DVD Ripper Job For Somebody

[MayorTommy]

Hi,

I have come to the conclusion that I don't have the time or ability right now to become an expert DVD ripper/encoder so I am going to need somebody to do my ripping for me. This forum seems to have alot of very knowledgeable well equipped hobbyists so I thought maybe there might be some people here who'd like to make some money doing something they enjoy without having to leave their house. No newbies, I need somebody who's mastered these tools and the craft of DVD ripping so I get optimum quality at the smallest possible file sized MPEG and WMV files. And somebody who works quick, initial job would be about 40-50 DVDs.

No warez, I have licensing agreements with the owners of the DVDs. I am currently using somebody to do this for me but I haven't been that happy with the quality and his price is too high.

If you're interested in making some extra money ripping DVDs you can contact me at ally@ca.inter.net for more details. I'll need to see some samples of rips you've done in MPEG or WMV formats.

I looked for a job board but I couldn't find one so that's why I posted here. I hope it's ok with the owner/moderators.

Thanks

MT

[drewson99]

No warez, I have licensing agreements with the owners of the DVDs. I am currently using somebody to do this for me but I haven't been that happy with the quality and his price is too high.

so are you saying these are not commercial DVDs? not to sound difficult, but when weighing the small effort (Smartripper>DVD2One>Nero) against the cost and logistics of having someone do many of these for you it just sounds a little shady, basically since the amount of money you would save if you did it yourself would be so huge for the amount of discs you are doing.

Smartripper>DVD2One>Nero (that's it. really.)

[MayorTommy]

No warez, I have licensing agreements with the owners of the DVDs. I am currently using somebody to do this for me but I haven't been that happy with the quality and his price is too high.

so are you saying these are not commercial DVDs? not to sound difficult, but when weighing the small effort (Smartripper>DVD2One>Nero) against the cost and logistics of having someone do many of these for you it just sounds a little shady, basically since the amount of money you would save if you did it yourself would be so huge for the amount of discs you are doing.

Smartripper>DVD2One>Nero (that's it. really.)

huh? what is shady? i want somebody to perform a service for me, the way I'd hire somebody to mow my lawn. I don't want to mow my lawn, I don't want to rip DVDs, I can make better use of my time and like I said in my post, I'm not that good at ripping DVDs, yes there is some skill at it to get best quality and small file sizes. I don't have days to play around with this, other tasks i have to do. People here love this stuff, it's a hobby for them it seems.

Cost and logistics? Logistics are simple, do the work and Fedex me the work on DVDs, it's cheap. As for cost there are tons of outsourcing companies who do digital video encoding including DVD rips. I thought I might find people here who'd like to do it as a little home based business, and I might get a better quality job done and possibly cheaper.

Also I only have two machines and I they are needed most of the day and night. So for me to do my own ripping I'd have to invest in another computer, $3,000 approx.

this is a simple thing really but thanks for your concern

[budz]

MayorTommy wrote:

my own ripping I'd have to invest in another computer, $3,000 approx.

Wow! I built my own pc and cost me only $1000.00. I guess if you've got the cash to pay someone to rip dvds for you then go for it. It's not that hard to learn how to rip dvds and to burn them. I'm sure someone will respond to this posting to offer their services to you.

[holistic]

Hmmm - taking the piss i hope.

If not , then :

[drewson99]

huh? what is shady?

I kind of explained what sounds shady when I juxtaposed the cost and effort of paying someone to do this versus doing it your self.

because it makes so little sense financially, I was concluding that you were willing to pay such a premium for such a simple task because you wanted someone else to do it.

I'm not implying that you are certainly doing anything illicit, just that it has the tone of that scenario.

now if none of these are commercial hollywood type DVDs, then I wouldn't have such trepeditions.

ANYWAY - have you tried doing one the way I illustrated? I think if you did it once and saw the results, you'd be pleased to save yourself the $.

[mmasw]

I need somebody who's mastered these tools and the craft of DVD ripping so I get optimum quality at the smallest possible file sized MPEG and WMV files. And somebody who works quick, initial job would be about 40-50 DVDs.

I'll need to see some samples of rips you've done in MPEG or WMV formats.

MT

WMV on dvd? Are you talking about 40-50 playable DVD's or simply video files archived as data on dvd-r?

[jimmalenko]

You've got to be kidding.

[MayorTommy]

You've got to be kidding.

what do you mean 'you've got to be kidding?' ?

i posted a simple job offering. you are familiar with the concept i hope. it's been going on since the beginning of time.

[MayorTommy]

I need somebody who's mastered these tools and the craft of DVD ripping so I get optimum quality at the smallest possible file sized MPEG and WMV files. And somebody who works quick, initial job would be about 40-50 DVDs.

I'll need to see some samples of rips you've done in MPEG or WMV formats.

MT

WMV on dvd? Are you talking about 40-50 playable DVD's or simply video files archived as data on dvd-r?

right. i'm not talking about authoring DVDs - just stored on DVDs for convenience so i can send them on to my hosting company to copy to my web server. uploading 100's of gigs of movies isn't feasible even on a decent cable or DSL connection.

[gll99]

There may be something you have overlooked if you are planning to host these on servers for individuals to stream or download then you will need various versions of each movie (or multibitrate server files) based on users bandwidth capabilities ie 56k, 128k, dsl, cable. I would never consider mepg1 or mpeg2 a reasonable choice where size is important. I do not believe that any video servers currently try to satisfy all the internet community with one bitrate. No one is happy with the results in that case. It either takes too long or is impossible to download for users on 56k or the quality is too poor for those on dsl or cable.
You need to make sure that the codecs used are designed for serving. Wmv9 is a good choice and also Realmedia rm9 which although proprietary allows the building of video intended for servers with varying bitrates. It is very easy to generate rm9 files using only 2 tools. DVDx frameserved to Helix Producer 9.01. The windows media encoder can similarly be used for wmv9 files. This would mean more complex processing requirements and significantly inflate the estimates stated below.

Processing time is the most important requirement and this is directly related to the speed of equipment one owns. My question to perpective bidders would be what kind of PC do you own, do you have more than one and can they be dedicated to the task at hand.

Assuming someone is dedicated to the task and has only 1 pc and each dvd takes at least 4 to 5 hours (full discs) to process then the least amount of time required would be 10 days. Since no one sleeps in 4 to 5 hour shifts then you can very easily more than double the time it would take. Now inflate those numbers if processing increases due to generating multiple bitrate files.
I can see where someone would want to hire another to do this job. Can you give us some ballpark idea of the current cost per input DVD disc. It may be that the price you are paying now is reasonable. Your lack of satisfaction with the results is probably because you are generating the wrong kind of output.
Can you be more precise with how these files are to be used? Did I understand correctly about streamserving these files? This information is critical in choosing the right video/audio codecs to produce the desired results. Small enough to fit x number of files on a DVD is not a good indicator since according to your comment that's only a transport medium and your ultimate aim is to host the files on a server.

[MayorTommy]

There may be something you have overlooked if you are planning to host these on servers for individuals to stream or download then you will need

some sites do offer multiple bit-rate versions and multiple file formats for each video but the truth is nobody including the person on the slowest dialup connection wants a low-bitrate movie. They'd rather spend the time and download a decent quality movie. We use MPEG-1 because 99% of users can play an MPEG-1 file. We also use WMV because most surfers are on Windows machines.

Most of the work is done by the machine - human involvement comes in setting up the software to create the output you want. So it's not like somebody is going to sit in front of the machine staring at it for 2 hours as it does its work. Batch processing speeds things up.

Currently I have somebody doing this job at $50 Canadian per DVD. They did 100 DVDs in about a week, think he has two machines doing nothing but ripping and encoding. I will have no problem finding other rippers/encoders at the same price. I thought I might be able to find somebody here who could do the job cheaper or at same price and where I would get faster service because I would be their only customer for this kind of work.

[MayorTommy]

No these movies won't be streamed, they are for download. Most web surfers would rather download a movie to their hard drive than watch a stream.

I'm going with a bit-rate of about 500kbps. Some sites are doing DivX or XviD or WMV at 1000kbps - great looking movies but those are big files, which means bandwidth costs are going to be bigger. 500kbps seems to be a good tradeoff though if I hear from enough customers that they want 1000kbps i might offer that. Would never offer DivX or XviD, too difficult for the average surfer. Anytime you require a web surfer to download anything including codecs and plugins it's not good, you'd be surprised how technically inept the average Internet user is.

[adam]

edited. I misunderstood. I thought you were also looking for actual DVD backups to DVD-r.

[drewson99]

you'd be surprised how technically inept the average Internet user is.

no I wouldn't.

BTW - 500 kbps MPEG1 - what resolution? don't they look horrible at that low a rate?

[gll99]

I agree that to provide multi bitrate options then the bitrate per file is an aggregate of all the bitrates within the file so in total it is larger but not by much since the lowest bitrate for 56k doesn't add much to the file. Estimating that at your selected bitrate, a wmv9 two hour movie would mean downloading a 400 to 450 mb file taking about 24 hours or more at optimum 56k bandwidth and that's without broken connection etc... I recall that it was pretty frustrating. However you know your target audience best but may I offer this advice.

At 500kbps even if it's for straight downloading I could never see using mpeg1 it will look like crap with blotches and ghosting unless you smooth the heck out of the image and then it looks foggy. All things considered, the wmv9 codec looks pretty decent at that bitrate and to my eyes depending on the video the rm9 codec looks even better. One caution is not to use any noise reduction or the facial features get smudged. Looks like a bad makeup job and noses start to disappear. Some people don't like RM but at those bitrates it competes very well with WMV9. WMV9 does have the option of DRM if you want to protect your source from copying or limit the number of plays but it costs.
I agree that it's really not that labour intensive but it's not something you can totally walk away from either. If you are paying $50 per input DVD (or $2000 to $2500) and you have an guaranteed order for 40 to 50 units then I am sure someone can best that price but would the small saving be worth your while. The 1 week turnaround for that many discs seems reasonable unless someone had a few pc going at once. Your 50 input dics convert to about 5-6 output DVD each containing about 9 to 10 files (give or take 1 disc). Who provides the blanks and who pays shipping? Where are you located.

One more word of caution. Search for a thread with the words : "photographer" and/or "Videographers". As a precaution get a release on the authorship of the discs so no one can lay claim to the "authored" product. I know you don't consider this authoring but why take any chances.

[leetbeagle]

I'll consider the job after I know the content of what I'll be encoding.

NJK

[MayorTommy]

Adult DVDs. Whoever I hire can keep the DVDs, a 24.95 value each!

500kbps MPEG isn't bad, looks pretty much the same to me as a 500kbps WMV9 encoded movie.

[gll99]

MayorTommy

500kbps MPEG isn't bad, looks pretty much the same to me as a 500kbps WMV9 encoded movie.

Sorry to contradict, these may be low action flics (pun intended ) but at the same settings that's just not possible. There are tricks you can use to make it appear so, such as cutting down the framerate and using filter but you will still notice the difference. At the smallest window size they may appear close but at fullscreen there is no comparison. I don't think too many people want to watch movies at minimum screensize.

If you plan on offering clients a better product in future such as 1000kbs then the whole job will have to be redone from scratch. You should decide that now and produce those files while you have the originals. You cannot
take a low quality product and expect to increase the bitrate. You can create the file but the quality will be poorer than the original 500kbs files.

I realize you didn't ask for this type of comment and you're no doubt more adventurous than me, but on a brief examination of the info you have provided, I see pitfalls in the planning stage of your enterprise which could prove more costly down the line.

btw - The best balance between size and quality that I observed with wmv9 and rm9 was at about 750 kbs .

cheers

[andkiich]

And I'm assuming that you own the copyright to these DVD's or have the owners consent to rip these and have them available for download over the internet.

If you don't then you are asking for a service that is going to get not only you but the person that helps you into "heap big trouble".

[trialsofg]

What I would like to know is:

What file structure are you starting with?
Do you want all of the finished product on DVD or for the shorter movies, is CD acceptable?

[jimmalenko]

You've got to be kidding.

That means that if you want a job done, go to a job agency or advertise in your local paper. This is a forum for helping people who are doing it THEMSELVES, not "Technicians for hire".

[lordsmurf]

For jobs like this, there is more to consider than what has been mentioned so far. Quality is a concern, but is directly related to other factors. I'm curious what the other guy's "too high" rate was. PM me for further discussion. I may be interested.

[disturbed1]

Adult DVDs. Whoever I hire can keep the DVDs, a 24.95 value each!

500kbps MPEG isn't bad, looks pretty much the same to me as a 500kbps WMV9 encoded movie.

Real Video is another option to consider. This seems to be one of the most popular formats in that industry.

I hope you have the Streaming Server, and License rights in order. Since your distributing these movies for a profit, it does require a special license.

$50/DVD is about on target for a professional conversion job. Though a newbie/nonprofessional could greatly undercut that price. If your paying that price, and not satisfied with the quality, then look elsewhere.

The end quality greatly depends on the source quality. Do you work for Vivid Entertainment, or Wicked Pictures?

[MayorTommy]

Adult DVDs. Whoever I hire can keep the DVDs, a 24.95 value each!

500kbps MPEG isn't bad, looks pretty much the same to me as a 500kbps WMV9 encoded movie.

Real Video is another option to consider. This seems to be one of the most popular formats in that industry.

I hope you have the Streaming Server, and License rights in order. Since your distributing these movies for a profit, it does require a special license.

$50/DVD is about on target for a professional conversion job. Though a newbie/nonprofessional could greatly undercut that price. If your paying that price, and not satisfied with the quality, then look elsewhere.

The end quality greatly depends on the source quality. Do you work for Vivid Entertainment, or Wicked Pictures?

RealVideo is good but it's not as popular in adult as WindowsMedia and MPEG. And we won't need a streaming server because these movies are for download. Streaming is not that popular with adult web surfers. They like to download movies and then watch them.

No I don't work for VIVID or Wicked but do know people who have. Actually am good friends with the webmaster who did all Wicked's backend and streaming video for the Web. He now is the head Web guy at Redlight District Video.

[MayorTommy]

For jobs like this, there is more to consider than what has been mentioned so far. Quality is a concern, but is directly related to other factors. I'm curious what the other guy's "too high" rate was. PM me for further discussion. I may be interested.

"Too high" was $75 US per DVD. He has come down because there are now lots of people offering this service. Like I said I have a company who will do them for $50 Canadian but I'd rather find somebody independent who i can be in touch with on a more personal level.

[gmatov]

You've got to be kidding.

That means that if you want a job done, go to a job agency or advertise in your local paper. This is a forum for helping people who are doing it THEMSELVES, not "Technicians for hire".

You have got to be kidding.

Our own Lordsmurf does this as an occupation. Just because you are a hobbyist does not mean that everyone here is just trying to make a better backup of his own DVDs.

There MAY just be a guy or two here who would like to earn a buck making video backups of his friends/neighbors vid tapes. It IS one reason for a ton of people coming here. Not strictly to keep the original out of the little one's hands.

You know how many people out "there" have bad 8mm tapes from 30 years ago who would love to have them in a format they could watch again?

Especially without digging out all the old projection equipment, which, Murphy being along, probably doesn't work anymore, or a 50 buck bulb has burnt out, or they have one of the cartridge projectors, no cartridges, ad nauseum.

Hey, the guy wants to pay someone to do skinflicks, take the money and run. Although, as I understand it, there's so much money in it, I don't know why he's tryimg to get it done on the cheap.

Cheers,

George

[MayorTommy]

What I would like to know is:

What file structure are you starting with?
Do you want all of the finished product on DVD or for the shorter movies, is CD acceptable?

I need the finished work on DVD because we've installed a DVD reader on the server so that somebody at the hosting facility can easily copy the content of the DVD into a folder on the content server for me and my employee to work with. We were uploading movies but it's just not practical, takes forever.

file structure? not sure what you mean but here is how i am currently getting them done

Example: "Just Over Eighteen #9"

Scene_1/MPEG/1.mpg
Scene_1/MPEG/2.mpg
Scene_1/MPEG/3.mpg
Scene_1/MPEG/4.mpg
etc

Scene_1/WMV/1.wmv
Scene_1/WMV/2.wmv
Scene_1/WMV/3.wmv
Scene_1/WMV/4.wmv
etc

Scene_1/WMV/full.wmv

Scene_1/JPEG/0001.jpg
Scene_1/JPEG/0002.jpg
Scene_1/JPEG/0003.jpg
Scene_1/JPEG/0004.jpg
Scene_1/JPEG/0005.jpg
Scene_1/JPEG/0006.jpg
Scene_1/JPEG/0007.jpg
etc

A typical adult DVD has between 5-7 distinct scenes on them usually. I don't need the opening title sequence. Some adult DVDs have bonus features, extra scene or a behind the scenes thing.

[disturbed1]

RealVideo is good but it's not as popular in adult as WindowsMedia and MPEG. And we won't need a streaming server because these movies are for download. Streaming is not that popular with adult web surfers. They like to download movies and then watch them.

Now I'm a little leary about the credibility of you/your company. Perhaps hire an analyist to research this endevour.

am good friends with the webmaster who did all Wicked's backend and streaming video for the Web

Streaming is not that popular with adult web surfers.

They like to download movies and then watch them.

Then there is no reason to use any other encoding besides Mpeg1. This is completely license free, with a free encoder, and carries the lowest system overhead of all codecs. Many people have PCs that are unable to decode WMV9 streams due to the agressive decoding that is done.

Spend a few months researching.

[lordsmurf]

Video stuff is actually a side job for me, nowhere near an occupation. I've got Web design (and freelance news/photo, though not much anymore) for an occupation. Even then, I'm wanting more steady 9-5 work (been many years since I worked for a company, but I liked it a bit more).

Again, contact me via PM (or e-mail via lordsmurf.com) if you want my offer. Baldrick has a no-advertising rule here, and I choose to respect it. I can easilly beat that $75 and provide you with excellent service (as I have experience with both video AND web-based applications like that of streaming media). We can work out details 1-on-1, not in public.