Convert my dvd's to Avi

[drgt]

Hi

I have a dvd collection (not encrypted or copy protected) and I want to convert them to xvid Avi with an accompanying srt subtitle file or files (see below).

Of course I want the best quality I can get.

I am thinking to use AutoGK for the xvid portion of this project BUT how do I decide whether to choose 1 or 2 cd output size? Is it a good rule to use 1cd for dvd-5 and 2 cd for dvd-9?

Now for the srt portion: How do I extract the subtitles to srt and as an alternative to idx / sub format? Is the 2nd choice easier?

And if I choose 2 cd size, how do I split the subtitle files?

I would like your advice / opinion or sugestions.

Thank you

[cowboyup910]

Best quality? Stay away from Xvid! H264 is the way to go if quality is a concern.

[manono]

Is it a good rule to use 1cd for dvd-5 and 2 cd for dvd-9?

No. Choose the width you want in the Advanced Settings (640 maybe) and do a quality based 1-pass encode at the default 75%. This assumes they don't have to be in CD sizes. This way the quality will be predetermined, but the final size could be about anything, depending on the compressibility of the source.

How do I extract the subtitles to srt and as an alternative to idx / sub format?

SubRip is one way.

Is the 2nd choice easier?

IDX/SUB? Yes because no OCR is involved and AutoGK can do the work for you.

And if I choose 2 cd size, how do I split the subtitle files?

AutoGK will split all 2CD encodes automatically.

[drgt]

Best quality? Stay away from Xvid! H264 is the way to go if quality is a concern.

Unfortunately my stand alone cannot play h264.

Thanks manono:

I just did one, I left everything to auto in advanced settings. This one had both 5.1 and dts, I checked them both.

The target came out to 1.6 gb (75% setting), it looked good BUT the Audio is REALLY low. Can this be fixed?

I will run another with mp3 and report back here.

In the attached see ac3 settings. I have no idea how to adjust these, except on main tab (I read somewhere) chose loud preset (after the encoding).

[drgt]

The mp3 version sounds loud (normal). It is also as expected smaller 900 mb as opposed to 1.6 gb, it took however longer to encode (1 hour versus 48 min for the dual audio one)

On this one I chose CBR BUT

When should I choose CBR or VBR?

Thanks

[manono]

CBR or VBR MP3 audio? I recommend keeping it at the default, which is VBR. AutoGK actually uses a variety of VBR encoding called ABR (Average Bit Rate). Others around here might disagree.

If the resulting audio is AC3, it's untouched from the source and the volume you get is a result of your filters, the AC3Filter in this case. So, change the Preset to 'Loud'. I have an older version of the AC3Filter installed. In that second pic, if you hit the 'Preset' drop-down box is there the choice to choose 'Loud'?

[drgt]

In that second pic, if you hit the 'Preset' drop-down box is there the choice to choose 'Loud'?

Yes. Unfortunately, I did it after the encoding. Nevertheless, I burned both versions on a dvd and fed them to my stand alone. I was NOT very satisfied with the picture quality at 75%. There were blotches here and there and the subs look too fuzzy as idx/sub. Supprizingly, the ac3 /dts version worked just as good volume wise with the mp3 version (maybe a tad lower). Of course, ac3/dts unleashes lots of goodies, but if you want smaller files, stay with mp3.

So I made another (mp3 VBR) run at 100% wich gave me a file 1.2gb and converted the subs to srt. I did not burn it yet but something tells me the 2cd preset is a better choice to convert this collection. What is your opinion?

Needless to say, it is time consuming. So search the net first. That avi may be already made for you and it will take less time to download!

Or, if you have lots of storage space, don't even bother!!!! The original dvd will always look and sound better and will play at your pal's house, don't you agree?

[manono]

Supprizingly, the ac3 /dts version worked just as good volume wise with the mp3 version (maybe a tad lower).

It shouldn't be surprising since, again, if AC3 it's the same as on the DVD. It should sound the same and play at the same volume when being played in your standalone. It's on your PC that you have to adjust the AC3Filter to boost the volume.

I am a bit surprised that the AVI video didn't look so good since the 75% 1-pass setting is a pretty good one. To understand why it doesn't look so good I'd need to see the log and also small samples of both the source and the encode, perhaps a scene that doesn't look so good when the encode is played back. If by 'blotches' you mean the blocking (little squares that move around) seen during darker scenes, especially night scenes, or when you have solid colors like a sky, that's a constant problem with XviD/DivX encodes. If you're seeing these things on the TV set, I'd suggest calibrating the set first. You can try the 2 CD preset and see if the results are better. With an extra 200 MB to play with the bitrate will be higher and the results might very well look a bit better since one of the solutions for the so-called 'dark blocks' is to throw bits at the problem.

And yes, with lots of space you can't improve on the source DVD (usually).

[drgt]

Hmmm... I can send you the logs but you have to tell me how to get the scenes sent to you. The snapshot program I use (PrintKey) is not good with movie pictures. Perhaps in Virtualdub?

Anyway, you have to tell me how and also how to get the same exact frame.

[drgt]

Even more hmmmm...

TV calibration you said, so I looked more into it and:

When playing the video from my pc to TV those "blotches" aren't there. They are there when playing the avi on the standalone! I am using HDMI connection at 1080p.

The thing is I played avi's before on this player and did not see this. Why this particular one?

I have the player connected to TV card's input as well and perhaps I can send you a picture once you tell me how.

Thanx

[manono]

OK, maybe those blotches aren't what I thought. If they're multi-colored blocks, it could be that you're using AutoGK settings your player doesn't like. The settings most compatible for all players aren't the default ones. You can either reinstall AutoGK using the ESS chipset option, or go into the Hidden Settings (CTRL-F9) and in the lower right check the 'Enable Standalone Support' box and tick the 'ESS'. I think those settings 'stick' in subsequent encodes. You can check again later on if it works to fix your problem. A log would confirm your settings (I think). You can cut DVD samples in DGIndex using the [ and ] buttons to isolate a small piece and then File->Save Project and Demux Video. An AVI can be cut using VDub (Mod) with Video set for Direct Stream Copy. Then you'd upload to a 3rd party file sharing site, ones such as MediaFire or Sendspace.

I'd first suggest redoing the encode with the changed settings as I suggested and see if that fixes the problem. If it does, then uninstall your AutoGK and your XviD (in AddRemove Programs) before reinstalling everything, this time checking the ESS Chipset option.

[drgt]

Gee! thanks! I did not know these things.

NO, they are not multicolor blocks, they are like smears or smudges or coarse grained areas and yes, they are more apparent in dark scenes.

The instructions above are for cutting a piece off a moving picture right?

What about a single frame?

I will certainly enable that ESS option and try again.

[manono]

Video is more useful than are pics. However, you can save pics in VDub(Mod) in Video->Snapshot Source Frame. I use MPC-HC, pause the video where I want, and and File->Save Image. Pics and video if it's small enough, can be uploaded directly here. If posting pics, don't post BMPs.

[drgt]

I have an LG DVX9900H. I am looking to find what chipset it has. According to this http://www.avforums.com/forums/2318569-post90.html it uses MTK, consequently I should enable MTK/Sigma in AGK.

However, I looked in the manual (readily available on line) and cannot confirm the poster's writing.

I 'll keep looking.

Thanks for your help. I do appreciate it.

[drgt]

I contacted LG and waiting a response. In the nean time, since it looks like an MTK chip, I enabled that in AGK. However, when tried to do a 75% run, there was a warning that some settings for the standalone player will be ignored; so, I am gonna do a 1 and 2cd preset, burn them and try.

I 'll report back here.

If something else comes to mind in the mean time, please post.

Thanks

[manono]

That's right, I forgot. One of the things that happens when using one of the chipset options is that the bitrate spikes are limited because a lot of standalones can't handle really high bitrates for any length of time. If doing quality percentage encodes that particular setting is ignored and they'll get as high as necessary to give you your chosen quality (75%). If worse comes to worst, it may mean some slight stuttering or even momentary freezing during complex passages (high action stuff like explosions, lots of movement, and the like). So, as you figured out, it may be better to do 2-pass encodes for a specific size. However, modern standalones can handle higher bitrates than could the earlier models, so it might not be a problem for you. You'll never know until you try.

Also, for the greatest standalone compatibility, the ESS chip option should be turned on. If you'll only be playing on your MTK chipset player, the MTK option should be OK. Here's what the included AutoGK tutorial has to say about it:

A note for those with standalone DVD/MPEG4 players. There are two standalone compatibility options available for you during installation of AutoGK (note they also available after you installed AutoGK in its hidden options):

• ESS-based standalones. MPEG4 players with ESS chipsets don't work with the matrices that AutoGK uses with the XviD Codec (you don't have to understand what a matrix is, just follow the instructions). Please choose this option if you have such player. Perhaps the problem will be fixed with a firmware upgrade, and perhaps not. But you won't be losing anything, or getting a movie inferior in any way by choosing that option. If you have such a standalone player, and your XviD videos play with corruption and/or smearing, try this setting. For both XviD and DivX codecs this option also enables Home Theatre profile which is a part of DivX certification for hardware devices and which enables control over VBV buffer. Most standalones have issues with high bitrate spikes that cause internal memory of the player to be full and do not accept more data for a short period of time. This causes pauses, skips and and shuttering. Both DivX and XviD support intelligent control of output buffer overflows so that this problem can be eliminated. Make sure to turn this option on if you experiencing such symptoms during playback on your standalone. Note that its not the only possible reason for having pauses and skips - users reported that by burning movies onto DVDRs instead of CDRs playback can be dramatically improved. Also quality of DVD reader in standalone players varies a lot and cheap reader can be a reason behind your problems as well (check out Doom9's hardware forum for related discussions)
• MTK/Sigma based standalones. The difference to the previous option is only usage of custom matrices for XviD. VBV buffer control (in the form of HT profiles) is enabled as well by this setting.

If you are not sure which standalone you have its safer to activate ESS support which is the most universal at the moment.

http://www.autogk.me.uk/modules.php?name=TutorialEN

[drgt]

Why so small?

Both ESS and MTK 1CD versions produced a 489 Mb file. My standalone played both just as it did the ones without standalone support. Again that smudging problem was still present.

I cannot remember but perhaps my "original" is a DVD-5 copy off a DVD-9; and that might explain the problem.

[manono]

Post the log.

[drgt]

Here are the logs from the MTK enabled encoding.

[lordsmurf]

Get a WDTV. Those play H.264 without problems.
Amazon has many: http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2F...reative=390957
Even that $50 unit plays pretty much everything. I like it so much, I want a second one for another room.

Why go through extra effort and end up with lower quality?

Some models let you plays the ripped ISO.
A 2TB hard drive is about $125 max, and there's no effort to archiving everything to the drives as ISO.
I'm in the middle of this same task.

[drgt]

Food for thought. Thanks for the info.

[manono]

There could be a couple of reasons for the undersized AVI. One might be if you installed a version of XviD, either the one included with AutoGK or another one later on, without uninstalling whatever XviD you had prior to installing the newer one. And another might be codec conflicts from having installed some codec pack. In any event, your best bet is to uninstall XviD via Add/Remove programs and then reinstall it. Your best bet is to use the XviD included with the latest AutoGK, ver. 2.55.

[drgt]

I did not test it yet but I think you made bull's eye!

Till a while ago, (not at time of encode), virtualdub listed 2 XVid on my system! (Although there was and is only one entry in Add / Remove programs).

...just in time I was ready to shout "Honey, I shrunk the avi!!!

[manono]

Hehe, don't celebrate just yet. I have two XviDs also. But I don't get undersized AVIs.

[drgt]

Sorry for the delay, I was away.

Do I uninstall Avisynth and Vobsub as well? I think they are part of the AGK installer. I do not remember what vesions of these 2 the installer installs.

Whatever versions it installs, I must NOT update. Is this right?

[manono]

It's not necessary to uninstall either, but it doesn't make much difference whether you do or don't. I don't believe there's a more recent VobSub, and more recent versions of AviSynth are backwards compatible, I'm pretty sure. It's the XviD I'd suggest not changing from what's included in the AutoGK package.

[drgt]

I reinstalled AGK with the xvid component. Soon after, I cheched virtualdub and it still lists 2 xvid. why?

[manono]

I told you I had 2 of them also (both installed by AutoGK). The fact that there are 2 isn't the reason you're getting undersized AVIs. I suspect one is the special one it uses for most encodes and the other is a 'regular' one. Not really sure and don't much care.

[drgt]

Ok. But which one you choose to do an encoding? anyone?
I 'll try to run an encode soon.

But remember, the undersized avi's (I could not see the difference in picture from standard size) only appeared after I enabled standalone support.

[manono]

You don't choose either. If using AutoGK it chooses.

You got the smudging whether it was the right size or undersized? And the undersize only began after choosing the ESS or MTK options? If so, and if the problem doesn't go away after the reinstall, how about a sample that shows the smearing?