How do I encode my commercial DVDs for viewing on my PPC?

[martin_ayton]

I'm really embarrassed to be asking this question :oops: but I can't make this work. I need help. And if you can help me, please assume that you are dealing with an idiot - I won't be offended!

I have read through the threads here and downloaded TCMP to play the videos on my Xda2s and PocketDivX Encoder to encode them on my desktop. The website for PocketDivX Encoder clearly says that it will not encode commercial DVDs, but there was a sugestion here that pointing it at the .vob files on the DVD would work. I tried that, guessing each time that I should go for the largest of the files available (how else do you choose which file to encode?). Each time I tried, the process appeared to hang with about 8 minutes (so it said) left to go. 'Hang' = apparently stop working whilst still consuming 97% CPU time.

So, I tried downloading FairUse Light Edition. That seemed to start and run OK, but I just couldn't figure out the settings to produce a file optimised for my PPC. It seemed to want to encode for the desktop.

I had a look at the Gordian Knot website, but the lack of FAQ or help files (that I could find) put me off from downloading it.

I promise that I only want to encode DVDs that I have bought, and only for personal viewing on my PPC to while away the odd flight and long wait in airport lounges. A step-by-step guide for the hard of understanding would be most welcome :) .

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Since you sound so sincere...you are sincere aren't you? j/k :)

In Fairuse, right at the end before you begin the actual encode process, there're options to pick resolution and the final file size. For your XDAIIs, you'll want 320x240 resolution. The file size would depend on how long the original movie is - but about 180MB to 200MB per hour should give you a very good quality encode.

Edit: If you're wooried about the initial caching - that's done irrespective of the final size of the reencoded movie. I actually do two versions at once to save having to do this step again - one at 640x480 for the desktop and my PDA, and a smaller 320x240 file for my wife's PDA.

[martin_ayton]

Thanks hishamh - I'll try it again when I get home.

[martin_ayton]

Whoops! Having the 'fully automatic' boxed checked was what did it :oops: : took me past the pages where you set the quality so fast that I didn't even see them. When I unchecked it - tada - all the options you mentioned were there.

I notice that the file produced has the extension .avi, despite my having checked the DivX box. can I assume that the file is DivX encoded, nevertheless, just in an 'avi' container? And that it plays in WMP because I downloaded a DivX codec somewhen (no recollection of having done so, but hey)?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I notice that the file produced has the extension .avi, despite my having checked the DivX box. can I assume that the file is DivX encoded, nevertheless, just in an 'avi' container? And that it plays in WMP because I downloaded a DivX codec somewhen (no recollection of having done so, but hey)?

Yup to the first - divx movies are quite commonly in an avi container. I'd still ditch WMP for movie playback even if it plays divx movies, and get TCPMP which is head and shoulders better as a media player.