Opinions wanted: DVD to Mpeg1 - Fastest/Easiest Method

[leebo]

I shoot interviews for a living. I record directly to DVD using a set top DVD recorder (4.3gig, one audio track, 2 hour mode).

I want to take these 2 hour DVD's and convert the video into Mpeg1. Each converted DVD should fit on a single 700 meg CD. Frame size should be around 350X240 (or whatever the standard Mpeg1 frame size is these days, been a while since I've worked with it).

Quality is not an issue, really. The cd's will be played back on laptops using Windows Media Player.

I want to do this conversion (but not necessarily the CD burning) on site using a new 2Ghz laptop (1 Gig ram).

What program/method would be 1. Fastest and 2. Easiest (less steps, preferably no manual de-muxing, etc., if possible)?

I want easy because I can't really devote too much effort away from my main job (filming the subject).

I want fast because I'd prefer to not have to do this work at night when I return home.

Software up to $250 US would be considered (obviously free is attractive as well).

I currently have Studio 9, Mpeg Video Wizard, and Ulead DVD Movie Factory2.

Lay it on me!!!

[adcvideo]

Creating a Divx file may be a better choice, most computers will have the Divx codec installed, or it is a free download.

Lowering the MPEG-1 bitrate to fit 2 hours on a single CD will create a very poor quality result. And if you want to create a playable VCD, I believe that the VCD standard is 70 minutes per CD, so you will have problems there, no matter what software you use.

Mpeg Video Wizard, which you already own, will create MPEG-1 files for you:

Copy your unencrypted VOB files to the hard drive, or use DVDFabDecrypter to automate this copying process.

Then import your VOB files into Mpeg Video Wizard, and use the export button to save your timeline as MPEG-1. There are better quality MPEG-1 encoders out there than Mpeg Video Wizard, it is designed as a lossless editor, but it will do the job.

[redwudz]

Another option may be Window Movie Maker and put the video into .wmv format. I believe it can do low video rates at a sufficient quality. At least it would be easily compatible with most computers.

[leebo]

Thank you for your input. I do appriciate it, however, my clients want 2 hours of mpeg1 per CD.

They do not want ANY OTHER FORMAT! This is why I said quality is not important. These are depositions and a transcript of everything that is said is always made. Later, the Mpeg1 file is synced with the written transcript by a third party. The software that does this REQUIRES Mpeg1. WMV and Divx will not work.

BTW, these will not be made into VCD's. They just want data CD's.

So, again, fastest? Easiest?

Gracias.

[adcvideo]

For what you require, TMPGEnc Xpress will be your best bet. The source wizard in TMPGEnc Xpress will import directly from an unencrypted DVD, and you can choose non-VCD (out of standard low bitrate) MPEG-1 files.

[leebo]

I will check it out. thank you.

I have TMPEGnc Plus2.5. I haven't yet tested it to see if it will fit my needs. Anyone think there is any advantage to using TMPEGEnc Xpress (in my case, that is)?

[davemcg37]

xvcd is the way for you. 2 hours of mpeg video on a 80min cdr. u need non standard templates to use in tmpgenc but theres a guide on here on how to do that. step one:rip the dvd with dvddecrypter, step two: run the vobs thru dvd2avi, step three: reencode to mpeg1 with the non standard template in tmpgenc, but drop the audio bitrate from 224kb/s to 128kb/s. this way you can gain on the quality ur gonna get on your video. one other thing, a lot of people will tell u thfat there'll be a compatibility issue with standalone dvd players....true but rule of thumb is the cheaper...the more compatible it'll be.

[12 gage]

i like WinAVI personally. it's extremely fast and gives you pretty quality depending on your setting for the size of file, i would highly suggest trying

[TBoneit]

Well you said you only need 2 hours of mpeg1 not VCD?

If so shrink you size slightly to 320 by 240 IE standard aspect ratio or 352 by 240 NTSC VCD spec. use Tmpgenc Xpress and set a bitrate to fit your target size and go. However it'll take a certain amount of time on your laptop, will shorten battery life if running on battery and will make the laptop run hotter. The last two due to running the CPU at 100% while encoding.

Good Luck

[leebo]

Wow, thanks for the replys.

Here's an update though:

I may have forgotten to mention that my DVD's are recorded using a set top recorder. To my knowledge, all set top DVD recorders record AC3 audio.

TMPGnc Xpress DOES NOT work with AC3 (though I think a plug in is available for more $). It also doesn't seem to accept VOB's directly, so I'd have to first convert the files into mpeg2 (using a different program), then use Xpress to convert into Mpeg1.

I'm looking for the simplest, fastest way to do this, mainly because I'll be doing it on site while monitoring live recordings at the same time.

I've experimented with Studio 9 which does a good job (converts Mpeg2 into Mpeg1 faster than real time, and the quality is good), but so far it doesn't seem to accept VOB's, or AC3 either. So thats more steps.

So I'm using Mpeg Video wizard to convert the VOB's into straight Mpeg2, and also to convert the AC3 audio into Mpeg1 layer 2.

Mpeg Video Wizard does accept VOB's, and it does convert the AC3 audio. But it takes about 50% longer than real time and the quality sucks.

So if anyone has actual experience using any of these programs, or has another suggestion (keeping in mind my two main requirements: speed and ease of use), I'm listening.

[leebo]

xvcd is the way for you... a lot of people will tell u thfat there'll be a compatibility issue with standalone dvd players....true but rule of thumb is the cheaper...the more compatible it'll be.

Thanks, but

1. I assume DVD2AVI converts to AVI's which would take up too much disc space, and

2. these files are not going to be played back on set top DVD players, so compatability with them is not an issue.

[adcvideo]

TMPGnc Xpress DOES NOT work with AC3 (though I think a plug in is available for more $). It also doesn't seem to accept VOB's directly, so I'd have to first convert the files into mpeg2 (using a different program), then use Xpress to convert into Mpeg1.

TMPGEnc Xpress does accept VOB's if they are authored in the correct in a DVD format. Use the Source Wizard. For a DVD to be read correctly it needs other reference files, such as IFO files and so on. If you have just copied the VOB files seperately then much software will have problems recognizing the stream.

I do recall that MPEG Video Wizard will load VOB files individually to its timeline, then as you have been doing create one mpeg file and also change the AC3 audio to wave. But MPEG Video Wizard should not alter the video quality at all, it should be mpeg-2 ----> mpeg-2. It is lossless. Unless you are using it to save as mpeg-1? This will save a step, but MPEG Video Wizard doesn't do as good a video transcoding job as other tools, but it should work. Not too certain how to get MPEG Video Wizard to do a lower bitrate 2 hour mpeg-1 though, does it have a custom or modifiable template?

[leebo]

TMPGnc Xpress DOES NOT work with AC3 (though I think a plug in is available for more $). It also doesn't seem to accept VOB's directly, so I'd have to first convert the files into mpeg2 (using a different program), then use Xpress to convert into Mpeg1.

TMPGEnc Xpress does accept VOB's if they are authored in the correct in a DVD format.

Well, as I stated, the DVD's are recorded using a set top DVD recorder. All the IFO's, BUP's, etc. are there, so I don't know what else I can do. TMPGEnc Xpress is not seeing the VOB's. Whatever program I end up using, it needs to recognize VOB's produced by a set top DVD (+) recorder.

[leebo]

After trying again with TMPGnc Xpress, I found it does indeed accept DVD files (VOB's), except as I stated b4 it won't accept AC3 audio w/o paying extra for a plug in.

Unfortunately, it took 37 minutes (using a 2.1Ghz, 1 gig ram system) to convert a 20 minute Mpeg2 clip into Mpeg1. Studio 9 did the same clip in 15 minutes, and the quality was very similar. Remember these are static head shots.

So unless someone else has another suggestion, looks like the fastest, easiest method I can come up with is:

Copy DVD to HD.
Convert VOB with AC3 audio into Mpeg2 with mpeg audio using Mpeg video wizard.
Convert into Mpeg1 using Studio 9.

[adcvideo]

Well, the fastest method would be to convert to mpeg-1 directly from MPEG Video Wizard, it has this function, and as I recall it is a very fast transcoder.

Is there an option in MPEG Video Wizard to choose a lower bitrate for two hours on a CD? It has been awhile since I tried their demo, but I recall in addition to the standard template window there is another more detailed export screen where bitrate and so on could be adjusted.

[leebo]

True, but at the default settings (i.e. I set the frame size and bitrate, but no filters because I have no idea about them) the PQ is crappy. I know I said quality wasn't important, but I can only let it go so low. Half the time you coulden't even see the persons mouth.

Maybe I should look at one of the low cost Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware encoders. I'm a bit worried about sound sync though.

[davemcg37]

xvcd is the way for you... a lot of people will tell u thfat there'll be a compatibility issue with standalone dvd players....true but rule of thumb is the cheaper...the more compatible it'll be.

Thanks, but

1. I assume DVD2AVI converts to AVI's which would take up too much disc space, and

2. these files are not going to be played back on set top DVD players, so compatability with them is not an issue.

#

nope, all it does is create a pseudo video file for frameserving into tmpg and a wav file for the audio...these are temporary and can be deleted after the process is finished

[leebo]

K. But these "pseudo" files take up as much space as AVI's and waves, right?

In the meantime, Studio 9 has added the ability to import whole DVD's into a project. You can then output into many different file types, inc. Mpeg1.

It's fast too. I imported a 4+ gig DVD (2 hour movie) and converted it to Mpeg1 in 75 minutes.

Unfortunately, this feature is VERY buggy right now, but it's very new, so hopefully they'll be an update soon.

[davemcg37]

the pseudo files are a d2v file and a wav file for the audio. bout 400kb and around 1 gig respectively. like i said tho, they're temp and can be deleted after the process is complete

[ricardouk]

https://www.videohelp.com/tools?toolsearch=eazy&Submit=Search&s=&orderby=Name&hits=50&c...res=&listuser=

[leebo]

https://www.videohelp.com/tools?toolsearch=eazy&Submit=Search&s=&orderby=Nam e&hits=50&convert=&dvdauthorfeatures=&listuser=

" Eazy VCD uses programs that anyone familiar with making VCD's and SVCD will be familiar with.
vStrip, DVD2AVI, BeSweet, TMPGEnc and VCDImager are the programs that Eazy VCD automates the tasks between, so you can relax while Eazy VCD does all the work for you."

Is this a program that automates other programs that I may or may not have?

[davemcg37]

good way to do it...just automating what i do but all the tweaks are taken away from you and it uses some diferent software. i've tried it in the past and its fine if you dont wanna play around.

[deckard8]

http://www.xmpeg.net/