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  1. Hi, All:

    This forum has already been very helpful to me, but I have a simple request:
    1) 1) The best freeware DVD ripper?

    2) The best freeware video converter?

    I am a novice user, so I prefer SIMPLE and STUPID over powerful and complex. Please recommend something easy to use with as few bells and whistles as possible.

    Once ripped, I am converting video files from VOB to either AVI or WMV, unless you have any other suggestions.

    Thank You Very Much,
    CharmedLife417
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  2. Baldrick, thanks for the recommendation. I tried the Freemark Video Converter, which was a nice simple interface, but I still seem to be having some A-V sync issues. It doesn't convert directly to MWV, as far as I can tell, but to AVI. I had to find and load some codec packs, and that fixed some of it.

    Any other thoughts? This is getting closer to what I wanted.

    Thanks.
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    You asked for suggestions regarding what to convert to, but you don't state the intended usage.
    If it's to watch it on the computer, H.264 is becoming more and more popular. Smaller file size and better quality.

    WMV is rotten and would consider it a last resort, unless you have a specific reason for wanting it.
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  4. I'm a MEGA Super Moderator Baldrick's Avatar
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    Maybe some adware tool like any video converter free or format factory support dvd to wmv. It was a long time ago I did any such conversion.
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  5. davexnet:

    Thanks. I'm putting together a non-commercial video for a classroom video, composed of scenes from different feature films. I know everyone thinks Windows Movie Maker sucks, but it is EASY and SIMPLE and I used it last year. I also own Adobe Premiere Elements, but it is far too confusing and cumbersome and powerful for what I need, and, in true Adobe fashion, is horrible at labeling. I converted one film last night to AVI, and it ran perfectly in sync, then a second film using the exact same software, and it was TWO SECONDS out of sync. Not sure what that is about.

    Baldrick:

    I tried AV Converter and it too has a small A-V sync issue. I will give format factory a whirl and let you know.

    Thanks to both of you for taking the time to post,

    CharmedLife417
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    I remember your first (I think) thread on this subject, and I'm going to say what we told you there as I don't think you are listening.

    The task that you want to do (described in the post from you right above me) SOUNDS simple enough, but as you are finding out it is incredibly complex. If it was easy, frankly you would not continue to post here because you would be doing it.

    You are looking for a magic bullet solution that works 100% of the time and requires you to turn off your brain and learn nothing to do it, just click on a few simple buttons. As we have been trying to tell you, either you are going to spend some time learning to do this right or you are just going to waste your time looking for a magical "works all the time" solution which in reality does not exist. I get it that your time is important and I don't even dispute it. And I get it that you don't have time for a long learning curve. But again, how are you not getting the reality that your task is NOT easy and quick to do? Look if you don't time to do it yourself, hire someone to do it for you that has the skills. Or spend the time it takes to learn properly how to do it. I could do this for you with 100% certainty because the subject was interesting to me so I learned how to do record and edit TV video captures years ago and then I learned to use various editing tools like MPEGVCR and VideoReDo. Your mistake, in my opinion, is that you are trying to convert because it is "easy" and as you have learned, conversions can be tricky. I really don't know how we can help you until you face the reality that you are not willing to bridge the gap between what you want to do and what you can do currently.

    If it was me, I would rip the DVDs, if possible (and depending on the studio it may not be) in IFO mode using DVD Decrypter so I had one large VOB to deal with for each movie. I'd edit the movies one at a time using MPEGVCR or VideoReDo and save the output as MPEG-2 files. Then after I had all the excerpts I wanted, I'd string them together with my editor. You're trying to cheat by finding a way to do this that requires you to learn nothing and the reality is that your methods are neither fast nor are they working correctly. The problem is that by learning nothing, when something goes wrong, you're dead in the water because you don't really understand what is going on so when it fails you can't fix it.
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  7. jman98:

    I hear loud and clear what you are saying, but there is an explanation on my end.

    The process you are describing requires a lot of steps. I made a video with half as many steps last semester and it worked beautifully. So, although you are much more experienced and knowledgeable on this topic, please understand that I have done this before successfully.

    Last semester I made a video presentation about Shakespeare. Five different professors gave me their DVD movies and their time splits. As I recall, I pulled scenes from about 10 different movies, and the final video was PERFECT. So the way I did it worked.

    My process:

    1) Rip DVD movie to one large file using DVD DECRYPTER
    2) Convert that file to WMV
    3) Upload entire movie to Windows Movie Maker
    4) Drop the movie onto the timeline
    5) Cut out what I don't want, leaving the scene I do want.
    6) Splice the scenes together
    7) Add labels between scenes
    8) Burn the entire thing to a DVD

    As for investing time, I taught myself this process on my winter break. I basically ruined my eight week winter vacation. I invested a TON of time. I am not afraid of a long learning curve. But I learned a process that worked for me and produced a PERFECT video.

    Before I go and reinvent my own wheel, on a process that I invested DAYS on, and which produced a perfect product, I would like to know why the same process is no longer working. My question, then, before I abandon everything I learned over the last six months, a process in which I invested, conservatively, 40-50 hours, is why won't the same combination of software I used last time, less than six months ago, on roughly ten (10) different movies, work now?

    I have listed the process I used above. Before I go back to square one, throwing away all that I learned, including the programs I taught myself to use from scratch, I would simply want to know why the same software that I used no longer works. I don't think that is an unreasonable request, considering the time I've already invested.

    Yes, you have a process that worked in producing great videos, but so do I. I am not opposed to doing it a different way, but I am reluctant to throw away a process I used a year ago, which produced great results.

    For instance, what is the advantage of editing the movies using VideoReDo or MPEGVCR, versus just plunking it down on a timeline and cutting and splicing it there? That seems to add an extra process or program or step that I avoided last time.

    Again, my main problem right now has nothing to do with editing or cutting or splicing or assembling. I know how to do that. It is very simple: I cannot seem to find a video converter that will consistently convert from VOB to AVI or WMV without A-V sync problems. Once I find the right converter out there, I can do the rest of this, as I have in the past.

    So, to go back to my original question: Is there a respected freeware converter out there that produces perfect conversions every time, or is that impossible because there are so many different kinds of protection?

    Once I find the right converter, I can do the rest, whether using your process or my own.

    Thanks,
    CharmedLife417
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  8. Member hech54's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by charmedlife417 View Post
    jman98:
    I hear loud and clear what you are saying, but there is an explanation on my end.
    I'm sorry but jman is 100% correct.
    You didn't listen then:
    Originally Posted by hech54 View Post
    Always do your edits BEFORE you convert. Rip your DVDs....Use VOB2MPEG (free) to convert the DVD to one, big MPEG2 file(DVD is MPEG2), do your edits (plenty of free MPEG cutters around).
    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/339313-Help-Recommendation-for-best-video-converter...=1#post2109194

    ...and you are not listening now.
    This thread title asks for a free "converter".....YOU DON'T NEED A CONVERTER if you are going from DVD to DVD. How many times does that need to be spelled out for you? Forget WMV.....forget AVI. You need to be working in DVD/MPEG2....period.
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    The content of your presentation was undoubtedly what everyone liked and responded to with such enthusiasm. Don't kid yourself. The quality of the video and audio in your previous project was not perfect or beautiful. You butchered the audio and video by using an inefficient workflow and some tools that are among the worst possible choices for the job you were trying to do. You did not and do not know what you are doing. You are having trouble now because your process is flawed.

    Also, based on you what you say about yourself, it seems very unlikely you know enough to install codec packs without causing problems. Stay away from them until you know more. Installing the wrong codecs can cause software that was previously working to malfunction.

    You are the student here. As one of your advisers, I have to say you are not living up to expectations. You are NOT too stupid to learn how to use the Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD software recommended to you in your other thread. The software is well documented and not as complex as Premiere Elements. It is not significantly harder to use than Windows DVD Maker, but does have a different user interface. Someone of normal intellegence who wanted to learn how to use it could do so. The real problem here is that you aren't very interested in learning how to use it, or any of the other appropriate tools suggested to you for this project.

    Until you want to learn, there is no point in trying to teach you. Goodbye and good luck.
    Last edited by usually_quiet; 9th Oct 2011 at 17:30. Reason: Added reason for not using codec packs
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  10. Okay, to all of you, I stand corrected. I had already downloaded the Womble product and had planned to try it. What I did not understand till today, after reading Usually Quiet's post, was that apparently by using this product you can completely skip the converting debacle. It's possible that it was mention and I didn't see it. If so, then I apologize.

    So what you're saying here (to be perfectly clear) is that I can upload VOB videos directly int Womble after ripping them with DVD Decrypter, then cut and edit them without having to convert to them either WMV or AVI. Correct?

    Thanks with your patience with me. I'm stubborn but not stupid.

    CharmedLife417
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  11. Just donīt forget hech54īs suggestion to use VOB2MPEG, youīll get an extra file but you wonīt lose any quality and that may help you solve your audio sync issues wheter you go the Womble way or decide to convert to avi anyway.
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  12. Womble's the only mpeg editor that will "7) Add labels between scenes", as you mentioned earlier. I assume you mean inserting titles between scenes? If you didn't need titles, then even DVDShrink could be used to edit a DVD.

    So what you're saying here (to be perfectly clear) is that I can upload VOB videos directly int Womble after ripping them with DVD Decrypter, then cut and edit them without having to convert to them either WMV or AVI. Correct?
    Yes, mpeg2 can be edited without any conversation or complete reencoding.
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    Originally Posted by charmedlife417 View Post
    Okay, to all of you, I stand corrected. I had already downloaded the Womble product and had planned to try it. What I did not understand till today, after reading Usually Quiet's post, was that apparently by using this product you can completely skip the converting debacle. It's possible that it was mention and I didn't see it. If so, then I apologize.

    So what you're saying here (to be perfectly clear) is that I can upload VOB videos directly int Womble after ripping them with DVD Decrypter, then cut and edit them without having to convert to them either WMV or AVI. Correct?

    Thanks with your patience with me. I'm stubborn but not stupid.

    CharmedLife417
    I thought I explained this in you other thread at https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/339313-Help-Recommendation-for-best-video-converter...=1#post2109743
    MPEG Video Wizard DVD can import and edit the video from VOB files, and has a timeline for assembling clips. It has the ability to add titles to your video using the "Title Editor", as well as creating transitions, though I have never used those features. It can create and burn a DVD if you wish, or you can export .mpg files to use with Premiere Elements. It will take time to learn, but will make up for that by saving you time in the future.
    To make it perfectly clear, since there is still some question, Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD can import one or more VOBs directly from a DVD file structure. No conversion is necessary.

    However using VOB2MPG to transfer the video and audio from the VOBs containing the movie to one MPG file might prove useful. Ditto for jman98's suggestion to make one VOB containing the entire movie. Neither of these processes involves any conversion of the audio or video. You are merely joining the video segments in the VOBs and putting them in a different container. The MPG file won't have subtitles, but Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD can't edit those anyway.
    Last edited by usually_quiet; 10th Oct 2011 at 00:43.
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  14. Today, I assembled VOB's into one clip using VOB2MPG and found that the audio has both English and French going at the same time. Is this something that occurred with VOB2MPG, or is this most likely coming from when I ripped the disk using DVD Decrypter? What's odd is I have BOTH English and French going at the same time on the audio track, not one or the other.

    Could someone tell me where I screwed up and how to fix this?

    Thanks,
    Scott
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  15. Member hech54's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by charmedlife417 View Post
    I ripped the disk using DVD Decrypter
    Latest version:
    3.5.4.0 (March 21, 2005)

    Use DVDFabDecrypter instead of something that hasn't been updated in 6 years.
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  16. Hech54, thanks for the tip. I am running DVDFab right now on the same film to test it, but it takes forever. Does somebody know, pertaining to my question above, whether there is a setting within the DVD2MPG program where I can control the audio output, and perhaps eliminate the French audio. The VOB clips, before assembly with DVD2MPG, are only in English, but after they are assembled into one file suddenly I have French and English running simultaneously. Strange. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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  17. Originally Posted by charmedlife417 View Post
    Could someone tell me where I screwed up and how to fix this?
    You're using Windows Media Player to test? If so, try using a real player (no, not Real Player, but MPC-HC or something equally good).
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    Originally Posted by charmedlife417 View Post
    Hech54, thanks for the tip. I am running DVDFab right now on the same film to test it, but it takes forever. Does somebody know, pertaining to my question above, whether there is a setting within the DVD2MPG program where I can control the audio output, and perhaps eliminate the French audio. The VOB clips, before assembly with DVD2MPG, are only in English, but after they are assembled into one file suddenly I have French and English running simultaneously. Strange. Any suggestions? Thanks.
    When using VOB2MPG v3.0 (Free) there no way to specify the audio language(s) to be included. When using VOBSET mode, it includes all of them. Using IFO Mode, it includes all of them, plus the subtitles. Only the Pro (paid) version allows selecting the desired language (from the audio stream drop down list when in IFO mode).

    If DVDFab doesn't allow you to extract just the audio you want, I would suggest that you use DVDShrink (with "No Compression" set) on the decrypted DVD files on your hard drive to just extract the video and the English audio track. VOB2MPG can be used on the shrunk DVD files.
    Last edited by usually_quiet; 26th Oct 2011 at 20:46. Reason: clarity
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  19. DVDFab seems to give me the audio I want, but it is slow as heck. I'm going to try DVDShrink as well, as you stated, and see if that works. Thanks very much for your input.
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  20. Member hech54's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by charmedlife417 View Post
    DVDFab seems to give me the audio I want, but it is slow as heck. I'm going to try DVDShrink as well, as you stated, and see if that works. Thanks very much for your input.
    DVDShrink is also badly out of date and probably will not work with newer DVDs. You still need to rip the disc to your HDD first with an up-to-date ripper, then re-author with DVDShrink.
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  21. Originally Posted by charmedlife417 View Post
    DVDFab seems to give me the audio I want, but it is slow as heck. I'm going to try DVDShrink as well, as you stated, and see if that works. Thanks very much for your input.
    I donīt use DVDFab HD Decrypter so often but as I recall itīs not that slow...have you tried ripping another disc/movie with it?...is it just as slow? you could also install it on another computer and see if the problem persists.
    This is what I would do:
    1- Rip with the latest DVDFAB Decrypter, either whole disc or better yet, just the main movie, just leaving out subtitle tracks and non english languajes (remember that the english sound tracks may be either 5.1 or 2.0 options, directorīs commentary, Dolby vs DTS, etc...
    2- Open the ripped file in DVDShrink, go to reauthor mode, if the whole disc was ripped, select just the main film, if itīs already ripped as such, select 2.0 audio (so I donīt have problems later if the editing program isnīt that comfortable working with multichannel audio)
    While in DVDShrink Iīd also take advantage of the feature that allows me to select in and out points to cut the movie just where I know (I must have planned ahead) I will use for my editing. lets say the part Iīm interested in is a 5 minutes sequence in the middle of the film...Then Iīll trim the movieīs ends to, letīs say ten minutes (the selected five plus some "tails" for protection/flexibility) If there is more than one segment of the movie I need to extract, just repeat this step as needed even if I wind up with several VOB files.
    3- Export the selected video and audio to a selected location on my HDD (properly labeling each folder so I donīt get mixed up later if there are several clips I need.
    4- Open each file or movie segment in VOB2MPG, convert.
    5- Load mpg resulting files in Womble or equivalent
    6- Export as DVD compliant files.
    7- Load in authoring program (in my case I still use DVD Workshop 2 for many things, I like it because Iīve found it to be quite flexible, powerful, reliable and when you master it, quite easy to use. I add chapters, menus, etc...and produce an ISO image file.
    8- Open and burn the image with Imgburn. Voilá!
    Looks like too many steps but thatīs what Iīd do for bullet proof results (at least in my experience)
    Good luck
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  22. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I will be trying some of these things in the next week. Thank you!
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