one that does them all?

[ted demen]

hi all.

i just bought my first dvdrw (lg gsa 4163b) and so am obviously new to the whole burning thing...


i was wondering if there is a single piece of software that will do it all.
i tried going the decrypter/voblanker/shrink/nero route and although it works the whole process seems WAY too long.
not even the fact that it takes long - but you have to constantly check status and do next operation...
so regardless of price (since time is money afterall) is there a application that will do ALL of the following?:
-rip
-blank/remove unwanted clips (previews)
-compress
-change code (pal/ntsc)
-change format (avi-divx-mpeg2)
-change region
-remove copywright
-author
-burn

all in one go

ultimately, it would be badass is there simply was a program with a "before" window and a "after" window, and you simply input parameters of what you want (from any source whether its avi or a dvd9), press go, and when you come back the dvd is burnt and ready.

am i dreaming?

[unclebud]

DVD Shrink has the capacity to do what you want. It just does not rip as well as DVD Decrypter IMO

[Richard_G]

Place original DVD in drive and open it with DVDShrink, go into re-author mode and drag the main movie file from the right hand window to the left hand window (this will allow you to keep the main movie only without the need for voblanker or anything like that), remove unwanted audio and subpicture streams, place blank DVD in burner and select create iso and burn with DVD Decrypter. Leave it for half an hour or so and remove burned disk.

DVDShrink will
rip
remove unwanted bits
compress (if necessary)
change region
remove copyright
author (well, it chanhges the authoring so only the main movie is available if that is what you have told it to do)
burn (as long as Nero or DVD Decrypter is installed on your machine)

It cannot
change pal/ntsc or vice versa (but then quite why anyone would want to I have yet to work out, multi standard DVD players that will play either are so cheap and common, it's not worth the hassle)
change format (but if you've got a DVD why should you want to degrade the quality by making it a Divx?)

[lordsmurf]

Dreaming.

[Richard_G]

Dreaming.

Who is?

[lordsmurf]

am i dreaming?

[ted demen]

change pal/ntsc or vice versa (but then quite why anyone would want to I have yet to work out, multi standard DVD players that will play either are so cheap and common, it's not worth the hassle)
change format (but if you've got a DVD why should you want to degrade the quality by making it a Divx?)

pal/ntsc - i have this ali-g "aiii" on PAL format and my x box nor dvd player would play it....
thats why i would want that feature.

and format change would be good for for avi/divx TO mpeg2 (why else)

=====================================

by the way, regarding voblanker - i dont know why i cant just (instead of using voblanker) take a unwanted VOB clip - delete it, take another (short-black) clip and rename it.
my roomate used to do this on his mac, but for some reason i cant seem to do it on a pc....shrink wawnt accept it.

[Richard_G]

If you use DVD Shrink in Re-Author mode, you don't need to blank the unwanted vobs, it works on the content of those vobs. See this guide:
http://www.dvdshrink.info/reauthor_basic.php

As for the PAL/NTSC problem, there are guides that will tell you how to do it, but it isn't simple, it's probably far easier (and cheaper, as time is money) to just go out and buy a cheap player that will play PAL.

There are a number of applications that can convert avi to mpeg2, but nothing that I know of that will do that as well as the features that DVD Shrink has. You are looking at two totally different things. Shrink will do everything you want it to do if you are backing up a DVD, making one from scratch is a different matter entirely.

[Donny661]

Try DVD2SVCD (in DVD2DVD mode)

I'm not really sure how well it works for that, but I have tried it for converting DVD to SVCD, and I was very pleased with the results; although, I like the control you get when you do each step separately. I felt like I was cheating with that program .

[handyguy]

Yeah, sort of, I haven't tried it, Dvd Easy:
DVDREasy is a FREE program that automates de multiple steps to backup DVD9 to DVD±R. Basicly, it's a "Graphic User Interface" that calls various FREEWARE Tools to rip, demux, encode, author and burn a new DVD.


The goal of DVDReasy is to obtain a BACKUP DVD with the best video quality possible. DVDREasy does re-encoding by using Cinema Craft Encoder SP ( 2.50, 2.66, 2.67, 2.70) or HC Encoder (free). No audio encoding is done. The audio stream will be exactly the same as the original DVD.

This is a "main movie only" tool ! The final result will only have the video, 1 audio and 1(or none) subtitles streams. This way, you will have the maximum BITRATE possible for the main movie.
http://pwp.netcabo.pt/dvdreasy/

[jimmalenko]

Dreaming.

What he said

[ted demen]

what about decrypting a file that is already on the harddrive?

(if a movie was simply 'copied' onto the harddrive without being ripped)

i tried decrypter but it either lets me input from file and output to optical drive, or input a disk and output to file..

no file to file..

[lordsmurf]

For hobbyists like us, there are TWO WAYS to do video on a computer:

1) The good way: spending time to use proper software and proper methods to achieve an excellent end product.

2) The cheap/lazy way: just slam everything through some cheap/free crap software, often in the hopes that it will do all the work because you "can't be bothered" with work. These same people often bitch and moan that quality isn't good, etc etc.

Which do you want to be? This may seem mean, but you're obviously at a crossroads for picking one. I suggest you not do #2, which is sort of where this thread started.

Video is not a Polaroid camera, where you click the big red button and 30 seconds later it plops out a photo that goes perfect in the family album. Video is more like the amateur photographer, so break out the thermometers, powdered chemicals, a good instruction book, and get to work. And as always, never let your first tests be one something important or irreplaceable.

[jimmalenko]

what about decrypting a file that is already on the harddrive?

(if a movie was simply 'copied' onto the harddrive without being ripped)

i tried decrypter but it either lets me input from file and output to optical drive, or input a disk and output to file..

no file to file..

Smartripper can take input off your hard drive.

[bendixG15]

I ask Lordsmurf.....
Why is not ..."Video is not a Polaroid camera" ???

Do we have to have so much pain to make a
Cd or DVD ???

I think they call them masachist ....

When in reality, nobody has written (?) the
software that makes it pain free.....

Then all us idiots can do it during the TV commercials..........

Hey, IBM Basic was a bitch once,,,,,,,,,

[guns1inger]

How do you get an encrypted DVD to your hard drive without removing the encryption ?

The closest we currently have to a polaroid solution is DL using DVD Decrypter ISO->Read, ISO->Write. That pretty much solves your DVD copy problems.

VSO Divx toDVD does a pretty good job for a one-click wonder with avi->DVD.

I think Lord Smurf's polaroid analogy is very apt. The polaroid is a great party camera. It's fast, it's easy, and get a picture with little to no effort. You also get low to average quality and no real control over the outcome.

On the otherhand, pick up an SLR, learn a bit about film speeds and lighting, get some basic darkroom techniques under your belt, and you can get something approaching art.

If you don't want to put in the relatively small amount of effort required to get some good basic grounding, you don't have to. But you have to accept that you won't get the same results as the guy who does.

For you, whose time is to precious to spend learning the basic, the cost of dual layer media is [robably a good compromise, so ISO->Read, ISO->Write is the way to go.

[ted demen]

For hobbyists like us, there are TWO WAYS to do video on a computer:

1) The good way: spending time to use proper software and proper methods to achieve an excellent end product.

2) The cheap/lazy way: just slam everything through some cheap/free crap software, often in the hopes that it will do all the work because you "can't be bothered" with work. These same people often bitch and moan that quality isn't good, etc etc.

Which do you want to be? This may seem mean, but you're obviously at a crossroads for picking one. I suggest you not do #2, which is sort of where this thread started.

Video is not a Polaroid camera, where you click the big red button and 30 seconds later it plops out a photo that goes perfect in the family album. Video is more like the amateur photographer, so break out the thermometers, powdered chemicals, a good instruction book, and get to work. And as always, never let your first tests be one something important or irreplaceable.

ok and where and how did u manage to assume that I want to do things the cheap-and-easy-ghetto-quality ...or that thats where this thread started??

im looking for a tool that is both good quality AND a properly designed interface that can handle more than one application at a time.
i dont remember saying that it has to be cheap...actually i said "regardless of cost"

all in all were talking about burning dvds here...not some artistic thing...jeez

[normcar]

Over the 2 yrs or so I have been reading the forum posts and instructions for tools, I have come to the conclusion there are 2 main types of video processing that take place. 1-Ripping/Shrinking/Burning and 2-Capturing/Conversion/improving quality of video&audio/authoring/burning. All of the processes are not done by any one toolset, and the higher quality you want, the more tools you will use. For legal reasons, Ripping is not done for protected DVDs by the major toolsets, therfore, even if you want one toolset, you will need another tool for ripping.

For (1), you can use DVDShrink and a Burning Tool I use DVDDecriptor to Rip, DVDShrink and Nero to burn. For some TV Series DVDs, I use VOBBlanker to seperate the episodes so I do not have to shrink.

For (2), I have found that the TMPGenc toolset (purchased versions) is the best all around toolset. However I still use Nero for burning. You will have to use other tools to clean up audio, as most tools do little or nothing to clean up audio. For capturing, most use virtualdub or the tool which comes with their capture "card".

For capturing, you also need physical devices. Search for other topics for these needs.

And after all this, you will still find that everyone has their own favorite tools, which they believe does the best job for them. So in the end, Video processing is a bit of an "art", but once you find the tools you like, the process will shorten.

[ROF]

Dreaming.

Aren't we all? Dreaming of the day when you just put a disc in the drive and after a few fizzles and poofs out pops a copy.

Unfortunately, that's not how this works. Each piece of software does one or two things really good. It may do other assorted backflips, but not as well as something else. Therefore, you are required to, or at the very least, consider using software for what it was meant for.

You can play baseball with a volleyball, but somehow it just isn't as good, plus you'd have to change the size of the catcher's mitt.

[jtoolman2000]

DVDShrink and DVD Decrypter Properly set up is practically automatic, assuming you have both a ROM and a RW drive. Reauthor to ISO in Shrink and burn the ISO in Decrypter. You still will have to do your set up in Shrink, choosing whether to do a whole disk or movie only and other parameters, but once you hit BACKUP, you can literally walk away until you here that little tune Decrypter likes to play when it's done to either wake you up or interrupt whatever else you might be doing. I don't think there is anything more automatic than that, at least not yet.

[burnman99]

Yeah! Why isn't there a free all in one hands off program that does everything including insulate your house download tgpopron, & filter your gormet coffee?!
mmm Gormet Coffee. And for that matter why can't it bring you free beer as well?! And none of that domestic Michelob Ultra Crap either, only strictly 5-Star Imports!

I"m waiting patiently,

Rog

[ted demen]

Dreaming.

Aren't we all? Dreaming of the day when you just put a disc in the drive and after a few fizzles and poofs out pops a copy.
)

yea...kind of reminds me of dreaming about burning cds...
...oh wait thats reality.

Unfortunately, that's not how this works. Each piece of software does one or two things really good. It may do other assorted backflips, but not as well as something else. Therefore, you are required to, or at the very least, consider using software for what it was meant for.

You can play baseball with a volleyball, but somehow it just isn't as good, plus you'd have to change the size of the catcher's mitt.

well i guess thats cause no one has come up with software thats good or professional enough for the task.
as far as one program for one task....i think of backing up a dvd IS ONE TASK and shouldnt need a whole bunch of software to do it.
and since im new to this game, i thought that the reason why everyone was using combinations of software was cause they seem to be mostly free or cheap...and i thought that maybe there was one, professional, expensive program that can do it all.
(kind of like there is for music such as pro tools or cubase)

i guess the answer to my original post is....

no.

[burnman99]

well i guess thats cause no one has come up with software thats good or professional enough for the task.
as far as one program for one task....i think of backing up a dvd IS ONE TASK and shouldnt need a whole bunch of software to do it.
and since im new to this game, i thought that the reason why everyone was using combinations of software was cause they seem to be mostly free or cheap...and i thought that maybe there was one, professional, expensive program that can do it all.
(kind of like there is for music such as pro tools or cubase)

i guess the answer to my original post is....

no.

The Thing is that at least in the USA you cannot sell a DVDRipper, it is not legal. Therefore, no commercial software company will add a Ripper to an enocder/DVD Author or the like. It's just not going to happen.

Hope this helps.

Rog

[Donny661]

There isn't an expensive professional program to copy DVDs because the lawfulness of the act is still hotly debated. The Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) says that it is illegal, but previous copyright laws allow for that type of activity. I subscibe to the thinking that DVD backup is legal, but there is enough doubt in the courts to allow the big entertainment companies to bring companies that sell DVD copying software (i.e. 321 studios) to court and bankrupt them. Each individual step in the process is perfectly legal except for possibly the ripping part; therefore, if a company sells a product without ripping enabled (although it may do everything else beautifully) it will flop because the majority of people's time is soooo important to them that they (i.e. you) only want a one click solution.

[Richard_G]

i think of backing up a dvd IS ONE TASK and shouldnt need a whole bunch of software to do it.

i guess the answer to my original post is....

no.

Not quite. Backing up a DVD is one task and can be done with one piece of software, namely DVDShrink. There are the odd disks that Shrink can't rip, in which case you need to rip with different software, but for the vast majority it will do the whole job. Very quickly and efficiently too.

I have almost finished backing up my entire collection of DVDs. I put the original in the ROM drive, open Shrink, wait for the 1-2 minutes it takes to analyse and then select Re-Author. Drag the main movie into the left hand window and remove the unwanted foreign soundtracks and sub streams. I then put a blank DVDR in the writer and select Backup, Convert to ISO and burn with DVD Decrypter. Walk away and leave it. Total time taken is no more than 4 minutes and when I go back to the machine 30 minutes or so later, the job is done.

Personally, the only thing that could be simpler than that would be copying a non copy protected disc. In which case it can be as simple as doing a straight disk to disk copy as you can with a CD. Copying a commercial DVD is that little bit more complicated because the producers intend that you shouldn't be able to copy them and you are having to circumvent the protection.

[rkr1958]

i tried going the decrypter/voblanker/shrink/nero route and although it works the whole process seems WAY too long.
not even the fact that it takes long - but you have to constantly check status and do next operation...
so regardless of price (since time is money afterall) is there a application that will do ALL

Yes ... it's quite simple really ... if time is money and cost is not a consideration ... buy a second copy of your DVD. This gives you a perfect backup, exactly the same quality and guarantee playback compatibility with 99% of the settop DVD players.

[lordsmurf]

well i guess thats cause no one has come up with software thats good or professional enough for the task.
as far as one program for one task....i think of backing up a dvd IS ONE TASK and shouldnt need a whole bunch of software to do it.

Basically you're wrong. And no, nothing can do what you want.

The largest problem which you fail to consider is the size of the code required for a complex operation of this size. That's why all-in-one solutions suck compared to step-by-step approaches. You cannot have that much code in a single program and expect it to fulfill every task perfectly.

Microsoft already tried that, it's called Windows.
And it didn't work.

[canadateck]

Some Programs do try and integrate other programs.
example Ulead and Main Concept, These are both great Companys. but putting them together has proved difficult, But they are getting better.

[animatron]

The goal of DVDReasy is to obtain a BACKUP DVD with the best video quality possible.

And it does!
There are some heavy (advanced) discussions about DVDREasy here: http://www.kvcd.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=90
Some of the file prediction (mathematical) methods used at kvcd.net (Incredible's slicer routines) are now being implemented on DVDREasy.
The Notch matrix is in there, and works like a charm with HC encoder.
The quality is far better than DVDShrink, or any other transcoder, because it's a full reencode.
DVDREasy rocks!

Cheers!