11-03-2006, 09:30 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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Rip DVDs to Your Pocket PC - Clinton Fitch Reviews DVD Catalyst GT
"Over the past several years, many developers have released DVD ripping applications which allowed users to copy a DVD to their hard disk for playback directly on their PC, iPod or Windows Mobile device... The problem facing DVD Catalyst has been the same however for all of the applications: complexity... With this in mind and a goal of ease-of-use in mind, the makers of DVD Catalyst have released DVD Catalyst GT. In a nutshell, it is the quickest and easiest DVD conversion software application I have had the opportunity to use to date."
Let me tell you, the ability view DVD-quality video on my Pocket PC is a huge boone to my own entertainment needs when travelling. I personally follow a complex series of steps to encode my own DVDs, but with many third solutions available today, the complexity and learning curve can be reduced significantly. Now, if Clinton Fitch is saying that DVD Catalyst GT is the quickest and easiest of that bunch, then it may be worth a look. Check ot the review and give us your thoughts!
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11-04-2006, 04:14 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,221
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Re: Rip DVDs to Your Pocket PC - Clinton Fitch Reviews DVD Catalyst GT
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Originally Posted by Ekkie Tepsupornchai
I personally follow a complex series of steps to encode my own DVDs,...
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So, what steps do you use? 
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11-04-2006, 11:03 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 151
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I've actually used this program and it works much better than DVD to PPC. I also use Handbrake for the Mac and it too does a good job and it's free.
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11-05-2006, 10:12 AM
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11-06-2006, 06:21 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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Re: Rip DVDs to Your Pocket PC - Clinton Fitch Reviews DVD Catalyst GT
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Originally Posted by pmradio
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ekkie Tepsupornchai
I personally follow a complex series of steps to encode my own DVDs,...
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So, what steps do you use? |
For most people, I just recommend PocketDivXEncoder, but for me, I go the old-fashioned route and use a combination of compartmentalized applications: - DVD Decryptor - rips the DVDs onto your hard drive in VOB format
DVD2AVI - I actually use the newer version (or some biproduct) of this that has been renamed to something else though the name escapes me... his app extracts the audio from the VOB files and creates a project file that links to the VOB files and allows them to be "served" up like they were standard video files
AVISynth - This is an optional step, but it is the real "lynch-pin" and the reason why I haven't fully converted to the more easy-to-use applications... AVISynth allows me to apply a myriad of post-edit / filter / conversion effects... works in conjunction with VirtualDub and requires solid comfort level with scripting as there is no GUI tool to work with here... some of the best IVTC / 3:2 pull-down / deinterlacing execution can done with this tool.
Audio Conversion Utility - there are a couple of utilities I'll use to convert the audio file extracted via DVD2AVI... the end goal is to create a 44.1Hz WAV file. Tools include HeadAC3 and dBpowerAmp Music Converter. Note: if I'm creating a DivX file for home theatre purposes, then this can be skipped as I'll use the original AC3 encoded file and encode it into the final AVI using VirtualDubMod.
VirtualDub - This melts the AVISynth-enriched frameserve file with the audio file and creates the final DivX AVI file... you can also use VDub for many of the filtering effects that I rely on AVISynth for, but the quality will be inferior... I do rely on VirtualDub though to do some standard cropping and/or brightness/contrast modifications.
VirtualDubMod - I only rely on this if I'm looking to create a final AVI file to play over home theatre systems... this allows me to take the originally extracted AC3 audio file and marry it directly with the AVI file created.
There are a few CODECs that need to be dowloaded and installed as well for all of this to work and I also have some subtitle utilities that extract subtitle text from foreign films (e.g. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers) and ensure they're in the final product as well if needed. I also have SlySoft's AnyDVD to alleviate region-related hassles. It's a rather involved process, but it gives me the maximum amount of control and customizability and despite the number of steps involved, it's actually a simple process to me now. 
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