What format should I convert all my DVDs to?

[ack95]

I want to rip all of my DVDs to my computer, but am concerned that I will make the wrong choice of format. I want the BEST possible quality and don't care about how much hard drive space it takes up. Any ideas?
And if so, what software would you use to do it? I am pretty much running WinXP all the time, but have a virtual instance of Linux Ubuntu 6.1 in case I need it.

Thanks so much!

[BJ_M]

BEST possible quality

uncompressed or lossless format like huffyuv , blackmagic 10 bit , sony yuv , cineform HD , BOXX HD , targa , raw , sgi , rgb .. and so forth ...


but since it is from a dvd -- and already quite compressed -- i dont necessarily see the point of it ...

depends if this is for playback or editing or archiving or what ?

[ZippyP.]

If you want to have the best quality and don't care about space then leave them as-is, rip with DVDDecrypter or perhaps Ripit4me for newer titles.

[BJ_M]

btw -- ripping a dvd to most of these formats -- though the best quality as you specified - will require several hundred GB per DVD

[ack95]

I guess I'm just looking for something that will give me the same quality of playback when hooked up to my HD TV. Considering something like MythTV one day, but not today. Any further ideas or is DVDDecrypter the way to go? And what format if I use that software?

Thanks!

[BJ_M]

leave it in the same format it was created - mpeg2 .....

i.e. - do not recompress it to anything else

[ricoman]

btw -- ripping a dvd to most of these formats -- though the best quality as you specified - will require several hundred GB per DVD

Several hundred? It should only take ten or so for the processing and the final result should be the original 7+ of the DVD. If you do uncompressed "movie only", even less.

[BJ_M]

i work with films and assure you an entire film in the formats i listed above is freaking huge --

dvds are made from such files or off tapes in some cases -- and are HIGHLY compressed compared to the source material ..


15 minutes at 1080i w/ huffyuv is 109 GB (117,207,916,544 bytes) (i am looking right now at such a file ready to make a dvd from it) , a 90 minute movie would be then over 600GB

[ZippyP.]

Any further ideas or is DVDDecrypter the way to go? And what format if I use that software?

It will be in DVD video format and the mpeg video will be contained in VOB files. If you only want to view the files it's the easiest way to go. It can also preserve the menus and extras if you want to keep them.

[Pinstripes23]

Don't even bother converting if you want the best quality. Just do a straight rip to your HDD. Your movie folders will consist of the same files that are on your original DVD's - VOB'S, BUP'S, IFO's. And you can use a number of progs to play from the folder.

[ricoman]

bj_m said: I work with films and assure you an entire film in the formats i listed above is freaking huge --
dvds are made from such files or off tapes in some cases -- and are HIGHLY compressed compared to the source material ..
15 minutes at 1080i w/ huffyuv is 109 GB (117,207,916,544 bytes) (i am looking right now at such a file ready to make a dvd from it) , a 90 minute movie would be then over 600GB


He was asking about ripping his collection of DVDs to his hard drive. Nothing is going to turn a standard DVD to 1080i, so why would he use the conversion that you suggest. The best he could do is a straight uncompressed rip to the hard drive that would be 7+ gig. I would suggest AnyDVD/CloneDVD2 if he has a few bucks or Ripit4me or DVDFabDecryptor which are free.

[BJ_M]

straight uncompressed rip

- right , uncompressed rip is UNCOMPRESSED

a dvd is compressed - hence a rip of compressed material - hence a compressed rip


my original point was the the OP wanted the BEST without stating what he/she was going to do with said material .. so i gave BEST (best meaning best in the world - non better - etc ...) answer


now that we have gleaned and pulled forth a little more info from said OP - as to what the heck they wanted to do - a better informed suggestion could be made ...


i see so MANY 'i want the BEST............' -- but not really meaning that

[guns1inger]

2 hours 5 minutes of PAL SD footage, stored as losslessly compressed with Lagarith is around 60GB. So even if you reduce BJ_M's resolution down to 720 x 576, you are still talking 10 times the space of a compressed mpeg-2 file, or even more. Uncompressed SD is still well over 100 GB.

If you do just a straight rip of the compressed DVD material then yes, it will stay the same size. However the original question was :

I want to rip all of my DVDs to my computer, but am concerned that I will make the wrong choice of format. I want the BEST possible quality and don't care about how much hard drive space it takes up. Any ideas?

Which BJ_M answered very precisely.

[ack95]

Wow, this is great information. Sorry if i was ever unclear. I had no idea that the files could get up in range of 100+ Gb. I guess to more clearly state, I simply am shooting for the same quality of playback on my HD TV (not being able to tell the difference between popping in the DVD and the file on my computer). I am new to ripping movies and am not familiar with ratios, aspects, file formats, etc.

Thanks again everyone

[ricoman]

Wow, this is great information. Sorry if i was ever unclear. I had no idea that the files could get up in range of 100+ Gb. I guess to more clearly state, I simply am shooting for the same quality of playback on my HD TV (not being able to tell the difference between popping in the DVD and the file on my computer). I am new to ripping movies and am not familiar with ratios, aspects, file formats, etc.

Thanks again everyone

That is what I figured. I don't know anyone who would put a 100gb movie on his hard drive. Even HD/Bluray movies are only 25gb or so. As I suggested before, to burn a DVD without compression, try Ripit4me (free) it uses DVDDecryptor with other updated software for the latest protections. Also, DVDFabDecryptor (free) will work too.