Convert Your Videos - Idiot Proof (Windows)

[kctay]

No, no help here, the OP's instructions don't match the current version of FF either.

 

[NumbLock]

I'm going to break rule 1573 of unwritten Internet forum protocol by bumping my own post. There are again lots of open threads about video conversion.

FormatFactory has one very important feature: keeping the default output video resolution without forcing black bars.read my original post for details.

 

[daltonbaker]

For PC users, try SUPER. It's pretty good:

MPEG Streamclip is very good if you run OS X

 

[markk100]

Hello Numblock...

Quick question for you...do you have an easy way to get one from DVD to the steps you describe above?

I've literally never ripped, re-formatted, or anything before, and I'd like to be able to take my Netflix rentals on the road with me when need be. (That's not illegal, is it?) I see it as I've already paid for the rights to that film and so long as I don't copy it or re-distribute it, I'm within the rights of my rental, no? Man, where the heck have I been all these years, I'm only 34 years old!

Well, in any event, you mentioned that your above tutorial assumes you've got the information off the DVD already, or that's how I read it anyway. Curious if you had a good pre-step instruction list. For a PC...

Tschuess,

M

 

[kctay]

Mark,

I believe if you read both threads, the OP states he doesn't have a reliable DVD Ripper solution. I use the following:

Any DVD - from Sly soft
DVD Shrink - free
DVD Decrypter - free

I start AnyDVD and have it running in the system tray prior to loading the DVD I want to "backup", once AnyDVD has scanned the protection method, I fire up DVD Shrink and open the disk to analyze the disk in the drive. You can then control the file size of the movie by compressing the image, or cutting out menu's etc. DVD Shrink will then burn the file as an ISO to your hard drive without any copy protection that was present before. DVD Decrypter can be set in DVD Shrink so that it opens automatically when DVD Shrink is done creating the ISO image. Simply put a blank DVD in your drive, and burn to disk. You now have your "backup" of your original DVD.

There are plenty of sites to visit to get detailed instructions of all three of these programs. AnyDVD will also rip to the hard drive and has many other features; you cannot however compress the image if space is a factor.

Once you have a DVD without copy protection, Handbrake for example will convert your files from the DVD you “backed up†to work on the Ipad directly. I’m not sure Format Factory does this, but I’ll bet it does. Once you have burned to disk, you will have a VideoTS folder, and AudioTS folder on the DVD. Don’t bother with the audio folder. You will find a few VOB files in the VideoTS folder, use a free program called “joinvobfiles†to make one file to convert on Format Factory, it works great. That way you don’t have to convert each VOB file individually, and you have the complete movie in one file.

Hope this helps.

 

[markk100]

Hey KC,

Thanks a heap for your input, I'm going to give this all a try this evening. I'm hopeful I can figure it all out...

Cheers,

M

 

[NumbLock]

Mark,

I believe if you read both threads, the OP states he doesn't have a reliable DVD Ripper solution. I use the following:

Any DVD - from Sly soft
DVD Shrink - free
DVD Decrypter - free

I start AnyDVD and have it running in the system tray prior to loading the DVD I want to "backup", once AnyDVD has scanned the protection method, I fire up DVD Shrink and open the disk to analyze the disk in the drive. You can then control the file size of the movie by compressing the image, or cutting out menu's etc. DVD Shrink will then burn the file as an ISO to your hard drive without any copy protection that was present before. DVD Decrypter can be set in DVD Shrink so that it opens automatically when DVD Shrink is done creating the ISO image. Simply put a blank DVD in your drive, and burn to disk. You now have your "backup" of your original DVD.

There are plenty of sites to visit to get detailed instructions of all three of these programs. AnyDVD will also rip to the hard drive and has many other features; you cannot however compress the image if space is a factor.

Once you have a DVD without copy protection, Handbrake for example will convert your files from the DVD you “backed up†to work on the Ipad directly. I’m not sure Format Factory does this, but I’ll bet it does. Once you have burned to disk, you will have a VideoTS folder, and AudioTS folder on the DVD. Don’t bother with the audio folder. You will find a few VOB files in the VideoTS folder, use a free program called “joinvobfiles†to make one file to convert on Format Factory, it works great. That way you don’t have to convert each VOB file individually, and you have the complete movie in one file.

Hope this helps.

Could you please write a guide?

Awesome post! You seem to have found the best (most reliable?) way!

 

[kctay]

Numblock,

I can try over this weekend while I'm camping, it's not really my forte however. I really enjoyed your guide, and appreciate the time you put into it, you really helped me in the conversion process with FF. So, I'll give it a whirl.

 

[markk100]

Hey KC,

Quick question...is it necessary to burn the 'cracked' copy to a DVD? Can you deal with it directly on your hard-drive? For instance:

Can you remove the copyright, burn the ISO to your hard-drive and convert from there, using Handbrake or Format Factory or something to the end, after you've joined the VOB files (and shunk the file to the size of choice and such)?

Cheers,

M

 

[kctay]

[FONT=&quot]Mark,

I'm not sure what you are asking. The "cracked" copy is the actual ISO file that DVD Shrink creates on your hard drive. I don't believe that FF, or Handbrake interface with ISO files, but I could be wrong. At least with FF, I couldn't find a manner in which to convert my movie from an ISO. BTW, any ISO burning program, like Magic ISO, or Power ISO can also take your ISO movie file from DVD Shrink, and burn to disk converting the ISO to a standard Video_TS and Audio_TS format for viewing on your TV, or converting with FF.

Now what I did when testing Handbrake was, rip and burn a movie disk using DVD Shrink, then burning to disk with DVD Decrypter, then just left the disk in the drive, and converted it to Ipad format with Handbrake. This works nicely.

If what you are asking is; Can you skip one step? Yes, you can decrypt the disk with AnyDVD, and then just use the AnyDVD menu to rip to the hard drive as an ISO. I really just use DVD Shrink because most movies will seldom fit on a 4.7GB DVD disk, so I cut out languages, director’s comments, etc. until I get the image small enough to fit on a disk.

Hope that answered your question[/FONT]

 

[markk100]

Hey KC,

Yes, that was my question. Can I get away with doing everything from my hard drive, rather than go from original DVD to ISO to burned DVD back to converting...It doesn't seem like I can though. I wonder why FF or Handbrake won't just let you drop the ISO image in their program from your hard drive? I wonder why it's necessary get the file from a DVD? Maybe once I try this, it will make more sense? I'm also not well versed in the terminology, which is probably the other source of confusion with respect to my questions...

Good enough, was just curious...

Have fun camping this weekend...What part of Oregon? I've done quite a bit of hiking just outside the Portland area, and around Bend...I did an awesome hike from the bottom of Multnomah Falls up above the snow line to Devil's Pass or Devil's Peak or something to that end. Hike up was fine...Hike down really tore my knees up though...

Cheers,

M

 

[windycitycouple]

No need to burn a DVD, you can simply keep the .iso files in a folder. I actually have an HP Server where I keep my entire DVD collection in .iso's. I can access the server from any computer or tv in the house and play any of the movies I want.

Hey KC,

Quick question...is it necessary to burn the 'cracked' copy to a DVD? Can you deal with it directly on your hard-drive? For instance:

Can you remove the copyright, burn the ISO to your hard-drive and convert from there, using Handbrake or Format Factory or something to the end, after you've joined the VOB files (and shunk the file to the size of choice and such)?

Cheers,

M

 

[markk100]

Thanks Windy...

I ended up purchasing Winx DVD Platinum last night, as I couldn't get bitripper to run properly. That, and Winx DVD allows you to rip the original disk right to a mp4. Seems like that would save me a bunch of steps. It was a 29 dollar gamble, but it had a 30 day money back guaranty.

So, my hope is, that when I boot up my laptop at home, I'll have one singular mp4 file waiting to put into iTunes and then onto my iPad.

Frankly, I'm not really sure that it will work, but we'll see. It seems like the end goal was to get a DVD into a mp4 format. It's just that with other programs you had to do it in a bunch of steps. So, what would be the difference in doing it all at once, end result is the same? My logic anyway...again, could be totally wrong and I'm out 29 bones.

If it does work though, it may be the easiest solution I've heard thus far. Albeit, not free and it did take about 5.5 hours to finish the process on a 2.5 hour movie.

Cheers,

M

 

[kctay]

Windycity,

What program do you use that plays ISO files as if they were a DVD?

 

[daltonbaker]

I use DVDFab6, it works well. I use the apple TV setting. Or check the third party iPad Converter soft. Work prefect! Just not free.