VOB to MOV for FCP - which codec to use??

[dsnyw]

Hello,

I was wondering if anybody could help me decide which Codec I should use when coverting video files from VOB to MOV.

Here's my project:

I'm using MacTheRipper to rips scenes from DVDs (that I own) onto my computer. I am then using MPEG Streamclip to convert the VOBs into MOVs so that I can edit the scenes together in Final Cut Pro. I will then be projecting these clip collages using a high-def video projector.

MPEG Streamclip gives you tons of different Codec options when converting to MOV. JPEG-A is the default, so that's what I've been using (saving at 50% quality -- also the default). Basically, I'm looking for a recommendation about which Codec will give me decent quality without creating HUGE files.

In some cases, I'm not ripping individual scenes (chapters), I'm ripping the entire movie so that I can pull multiple clips from it. When I make a feature length MOV, saved as JPEG-A/50%, the file I get is like 10gb which seems way too big (especially since the quality isn't necessarily all that amazing).

I don't need perfect quality, just good enough to project without too much blotchiness.

Any insights would be much appreciated.

-DARNELL

[dsnyw]

One consideration to add -- are there any Codecs I could use that would reduce the amount of rendering time in FCP?

[havema-1]

DV is all you need.

Choose "File/Export to DV.../Compression: DV (DV25)".

Future versions of MPEG Streamclip may allow you to set the aspect ratio of the exported .dv -- currently it defaults to 4:3. QT Player Pro 7 has a setting for 4:3 / 16:9 so as a workaround you can re-export as 16:9 .dv, if neccessary.

http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/SVCD_on_a_Macintosh.html#edit_convert_MPEG

[dsnyw]

I tried using DV files, but I found them to make FCP pretty unstable. For example, if I convert a two hour movie to a DV, then attempt to scroll through it in order to find my clips, it gets all jerky and when I try to simply play the clip, it freezes often. Whereas, with MOVs, I have no problem working off of a two hour clip.

Does this make sense to you? Should I try DV once again? Do you think I may have done something incorrectly?

Thanks for your help.