VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 14 of 14
Thread
  1. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search PM
    G'Day all,

    I'm trying to backup all my DVD movies onto my hard drive and I am wanting to rip them to a format that keeps full DVD quality. I have been using Magic DVD Ripper and ripping them to "Original MPEG2" format. The sound and video quality is great... Exactly what I'm after... But there is 1 problem. I can't get any subtitles to work with this format, yet they do with the AVI format.


    As file size is no issue, and original quality is what I'm after, is there any way to rip to Original MPEG2 and still be able to utilise subtitle options?

    Alternately, is there a way to add subtitle back in at a later stage?

    I might add that I am completely computer illiterate and only understand the most basic of computer language


    Thanks
    Quote Quote  
  2. I've never used Magic DVD Ripper so I don't know what sort of files you end up with or what it does with subtitles, but try MakeMKV. It'll rip a DVD movie etc to a single MKV containing the original mpeg2 video and whichever audio tracks you want to keep, as well as the existing chapters. I'm pretty sure it'll also add the subtitles to the MKV in their original format too. As long as you're using a player which can read subtitle streams in an MKV file. Most PC software players will but I'm not sure about standalone players.

    At a guess, I'd say when converting to AVI the program is hardcoding the subtitles into the video so they're no longer separate. Can you turn them on and off after converting AVI? If not, they're being encoded as part of the video. I always convert DVDs using the x264 encoder (while keeping the original audio) and if I need to keep subtitles I also encode them into the video. Encoding using the x264 encoder should reduce the file size quite a bit without any noticeable quality loss and by hardcoding the subtitles rather than keeping them as separate streams I know they'll display regardless of the player I use. I'd assume when converting to AVI you're using the Xvid encoder (or something similar) which is a bit outdated now. These days most people convert to MKV or MP4 using x264 which is better at retaining detail, although encoding rather then keeping the original video will of course take more time.

    PS If you want to try x264 encoding there's quite a few free encoder GUIs to choose from. MeGUI, ffcoder, Ripbot, Handbrake, HDConvertToX... are a few which come to mind. I'm pretty sure they all require you to rip the DVD to your hard drive first and then they'll convert the ripped files.
    When converting to AVI, the DVD (which uses non-square pixels) is generally resized and encoded using square pixels. The resizing can reduce the quality a bit before you start encoding. While the same thing can be done with x264 encoding it's also common to use it for anamorphic encoding. Without going into a long explanation anamorphic encoding basically encodes the DVD "as-is" and the encoded video is resized to the correct dimensions on playback in exactly the same way the original DVD would be. This gives better quality and smaller file sizes but it relies on a player displaying the video correctly. Once again no problem when using a PC but standalone players mightn't display it properly. Personally I always use anamorphic x264 encoding and while keeping the original AC3 audio the average file size is probably between 1GB and 1.5GB, rather than 4GB or more when keeping the original mpeg2.
    Last edited by hello_hello; 13th Jun 2012 at 23:03.
    Quote Quote  
  3. Rip with DVDFab. Leave it as a VIDEO_TS folder. Use a player that understands that structure. Everything will play just like the original DVD.
    Quote Quote  
  4. Member dragonkeeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    Hello_hello is correct with one minor exception makeMKV is not a ripper. You will either have to rip the movies to your hard drive whilst removing any protection schemes then run you ripped file through makeMKV or run AnyDVD in the background while using makeMKV.

    I would also follow his recommendation of using x264 to compress the video, you can get amazing quality with an 75% reduction in size while retaining all audio and subtitle tracks. Have a look at ripbot264.
    Murphy's law taught me everything I know.
    Quote Quote  
  5. Banned
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    ®Inside My Avatar™© U.S.
    Search Comp PM
    Ripping is transferring the files/data to your hard drive so it is an exact copy minus the copy protections from your DVD,
    Originally Posted by Hoogs View Post
    I'm trying to backup all my DVD movies onto my hard drive and I am wanting to rip them to a format that keeps full DVD quality.
    Changing them to another format is converting.

    And Mpg does not support subtitles.

    As jagabo stated, if you want full original quality with all options available, "rip" to a video_ts folder or ISO and use something that will play either.

    If you want to save some space then "rip" main movie only to a video_ts folder or ISO.
    Quote Quote  
  6. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search PM
    Thanks for the help.

    As I said, I'm not up to speed on computer language. So I guess what it really is I'm trying to do is convert to Original MPEG2 and maintain full DVD quality.

    As for subtitles, I was hoping there would be away to "Hardcode" the selected subtitles into the MPEG2 file.

    As an example: I am trying to convert the movie "Machete" which is 99% in english with just a little bit of spanish. When I used Magic DVD Ripper and converted it to AVI it had 4 subtitle options:

    • No Subtitle: (default which still played english subtitles, but only when spanish was being spoken"
    • English 1: Full english subtitles
    • English 2: English subtitle for hard of hearing, and
    • Hindi
    I chose "No Subtitles" and the resulting movie was exactly as though watching the DVD on default setting where subtitles only appeared when required (Hardcoded into the AVI).


    I was just wanting to know if it was at all possible to do exactly the same thing with an MPEG or other file type that would maintain full DVD quality, and likely be recognised by TV with built in USB media player, etc.




    Thanks again, and sorry for my ignorance on the subject
    Quote Quote  
  7. Member hech54's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Yank in Europe
    Search PM
    Originally Posted by Hoogs View Post
    When I used Magic DVD Ripper and converted it to AVI
    That is nowhere near original quality.


    Originally Posted by Hoogs View Post
    I was just wanting to know if it was at all possible to do exactly the same thing with an MPEG or other file type that would maintain full DVD quality, and likely be recognised by TV with built in USB media player, etc.
    What types of files/formats does the manual say this USB media player accepts?
    Quote Quote  
  8. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search PM
    cheers hech54,

    that is why i decided against going with the AVI... it's poor quality. The original mpeg2 is as good as DVD. Just cant get the subtitles hardcoded
    Quote Quote  
  9. Originally Posted by Hoogs View Post
    cheers hech54,

    that is why i decided against going with the AVI... it's poor quality. The original mpeg2 is as good as DVD. Just cant get the subtitles hardcoded
    If your player can play the DVD, either as IFO/BUP/VOB files, or as an ISO, then you get subs (DVD video is MPEG-2). If you want to reencode to burn the forced subs into the video, then the quality lessens. Is there anything wrong with keeping the original DVD? Why do you feel the need to reencode it and burn in the subs?

    What are you using to play the decrypted DVD that you can't get any subs?
    Quote Quote  
  10. Originally Posted by dragonkeeper View Post
    Hello_hello is correct with one minor exception makeMKV is not a ripper.
    At the risk of arguing with someone who just did so much agreeing with me.... it actually is.
    It happily ripped a couple of DVDs for me last week which RipIt4Me couldn't handle. Mind you I tried a couple of discs with it today and it seemed to have the same problem as RipIt4Me (thinking there was 40GB worth of files to rip) so I fired up AnyDVD for those.

    For some reason I keep forgetting to suggest the free version of DVDFab, probably because I don't normally use it.
    Quote Quote  
  11. Originally Posted by Hoogs View Post
    As an example: I am trying to convert the movie "Machete" which is 99% in english with just a little bit of spanish. When I used Magic DVD Ripper and converted it to AVI it had 4 subtitle options:

    • No Subtitle: (default which still played english subtitles, but only when spanish was being spoken"
    • English 1: Full english subtitles
    • English 2: English subtitle for hard of hearing, and
    • Hindi
    I chose "No Subtitles" and the resulting movie was exactly as though watching the DVD on default setting where subtitles only appeared when required (Hardcoded into the AVI).
    Sometimes (as in the above example) subtitles such as those are already hardcoded into the original video, in which case you don't have to worry about them. Often though they are separate subtitles streams which are "forced", so a DVD player would display them even with subtitles turned off, but other types of media players generally don't follow those rules. You usually have to manually enable them when playing the video, or hardcode them into the video when converting. There's no way to hardcode them into the video without re-encoding it.

    Originally Posted by Hoogs View Post
    I was just wanting to know if it was at all possible to do exactly the same thing with an MPEG or other file type that would maintain full DVD quality, and likely be recognised by TV with built in USB media player, etc.
    I don't think there's a way to get most TVs with USB media players to play separate subtitles, although I could be wrong. Some DivX certified TVs are supposed to support some types of subtitles but they're often crappy media players anyway. Even mpeg2 video in an MKV or the original DVD vob files might be a bit hit and miss using a TV's USB player, so it'd pay to test it. They should all support x264 encoded video and AAC audio in an MP4 or MKV though. If you want 100% campatibility with TV USB players then that'd be the way to go while hardcoding the subtitles while converting if required. You'll also want to convert using square pixels as while they're possibly out there, I've never met a TV with a USB media player which supports non-square pixels in an MKV or MP4 properly.
    While technically you'll lose quality when re-encoding, done properly the encoded video can be virtually indistinguishable from the original when using the x264 encoder, and you'll end up with smaller, more convenient files. It just takes more time.
    Quote Quote  
  12. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search PM
    Thanks again for all your help... I apologize for my ignorance

    I took your advice and decided it may be easier to go with a .VOB file and bought a media player that supports it.

    Can I just ask one more question (as the technologically impaired person I am)... is the video quality of a .VOB file ripped with DVDFab the same quality as DVD (MPEG-2)?

    Cheers
    Quote Quote  
  13. Originally Posted by Hoogs View Post
    I took your advice and decided it may be easier to go with a .VOB file and bought a media player that supports it.
    Which may or may not solve your problem. Playing a VOB isn't the same as playing a DVD. You may not get subs.
    ...is the video quality of a .VOB file ripped with DVDFab the same quality as DVD (MPEG-2)?
    Maybe, maybe not. If it's decrypted (ripped) without transcoding (shrinking), then it's the same. You just have to make sure that after being decrypted it's the same size as the source. Pay attention to the settings and make sure you're getting 100%. That usually means setting it for DVD9 output.
    Quote Quote  
  14. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search PM
    Cheers manono,

    Think I might be trying to do the impossible: Convert a DVD to a single movie file with hardcoded subtitles and no loss of quality hehe...

    Oh well... Had to try
    Quote Quote  



Similar Threads

Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!