Removing annoying intro's from VIDEO_TS file fails.

[Levina]

I have downloaded a VIDEO_TS file with 4 episodes of one of my favourite scifi series (Star Trek DS9). It is a full disc extraction, no compression, everything untouched. But that means that I also have to sit through the warnings and the 'scary for children' stuff etc., stuff that can't be ff'd, something that I hate thoroughly and wholeheartedly and would like to remove. But whatever I try it won't work.
First thing I did was use MactheRipper. I have tried just about every variant it offers, but to no avail; either the stuff is still there or DVDPlayer won't play it. Next I tried other applications (ffmpegX, Cinematize, Moviegate), but nothing works. Again: the stuff is still there, or the file won't play, or it will play but I've lost the subs. Even Toast won't let me remove those hated intro's.
The only succesfull extraction with MtR was a Title - Chapter Extraction. That worked well and it gave me a Single File VOB for every individual episode with all the subs intact. But it's useless, for when authoring as DVD I loose the subs of course.
I know that I could use Handbrake and convert my DVD-Video to avi (and hard burn the subs), but I would really like to keep everything as is. I also know that I could take those single file VOB's, find .srt files and author a DVD just fine, but that's not what I want to do. I just want to remove those intro's (*why* are they so tenacious here?). Anybody any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[Case]

You could use MyDVDEdit to, well, try to edit the behavior of the DVD.
A steep learning curve, though.

[Levina]

Thanks Case, although I do have a copy of the application, it's way over my head. But I did load it just to see if it had anything interesting to say about my DVD (well, any that I could understand that is...) and got a message saying that the file was 'reading only' and that as such I wouldn't be able to save my changes. Earlier I tried manually to remove a file or two from the folder and had to give my Password! So, is there some heavy protection of sorts at work here or what?

[ffooky]

Can't you use DVD2oneX's 'make a movie-only copy', unchecking the offending cells at the beginning if they are considered part of the main act ? Play the VIDEO_TS with VLC and check which chapter etc is indicated while all the extraneous crap is playing.

Edit: To use MyDVDEdit you first need to change permissions on the VIDEO_TS directory and its contents (via Get Info).

[sikoone]

What i usually use is Pgcedit. I think it works for Macs as well. You can find the offending sections, click disable playback and that's it. As far as not being able to save your changes, you have to change the attributes of the files from "read-only" then you will be able to modify the dvd with any program you choose.

[Levina]

Wow, maybe there's hope for this file yet! I've been out and it's way after midnight in my part of the world and I need to get some sleep. But I wanted to let you know that I've seen your suggestions, and will try them out first thing tomorrow. For now, thank you ffooky and sikoone.

[Levina]

Ok, I have downloaded the trial version of DVD2oneX but it won't work. The peripheral stuff isn't listed (as far as I can tell anyway) and Cell equates Chapter, so unchecking a cell actually removes part of an episode.

Next I tried Pgcedit, but I can't get that to work. I had X11 already installed, downloaded Pgcedit, installed as told, but it won't open. When I click the icon, it opens and immediately vanishes again. I've tried several things, like adding 'aqua' or 'x11' to the Starter file, but it just won't work.
Any ideas on why it won't work, sikoone?

I checked the VIDEO_TS with VLC and at least now I know which of the VOB's the stuff is in and how long it's duration is. I also changed permissions on the file and that solved the problem with MyDVDEdit. So, now I'm fiddling with that again but, like Case said, it's a steep learning curve indeed. Nevertheless, I'm experimenting with it and I've already managed to eliminate the first chapter of the first episode, so it's really going well Actually I'm burried in manuals, tutorials and what have you right now, trying to learn what all the stuff in all those panes mean exactly.

Thank you, people!

[ffooky]

If the unwanted stuff really is resolutely bolted on to the first cell then I think you're out of luck as you're effectively trying to get myDVDEdit to make it so that the first x seconds of chapter one don't play and I'd be surprised if that's possible.

From the myDVDEdit forum:

"What you want is to split a cell to create a new program and than a new chapter.

I'm sorry, myDVDEdit cannot do that yet. To do it , I must modify all objets (in the VOB files) of the cell to split. versions before the 1.0 only modify the IFO files.

This fonctionnality is planned in the version 1.0. I hope this spring."

That was Feb 2006 and we're still at 0.9.10

I think your only option is a fairly drastic extraction and rebuilding process with the likes of maybe D-Subtitler, Jubler and MPEG Streamclip.

It'd be a real kick to get it done but whether it'd be worth it, hmmmm.

[Levina]

Yes, it can rather easily be done with MPEG Streamclip (> single file VOB), D-Subtitler (extracting .srt) and ffmpegX (re-authoring DVD), but to do all that just to get rid of 30 seconds of annoying footage? I don't know... Besides, I'm not convinced yet that that stuff isn't in a cell of it's own. But for that I need to know more about MyDVDEdit. Still reading, still learning. Fascinating stuff that.

[ffooky]

In DVD2OneX, select movie only, go to cells, deselect all but the first, let 'er rip and see what you get. If you get the crap and a bit of the real meat then you'll know the worst.

[Levina]

Good idea, and what I get is only the real meat, no crap. So I guess that means that the latter is in a different cell after all. Reading on.

[Levina]

Oh my lord, I did it. With MyDVDEdit (the reading really paid off!). Both the Copyright warning (no less than 32 seconds!) and the 'scary for kids' message were in the VTS Menu 1, Pgc 8, Cells 1 and 2 resp. And since there was nothing else in that menu, I deleted that entire entry and my DVD now starts directly with the Main Menu. I'm happy as can be. Everybody, thank you so much for your suggestions and thinking with.

Wow!

[ffooky]

[mrburns]Eeeexcellent[/mrburns]

[Febre]

VOBBlanker

[Levina]

I don't think that would work on my Mac...

[pixel zombie]

it's easier to use DVDRemaster, it allows you to keep the main feature and the menus and get rid of everything else...