Not all videos are there!

[musicollector]

I ripped one of my DVD's containing four episodes of a TV show. When I play the DVD, I do see the four episodes. Then, I used DVD Shrink to encode the files to play on my tablet. Sure enough, I see four VOB files in the folder. So far so good. But, when I play any of the VOB files other than the first one, I see only small snippets of something else. These are the files, I see: VIDEO_TS.BUP
VIDEO_TS.IFO
VIDEO_TS.VOB
VTS_01_0.BUP
VTS_01_0.IFO
VTS_01_0.VOB
VTS_01_1.VOB
VTS_01_2.VOB
VTS_01_3.VOB
VTS_01_4.VOB
I want to create a MP4 file of all four episodes, but have had no luck. I tried merging all four VOB files, but it still has not yielded all four episodes - just one lousy episode os all I got. Anything I am doing wrong?

[hech54]

That's because VOB files are not episodes.....and they are not "chapters"......they were never designed to be these things.

[Wolfen]

Ok so do you want all the episodes together as one file ? if so open the dvd in dvdshrink and see if you see 4 titles in the main movie section or just 1 or do you see 1 in the main movie section and the rest of them (same times) in the extra section ?

[Baldrick]

I would try freemake video converter, select +DVD and choose the VIDEO_TS folder with all the vobs, select join at top right, click to mp4 and select preset. Convert.

Other dvd to mp4 converters like handbrake usually make a mp4 / episode / title. BUT you will most likely get better quality using handbrake,vidcoder, ripbo264, staxrip....than freemake.

[musicollector]

That's because VOB files are not episodes.....and they are not "chapters"......they were never designed to be these things.

Hmmm...did not know that. Thanls for clearing that misconception.

[musicollector]

Ok so do you want all the episodes together as one file ? if so open the dvd in dvdshrink and see if you see 4 titles in the main movie section or just 1 or do you see 1 in the main movie section and the rest of them (same times) in the extra section ?

Not necessarily. I can live with separate files. I just want all four episodes together or separately. I did open it in DVDShrink actually before encoding. That's the first thing I did. I saw everything there (in fact, I love DS that I see all episodes as one continuous video). I do see four movies in the Main Movie section. But when I "Back" them up within DS, they get broken up. Now, I believe that the the files get chopped up at the 1 GB file mark indicrimnately, with no regard to where in the episode it is (?).

[musicollector]

I would try freemake video converter, select +DVD and choose the VIDEO_TS folder with all the vobs, select join at top right, click to mp4 and select preset. Convert.

Other dvd to mp4 converters like handbrake usually make a mp4 / episode / title. BUT you will most likely get better quality using handbrake,vidcoder, ripbo264, staxrip....than freemake.

Oh, cool! I did not know about this software. I will try that. What's nice is that I do not need separate software to merge the VOB files and to convert them to MP4. This seems to do everything I need. I had tried Handbrake but did not like it. Maybe, it is time to rethink that!

Will let you know how it went. Thanks to all who took the time to respond.

[Wolfen]

Ya Freemake is really easy to use for your purpose just watch when you install it you read every page cause they install other stuff, a toolbar.

[hech54]

If you are going to do this in DVDShrink.....how many episodes are on the disc?
If it is 3 episodes, you'll need to reauthor 3 separate DVDs.
If it is 4 episodes, you'll need to reauthor 4 separate DVDs.
etc
etc
etc.
Each episode may still be over the 1GB mark which will result again in multiple VOB files, but at least you will have 3 or 4 separate episodes. Join the VOB files from each DVD output with VOB2MPEG (also free).

[musicollector]

Ya Freemake is really easy to use for your purpose just watch when you install it you read every page cause they install other stuff, a toolbar.

Thanks. Yeah, I have learnt over the years not to blindly hit NEXT, as many people do, to their regret.

[musicollector]

If you are going to do this in DVDShrink.....how many episodes are on the disc?
If it is 3 episodes, you'll need to reauthor 3 separate DVDs.
If it is 4 episodes, you'll need to reauthor 4 separate DVDs.
etc
etc
etc.
Each episode may still be over the 1GB mark which will result again in multiple VOB files, but at least you will have 3 or 4 separate episodes. Join the VOB files from each DVD output with VOB2MPEG (also free).

Hmmm...I am not putting them on DVD's, as they are already on DVD. I just want to play them on my mobile device. Even so, for the sake of argument, I don't understand. All four episodes are currently on one DVD. So, why separate DVD's?

[hech54]

I don't understand. All four episodes are currently on one DVD. So, why separate DVD's?

Because

the files get chopped up at the 1 GB file mark indicrimnately, with no regard to where in the episode it is (?).

[musicollector]

I don't understand. All four episodes are currently on one DVD. So, why separate DVD's?

Because

the files get chopped up at the 1 GB file mark indicrimnately, with no regard to where in the episode it is (?).

Yeah, but aren't DVD's capable of holding 4,58 GB? I figured the 1 GB restriction was only affecting file size, not DVD capacity.

[MOVIEGEEK]

musiccollector,

You are making things too difficult for yourself, just use Handbrake to convert to MP4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL1r0l3SV6A

[Wolfen]

If you were to use dvd shrink it has the 1gb file limit on the vobs, so it doesn't matter how many there are the episodes are in there but if you go to the edit preferences and untick the file limit you'll get 1 big 4gb vob file.

[hech54]

If you were to use dvd shrink it has the 1gb file limit on the vobs, so it doesn't matter how many there are the episodes are in there but if you go to the edit preferences and untick the file limit you'll get 1 big 4gb vob file.

Which he will later need to cut up into individual episodes risking compression/quality loss TWICE.

[musicollector]

musiccollector,

You are making things too difficult for yourself, just use Handbrake to convert to MP4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL1r0l3SV6A

I am starting to believe that. LOL. I will download it and try it again. Thanks

[musicollector]

If you were to use dvd shrink it has the 1gb file limit on the vobs, so it doesn't matter how many there are the episodes are in there but if you go to the edit preferences and untick the file limit you'll get 1 big 4gb vob file.

Which he will later need to cut up into individual episodes risking compression/quality loss TWICE.

Actually, I will not need to separate them. I would just watch them one after the other on my tablet and once done, I simply delete them.

[musicollector]

If you were to use dvd shrink it has the 1gb file limit on the vobs, so it doesn't matter how many there are the episodes are in there but if you go to the edit preferences and untick the file limit you'll get 1 big 4gb vob file.

A feature I completely missed though I have been using DS for years. Thanks for the heads up.

[musicollector]

Okay, I tried Handbrake and Freemake Video Converter. I find the latter much more user-friendly and it was a piece of cake encoding the required episodes. Handbrake did not have the user interface I needed.

Thanks to all for responding and your fabulous help. This issue is now resolved.

[musicollector]

One last question. When I use Handbrake or Freemake Video Converter, for the entire duration of the encoding, my CPU is pinned to 99% and the fan continues to run furiously. However, when I use Sothink Video Convertor, I do not hear even a peep from the machine. What gives?

[Wolfen]

Don't know Bud, maybe it has to do with the speed of the conversion ? but, good to see you found what you wanted.

[musicollector]

Don't know Bud, maybe it has to do with the speed of the conversion ? but, good to see you found what you wanted.

Thanks very much.