compiling clips

[bryanb]

I compile clips of films that I use in my classroom. So far, I have been using MTR to rip the entire film, then use ffmgegx_0.0.9t to convert the VOB file to DV. I then plunk the DV file into I-MovieHD so that I can edit to the individual scene that I want. I do that same procedure with each clip, then export to I-DVD. Is there an easier way? I use a mac mini and am trying to get by with shareware and/or I-DVD and I-Movie.

Thanks.

[mhar4]

There was a discussion about this a couple of years ago on this forum, because a few of us have been doing similar things in presentations and teaching. Back then, there wasn't a lot to work with, but now there are many more options.

If you have to use a DVD player though (I use my PowerBook), then you are more limited. I convert things to MPEG-4, then edit them up as necessary in QTPro, then put them into a playlist player (my preferred is BitPlayer). The one thing I can see you could do is not rip the whole DVD, but just the chapters you need, and convert those. You could also use MPEG Streamclip (but you'll need the Quicktime MPEG2 component) which makes converting and editing and so forth a lot easier because of its interface.

[bryanb]

That sounds good. I thought I read a while ago that MTR has a problem ripping partial movies. Is this true, or am I hallucinating?

[Frobozz]

Rip the entire disc or at least the entire title with MTR, then use MPEG Streamclip to cut the portion of the video you want to export to DV. You also can use Cinematize for this instead of Streamclip. This way you can skip the editing in iMovie unless you want to add something there, and go directly to iDVD. Even faster would be to export to MPEG instead of DV and drag the MPEGs to Toast 6 or 7 for burning to a new video DVD.

[mhar4]

I don't use MTR, but 0SeX, which is pretty basic, but does the job for me. I haven't had any problems extracting single chapters.