Having trouble using DVDx to rip to .mpg or .avi

[waldothewonderboy]

I'm looking for a simple way to rip the full contents of a DVD into a single .mpg or .avi file.

I was using DVDx with some success, but now it seems to have bailed. It's version 2.20. But I
upgraded to 2.4, and it's doing the same thing.

I recently converted three full DVDs to single .mpg files with no issues using DVDx. But I have another DVD
which is giving me problems.

What happens is that under Input Settings, I only see the first chapter displayed in the Index box
under Program Chain. And if I go through the ripping process as-is, it only rips that chapter.

With the other three DVDs, the total time of the DVD was displayed. And I can't figure out how to
change it to where the entire length of the problem DVD shows up.

I was following the instructions in a DVDx tutorial I found online:

http://www.wikihow.com/Rip-a-DVD-to-an-AVI-or-MPG-File-Using-DVDx

It said to load the VTS_01_0.IFO file, and the rest would be easy. Not so much.

Do I need to upgrade to the Deluxe version of DVDx to get what I need done? Or is there another piece of
software that will do what I'm looking for? I went through the how-to guides and the forums on this site, but no luck. Hope
someone in here can help. And yes, I'm a newbie, so be gentle.

[Baldrick]

How do you rip the dvds? Anydvd or dvdfab decrypter or something else?

[waldothewonderboy]

How do you rip the dvds? Anydvd or dvdfab decrypter or something else?

I was using DVDx. I explained in my original post that I used DVDx on three DVDs, and was able to rip their entire contents from the DVDs straight to single video files in the .mpg format. However, I'm attempting the same on a fourth DVD, and this is where the trouble starts.

On the three other DVDs, the Index drop-down box under Program Chain showed the entire length of the DVDs. On the fourth DVD, it only showed the length of the first chapter.

The three DVDs with which I had success were copies, by the way. I copied them from the originals using DVDFab Platinum.

I hope I'm not confusing you with the way I'm presenting the information. Like I said, I'm new to this and I'd appreciate any help I can receive. I hope you can be patient with me.

[hech54]

How do you rip the dvds? Anydvd or dvdfab decrypter or something else?

I explained in my original post

No you didn't. DVDx is not a ripper and will stammer and studder on a copy protected DVD.

The three DVDs with which I had success were copies, by the way. I copied them from the originals using DVDFab Platinum

You just answered your own question.

[waldothewonderboy]

How do you rip the dvds? Anydvd or dvdfab decrypter or something else?

I explained in my original post

No you didn't. DVDx is not a ripper and will stammer and studder on a copy protected DVD.

The three DVDs with which I had success were copies, by the way. I copied them from the originals using DVDFab Platinum

You just answered your own question.

Again, sorry for the confusion. I'm still new at this, and I've been using some of the lingo incorrectly.

I'm looking for something that will consistently convert the entire contents of a DVD to either an .avi or mpg. file. I mentioned that I was able to do this with three DVDs using DVDx Those DVDs were copies, not originals.

I tried the same thing with a fourth DVD, which was not a copy, but I only got the length of the first chapter on the DVD in the Index box under Program Chain in the Input Settings window.

I tried making a copy of that commercial DVD with DVDFab Platinum & trying again with the copy, but no dice. Only the first chapter displayed in the Index box instead of the entire length of the DVD.

I tried looking in the guides, but I'm finding nothing of help in there. I was hoping someone in here could help. I don't mean to try anyone's patience, but I'm confused. Something I used worked, and then it stopped. I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance.

[redwudz]

Newer DVDs use encryption that older, or not frequently updated decrypters, may have problems with. If the DVD is fairly new, that may be the problem. The movies that you tried that were copies were already decrypted, so no problem making backups of them.

Most times, making backups of your DVDs is a two step (At least) process. First the decryption and rip to your hard drive. Then the conversion to the format of choice. If it's MPEG in a VOB container, DVD Shrink is one choice. A commercial DVD is usually about 6GB or more. You can often burn that directly to a dual layer DVD. If you want it smaller, to fit on a single layer DVD, you need to 'Shrink it' or re-encode it to the desired format.

[waldothewonderboy]

Newer DVDs use encryption that older, or not frequently updated decrypters, may have problems with. If the DVD is fairly new, that may be the problem. The movies that you tried that were copies were already decrypted, so no problem making backups of them.

Most times, making backups of your DVDs is a two step (At least) process. First the decryption and rip to your hard drive. Then the conversion to the format of choice. If it's MPEG in a VOB container, DVD Shrink is one choice. A commercial DVD is usually about 6GB or more. You can often burn that directly to a dual layer DVD. If you want it smaller, to fit on a single layer DVD, you need to 'Shrink it' or re-encode it to the desired format.

I appreciate the information.

I ripped the content of the problem DVD to HDD using a trial version of AnyDVD.

At the start of the ripping process, it presented some disc analysis - it said the disc was not encrypted.

I'll download DVD Shrink when I get home and see if I can finish the conversion process to a single .mpg or .avi file. I'll post a progress report later this evening.

[hech54]

I'll download DVD Shrink when I get home and see if I can finish the conversion process to a single .mpg or .avi file. I'll post a progress report later this evening.

I'm not really sure how DVDShrink got into this conversation....or why...but that is beside the point.

Now that your DVD is properly decrypted(the copy protections have been removed)....then your DVDx process should work. The only reason I can see to run the decrypted DVD through DVDShrink is to remove all of the extras and menu crap, leaving you with the "Movie Only", thus making DVDX's job much easier(since DVDx is "old school" style of conversion).

[waldothewonderboy]

I'll download DVD Shrink when I get home and see if I can finish the conversion process to a single .mpg or .avi file. I'll post a progress report later this evening.

I'm not really sure how DVDShrink got into this conversation....or why...but that is beside the point.

Now that your DVD is properly decrypted(the copy protections have been removed)....then your DVDx process should work. The only reason I can see to run the decrypted DVD through DVDShrink is to remove all of the extras and menu crap, leaving you with the "Movie Only", thus making DVDX's job much easier(since DVDx is "old school" style of conversion).

Actually, no it doesn't. I Open .IFO from the File menu, load VTS_01_0.IFO, and the same thing happens. Only the first chapter loads. I try Open DVD Root, and I get the list of chapters. I can't highlight them all. I can only choose one.

So I'm back to square one. How can I convert all the content, all the chapters, on the DVD to a single .mpg or .avi file? Do I have to convert all the chapters individually and then combine them somehow when I'm done?

[waldothewonderboy]

Newer DVDs use encryption that older, or not frequently updated decrypters, may have problems with. If the DVD is fairly new, that may be the problem. The movies that you tried that were copies were already decrypted, so no problem making backups of them.

Most times, making backups of your DVDs is a two step (At least) process. First the decryption and rip to your hard drive. Then the conversion to the format of choice. If it's MPEG in a VOB container, DVD Shrink is one choice. A commercial DVD is usually about 6GB or more. You can often burn that directly to a dual layer DVD. If you want it smaller, to fit on a single layer DVD, you need to 'Shrink it' or re-encode it to the desired format.

I don't know why I missed this before, but I don't want to copy the DVD. I can do that already with DVDFab Platinum. What I want to do is to take the content of the DVD, all one hour and forty minutes of it, and convert it to a single .mpg or .avi file so I can click it and watch it on my computer, or convert it to .mp4 format so I can load it on my Ipod. I want to keep all the chapters, everything. Is there a way for me to do this?

[Case]

Try Handbrake for DVD to MP4 conversions.

[hech54]

I don't know why I missed this before, but I don't want to copy the DVD. I can do that already with DVDFab Platinum.

It Doesn't Matter.
You NEED to decrypt the DVD before you can do ANYTHING with it. The easiest way to DECRYPT the DVD is to "copy" it to your hard drive since most DVD decrypting/copying softwares like DVDFabDecrypter offer that service for FREE. NOTHING will open that DVD until you decrypt it. Yes it takes up some hard drive space but when you are done....just delete it. Programs like VOB2MPEG and programs that convert DVD to other formats run faster with the DVD material already on your hard drive anyway....so it is a Win-Win scenario to "copy" it to your hard drive first.
Create a folder on your hard drive - COPY the disc to that folder with DVDFabDecrypter - remove the DVD from the drive and put it back in the shelf - compress or re-arrange the the "DVD" from the folder you just created and copied the DVD to.

[waldothewonderboy]

I don't know why I missed this before, but I don't want to copy the DVD. I can do that already with DVDFab Platinum.

It Doesn't Matter.
You NEED to decrypt the DVD before you can do ANYTHING with it. The easiest way to DECRYPT the DVD is to "copy" it to your hard drive since most DVD decrypting/copying softwares like DVDFabDecrypter offer that service for FREE. NOTHING will open that DVD until you decrypt it. Yes it takes up some hard drive space but when you are done....just delete it. Programs like VOB2MPEG and programs that convert DVD to other formats run faster with the DVD material already on your hard drive anyway....so it is a Win-Win scenario to "copy" it to your hard drive first.
Create a folder on your hard drive - COPY the disc to that folder with DVDFabDecrypter - remove the DVD from the drive and put it back in the shelf - compress or re-arrange the the "DVD" from the folder you just created and copied the DVD to.

Don't need DVDFab Decrypter. I already ripped the contents of the DVD using AnyDVD.

VOB3MPEG worked great. It converted the 12 chapters from the DVD into 12 individual .mpg files. But I'm not done yet.

Now, how do I stitch those 12 individual .mpg files into one SINGLE .mpg file?

[hech54]

I didn't know Vob2Mpeg did "by chapter" stuff. Vob2Mpeg is known for taking a DVD movie and converting it to one, giant MPEG lump. You need to check the settings.

[waldothewonderboy]

I didn't know Vob2Mpeg did "by chapter" stuff. Vob2Mpeg is known for taking a DVD movie and converting it to one, giant MPEG lump. You need to check the settings.

If someone could talk me through changing the settings, so that I can save a DVD movie into one giant MPEG lump, I'd be much appreciative.

[hech54]

I believe you need Vobset Mode.

[waldothewonderboy]

[Attachment 3292 - Click to enlarge]
I believe you need Vobset Mode.

I appreciate your reply, and I tried that. Now I end up with 12 files that start with VTS_.

[hech54]

Settings - General - UNCHECK "output a mpeg file per chapter"?

[waldothewonderboy]

Settings - General - UNCHECK "output a mpeg file per chapter"?

That's the way it's been set all this time. Still no love.

[hech54]

I just did a test run. Vobset mode, with a DVD that has two chapters. The final result came out as ONE Mpeg file and both chapters/songs are in the final Mpeg.