Can you reauthor an DVD and only reconvert transitions?

[Rudyard]

My father in law got about 7 DVDs of his family converted from VHS and Super 8 and has asked me if I can compile 3 seperate DVDs of each of his daughters (take the footage that involves them from the 7 and make a disc specifically of their life).

I know I can do this but was wondering before I start if there is a better way than how I am planning to do it and also if as they are already DVD compliant files on the DVD, do they have to be recompressed or can only the parts where the transitions (i will probably do a simple crossfade between each segment) alter the file be recompressed?*

My plan of attack was:

1: Rip the dvds to HDD using dvd decryptor (nothing is encrypted, its just the only way I can thinkn of to get the vob files to the HDD.

2: Use virtual dub to cut up the parts I need and save as uncompressed AVI.

3: Use vegas 5 to compile these in order and encode (*this is the step where I may be doing unnecessary reencode?) to MPEG 2.

4: Burn using DVD architect.

Also if I was to save the parts using virtual dub in uncompressed AVI mode, does that mean the actualy file is not touced or altered, just put into an AVI container and the quality is identical or have I misunderstood how that works and what a container file is??

Would this be an efficient way to achieve my goal?

[guns1inger]

1. You can just copy the folders using windows explerer, no need for DVD Decrypter

2. / 3. / 4. Uncompressed avi is just that, uncompressed. Your mpeg video has been uncompressed and saved in a much larger format. Your better option would be to use a dedicated mpeg editor such as VideoRedo or Womble to edit your video (cutting, transitions etc). The only re-encoding that will happen will be when new footage is created - for transitions etc. If you use Vegas, everything will be re-encoded.

[Rudyard]

Thanks gunslinger......as for just copying the files, lol doh'! How easy is that, sometimes I think things are more complicated than they are (usually are though in video editing!).

[Scorpion King]

Using clips from 7 DVDs is going to quite a task. You need them on the hdd and I would want the vobs from each of the dvds to be combined into single vobs instead of split vob files. Decrypter can do that during the rip where Windows Explorer will simply copy the disks to hdd as is. Decrypter is easy to setup and I would try that. Once I had all those combined vobs on the hdd I would probably run VOB2MPG on them. I think VOB2MPG can combine vob files also but I don't remember for sure. If it can then I would run it straight on the dvd disks and not use dvd decrypter at all, making the copy/demux/mux process pretty simple. You will need to rename each file though because they will all end up with the same name.

For editing I would use Ulead VideoStudio v10. It's easy and has all the function you need for this project. It can load vob files straight in but I would give it a break and do the conversion before hand. It can smart render (without reencoding) if all the video files use identical settings. If you watch the project settings you can get by with only reencoding the clips with the lesser values leaving the higher value clips to smart render (stream copy). Pretty nice feature. Anyway, I would not reencode the entire project if at all possible.

Hope this helps
Good luck

[Scorpion King]

Also if I was to save the parts using virtual dub in uncompressed AVI mode, does that mean the actualy file is not touced or altered, just put into an AVI container and the quality is identical or have I misunderstood how that works and what a container file is??

I think when you convert the files to uncompressed (or Huffyuv) you will not loose quality. You won't gain any either. I don't think going to avi is the problem, I think the problem is going to be getting them back into mpeg2 without taking a quality hit. The reencode is going to need to be at a bitrate and quality level that takes into effect the blocking/noise/etc that the files now contain after being converted to mpg the first time. Besides that you say they are all from tape so they are going to be bad to start with.... lol.

That's like the old saying "a copy of a copy of a copy" I think.

Good luck.

[ZippyP.]

My method of choice is similar to ones already suggested:

Rip with DVDDecrypter in file mode, in setup set file splitting to none to get one big vob for each disk.

Edit using MVW, no re-encoding unless necessary for transitions.

Re-author with TDA.

[Rudyard]

For editing I would use Ulead VideoStudio v10. It's easy and has all the function you need for this project. It can load vob files straight in but I would give it a break and do the conversion before hand. It can smart render (without reencoding) if all the video files use identical settings. If you watch the project settings you can get by with only reencoding the clips with the lesser values leaving the higher value clips to smart render (stream copy). Pretty nice feature. Anyway, I would not reencode the entire project if at all possible.

I actually have ulead video studio 9 which I pretty much only use for photo slideshows now because it is easier than vegas to pan & zoom photos.

Are you able to tell me if VS9 can also smart render (there is smart rendereing but in the help it refers to the preview only) and how exactly can I make it so the settings are the same as the input file?

Also VS9 doesnt seem to accept VOB files directly and I have been researching on the ulead website and it doesnt say VS10 can take a vob directly either. Just checking are you sure you can load a vob stright into VS10?

Also, you said you can load the vob straight in but you would give it a break and do the conversion before hand. What exactly do you mean as If I convert it beforehand arent I then negating the advantage of not having to convert it and only convert the parts that contain transitions??

Thanks again for your help.

[Scorpion King]

When importing vob files in Ulead VideoStudio v10 the program has to preprocess the vob to make it editable (demultiplex). To make it easier to work on several vobs is why I say to do the preprocessing first then import the resulting mpgs. That means - use an external program (in my case I recommended VOB2MPG) to demultiplex the video and audio streams from the vobs, then multiplex them into system (video and audio) mpeg2 files. Then load those into Ulead for editing. Without doing the preprocessing first Ulead would then haft to process (demultiplex) each vob file everytime you loaded it. With so many dvds to work with - a time consuming task in itself.

I don't know if V9 has this feature. To find out just start the program and go "Video" - browse to and try to load one of your vob files. Here is the response v10 gives me when I try to import a vob file (see attached photo). I click yes and the program demultiplexes the vob and loads it. Once loaded I can edit it as I wish.

Preprocessing (demultiplex - multiplex) is very different than reencoding. Vob is a container and in your case it contains a video stream and an audio stream. Demultiplex copies out the two streams into individual component files. Multiplex simply combines these two components together again into a system file. This is not reencoding, simply a process to recreate your mpeg system files so you can then edit them or do whatever you want with them. Its simply a process to get them out of the vob container. A Hollywood vob file may contain several audio streams, subtitles, etc. Same thing as you have except for the number of individual components in the vob. Or something like that.

I own Ulead VideoStudio V5, 6, 7, and 10. All my versions has Smart Render. After working so much in VirtualDub my brain now thinks of it as direct stream copy. Same thing. Ulead must be setup so you can get a smart render. To do that you simply make sure the project settings match exactly the video clip properties of the video you inserted onto the timeline (the project). As long as these two properties match then the program can use the smart render feature and do a direct stream copy. Which means= it will "not" reencode. That is good.

The reason the program is setup like this is so we can put video of one type onto the timeline and export it in a completely different format if we wish. Say I have a movie in MPEG-2 thats 720x480 @ 9.8Mpbs and I want to create a VCD thats 352x240 @1.15Mbps MPEG-1. I simply set the project settings to my VCD specs, drag the video onto the timeline and hit export. In this case we desire direct stream copy to keep from loosing quality through a reencode process so we must take care to determine that ulead is indeed setup for that, by making the project properties match the video clip. This is easily done but is most easily done before you even start importing video. Open the program and go "File - Preferences" and put a check mark at the box labeled "Show message when inserting first video clip into the timeline". Apply this then drag in your first video clip. Ulead pops up a box asking if you want to set the project properties to match this first inserted clip - you answer "Yes". To make certain that Ulead is doing a smart render you simply watch the preview window when you are exporting your finished project. - . If the screen is either frozen on the first frame after a transition effect or only shows black or only shows moving video when it is encoding a transition or on screen text - then it is indeed using smart render. If you are watching your video project play in slow motion while you are exporting then Ulead is reencoding the video. Use the Escape key to stop the export and go back and determine where the project properties is off.

Like I said above. I doubt if the video from all 7 of those DVD is encoded using the same settings. If you are going to take clip segments from all 7 of those to create your new video then Ulead will more than likely be encoding at least a portion of the video project. I would set the project properties to match the clip segments with the highest quality settings so they will smart render and reencode the segments with the lesser settings. You will need to determine the specs of all those files. Use Ulead - Properties and I use AVICodec alot to do this. The more you know the better plan you will have.

My fingers are tired.
Good luck.

[Rudyard]

Scorpion King I cant thank you enough, that was one of the most helpful posts ive read.

I really appreciate the time you took to cvoer the points in detail.

Thanks again.

[Scorpion King]

anytime

[Rudyard]

Argghh! I have hit a snag!

I followed your guide scorpion king (thanks again mate) and using videostudio 9 I am able to smart render and so I would like to do my final work in videostudio.

However the problem seems to lie in getting MPEGS out of the VOBs.

I used Vob2Mpeg although there is now a newer version that needs .net framework2 (i used the earlier version i had at home),.

I have all the vobs from dvd decrypter and they run just fine through win dvd player.

BUT when I try to import the mpegs into any program (VS9, Egas 5, windows media player, win dvd player) they say the duration is about 20 seconds (varies for each mpeg) and it plays and the time slider stops at 20 seconds but the movie keeps playing a bit longer before the video stops and the audio keeps going!

So something is mucked up and I cant actually get all the video and cut out the bits I want.

Can anyone explain what is happening there? Would updating to the newer vob2mpeg help? I dont know what .net2 framework is and a dont know if it is safe or good for my system.

I then hit problem number 2....as a back up I tried using virtual dub to export the clips as uncomressed avi and have to reencode the whole job in vegas as a last resort if I cant trim the mpegs and use smart render in vs9.

But on one particular DVD that was a conversion of I think super 8 video (no sound) which has a lot of footage I need ends up with a bizarre aspect ratio from virtual dub. It becomes a long skinny video the fills the length vertically but only about a 1/4 to 1/5 of the screen horizontally and the image is centered. Picture a 4:3 ratio on a widescreen TV but instead of the black bars creating 4:3 it squishes the black bars in to create a really skinny movie.

It only seems to happen to the vobs from this one DVD which plays perfectly if I watch the vobs in winDVD player and at least the aspect ratio if fine from the MPEG file created from vob2mpeg.

In one of my players I attempted to watch this virtual dub produced AVI file from said the ratio was something like 11:18!

Has anyone come across this before or have any ideas how to fix it. I cant work out why the vob file plays in perfect aspect ratio but the conversion is all mixed up as I havent changed any settings that I know of.

And lastly this is VERY URGENT as I have to have it done by christmas (my father in law is counting on me for his gift to his kids!!!) so if people could add any help or other ways to achieve my goal as i thought the worst case for me would be to recompress the footage as opposed to not be able to do it at all!

[Scorpion King]

Argghh! I have hit a snag!

I followed your guide scorpion king (thanks again mate) and using videostudio 9 I am able to smart render and so I would like to do my final work in videostudio.

However the problem seems to lie in getting MPEGS out of the VOBs.

I used Vob2Mpeg although there is now a newer version that needs .net framework2 (i used the earlier version i had at home),.

I have all the vobs from dvd decrypter and they run just fine through win dvd player.

BUT when I try to import the mpegs into any program (VS9, Egas 5, windows media player, win dvd player) they say the duration is about 20 seconds (varies for each mpeg) and it plays and the time slider stops at 20 seconds but the movie keeps playing a bit longer before the video stops and the audio keeps going!

So something is mucked up and I cant actually get all the video and cut out the bits I want.

Can anyone explain what is happening there? Would updating to the newer vob2mpeg help? I dont know what .net2 framework is and a dont know if it is safe or good for my system.

Maybe some settings wrong in decrypter, maybe scratches on the dvds, I don't know. Sometimes it might be a little hard getting a good copy from a dvd so maybe try this. Use plain old Windows Explorer and copy the VIDEO_TS folder from the DVD to the harddrive.

I don't usually give advice like this but in your case it would probably work. Once you copy the dvd to your hdd open the folder and delete everything except the vob files. Then click on and rename the vob files from .vob to .mpg. With simple vobs like you have working with them should be fine and this will save you a few more steps. It is better to demux-mux, which can be done straight from the dvd disk to your hdd is you know how, but the simple rename should work for you. You'll have 3-4 files per dvd disk but if you use seperate folders and name accordingly you shouldn't have any trouble using them.

The reason I recommend vob2mpg is because the program is so easy to use. I suggested you getting the vob files into 1 big vob per dvd disk so to make it easier to work with but I guess this has made the project harder for you to do so forget all that and just use plain old Windows Explorer.

The easiest way all together is to download and install the trial version of Ulead VideoStudio v10 and use that instead of your v9. v10 will import dvd vob files directly putting to an end most of your trouble you are having so far. For this to work you just need to get the dvd video (vobs) to copied to the harddrive and I would use Windows Explorer to do that.

.net framework is a Microsoft Windows download and is available at the microsoft site. Here is a link to the page there. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15...displaylang=en

I then hit problem number 2....as a back up I tried using virtual dub to export the clips as uncomressed avi and have to reencode the whole job in vegas as a last resort if I cant trim the mpegs and use smart render in vs9.

But on one particular DVD that was a conversion of I think super 8 video (no sound) which has a lot of footage I need ends up with a bizarre aspect ratio from virtual dub. It becomes a long skinny video the fills the length vertically but only about a 1/4 to 1/5 of the screen horizontally and the image is centered. Picture a 4:3 ratio on a widescreen TV but instead of the black bars creating 4:3 it squishes the black bars in to create a really skinny movie.

It only seems to happen to the vobs from this one DVD which plays perfectly if I watch the vobs in winDVD player and at least the aspect ratio if fine from the MPEG file created from vob2mpeg.

In one of my players I attempted to watch this virtual dub produced AVI file from said the ratio was something like 11:18!

Has anyone come across this before or have any ideas how to fix it. I cant work out why the vob file plays in perfect aspect ratio but the conversion is all mixed up as I havent changed any settings that I know of.

And lastly this is VERY URGENT as I have to have it done by christmas (my father in law is counting on me for his gift to his kids!!!) so if people could add any help or other ways to achieve my goal as i thought the worst case for me would be to recompress the footage as opposed to not be able to do it at all!

I don't know why the aspect ratio would be messed up but again you would probably trace it back to a bad copy of the dvd or a bad conversion I guess. I still recommend using Ulead VideoStudio and it's smart render function instead of VirtualDub - Vegas/whatever and a reencode..... but I have said all that before already.


Good luck.

[Scorpion King]

There are very few things in life that can only be done 1 way, and working video is usually not one of them. Your first major goal is to get those vob files copied over to your hard drive in working condition. If some of those disk are bad then you might need to use a different method all together.

1 method is like I said above is to use good old Windows Explorer and do a plain old file copy. Select the vob files - right click - choose copy, browse to the hard drive, right click - New - Folder - name it, then right click in it and choose Paste. That's easy.

You could use DVD Decrypter and let it copy the files. Make it copy only the vob files. Make it create 1 big vob file per disk.

You could use DVD Shrink. You don't need to use compression so you would choose 'no compression' for all the files - then "backup" to your selected hdd working folder. The program won't create 1 big vob file but since I've never actually tried too I don't actually know if it can be set to do that or not.

You could use vob2mpg directly on the dvd disk. Since I actually haven't tried that either I'm not positive it will do that but I would assume it can.

You could use Tmpgenc MPEG TOOLS function and demultiplex the vob files straight from the dvd disk into program streams on the hard drive, then use it's multiplex function and create system (video&audio) files (mpeg2). You could then use it's Cut/Merge function and create 1 big mpeg file per dvd disk. That is also easy to do.

You could use Ulead VideoStudio v10 and load the vob files from a dvd disk 1 at a time and drag them onto the timeline in the proper order, then export this simple project making use of it's smart render function to a new mpeg2 file on your hdd. This would be a simply copy-demux-mux process just to get the files in 1 big mpeg2 onto the hdd from the dvd disk. That is also very easy to do and will work just fine.

There are many other ways to go about this simple copy/demux/mux process and you should use the process and the programs that you like to use, not what I or anyone else tells you to use. You can learn all this stuff by trial and error just like the rest of us did. You just need to think about how you want to do it then go that way and get your hands dirty.

Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[Rudyard]

Thanks again Scorpion King......I will bug you once more but do you know if the trial version of VS10 will leave a watermark on the output file?

Its just ive spent a bit on programs lately and coming into christmas along with moving house its not the best time to shell out more (when I was so close with VS9!)

I will buy it if I have to and by the sounds of it will be something I will get in the future anyway but at the moment if the trial version doesnt leave a watermark it would be good for me right now.

[Scorpion King]

I think it is fully functional for 21 days. I don't remember the trial version having a watermark. lol It's a simple download to find out.

Then again, you can use your v9 if you can come up with a workable way of getting those vob files onto the hard drive and demultiplex-multiplex them into system audio.video mpeg files. I named a few ways above, but there are many other methods available to you. Once you get them onto the hdd in mpeg form then v9 should work just fine from that point on out.

Good luck.