others.

Nativechick

[setarip]

"Downloaded MPEG2cut 1.15.rar (and a bunch of dlls) right?"

No .dlls that I'm aware of. The version I installed on my system is comprised of the executable file MPEG2CUT.EXE and a Readme.txt file...


"Should be able to use TMPGEnc DVD Author's files in RecordNow, right?"

If RecordNow has an appropriate setting for burning DVD Videos, yes (I'm not personally familiar with this software). By the way, what difficulty did you encounter with NERO?

"Thanks a lot for all you help to me & to others."

My pleasure ;>}

[nativechick5]

Setarip wrote:

>>No .dlls that I'm aware of. The version I installed on my system is comprised of the executable file MPEG2CUT.EXE and a Readme.txt file...

Ok, got it installed. Cool program, thanks. Got some clips cut down.


>>"Should be able to use TMPGEnc DVD Author's files in RecordNow, right?"

Yes, you can, even says so on their web site. (nothing like answering my own question)

>>By the way, what difficulty did you encounter with NERO?

Download trouble first, then install trouble.(froze up on install) Needed to move some files off HD quick, so went with RecordNow. It has never burned me a coaster & I tried it on one of those sample packs of media, burned each & every one at it's top speed. (their wizard sucks though IMHO)

DVD Author would not let me import the vob's from Mpeg2cut. did I miss a step? (or do something wrong)

No big deal though I got it to work another way, wanna know how?

I'll tell you anyway. Decripted with DVD decript File mode BUT file splitting set at Cell ID, so I got lots of much smaller files, sometimes just the clip I was after. Then I ran the clips through (Arcsoft)ShowBiz & made them into DVD compliant mpegs, then if I needed to do any more editing or combining (or music backround or voice over) I used (Ulead) Video Studio & then My DVD to Author & Record Now to burn.

The above got me just what I wanted. My sister will be so happy.

Even though I did not use the method you prescribed, I learned a lot trying & like the mpeg2cut program a lot. The DVD Author program is ok & semed to work fine, but I prefer the features of MY DVD/Record Now, plus I already own (and know how to use) them.

Just finished burning the DVD today, thanks a lot.

Nativechick

[setarip]

"thanks a lot."


My pleasure ;>}