Complete Noob Question

[travlax1]

I have some home video that I put on DVDs and now I need to compile these DVDs and edit them into a highlight tape using all the DVDs. I just tried using the 2 programs that came on my comp., Muvee and Windows Movie Maker and both were unable to read the DVD. Im assuming theres some encrytion or something even though it is a home movie. Any advice or help on how to get my dvds onto the computer and to an editing program.

[t0nee1]

Run them through DVD Shrink in re author mode to compile and save to one VIDEO_TS folder...
If they're home movies ,they shouldn't have protection......

http://www.dvdshrink.info/compilation.php

[ZippyP.]

Edit a home made dvd: https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=224833

[travlax1]

Ok heres what I'm doing. I have about 20 1 hour long game tape dvds that i need to edit down to make a highlight tape. So, I would also like some ideas on how to get the 20 or so DVDs onto the computer as fast as possible so that I can edit all of it down to the highlight tape. Also, as im downloading your program recommendations right now, about how long will it take total for each DVD to be put in the format readable by programs like Muvee or Windows Movie Maker. Also, any other advice or recommendations would be great, as i am quite computer illiterate.

[guns1inger]

Assuming your vague computer description is right, and each disc is pretty much full, you don't enough disk space to rip 20 or so DVDs to your HDD.

Also, with knowing anything else about your PC - you have no memory or CPU stats in your profile - the only answer I can give to you questions is "as long as it takes". One word of advice - never start a video project thinking will only take a little while - they never do.

You can start by using Shrink in re-author mode directly from the DVD. By using the Set Start and End Point function you only need to rip the small sections you need. This will take a while, but will use a lot less disc space, and probably work out much quicker in the long run.

[t0nee1]

According to your comp. details you only have a 40 gig HDD so... upgrade hdd if you want to put all 20 dvd's, since you won't have the space available for processing.. If you don't upgrade hdd, then you'll only be able to process a few at a time and depending on the rest of your sys. specs will determine how long it will take. Use the links provided to run a few dvds, process and burn ea. job, then delete finished job as needed and continue to next job.... Hope that makes sense!!!!!

Hey, gunslinger your quick on the draw or typing!!!!! 8)

[travlax1]

Ok, sorry for the confusion. Im currently using a brand new laptop but I am unsure of the specs. I have been trying a bunch of the different techniques and options that people have talked about and the DVD Shrink seemed to work. It re-authored the DVD, but what do u mean by "and save to one VIDEO_TS folder..". I see my video in the left side of the program, what do i do now to get it into either Muvee or Windows Movie Maker

[guns1inger]

Right-click on My Computer and select Properties. It will tell you the memory you have and the CPU installed.

[travlax1]

XP home edition
430 @ 1.73 GHz
1.73 GHZ, 504 MB of RAM.

This is a laptop by the way.

I now downloaded more than needed im sure:
DVD decrypter
VirtualDub
VOB2MPG
DVD Shrink
TMPGEnc DVD Author 2.0

Now with these programs what should i be doing because i can get each of them to do what seems to be correct, but then I either cannot find the files or they arent the proper format. To spare me the confusion, you guys choose one that you think will do my job well and I'll stick with it. Thanks for all the help so far

[guns1inger]

One solution (amongst many)

Open disc one in DVD Shrink.

Hit re-author.

Drag the title you want a section of across to the left-hand pane.
In the lefthand pane, right-click and select Set begin and End point.

Isolate the section you want. You can only take one section at a time, but if you want more than one, you can drag the same title across several times.

After you have isolated the parts you need, hit backup, and select HDD folder. You will need several of these, as each disc will create a new one.

Repeat until you have all the parts you need.

Now comes the decision point. If you are happy to just but these clips up against each other, without the need for transitions and other frippery, the rest is easy.

Each video_ts folder you have created contains one or more titlesets. You will know by the way the VOBs are numbered. The VOBs contain your video.

Open Tmpgenc DVD Author. Use the Add Video function (I don't use TDA, so you will have to find a better guide or read the manual for details) and browse to you first VOB file. The video and audio will be added to the first title in TDA. In the same title, repeat and grab the next titleset VOBs. These will not play in order like a single movie. Repeat until you have all your clips in a row. Create menus, add chapters, author and test. If it looks good, burn it and you are done.

If you want to edit in something else, open each titleset in virtualdubmod and save as DV avi. You will need to download and install the Panasonic DV codec to do this. Once you have converted all your clips, you can load them into WMM and edit away.

When you are done, you can export as DV avi the entire clip, ready to encode to mpeg2 for authoring.

Caveat : DV avi takes up more space than mpeg-2. Approx 13 GB/hour of footage. So you need to budget for

The VOBs created by Shrink.

The DV footage you save out of virtualdubmod

The DV footage you save out of WMM

The mpeg 2 video you encode from your edited footage

The finished DVD

Working space

Unless you are talking about less than around 20 minutes of total footage, I can't see how you will do it with only 40GB of HDD. The software alone will eat 20% or more before you even begin.

[travlax1]

Hooray, I have figured it out. I used the TMPGEnc DVD Author and the MPEG Video Wizard. I tested it out with a shorter disc, but now before i continue, i want make sure that once i finish compiling the highlight tape, i will be able to then burn regular DVDs that could be played in a computer or DVD player just like any regular DVD. The disc drive on my laptop reads, RW DVD+R DL, Ultra Speed Compact Disc Rewriteable and DVD Multirecorder. I am guessing that the last icon means that i can record DVDs, but will I need additional software or programs or can my computer or MPEG Video Wizard do it on its own?