DVD to DivX?

[DreamTFK]

Okay I just put in my new CD-RW drive and have been reading alot about ripping. I have read several guides on ripping to VCD. However VCD has such a crappy resolution 328x288 or whatever.

Can TMPEG be used to encode a DVD in DivX 5.1 instead of VCD format? Is DivX the only encoder to achieve a higher resolution on rips?

[Big_Jit]

If you are encoding to Divx I would suggest using Nandub SBC for the encode and if you want you can still have the AC3 sound from the DVD!

If you don't like VCD try SVCD or X(S)VCD. The main downfall to DivX is that you can't play it on your TV.

If viewing a VCD on your computer use WinDVD to see a better picture and sound.

[DreamTFK]

Can a DVD be transfered to one 99 minute CD? I have read that SVCD is better but needs several cd for one full length dvd. I only plan on watching the ripped movies on my computer, I dont have a standalone player.

btw: Is PowerDVD any good?

[Big_Jit]

yes but there are some things to consider.

if the DVD is 99 minutes then you can get VCD quality on a single CD-r otherwise you will get less than VCD quality (if using MPEG)

on the other hand you could fit a 2 hour (or more) video in a single CD-r with DivX and you could have higher resolution.

If you're gonna be watching them on your computer only then I would suggest DivX.

While I believe mpeg to be better about preserving the natural TV appearance of a video It is better to use DivX for computer viewing if you wanna put an entire movie on one cd-r due to the great reduction in filesize.

I don't use PowerDVD so I don't know. I do know that WinDVD is good!

[DreamTFK]

Cool thanks for the help. I mainly watch my movies on my computer and I'm about to upgrade to a 100gb HDD, so I will have much more space. When I get my DVD drive I will probably try a VCD for my first rip to get the hang of things.

btw: Where can I get Nandub SBC?

[Big_Jit]

doom9.org

[banjazzer]

If you're gonna be watching them on your computer only then I would suggest DivX.

I have to agree with this advice. If you want the nearest thing to DVD quality, then you need DivX (or Xvid), provided they are done properly. 8) Whilst the very best quality is obtained by using separate programs, some of the all-in-one solutions do give very good results, and may be the best way to start. eg EasyDivX: http://easydivx.does.it/