DVD Ripping vs DVD Capturing

[jfebus]

Hi All,

I don't need to capture a full dvd to have it on svcd. What I need is to capture several minutes from a DVD. I use to do it conecting my dvd to my sony digital8 camcorder and capturing with my video editing software.

Then I bought a DVD-ROM with the idea of "improving" the process but I have found that it includes more steps: rip the part of the dvd, convert that part and then do the editing.

Am I doing something wrong? Which method is the best? Which one do you recomend? Should I stick with the DVD->Camera->FireWire method?

Regards,

Jose Febus

[joel]

Use DVDx and just Encode straight off the DVD, don't rip it first.... Very quick and easy

[Vejita-sama]

For best quaility you want to rip the DVD. This is a digital to digital transfer with zero quaility lost. You can rip a few minutes/specific chapters w/ smartripper (just select the chapters or time points you want to rip).

This will generate VOB files. You'll want to convert these files to seperate video and wav files (the VOB contains all the audio tracks on the DVD muxed togother, so you need to demux them as it were).

Question? What's your goal here? Are you trying to make a SVCD, edit together severeal clips, etc. etc.

[vhelp]

jfebus,

Welp, the only quality loss you'll get is pending upon your encoding
method! If you encoide your dvd, ie, tmpgenc with too little bitrate,
you'll see blocks (if you want to call that "quality&quot .

jfebus, for your purpose, it's probably quicker to just CAPture it via your
capture card. That is, only if you're just looking for a small scene, ie,
10 sec or 1 minute, etc.
IMO, it's just a complete waist of time to go the WHOLE route to reach
your final encode... ie, dvd2avi to tmpgenc or cce for short 10sec or 1min clips.
It's a while lot quicker to just pop in your dvd disk into your standalone
player and (w/ your remote) jump directly to your scene and begin your
capture. And, if you capture card comes with hardware MPEG-2, then
all the more better, but just give it something like 2520 mbits. That's
only if it's an hardware mpeg2 capture card. But, even if it's an AVI
capture card, that's ok and still quicker then, again, loading dvd2avi
or fask and then encoding with tmpgenc or cce.
Again I say, do you wanna load all those apps, or do you wanna cap
instead? ...your decision!

Ok, for example, if I had the need to burn a 2 minute clip, I'd just
cap with my PVR. ...ok, the PVR is an hardwared MPEG1/2 unit (AVI/PCI or USB
version)

All this depends on your ability to encode to good quality SVCD via AVI or
hardware MPEG1/2.

Now, as to what Vejita-sama said,
>> For best quaility you want to rip the DVD. This is a digital to digital transfer
>> with zero quaility lost. You can rip a few minutes/specific chapters w/. . .
The above is almost plastic to me. That is, if you don't encode with enough
bitrate and utilize certain settings effectively in tmpgenc or cce, the above statement
would not hold true ("...with zerio quality los...&quot in your case.
Don't get me wrong, the above is true, provided what I just said.
I did a dvd2avi rip of one of my dvd disks, "case away" with 2520 mbits for
svcd, give or take a few other settings, and one of the things I noticed was the
blocks I was getting in darks scenes, and also a few other side affects that I
did not like. So, I decided to cap it (some scenes) with my PVR, and I was
shocked at the quality. At 2520 mbits, IMO, it was perfect! I no longer go the
dvd2avi route anymore! ...saying many, many countless hours of encoding and
debuging just to get that pefect enough svcd. I tell myself, "Why bother ...with
all this encoding?". I only cap to avi when I cap satalete, and even then, I
cap with my PVR. It just depends on my mood and/or what my needs are
at that given time.

Ok, now, if I were you, try both final svcd creation and see which one looks
the best. And use as close to the same settings for both.

...I hope you have a hardware mpeg2 capture card. If not, and your on your
way to shop for one. My advise (based on MY experience) is to get the PVR
and if you don't have the PCI room, go for the USB model - I have it.

Hope I have ben some help to you.
Happy encodes!