how do i do this a different way?

[cantckaja]

ok, i'm trying to edit down some of my tv series dvds into "cut-down" dvds (i.e. taking a tv series with 200 episodes and cutting it down to a few dvds with about 60 episodes). this is how i've been doing it: first, decrypt with dvdfab decrypter. then, remove language tracks with dvd shrink. next, use vob2mpg to change to mpeg. then i use main concept mpeg encoder to shrink size down, then burn with tmpgenc dvd author. is there an easier/better/faster way to do this? when i go on vacation i dont want to bring big box sets. thanks.

[guns1inger]

What are you playing them back on ? If it is a laptop then Divx might be a better option.

Otherwise, I would re-author with DVD Shrink to get the episodes I wanted on a single disc, and either shrink with shrink, or write the results with 'No Compression', then reduce the size of the total disc with DVD RB. Finally, create an ISO and burn with imgburn.

[cantckaja]

wow thanks, i never knew dvd shrink could do that. any way to make custom menus in dvd shrink? if not, how could i bring those files over to tmpgenc dvd author to make menus? thanks

[cantckaja]

ok, i have some episodes from one disc in, but how would i keep those episodes on the "re-author" side and add more episodes from another disc? when i take out the disc it erases the episodes i moved over

[guns1inger]

Rip both discs to your HDD, then just bring in the titles you need using Shrink. Nothing should be deleted until you are done.

[cantckaja]

oh, ok that makes sense. what about making custom menus?

[Cunhambebe]

...first, decrypt with dvdfab decrypter. then, remove language tracks with dvd shrink...

-what's the size of your media - (recordable discs)? Are they 4,7 GB discs?
Please understand that professional DVDs (the ones you buy) have 2 layers (Dual Layer Discs) and are usually 8,5 GB discs. Regular recordable DVDs have only 4,7GB. If... IF you shrink the movie with DVD Shrink you can hardly fit one original DVD (highly compressed with DVD Shrink) to a single layer disc (120 minutes); besides recordable Dual Layer Discs are still uncompatible with many DVD Players.

The best bet, IMHO, would be to convert the original movie to Divx or Xvid (MPEG4 part 2) with VirtualDubMod, and try to fit 3 or more movies on a single 4,7GB disc. Note that your DVD player must be Divx/Xvid (MPEG4) compatible, otherwise you'll loose your time and money. BTW, about the procedure you've mentioned, you don't need to covert the files to MPEG2! VOBs are already MPEG2 files, but they are multiplexed. You just need to de-multiplex them - if you want it.

Anyway, if you want to backup to MPEG2 instead of MPEG4, you can continue with DVD Shrink. Click Re-Author, choose the main movie and shrink it to about 20% of compression (that will leave the file with 80% of the original size). Create a new folder, name it and HIT backup. Repeat the same process for all DVDs. Since it's series, I guess you may fit 2 or more episodes on a single disc. After all this procedure, start DVD Shrink, find one of the folders and click Re-Author; drag the movie to the left side of the screen. HIT Browse and search for all other folders. Same thing here: get the movies and drag them to the left side of DVD Shrink's interface, trying to follow a certain order: movie 1, movie 2, etc... (WARNING: no compression at all here - you've just compressed the files, OK?!). Create another folder, HIT Backup. Now you are ready to use DVD Architect, Nero, Clone DVD or any other software to burn your DVD disc

There may be a thousand different ways to do what you want. This is only my modest suggestion.
AND THERE WON'T BE ANY MENUS HERE

[cantckaja]

thanks for all the help. the professional dvds have four 45min episodes on each. i think i'm just going to rip everything to my hdd, then use shrink and put about 7 episodes on each dvd. will shrinking/compressing that much make it unwatchable?

[guns1inger]

If you are going to put that much on a single disc, I would

1. Rip to the HDD with DVD Fab Decrypter
2. Use TDA and it's Add Video function to import just the titles you want, and to create simple menus. Output as an oversized disc.
3. Use DVD Rebuilder Pro to re-encode the disc at half-D1 to make the quality acceptable at the low bitrates you will require.

Just using Shrink alone would make it unwatchable at 4 episodes. Even at half-D1 you are pushing the quality limits at 7 episode. For 5 - 6 hours you should be considering VCD resolution, or else going to mpeg4 (Divx/Xvid etc)

[jimmalenko]

Gee whiz !

So inbetween compiling X-Files DVDs for your friend ( https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=304702 ) and this (which is a remarkably similar project ), you've STILL got time to go on vacation ?


I need to stop working