Convert VOB to AVI - sudden video 'blip' halfway then audio out of sync

[appyface]

Hello,

I have searched the how-to's and these forums, someone else must have run into this problem, but I am so n00b I'm not sure I'm even searching for the right terms. PLEASE point me to posts that I may have missed, thanks in advance.

I wish to convert four episodic DVDs into AVI files.

1. I ripped to VOB using DVDFabDecrypter. The VOBs (when renamed to .mpg) play perfectly with Windows Media Player. GSpot reports I have all codecs needed, on my system
2. I am converting to AVI using AutoGK. I have both XVid and DivX codecs installed, and have used both. I am leaving audio at Original AC3.

Almost all of the VOBs convert perfectly to AVI in either XVid or DivX using AutoGK. However, a couple of the converted AVIs have a sudden visual 'blip' (flash of large pixel-like colored squares) at some point during playback, and the audio is then delayed from that point on.

In addition to AutoGK, I have tried Fairuse Wizard, avi.net, FixVTS, various versions of VirtualDub, etc. etc. I should have kept better track of what I have tried so far, I don't know anymore, just stabbing at the problem with 'automated' tools and not getting it resolved so far.

I can play the VOB in VirtualDub (VirtualDubMod? I've lost track now) and can find the exact spot where the 'blip' occurs. But I don't know what to do about it, or what to do to get the audio to stay in sync from that point forward.

Thanks in advance for any help, and regards,
---appyface

[guns1inger]

What has probably happened is that DVD Fab Decrypter has found either copy protection or a scratch in the original DVD, and filled it with either blank or manufactured data while ripping. When played back, if the glitch is small enough, it might not even be noticed, but when encoding, every bit of data counts.

What can you do ?

You can either edit out the glitch, leaving a noticable problem, or re-rip the source with RipIt4Me which is more subtle that DVD Fab Decrypter's sledgehammer approach to ripping.

[appyface]

Thank you for your reply.

I will give RipIt4Me a try, and see if it creates VOBs without the problem. But in the meantime, I would like to learn from this situation. Can you point me to a post or tutorial that would tell me how to edit this out and make the audio stay in sync, either during conversion to AVI or afterward?

I appreciate any and all help, I've got a long way to go in my understanding of video.

Thanks and regards,
---appyface

[appyface]

Just a followup, for anyone who is interested.

I used RipIt4Me to re-rip one of the episodes that showed the conversion to AVI problem. The VOB created by RipIt4Me converts cleanly to AVI using AutoGK. Thank you for that recommendation, I will now try the rest of the problem episodes.

Per my previous post, if anyone knows of tutorial or other info on how to salvage an existing AVI with this problem (or an existing VOB that doesn't convert to AVI cleanly) I would be interested in learning.

Thanks again for the help.
---appyface