DVD Fab incompatible with DVD Shrink

[JohnnyBob]

The last two movies that required DVD Fab to rip them produced results that would not work correctly with DVD Shrink. DVD Shrink processed them OK, apparently, and then the discs apparently burned OK with ImgBurn, but the resulting discs would not play normally on either of my DVD players. In one case the movie would start simply by pressing the Play button on the DVD player, so only the autostart function was inactive. In the other case, I couldn't get the movie to play whatsoever on DVD Player 1 (a Magnavox), and had to use DVD Player 2 (a Durabrand model). So it appears that DVD Fab is not properly decoding/descrambling the movies in a manner that's compatible with DVD Shrink's subsequent editing.

The latest instance of this problem is with the commercial movie "21", ripped with DVD Fab, then edited with DVD Shrink to reauthor it as a DVD5, then burnt to a single layer Taiyo Yuden disc with ImgBurn. This always works great for me when it's possible to use DVD Shrink to rip, but not when DVD Fab was used to rip.

This appears to be a recent problem. I've used DVD Fab in the past with good results. I'm currently running DVD Fab HD Decrypter 5.0.5.0, so wonder if it's a bug introduced with this latest version 5 series of DVD Fab?

[This is reminiscent of a problem I had as a beginner, trying to use Nero software to burn a DL DVD. The result was similar. It was sometimes possible to get those burnt DL discs to play in some non-standard manner, sometimes not. Switching to ImgBurn fixed that particular problem.]

[guns1inger]

DVDFab Decrypter uses a pretty brute force method of copying the discs. For quite a while it produced results that Shrink would choke on, but they had fixed it. The solution was to use FixVTS on the files before loading them into Shrink. That said, when DVDFab Decrypter did have this problem, Shrink would not even load the subsequent rip - it would choke part through the initial analysis.

I would start by using FixVTS (if you can still find a copy) to see if that helps.

The other option is to do a Main Movie rip in DVDFab, then recompress with DVD Rebuilder if necessary.

[JohnnyBob]

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried running FixVTS on the folder ripped by DVD Fab. It goes through a process but apparently nothing was changed. Same number of files and bytes afterwards. The readme says a log file is produced, but none was produced. So I have no way of knowing what was done, if anything.

I also tried ripping the main movie with DVD Fab from the folder that was previously ripped by DVD Fab as the whole movie. It doesn't work. I have to click Start twice, in which case it restarts my computer. Weird.

I don't want to get involved with DVD Rebuilder. I have it on my computer somewhere but don't have the patience to try to learn how to use it.

So I'm left without a solution. Thanks anyway...

[guns1inger]

You have to rip the main movie from the original disc.

Did you try loading the files you ran through FixVTS into Shrink ?

As for DVD Rebuilder, download the latest free version with HCEnc. It install easily, and takes all of 2 minutes to set up. The quality is far superior to Shrink if you are reducing more than 5% or so.

[jman98]

DVD Rebuilder is a great program, but the reason it's so great also makes it slow. I'd advise letting it run while you sleep to do the encodes. That's what I do. Then you don't care if it takes 3+ hours on some jobs. DVD Shrink is quicker because the way it compresses basically sacrifices quality over speed. DVD Rebuilder is really not that hard to use and once you set it up, you don't need to do that ever again, you just run it.

[t0nee1]

Update DVDFab HD Decrypter to 5.0.9.0 , see if that helps...
And maybe it's a media/player issue in some cases,since you say,
"In the other case, I couldn't get the movie to play whatsoever on DVD Player 1 (a Magnavox), and had to use DVD Player 2 to use DVD Player 2 (a Durabrand model)."
You never know!...

[guns1inger]

DVD Rebuilder is a great program, but the reason it's so great also makes it slow. I'd advise letting it run while you sleep to do the encodes. That's what I do. Then you don't care if it takes 3+ hours on some jobs. DVD Shrink is quicker because the way it compresses basically sacrifices quality over speed. DVD Rebuilder is really not that hard to use and once you set it up, you don't need to do that ever again, you just run it.

Like all encoders, speed is mostly dependent on the power you can feed it. I can encode a 100 minute movie in around 50 minutes, and a 2 hour movie in under 60 using the current free version of DVD Rebuilder and HCEnc.

[mrswla]

I have to click Start twice, in which case it restarts my computer. Weird.

Sounds like you've got more going on than Dvd Shrink not reading what DVDFab HD Decrypter has copied. Have you scaned your system for viruses and/or malware, etc?

[mrswla]

The latest instance of this problem is with the commercial movie "21", ripped with DVD Fab, then edited with DVD Shrink to reauthor it as a DVD5, then burnt to a single layer Taiyo Yuden disc with ImgBurn.

I had no problem with this movie with dvd fab, shrink, and imgburn.

[dialysis1a]

This can also happen when there is a bad cell at the beginning of the movie. Using Shrink in the re-author mode, right click on the title and select start/end frames. Remove about a second or two from the beginning of the movie.

[JohnnyBob]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I use DL discs whenever necessary. I'll rip the main movie alone, or even cut off some of the credits at the end using DVD Shrink as an editor (only) if needed to fit onto a single layer disc, but that's as far as it goes. I never compress anything, so DVD Rebuilder is not for me. I only use DVD Shrink to rip (when possible) and as an editor, never to compress.

I had forgotten that when there was a problem with DVD Shrink in the past, the solution was to uninstall and reinstall it. So I've done so. Apparently it gets into a non-standard state, or the code gets damaged, or something.

I also looked at DVD Fab on my computer more closely, and found that I had two versions installed: 4.1.2.0 and 5.0.5.0. They could have been conflicting, so I uninstalled both then installed the latest 5.0.9.0.

DVD Fab obviously works better now! For example, it ripped the Main Movie ("21") from the FullDisc folder on my hard drive. Previously, weirdly, attempting that process caused my computer to restart!

I then reauthored that result with DVD Shrink (edited only, no shrinking) to fit onto a single-layer disc, and burnt another disc. The resultant disc will not autostart. If I press PAUSE on the DVD Player first, then PLAY, it works fine. So the persistent problem is that the burnt discs won't autostart, but play OK after they're started. That's not superserious, but I'd like to figure out how to fix it. I wonder if it could be an ImgBurn problem?

[dialysis1a]

You could also process your files through VobBlanker to a new folder and try your burn again.

[JohnnyBob]

I guess I could, if I knew how to use it. I have it installed, along with a lot of other video utilities, on the theory that I might try them someday, but I don't know how to use most of them. I can follow recipes, or specific instructions, and I'm pretty good at monkey-see, monkey-do. Otherwise, whenever video-related understanding is required, I'm in the dark. I have little or no patience for reading operating instructions.

I took a quick look at VOB Blanker, and haven't the foggiest idea how to proceed. So if you would be so kind as to give me some specific instructions, I might be able to give it a try, although I'm reluctant to waste burning more discs without a good expectation.

[victoriabears]

I have "always" used dvd shrink with anydvd loaded and Nero to burn, have had about 5 problems in 4 years !

I only use dvd fab when the disc is "damaged", then use the files to burn to a DL disc if necessary.

[Seeker47]

I use DL discs whenever necessary. I'll rip the main movie alone, or even cut off some of the credits at the end using DVD Shrink as an editor (only) if needed to fit onto a single layer disc, but that's as far as it goes. I never compress anything, so DVD Rebuilder is not for me. I only use DVD Shrink to rip (when possible) and as an editor, never to compress.

Yes, burning DL with Shrink is not advisable. ImgBurn is what knows how to handle DL media. Shrink has serious limitations as a ripper also, especially with discs of the last few years, except when doing clips extraction. I've found it more than adequate for edits, in the latter usage. For rips, RI4M (which uses the tag-team of DVDD and FixVTS, plus a nifty PSL script), still gets the job done for me more often than not. Otherwise, Fab Decrypter handles the remainder that is more intractable. AnyDVD is another option, though I've never gone that route.

I can't recall FixVTS letting me down, any time that I've used it.

I also looked at DVD Fab on my computer more closely, and found that I had two versions installed: 4.1.2.0 and 5.0.5.0. They could have been conflicting, so I uninstalled both then installed the latest 5.0.9.0.

That sounds very possible. I actually much prefer the look and feel of Fab-D 4.x vs. 5.x, and was reluctant to dispense with it entirely, so I left it as the sole Fab-D in a separate Win boot partition. This way, it remains an option, but one without potential conflicts.

I then reauthored that result with DVD Shrink (edited only, no shrinking) to fit onto a single-layer disc, and burnt another disc. The resultant disc will not autostart. If I press PAUSE on the DVD Player first, then PLAY, it works fine. So the persistent problem is that the burnt discs won't autostart, but play OK after they're started. That's not superserious, but I'd like to figure out how to fix it. I wonder if it could be an ImgBurn problem?

It is at this point that folks here will have to ask about your burner and choice of media, if for no other reason than to rule them out as factors.

re VOBblanker:

I guess I could, if I knew how to use it. redface.gif I have it installed, along with a lot of other video utilities, on the theory that I might try them someday, but I don't know how to use most of them. I can follow recipes, or specific instructions, and I'm pretty good at monkey-see, monkey-do. Otherwise, whenever video-related understanding is required, I'm in the dark. I have little or no patience for reading operating instructions.

I took a quick look at VOB Blanker, and haven't the foggiest idea how to proceed.

I'm in substantial agreement with you there. I look at programs like this or PGCedit, and my eyes glaze over. No way I'm going to understand this in the forseeable future, or learn how to really use them, unless I'm dragged to it kicking and screaming by some truly urgent or important job. Fortunately, there are a bunch of pretty good step-by-step guides for several tools in specific usages, either linked here or on the other major sites, that can often remove the need to really understand what you are doing and why. But for these, I would not have been able to begin using even a program like ImgBurn. When you see some of these that open doors for you, print 'em out, in color. You'll be glad you did.