DVD to AVI/MPEG - What's The Easiest Way?

[Jason Dunn]

I'm trying to get some music videos off a DVD onto the Portable Media Center, and I'm having a rather hard time - it's been so long since I've done this (ripping a DVD for use on my Pocket PC) that I don't remember how I did it. I've used DVD Shrink to get the VOB files, but beyond that I'm running into a wall. I've tried using both the freeware and trial versions of TMPGenc, but even with the commercial version I end up with an MPEG and no audio. I know I need to split the VOB into an MPEG and WAV file, then mux them together, but I'm having a hard time doing so. Any suggestions for tools?

[Filip Norrgard]

Have you tried DVD2AVI (http://arbor.ee.ntu.edu.tw/~jackei/dvd2avi/) to extract the audio into a Wav file? See this tutorial (should apply, although it focuses on Pocket PCs): The ultimate DVD to MPEG-1 FAQ (http://www.pocketmovies.net/dvdrip.php3)

Good Luck! ;)

[Mike Temporale]

You mean the PMC doesn't come with software that allows you to transfer your content from the disc to the device?!

[markvan]

Give Pocket Divx Encoder(http://divx.ppccool.com) a try.

Cheers
Mark

[Felix Torres]

Last time you were looking into this, I suggested DVD-TO-POCKETPC.
http://www.makayama.com/dvdtopocketpc.html

Did it not work?
When I tried the demo it worked fine for me.

[KidKomputer]

Check here (http://www.dvdripguides.com/) for tools and tips.
Choose DVD rip guides on the left.

[Jason Dunn]

Last time you were looking into this, I suggested DVD-TO-POCKETPC.

I have that, but the quality is crap - the bit rate is too low even on the "high quality" setting. WMP10 will transcode the file anway, so what I need is a big, fat, high-bitrate file to transfer over.

[Jason Dunn]

You mean the PMC doesn't come with software that allows you to transfer your content from the disc to the device?!

It does, but it doesn't read VOB files dude. ;-)

[Jason Dunn]

Have you tried DVD2AVI (http://arbor.ee.ntu.edu.tw/~jackei/dvd2avi/) to extract the audio into a Wav file?

Interestingly enough, I've tried that and even using the tutorial, I can't get any audio. Under the audio fly-out menu, I have eight tracks showing and NONE of them will result in any audio being played back during the preview. I tried every option for audio that was available, but never any audio. When I play back the VOB file with Nero, there's audio, so I know it's in the file...!?

I'm going to try this with a regular DVD movie and see if I have any more luck.

[DrVictorVonDoom]

I'm trying to get some music videos off a DVD onto the Portable Media Center, and I'm having a rather hard time - it's been so long since I've done this (ripping a DVD for use on my Pocket PC) that I don't remember how I did it. I've used DVD Shrink to get the VOB files, but beyond that I'm running into a wall. I've tried using both the freeware and trial versions of TMPGenc, but even with the commercial version I end up with an MPEG and no audio. I know I need to split the VOB into an MPEG and WAV file, then mux them together, but I'm having a hard time doing so. Any suggestions for tools?

I have had pretty good success with A1 DVD Ripper. I tested it during the free trial and ended up puchasing the licensed version. It works really well, IMHO.
http://www.download.com/A1-DVD-Ripper-Standard/3000-7970-10311927.html?tag=lst-0-1

I then used a stanard MPEG cutter to get the specific scenes I wanted (e.g., Henry's rousing St. Crispin's Day speech).

[David Horn]

http://www.pocketmatrix.com/guides/dvd2divx/

I usually use this guide when ripping DVDs, but don't do it so much anymore. If I have a DVD I want to watch on my Pocket PC, I just download an XVID of it and recompress for the Pocket PC.

[Jason Dunn]

Dang. I ripped a movie with DVD Shrink, but I still can't get any audio playback with DVD2AVI. Again, eight audio tracks showing, I tried all eight of them, still no audio. <sigh> Time to try a new app!

[Steven Hughes]

You may be better off using a third party program that will rip and encode the video for viewing on the PMC, depending on which format you choose to go with here a few:

DVD to Pocket PC
http://www.makayama.com/dvdtopocketpc.html

Pocket DVD Studio
http://www.pqdvd.com

SmartMovie
http://www.lonelycatgames.com

Depending on your system ripping a whole DVD can take up to the same amount of time as viewing the file.Also most of the above programs allow for tweaking the video for quality or size.

If you can convert the files to an MPG file using windows video encoder for the PPC to wmv should go pretty easily...

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/encoder/default.aspx

Also be sure to check out the authoring tools here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/encoder/utilities.aspx

There are some great guides here:

Big D Big D’s Video s Video – great tutorials on how to get video on your PPC in many differe great tutorials on how to get video on your PPC in many different formats also links for download nt formats also links for download

http://www.bigdsvideo.com/ http://www.bigdsvideo.com/

PPCVidz
http:// http://www.ppcvidz.com www.ppcvidz.com/

DVD to Pocket PC Guide DVD to Pocket PC Guide
http://www.pocketmatrix.com/guides/dvd2divx/

Just wondering have you tried downloading any content from places like Cinemanow (http://www.cinemanow.com/)?

[Jason Dunn]

Thanks for the tips fyiguy, but here's something that sucks about the Portable Media Center: there's no way to turn OFF the video transcoding...so I need to feed it a very high quality file because it's going to be transcoded no matter what. I'll see if I can get around that, but I don't think I can.

[Steven Hughes]

Is there a way to drag and drop the file instead of using the Windows Media Player 10 interface?

Too bad it only doesn't work as just another external USB drive, but it is just listed as an USB Audio Device in My Computer and as an added Portable Media Devices area in the Control Panel. I would think you should be able to just copy media to each of the different media folders and if you wished to use it for data storage for docs or other files, a simple cut and paste to the Data folder should do it. The only caveat is I think the files are read only as part of the DRM, so you must copy/remove the file first, change it and copy it back...

Frrom what it looks like is that it works very well with Microsoft only Software like Windows Movie Maker to get say home movies on it or Plus! Digital Media Editon...

You may want to try encoding some of the HD wmv content from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/content_provider/film/ContentShowcase.aspx

But if all what you say is true about the double encoding even with highend HD video there is going to be some dropped frames and fragmented edges or pixelation...

It now looks like a very hindered device... :(

[TomB]

Jason, there has to be a way to do a direct port of files because from what I have heard part of the approach is to sell Hollywood films and Microsoft MP3s precompressed for these devices.

As far as your sound problems, a wild guess is that you are creating a master AVI with DivX. If so, it is likely the file has MP3 audio which it sounds like the Windows compression programs won't recognize. You will need to bring the MP3 back to a format like ADPCM. I am amazed that the device is so locked down. Just out of curiosity, does the unit record audio and video and is is there a video in and out port for this? A number of PVPs coming out of Korea all have this feature.

I guess the thing that puzzles me most is why Microsoft came up with this device at all? PPCs are smaller, less expensive and can playback virtually any codec out there. The answer has to be that this is meant strictly for general users who will have no interest in rolling their own content.

[Jason Dunn]

Is there a way to drag and drop the file instead of using the Windows Media Player 10 interface? Too bad it only doesn't work as just another external USB drive...

Ok, I've done some experimenting and it turns out I can drag and drop files directly onto the device - but they don't show up where they're supposed to (I put them in the TV folder but they show up under the VIDEO folder). So there's some breakdown with how it works, but it looks like that's how you'd avoid the transcoding. And it does show up as a hard drive where you can drag files onto it. Cool!

But if all what you say is true about the double encoding even with highend HD video there is going to be some dropped frames and fragmented edges or pixelation...

Well, IMO, that's not correct. Starting from a DVD you're getting 720 x 480 at about 8000 kbps (give or take. Then you rip that to an AVI file, still at 720 x 480, but with some recompression of bitrate - you'd still keep it high though. The final compression is to 320 x 240 and 500 kbps - I normally loathe transcoding, but honestly, I'm looking at Star Trek VI on the PMC right now and this is a transcode from a 720 x 480 5000 kbps cable TV signal...and it looks quite excellent! So from what I've seen, the results are better than I was expecting. :D

[Jason Dunn]

Jason, there has to be a way to do a direct port of files because from what I have heard part of the approach is to sell Hollywood films and Microsoft MP3s precompressed for these devices.

Sure, when you do the normal sync using WMP10, it will transcode the file for you. It will transcode whatever formats the Windows Media Encoder can read, which includes AVI and MPEG...but not a VOB file from a ripped DVD. I think you know why Microsoft can't/won't support that. ;-)

Just out of curiosity, does the unit record audio and video and is is there a video in and out port for this? A number of PVPs coming out of Korea all have this feature.

No, it has no recording abilities.

I guess the thing that puzzles me most is why Microsoft came up with this device at all? PPCs are smaller, less expensive and can playback virtually any codec out there. The answer has to be that this is meant strictly for general users who will have no interest in rolling their own content.

PDAs are for PDA people. This is aimed at the audio player market, people who have an iPod but want it to show pictures and videos...that short of thing. A very different slice of the market - this device is VERY easy to use.

[mcsouth]

Maximum PC did a tutorial on how to use freeware tools to get a movie from DVD to your PPC - I personally use DVD Decrypter, and go to www.Doom9.net for resource information.

I forget all of the intermediate steps right now, but I know I rip the VOB files using DVD decrypter, then I think you convert using DVD2AVI, and then use Windows Media Encoder to convert to WMA - I'd have to go back to that issue to check out the full procedure, because I know it was fairly involved........

[TomB]

Sounds like an interesting device and market. It will be interesting to see how it goes when Creative starts selling the Zen later this week. Jason, theoretically there should be a direct port of a precompressed file or at least a direct transfer for DRM - WITHOUT a transcode. Let's say I was Miramax Films ;) and I just spent a week mastering a very low bitrate WMV file with tweaks so it ran without artifacting and dropped frames and could be sold as a commercial product. Considering all of my efforts, the last thing I would want is for Microsoft PMCs to automatically re-encode my work introducing compression artifacts and probably bulking up the bitrate way up too.

If you have gotten that far, does the Zen playback full framerates like 23.98 and 29.97 or are we at half framerates like 11.99 and 14.98?

[Jason Dunn]

Considering all of my efforts, the last thing I would want is for Microsoft PMCs to automatically re-encode my work introducing compression artifacts and probably bulking up the bitrate way up too.

I'd say there's either a flag in the file that will say "don't transcode me" or if the file is within "playback parameters", it won't be transcoded yet. I haven't seen either one yet. ;-)

If you have gotten that far, does the Zen playback full framerates like 23.98 and 29.97 or are we at half framerates like 11.99 and 14.98?

Well, I have a video on my desktop computer that it transcoded, and I can't get the frame rate - it's not listed in the file properties. I can tell you it's 320 x 240, 628 kbps total bit rate, audio is 128 kbps (I think the video is 500 kbps).