DVD - VOB Timecode restoration or data recovery.

[Oblivio]

Hello.

I do understand this is somewhat impudent on my part, having only just registered and already start asking questions. Then again, I hate registering at forums so I did research the topic before posting. If there is a previous topic that would help me I did not find it.

So, here is my problem:
I have a DVD from 2006 or 2007. The DVD has one VIDEO_TS folder and 7 other IFO or VOB files inside it. The main VOB file is about 600MB. The DVD is quite scratched otherwise, but there are sections (belts) which should not have been corrupted by scratches.

When ever I try to play the video in VLC only 7-8 minutes from the middle of the show are accessible. Trying to recover more data via some programs in Linux did little, Windows did nothing at all, though it is possible I simply used the wrong software. Playing the video through MPlayer or some other extended the track by 5 minutes, though after the 7-8th minute video froze.

From what I can tell (which is not much at all) the problem is either in scratches and data corruption - if so I don't see how it can show so much data, or in the timecode which only registers the mentioned time in the video.

I would ideally need a method which would play the dvd or the VOB file entirely, reading and displaying everything regardless of its usability. If it displays artifacts or noise that is okay, as long as I get the entire show's length. I remember some examples from years ago where a player "froze" at a certain point in the video, but would play normally if that point was skipped.

Otherwise I would need software or a method to repair the timecode (or what ever decides where the video starts and ends), perhaps even override it or ignore it altogether. Anything which could help.

What are my options?
Thanks, O.

[DB83]

Your best option IMO is to rip the disk to your HDD with an 'ignore errors' option.

[Oblivio]

Thanks. I have just tried that.
It did not help - at least ripping the original with DVDdecrypter, turning "ignore errors" on and tweaking some of the settings.

During the rip it did not detect any errors if I have not mistaken, so what ever the problem is must be registering as a normality. Any ideas?

[DB83]

So just to clarify, if you play the vob direct from your HDD after the rip you still can not play the whole video ?

[Oblivio]

Correct.

There is a number of files (BUP, IFO and VOB, two of each), the size of the main VOB file is still around 600 and VLC still sees the same amount of active video.

The more I think about it the more it seems like an internal clock (time code/stamp) problem.

[DB83]

One or two more questions. Is this a pressed/commercial disk or a self-made burnt one ?

From your recollection, have you at anythime, played the whole thing ?

[DB83]

While I await a response, you can try one more thing. Download Vob2Mpg and report back with what happens when you try to play the mpeg file that the program creates.

[Oblivio]

There is no difference with vob2mpg.

I can not vouch for the entire recording as the disk was not originally in my keeping. I am awaiting response on that as well. In the mean time I would assume so, as the "written edge" on the disk itself coincides with the supposed size (the picture quality is very low so I doubt that is it).

[DB83]

The written edge means nothing. What matters is the bitrate of the recording but if one of these is only 600 meg then there does appear to be low bitrate. Even so, a low-bitrate would not prevent playback in the normal course.

You could try another rip but this time turn on the error mode. I guess then that the rip will fail. You could also try other software such as isobuster.

[Oblivio]

res: 720px interlaced
bitrate: 10024 kbps
datarate: 9800 kbps
As I said, the quality is very poor.

I have tried various software already, mostly they rip the exact same thing of 7 minutes with 13 on certain players. Still, I'll give it another go - could I have a list of programs which could be used? It does not matter whether they are on Linux, Windows or Mac as long as they could be of use. Perhaps I'll find someone who has one of them.

[DB83]

Did you try a standard rip with all dvddecrpyter settings at default - no changes on your part ?

Those numbers do not make much sense unless you misquoted the first one.

Ultimately, this disk appears to have not been looked after very well. If the scratches are so bad that they have removed the data stored underneath then no software on the planet will help.

[Oblivio]

Well yes, the exact quote would be 720*576 I suppose. I have just tried a default rip with no luck.

It is true that the DVD was, if nothing else, "worn". Yet I remember having recovered data from disks which, if memory serves, did not seem much better off. I guess I am hoping that something would work the way I imagined and interpret everything as a piece of the file.

[DB83]

If this video is really important to you there are companies out there that could do low-level editing and recover more of it.

Maybe even some of our more smarter members who have some time on their hands could have a crack at it. The file is too large to post here as an attachment so you would have to use a file-sharing service. It's up to you.

[mazinz]

you could try something like isobuster and when it hits an error choose the "write dummy sectors" option. This way it will copy what it can but write dummy sectors for the rest and you can at least have a fully playable file with whatever it can get

PS have you also tried sanding down a layer or two with a dvd/cd scratch fix kit? If it is scratches that will help greatly

[DB83]

PS have you also tried sanding down a layer or two with a dvd/cd scratch fix kit? If it is scratches that will help greatly

On burnt media ?

[Kerry56]

Yes, you can resurface a burned dvd. There are some dvd rental shops that offer this service. My local Hastings will do it for a couple of dollars.

[mazinz]

PS have you also tried sanding down a layer or two with a dvd/cd scratch fix kit? If it is scratches that will help greatly

On burnt media ?

Kerry56 answered this as well, but yes I have nothing special but one of the older generic scratch remover kits you will see for sale at various retail stores or video game shops. They work fine and in many cases fix your issue. You can re-sand a disc roughly 8 times before it may get too thin, but in your case and from the way it sounds, sanding down one or two layers might help if it is not true data corruption with chipped flakes off the top of the disc