Kinda n00b with ripping - kids ruining DVDs!

[pizzaguy4hire]

Help!

I'm having problems with my kids somehow getting in the DVDs and fingerprinting them and scratching them, here is my desire and my setup:

Desire:
1. Rip current and any future (new & replacement) discs using LEAST amount of steps possible to .AVI files.
2. Burn .AVI files to MOST COMPATIBLE DVD media (is that +R, -R, what?) for playback in in DVD/.AVI/DiVX DVD player.
3. LOCK AWAY ALL NON-.AVI discs out of reach of children (and enabling adults/teens!!!)

Setup:
1. 1.6GHz Intel Atom 32bit single core Windows XP Pro desktop with "super multi" DVD+R/-R drive.
2. 2.2GHz AMD 64bit Dual-Core Windows 7 Laptop with DVD+R/-R drive.
3. Scads of DVD+R & DVD-R discs.

I've tried and not been able to figure out how to use TMPEG, DVD Shrink, to get the AVI files from the discs, I'm not seeming to really get this just from reading at least reading other peoples' problems and posts. Please help me as I would really like to stop spending money replacing DVDs that shouldn't have gotten into childrens' reach to begin with.

Thank you in advance...

Zach

[hech54]

Rip(a "rip" is a copy of a DVD with no re-encoding/compression changes) your discs with DVDFabDecrypter(a free portion of DVDFab), selecting MOVIE ONLY....also remove and extra audio tracks that you do not need.
From here you need to choose whether you want to just burn this to a DVD.....or go the next step further and compress the heck out of this stuff down to Xvid/Divx.....there WILL BE quality loss compressing to Xvid/Divx.
Compatibility between +R and -R is no longer something to worry about. Buying good quality Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim discs IS however very important.
Many DVD players that are able to play Xvid/Divx files do not play them from "any old discs shaped object"....some only play them via CD media, some only play them via USB sticks, only a few play them from any source.....check your owners manual carefully.
Good quality DVDs are cheap. Consider just backing up your DVDs to DVDs....better quality and less of a hassle.
For compression to Xvid/Divx, I'd go with WinFF myself.

[El Heggunte]

Help!

I'm having problems with my kids somehow getting in the DVDs and fingerprinting them and scratching them,

You don't know how to raise your children, alright.

[jagabo]

DVD Fab + AutoGK

[pizzaguy4hire]

@El Huggente

Hey, don't be a jerk! I asked a simple question, gave what I needed in my question, and I don't recall asking ANYWHERE for parenting advice or criticism. First off, my children are BOTH "SPECIAL NEEDS" so raising them takes FAR MORE effort than a neuro-typical child. Second, that is far more info than you need to know, but I don't need your input if you're just going to stick you nose into a situation you have no idea about. Also, I don't tell you or anyone else here you're not raising your children right, this is not a forum for parenting advice and criticism, it is a technical one.

To the rest of the responders, thank you for your input, and I will check out your suggestions.

Also, I have been using Slysoft's AnyDVD to get through the copy protection and encrypting on my discs even so they will just play. At one point I was able to use some program (maybe it was RipItForMe?) to rip them to .AVI files, and then ConvertXtoDVD to put 3-4 "feature-length" videos on 1 4.3GB DVD. This did it in such a way that worked very well and even I could create a multi disc that played back on even my cheap non-divx certified DVD player. However, I have recently had the experience that my AnyDVD has reverted back to a 21-Day trial mode that's expired - even having been registered. I've tried customer service, but their suggestions have not helped with this, and their only other advice is to download a new verion and pay for the product again. (Because my wife's name changed when we got married, new credit card from new bank, old card not active, new state and new address, etc. They won't verify we are "us" and we're not trying to cheat them.)

Anyone know what I can do about that?

Thanks,

Zach

[aedipuss]

there is a free version of dvd fab(DVDFab HD Decrypter) that will allow you to decrypt and copy to your hard drive. then you could use dvdshrink to fit to 4.3GB and burn with imgburn.

i'd say if it is in the budget to get dlna equipt blu-ray players and a nas(network attached storage) hard drive and put all the movies on there after encoding to mp4/mkv. then there are no discs to worry about and the movies are available to any device in the house that's on the network at all times.

[leftspeaker2000]

I use DVD decrypter to decrypt and extract the dvd you really dont need anydvd unless your doing blurays. DVD decryptor allows you to select the main move and select which streams you do not need ie foreign audio tracts subtitles. If you choose to use DVD decrypter set it to extract the movie to 1 .vob i find it much easier to deal with. I have not encoded to the AVI file container with a Divx or Xvid codec for a while now as i have been using .h264/AVC as it gives far superior compression. I use to use AutoGK to for Xvid encodes and there are heaps of tutorials around for it, im sure there are better programs out there for xvid and divx that are simple now days but thats all i know.

If you have the hardware to play .h264 make use handbrake to encode your dvds for a 700mb file you will not be able to tell the difference between it and an 6-8 gb dvd.

[Noahtuck]

Help!

I'm having problems with my kids somehow getting in the DVDs and fingerprinting them and scratching them,

You don't know how to raise your children, alright.

LOL!!!

I thought the same thing the second i read the title!!