Best DVD Quality Programs

[anzimike]

you might consider vobblanker (after ripping full disc with decryptor or smartripper)to remove unwanted extras then shrink full disc using shrink or dvd2one. I have both and quality is similar if shrinking is not too extreme. Don't expect perfect backups of 3 hour movies using these tools. You need to do full re-encode to get acceptable quality with longer titles, (around 6 gb). Good luck.

[indolikaa]

In reply to the gentleman who simply told me to purchase a second copy because Im doing it to easy, I ask you this....how many people in this forum actually own the FIRST copy!? I just dont understand why anyone would want to spend more time than they have to to make a DVD? I have never encountered anything that 321 adds to the disk that affects me in any way! True, you cant make another copy using the 321 software, but at that point you already have a 4.7 gig dvd that you can clone using just about any other cloning program with no need to shrink. If you want the fastest/easiest program....use Platinum. You can use the advanced setting and select anything you want the menu to have, and it is far easier than any other program out there.

First of all, you called me a gentleman. Before the regular crowd jumps down your throat for this hideous breach of etiquette, I would like to take this opportunity to say, "Thank you, kind sir."

Now, in regards to this response you have posted. Of course, I was kidding about my comments that you should take Jack Valenti's advice. My feelings regarding Jack "*******" Valenti are well-known on this forum. Rest assured you were only suffering from a mild sarcasm attack. Nothing more.

DVDXCopy, however, is a different story. Many people here hate the program. Why? I don't particularly know. Nor do I care. I Decrypt and Shrink, and it works fine for me. To each his own.

Now, shut up and go enjoy life!

[nufan292]

Absolutely best quality: DVDFab - split to two disc, uncompressed.
But otherwise, I'm partial to DVD-rb, but it doesn't do multiangle, and so forth. But takes a while. 2+ hours.
For quick and dirty, Nero Recode/DVD Shrink w/deep analysis.

[naturalzinc]

If you want the fastest/easiest program....use Platinum. You can use the advanced setting and select anything you want the menu to have, and it is far easier than any other program out there.

Sounds like a tru DVDXCOPY salesman.

As said a million times b4, DVDXCOPY SUX ASS B/C IT ADDS STUPID NAG SCREENS TO YOU BACKUPS! I know cuz i've used it.

DVDShrink does just about the exact same thing as this P.O.S. for free, w/out the nag screens, w/out crappy restrictions, and w/ way more features. Plain and simple. don't be afraid to say you have wasted your money :P

[budz]

Why do you rip first then use Shrink? Shrink will rip the DVD for you.

Because sometimes shrink can't rip a encoded vob file so using DVD DECRYPTER to rip in FILE MODE will solve the problem.

I use DVD SHRINK AND DVD DECRYPTER.

[lordsmurf]

K.. i'll have to try that. I like menus. IMO its what makes a DVD a DVD...Maybe i am just crazy and like menus.3

Arg... the only problem now is I have to rip the stupid thing then go back to my comp then do shrink and burn.... That means ih ave to be by my comp. Oh well... i guess i'll have to suffer through it.

Why do you rip first then use Shrink? Shrink will rip the DVD for you.

It chokes a lot. It's inferior to decrypter. Nothing pisses me off more than wasting time on the much-slower ripping of shrink only to have it halt the system.

[Progenator]

I did my own test a week ago between DVD Shrink, Pinnacle InstantCopy, DVD2one, and DVD X Copy Platinum 4.0....
I did a test on a DVD with only the main title (and menus) selected, which was 7.2GB. I looked at four different scene's. I used VirtualDubMod to capture the stills.

I was quite evident to me that Pinnacle had the best quality, most of the time it was 1/16 a whisker off perfect. Followed DVD2One, then X Copy, and last was Shrink.
Intervideo DvD Copy did'nt make the Progenator Roundups (he he) because it made the most hilarious copy of a DVD I have seen yet. Its not just noise, not just pixelation, it is the whole scene flashing, artificating...indescribable. This on 2 out of three I tried it with.

So my vote is for PINNACLE INSTANT COPY V8

If you want to see my pic's of the DVD test, email me.

[Progenator]

my email is Progenator2003@yahoo.com

[silvergator]

I have tried all of the aforementioned tools, and here is the way I handle my backups:

I use DVDFAB for the big ones or season disks. Hard not to go wrong there, especially when you can still download it for free.

Another way to do a big file (movie only) is to use DVD2SVCD with that plug in that comes with (don't remember the name). It re-encodes great output.

If the movie itself is under 5 gigs, I usually opt for Xpress. Its quick with great output. I would say it even beats out pinnacle.

Hope that helps

[pyrohydra]

The best quality method is to not recompress ("shrink") at all.

[Progenator]

Okay forget my email.

I have uploaded the original bitmaps (since bitmap is lossless, and these are unemailable) to my photo site; fotki. If you click on the thumbnail you will see a larger preview, this is not the original, below it is a link that says "Get original Uploaded Photo", this is where you get the original.
The names should be straightforward as to which program they are from. There is ofcoarse an original included.
I
http://public.fotki.com/davemccolm/dvd_tests/[/u]

[Progenator]

whoops


http://public.fotki.com/davemccolm/dvd_tests

[tompika]

May I order a print

[Progenator]

I would download the original and take it to your nearest Costco.

They are only good for Wallet size, which is what I am getting done.

[jimmalenko]

DO NOT VOTE ON A PRODUCT JUST BECAUSE YOU USE IT!!!

I am looking for the best DVD-Quality program for main movie w/ menus.

Aaah...the dreaded Q-word rears its ugly head...

My vote goes to DVDShrink only because I have spent the majority of my time using it with impeccable results. I have previously tried an early version of DVD2One and been a little disappointed with the lack of options in comparison to DVDShrink, but I gave DVD2One 1.4 a crack tonight and was quite impressed with the Join function. I have wanted to get my LOTR Fellowship Of The Ring SEE onto 1 disc for ease of playback and had tried a couple of different methods to no avail. I had even contemplated re-encoding as a bit of a hobby project but DVD2One came through with flying colours.

My idea of excellent quality most likely differs from your idea of excellent quality, and most definitely differs from indolikaa's definition of excellent quality.

BTW, I am a god
My method works for the most important person in the world....me.

[hansoff87]

arg...decisions decisions. Ok long moives i have to rencode? I hear CCE was the best... I guess i am goign to have to get a TUT for it. With CCE could you ahve the original menus?

[tompika]

arg...decisions decisions. Ok long moives i have to rencode? I hear CCE was the best... I guess i am goign to have to get a TUT for it. With CCE could you ahve the original menus?

DVD Rebuilder

[Progenator]

Any CCE. but 2.5 for the DVD2SVCD way.

The CCE way is long, and laborious if you are doing it "big Three", even if you are using DVD2SVCD (in DVD to DVD mode). The DVD2SVCD way only does the main movie, no menu.

The Big three 'cce' option is too go with one of the guides which automates the complex process of re-authoring with CCE. Like this one: http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg/ra-guide.htm
For this you will need Sonic Scenarist, if you can't 'get it' (maybe a friend has it and will let you borrow it? ), then sell your car +thensome, and pick 'er up.

Or you could Use the DVD2SVCD method and either rip and/or capture and/or cut etc.. (DVD2AVI) and re-author an original or close to original menu with any of many DVD authoring programs i.e. Scenarist, Maestro, DVD-Lab.
And do the same for the extras.

Hey!, you've got more options

[Progenator]

or rebuilder

[archaeo]

DVDRebuilder (w/CCE) for higher compression backups. No comparison.

For lower compression, DVDShrink.

[Myrdhinn]

I still use dvd x copy express (ripper version). I've tried dvdshrink in quite a few versions but since I just copy the movie, no menus or extras, I found shrink has not produced any better quality. However, if i was starting from scratch and going freeware shrink is good and does a lot express cannot like take out just parts you don't want.

PS: there is a lil util out there to get rid of the nag sceen.

[hansoff87]

Ok...This has gotten way to crazy. I think i am just going to use SHRINK and just cut down all the EXTRAS to minimum ratio. Unless someone knows how to take them out completely ... Thanks for all your help in making my decision.

:EDIT: I skipped someones entry. Anzimike. That sounds like the perfect solution. Awesome. Thanks so much. AND ITS FREE!!!. WOO. Good quality and Easy.

[JasonK]

I've done hundreds of backups of my large DVD collection. I used to use CCE because I was convinced of the better quality on my high end viewing equipment, but current versions of DVDshrink are OUTSTANDING, so I don't bother with CCE anymore.

I like menus. IMO its what makes a DVD a DVD...Maybe i am just crazy and like menus.

yes, that is crazy. That is certainly NOT what makes a DVD a DVD. Why the heck would anyone want the hassle after the extras are gone??? I actually prefer watching my backups over my originals because I eliminate menus, and I just load the DVD and instantly playback.

Why do you rip first then use Shrink? Shrink will rip the DVD for you.

It chokes a lot. It's inferior to decrypter. Nothing pisses me off more than wasting time on the much-slower ripping of shrink only to have it halt the system.

Any DVD that I had problems ripping with Shrink would also give errors with DVD Decryptor. And this was because the DVD had been damaged by someone else. I'm not sure why anyone would sit around waiting for a DVD to rip! Geesh, I take off and let my computer take care of things. When you consider DVDshrink is ripping and shrinking at the same time, it's actually faster if you're not using deep analysis (including when compression isn't required), which many people would say doesn't make a noticable difference anyway. If I still need to compress after the tips I've given here, I usually rip with Decryptor, and then use deep analysis. But I don't sit around twiddling my thumbs waiting! So what I rip with depends on whether I need to compress.

I used VirtualDubMod to capture the stills.

Capturing still from mpeg video can be VERY misleading by the very nature of mpeg. I can't go into specifics here, but you really need to watch VIDEO for a fair comparison.

The best quality method is to not recompress ("shrink") at all.

BUT, you can still use Shrink for this. You can make a 100% perfect LOSSLESS copy with DVDShrink by using REAUTHOR and selecting the MOVIE ONLY, and removing extra audio tracks, and sometimes cutting intros and credits. Just because you're using "Shrink" doesn't mean you need to "shrink." And the closer you can get to 100% the better!

have wanted to get my LOTR Fellowship Of The Ring SEE onto 1 disc for ease of playback

I did this a long time ago using CCE. The copy is good and watchable, but there is still noticable artifacting as would be expected when cramming that much video onto a single disk. I did it just for the fun of it, but I would MUCH rather watch the a 2-disk backup due to the better quality. It doesn't seem like much to ask to switch DVDs. I have a multichanger, so I dont even need to get up.

I think i am just going to use SHRINK and just cut down all the EXTRAS to minimum ratio.

Why not just convert them to still frames?? That would take a lot less space. But I recommend tossing the crappy menus as I stated above. Get the absolute BEST quality you can with Shrink doing the way I suggested... using REAUTHOR and selecting the MOVIE ONLY, and removing extra audio tracks, and sometimes cutting intros and credits if you're not at 100% yet.

[jimmalenko]

I like menus. IMO its what makes a DVD a DVD...Maybe i am just crazy and like menus.

yes, that is crazy. That is certainly NOT what makes a DVD a DVD. Why the heck would anyone want the hassle after the extras are gone??? I actually prefer watching my backups over my originals because I eliminate menus, and I just load the DVD and instantly playback.

I tend to agree. The only extras I keep are on my music DVDs (behind the scenes, interviews etc). It seems sorta pointless to me to put a dvd in, wait for the copyright bullshit etc to play, get to a menu which has extremely limited working navigational options and the only ones it has are to do with the main movie. All this just to play the movie when you could just put the disc in and the movie autoplays immediately.

Why do you rip first then use Shrink? Shrink will rip the DVD for you.

It chokes a lot. It's inferior to decrypter. Nothing pisses me off more than wasting time on the much-slower ripping of shrink only to have it halt the system.

Any DVD that I had problems ripping with Shrink would also give errors with DVD Decryptor. And this was because the DVD had been damaged by someone else. I'm not sure why anyone would sit around waiting for a DVD to rip! Geesh, I take off and let my computer take care of things. When you consider DVDshrink is ripping and shrinking at the same time, it's actually faster if you're not using deep analysis (including when compression isn't required), which many people would say doesn't make a noticable difference anyway. If I still need to compress after the tips I've given here, I usually rip with Decryptor, and then use deep analysis. But I don't sit around twiddling my thumbs waiting! So what I rip with depends on whether I need to compress.

I rip before I use DVDShrink only because I have found quite a few DVDs that cannot be decrypted by DVDShrink that are fine with smartripper or DVDDecrypter. It becomes habit if you are doing it often enough.

I used VirtualDubMod to capture the stills.

Capturing still from mpeg video can be VERY misleading by the very nature of mpeg. I can't go into specifics here, but you really need to watch VIDEO for a fair comparison.

I couldn't agree more. Still picture quality comparisons mean **** all - it's how they all come together that counts.

have wanted to get my LOTR Fellowship Of The Ring SEE onto 1 disc for ease of playback

I did this a long time ago using CCE. The copy is good and watchable, but there is still noticable artifacting as would be expected when cramming that much video onto a single disk. I did it just for the fun of it, but I would MUCH rather watch the a 2-disk backup due to the better quality. It doesn't seem like much to ask to switch DVDs. I have a multichanger, so I dont even need to get up.

For me, spanning over 2 discs ended when I bought a DVD burner.

I think i am just going to use SHRINK and just cut down all the EXTRAS to minimum ratio.

Why not just convert them to still frames?? That would take a lot less space. But I recommend tossing the crappy menus as I stated above. Get the absolute BEST quality you can with Shrink doing the way I suggested... using REAUTHOR and selecting the MOVIE ONLY, and removing extra audio tracks, and sometimes cutting intros and credits if you're not at 100% yet.

Again, couldn't agree more. What's the use of a menu with only one functional button ? It's like making everyone vote in an election when there's only 1 candidate !

@JasonK:
You make some very pertinent points.

[Cecilio]

ok....I'll tkae it that Moive Only Mode doesn't.

In Shrink from what i gather, i coudl make a movie with just the menus and main movie by dragging the "menu" and title1... Am i correct?

I have tried all of these programs, but my transcoder of choice wasn't on the list. Nero Recode, IMHO is the best transcoder. using nero recode, you can have only the movie and the menu's. With Recode, you can actually eliminate all of the extras, and only keep the main movie and the menus. oh and no the quality for nero recode and dvd shrink isn't the same. the quality in Nero Recode is much better. i've tested alot of different films, and season shows, and Nero Recode was
always the best one.

DVDXCOPY Platinum, does suck. i tried it to see if it was good. So i tested it on a season DVD. each show was at an avg of 20 mins, so i said might look good, so i did a full disk, and the first 3 shows looked perfect, a little better than the other transcoders, but from the 4th show to the 8th show, it was nasty pixelation all over the place, im talking aobut inch size pixels oh and im sure you can't beat that, well maybe mpg at 200 kbs per sec using a res of 720*480 :P

[naturalzinc]

Cecilio, see my post on the first page of this thread and see that i agree w/ u. only thing is that nero has no way of handling forced subtitles (that i have found). i e-mailed tech about how they should fix this in a future release, but got no response.

know anything about this?

[JasonK]

no the quality for nero recode and dvd shrink isn't the same. the quality in Nero Recode is much better

Sounds like you're doing something wrong. See the tips I gave. The original DVD isn't even "much better" than my DVDshrink copies, so a copy from Nero can't be any better than the original it was copied from. Use the techniques I mentioned to get 100% quality or close to it. Nero should give you the same quality if you're doing it right.

[hansoff87]

JasonK: Very convincing argument. So convincing... you convinced me. Plus i just saw a back up dvd of my uncle's LOTR 3 with movie only (he uses dvdxcopy). The splash screen was very annoying but the quality was REALLY GOOD. That convinced me to do movie only w/o menus. Thanks guys. Once i get a new hard drive (i only have 2.2 gbs left) I will update shrink and burn the dvd. I will then post what i found.

[gitreel]

This subject has been discussed many times over. The best software is whatever works for you.

[ghoster]

This subject has been discussed many times over. The best software is whatever works for you.

when people start to see that, they will stop wasting there time with these useless threads.