Easy ripping with DVDx 4.0

[Starbuck2010]

DVDx 4.0 is very easy to use to transcode audio/video files and to copy DVD movies.

Recommended for newbies, but not only.

Download: https://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVDx

Guides: http://www.labdv.com/dvdx/help.php

Feel free to publish new guides, I'll report them so Jim will link them from DVDx homepage.

Please give me feedbacks so I can improve DVDx 4 in the right direction.

[Starbuck2010]

I'm very happy to announce the very first release of DVDx for Linux platforms!

Linux users were expecting DVDx for a long time and they had to wait the completely re-written DVDx 4 versions. DVDx 4 Linux editions offers same GUI with same features as the Windows versions. There's a limitation, due to FFmpeg/MEncoder, the Linux edition supports less output formats, we've to disable 3GP/3G2, iPod, PSP, MP4 audio files and MP4/AAC audio codec. Nevertheless Linux users are able to encode in a bunch of video formats:

• AVI (DivX/Xvid)
• Flash Video
• Matroska
• Apple QuickTime
• MP4
• MPEG-1/MPEG-2 (VCD, xVCD, SVCD, CVD, DVD)
• Ogg Vorbis
• and audio formats: AC-3, AU, MP3 and WAV

We aren't use to package Linux applications for Debian or Ubuntu distros, so we've release DVDx 4.0 in a Linux i386 self-installer.

We encourage Windows users to upgrade to 4.0.0.1 for the improvements and the new MPlayer engine which displays subtitles correctly.

Version 4.0.0.1: bug fixes & display improvement

Features:
- reduced AAC bitrate (better quality alignment with MP3 half bitrate)
- added AAC HQ profiles with high bitrates to HD movies
- added MP3 Low Rates to replace AAC Low Rates on Linux

Code:
- change preferred audio codecs for 3GP/3G2 formats
- add mp3_flv virtual codec for 44.1khz high profile in FLV format
- disable AAC audio and 3G2/3GP, iPOD (M4A/M4V) formats on Linux
- add source name display in encoding progress widget
- apply QProcess::close() method to all Qprocess on stack (avoid segment fault in linux/macx)
- use -vframes and -aframes FFmpeg options for encoding preview

Build:
- main.pro fixed to compile on Linux

Engines
- fix (Windows) mixing subtitle display in player (change MPlayer to Sherpya-SVN-r30369-4.2.5)

Links:
- in VideoHelp: https://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVDx
- Linux download: https://sourceforge.net/projects/dvdx/files/4.0/4.0.0.1/



A screenshot from Ubuntu (Maverick Meercat):

[Starbuck2010]

New 4.0.0.3 release provides complete error-free installers for every platform and corrected QuickTime profiles to ensure current Apple® QuickTime 7 player compliance ; it improves DVD loading, VP8/WebM playing/encoding, H.264/MKV playback and comes with updated FFMpeg/MEncoder engines.

Download:
at VideoHelp: https://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVDx
at DVDx homepage: http://www.labdv.com/dvdx/download.php

I hope you enjoy it and expect your feedback, I'll be happy to help new users!

Changelog:

version 4.0.0.3: improve DVD loading and VP8 support

All:
- add progress-bar while loading file
- set large time-out (10s) for MediaInfo and FFprobe
(required for large files and when loading DVD)
- fix H.264 playback issue with MKV files
- fix resampling multi-channel audio with FFmpeg (file input)
- correct QuickTime profiles (H.264 and MPEG-4) for file input
- remove QuickTime (MOV) and iPOD format for DVD input (do MKV first)

Windows:
- add player-dvd.exe (Sherpya-SVN-r30369-4.2.5) for subtitle preview
- new MPlayer/MEncoder builds (r33488, better VP8 playback support)
- new FFMpeg build (git-N-30344)
- uninstall silently previous version

Linux:
- added libdvdcss2_1.2.10-0.4_i386.deb available as extra download,
libdvdcss2 is required to read encrypted DVD movies
- added DVD authentication (may not be needed but not sure)

Mac OS X:
- fix uncomplete installation bundle
- add DVD authentication (no more needed to play DVD before opening in DVDx 4)
- new MEncoder build to fix DVD encoding issues (AAC audio, Xvid/DivX and H.264/AVC)
- new FFmpeg-dvdx4 build to support AMR-NB audio encoding (3G2/3GP/MOV)
- set default player latency started/finished to 5000ms instead of 3000ms
- restart after installation to display icon in /Applications

[Bonie81]

Thanks for Debian package. Gonna Try Soon.

a short run outcome.
Codec Choice offered XViD only.
input : 720x480 Output : 624x352
quality : Fair
Easy n Good Tool for straight DVD to XViD conversion.
Thanks.

[Starbuck2010]

Click the "Codecs" button to make video and audio codecs selection visible as well as format selection

[Noahtuck]

New 4.0.0.3 release provides complete error-free installers for every platform and corrected QuickTime profiles to ensure current Apple® QuickTime 7 player compliance ; it improves DVD loading, VP8/WebM playing/encoding, H.264/MKV playback and comes with updated FFMpeg/MEncoder engines.

Download:
at VideoHelp: https://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVDx
at DVDx homepage: http://www.labdv.com/dvdx/download.php

I hope you enjoy it and expect your feedback, I'll be happy to help new users!

I never saw this before.

Im going to have to check it out, but i think the links need to be updated as the direct download link still has version 4.0.0.2

Actually, both links on Vhelp only lead to 4.0.0.2

I just reported it to be updated.

[Bonie81]

Yeah it does offer codecs choices as stated. I just figured-out.
Nice Tool.

• AVI (DivX/Xvid)
• Flash Video
• Matroska
• Apple QuickTime
• MP4
• MPEG-1/MPEG-2 (VCD, xVCD, SVCD, CVD, DVD)
• Ogg Vorbis
• and audio formats: AC-3, AU, MP3 and WAV

By default it selects the longest title available.
How Can I rip Just Chapter 2 of Title 3, duration : 185 seconds?

As it uses media info, hope it de-interlaces interlaced sourced automatically, or simply de-interlace source [V] check mark option will be appreciated.


I would like to mention is... nice development.
Thanks!

[Starbuck2010]

How Can I rip Just Chapter 2 of Title 3, duration : 185 seconds?

This feature isn't available yet but you can do with current release simply by tuning Options... Preferences... :

1. to ensure all titles are selectables, in Options... Preferences... DVD preferences uncheck Short titles to ignore or reduce the value to 60 seconds
2. to select a chapter, in Options... Preferences... Encoder test mode set Chapter number
3. to set a duration, in Options... Preferences... Encoder test mode set Frames number (seconds * fps, so 185*25=4625 for PAL)
4. of curse check Preview mode
5. Start encoding preview button to encode
6. before closing the encoder preview: uncheck the file name (avoid being deleting)

[Noahtuck]

Hmmm....

I have thrown 3 different dvd's at it and all of them gave me this error,



And by different i mean, one is new, one is about 12-16 years old and the other is about 6 years old.

[Starbuck2010]

Player couldn't get DVD title number

Did you try to increase player latency (menu Options... Preferences...) as suggested in the FAQ?

http://www.labdv.com/dvdx/faq.php

[Noahtuck]

I have now, same problem.

I also just installed 4.0.0.4 as i was trying 4.0.0.3 but the same issue.

I already have them ripped to my hard drive and am not trying to access them from an optical drive.

It always stops at 12%


Hangs for maybe 30 seconds then goes to the previous screen i already posted.

I also just tried for the first time from one of my optical drives, same thing.

[Noahtuck]

Q. DVDx 4.0 fails to load DVD disc, what do I do ?

A. The DVD drive may have too slow access for DVDx 4, you can try a few tips: load the DVD disc twice (to benefit from cache), increase player latency in preferences, set verbosity to Verbose (slowing down DVDx 4). On Windows you always can try to rip the DVD disc to hard drive with DVD Decrypter.

And suggesting DVD Decrypter is not really that great of an idea seeing as it is so old and will not handle newer copy protections if someone is trying to convert a newer dvd/movie and could choke or cause a bad rip that might not work very well.

[Starbuck2010]

Agreed for DVD Decrypter, DVDFabPasskey will probably be better.

Also, in DVDx 4, show advanced monitor and set verbosity to "Verbose", output channels messages may help.

[Starbuck2010]

Cause ripping issues are recurrent, DVDx 4 FAQ has been updated and a help-me-to-rip-dvd-and-bluray page has been published.

I'm already working on Bluray support for DVDx 4.0

[Bonie81]

...but you can do with current release simply by tuning Options... Preferences... :

1. to ensure all titles are selectables, in Options... Preferences... DVD preferences uncheck Short titles to ignore or reduce the value to 60 seconds
2. to select a chapter, in Options... Preferences... Encoder test mode set Chapter number
3. to set a duration, in Options... Preferences... Encoder test mode set Frames number (seconds * fps, so 185*25=4625 for PAL)
4. of curse check Preview mode
5. Start encoding preview button to encode
6. before closing the encoder preview: uncheck the file name (avoid being deleting)

worked in latest release. It erved the purpose, and seems like (seconds * fps) is frame accurate.
Just wondering for the option to set hh.mm.ss.ff either in VLC or MPC.

here is the rip results
SOURCE
Bit rate : 4 173 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9

MPG2-PS RIP
Bit rate : 3 451 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9

AVI RIP
Codec ID : XVID
Bit rate : 911 Kbps
Width : 624 pixels
Height : 352 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9

It offers only three preset for ripping : Low, Fair and High.
Preset used for ripping was set to high.


looking in patches directory and going thru' read-me file
Linux ----- No patch required for Linux. *Reminder: install libdvdcss2 extra package...
Thanks!

[Starbuck2010]

Running Windows 7, it's impossible to rip THE_DARKNIGHT (PAL RC2) with DVDx 4.0 alone, DVD Decrypter or any old ripper (it fails after 30-40%). I've ripped THE_DARKNIGHT successfuly with DVDx 4.0.0.4 and DVDFabPasskey 8.0.3.0 in background.

Running Linux (Natty) DVDx 4.0 failed ripping THE_DARKNIGHT after 30-40%. I can mirror THE_DARKNIGHT to my hard drive with dvdbackup but DVDx 4.0.0.4 can't load it because of a pgc_struct error (voluntary bad cells to protect the DVD). If I rip the main title (-t 1 option) to my hard drive with dvdbackup , DVD 4.0.0.4 can load the VOB files but doesn't get the subtitles. So for next DVDx 4.0.0.5 release, I'll be working for a feature to load all VOBs from the same title, get the subtiltes and all audio tracks available for encoding.

Running Mac OS X (Snow Leopard) DVDx 4.0 failed ripping THE_DARKNIGHT after 30-40%. I'll try to compile dvdbackup with the MacPorts to provide a nice solution.

[Noahtuck]

Also, in DVDx 4, show advanced monitor and set verbosity to "Verbose", output channels messages may help.

I did that the first time from the FAQ, set verbosity to "Verbose" and it still does the same thing, on a 4th and different dvd from the other 3.

This is from the "log" section

Player: DVD authenticate process (dvdauth.exe) started. Player: DVD authenticate process (dvdauth.exe) done.
 Player: DVD authenticate process (dvdauth.exe) started.
 Player: DVD authenticate process (dvdauth.exe) done.
 Start loading DVD.
 Player: MediaInfo utitlity reset begins.
 Player: MediaInfo process starts.
 Player: MediaInfo process started.
 Player: MediaInfo process finished.
 Player: MediaInfo utility reset completed.
 Player: MediaInfo utility is ready.
 Player: FFprobe utitlity reset begins.
 Player: FFprobe process starts.
 Player: FFprobe process started.
 Player: FFprobe process finished.
 Player: FFprobe utility is ready.
 Player: FFprobe utility reset completed.
 Player: MPlayer backend reset begins.
 Player: MPlayer process starts.
 Player: MPlayer process started.
 Player: MPlayer process finished.
 Player: MPlayer backend reset completed.
 Player: MPlayer backend is ready.
 Player: MPlayer backend reset begins.
 Player: MPlayer process starts.
 Player: MPlayer process started.
 Player: MPlayer process finished.
 Player: MPlayer backend reset completed.
 Player: MPlayer backend is ready.
 Failed to stop open DVD process softly in 5000 milliseconds.
 Try to increase player latency (finished) in timing preferences.
 Kill open DVD process.
 Send a kill command to open DVD process.
 Can't get DVD title number.

Maybe i am missing something but.... seem's like a lot of farting around

And i was hoping to check out the results.

[Starbuck2010]

The most interesting output when loading a DVD is the process error channel, which may display this:

libdvdcss debug: opening target `C:'
libdvdcss debug: using Win2K API for access
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.6 for DVD access
libdvdread: Could not open C: with libdvdcss.
libdvdread: Can't open C: for reading

libdvdcss debug: opening target `C:'
libdvdcss debug: using Win2K API for access
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.6 for DVD access
libdvdread: Could not open C: with libdvdcss.
libdvdread: Can't open C: for reading



ffprobe version git-N-30344-g5501afa, Copyright (c) 2007-2011 the FFmpeg developers
  built on May 27 2011 22:37:57 with gcc 4.5.3
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-memalign-hack --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-avisynth --enable-bzlib --enable-frei0r --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgsm --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libx264 --enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-zlib --pkg-config=pkg-config
  libavutil    51.  2. 2 / 51.  2. 2
  libavcodec   53.  6. 0 / 53.  6. 0
  libavformat  53.  2. 0 / 53.  2. 0
  libavdevice  53.  0. 0 / 53.  0. 0
  libavfilter   2. 11. 0 /  2. 11. 0
  libswscale    0. 14. 0 /  0. 14. 0
  libpostproc  51.  2. 0 / 51.  2. 0

parse error at line 830

parse error at line 830

parse error at line 830
parse error at line 830
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.10 for DVD access
libdvdread: Could not open C:\DVD\MI2PALFR with libdvdcss.
libdvdread: Can't open C:\DVD\MI2PALFR for reading
libdvdread: Device C:\DVD\MI2PALFR inaccessible, CSS authentication not available.
libdvdnav:DVDOpenFilePath:findDVDFile /VIDEO_TS/VTS_09_0.IFO failed
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
Unsupported PixelFormat 61
Unsupported PixelFormat 53
[mpeg2video @ 01204674]ac-tex damaged at 42 6
[mpeg2video @ 01204674]Warning MVs not available
parse error at line 830
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.10 for DVD access
libdvdread: Could not open C:\DVD\MI2PALFR with libdvdcss.
libdvdread: Can't open C:\DVD\MI2PALFR for reading
libdvdread: Device C:\DVD\MI2PALFR inaccessible, CSS authentication not available.
libdvdnav:DVDOpenFilePath:findDVDFile /VIDEO_TS/VTS_09_0.IFO failed
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try appending the scale filter to your filter list,
e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
Unsupported PixelFormat 61
Unsupported PixelFormat 53
[mpeg2video @ 01204674]ac-tex damaged at 44 6
[mpeg2video @ 01204674]Warning MVs not available

this one is for a succesful loading, libdvdread/libdvdcss errors aren't fatal.

You will find also an interested line in the process input channel:

C:/Projects/Dev/DVDx/dvdx4/build/Win32/release/bin/mplayer/mplayer.exe -noconfig all -noquiet -nocache -nofs -nomouseinput -slave -nofontconfig -vo null -ao null -frames 1 -wid 67318 -msglevel identify=6 -dvd-device C:\DVD\MI2PALFR dvd://1 -dvdangle 1

You can cut and paste it in a Windows command prompt, removing this part -vo null -ao null -frames 1 -wid 67318

Then you'd clearly see if MPlayer backend can't play the disc and why, or you may see it plays, then increase the latency because we ask Mplayer maximum video identification and it takes it time.

[Starbuck2010]

I didn't remember I've limited latency values so increasing latency isn't a solution.

And it seems that I haven't solved the update font cache issue of MPLayer (also known with SM Player) but the solution to launch MPlayer in a command prompt allows font cache update (which can take 2 minutes) does the trick.

I gona fix this in next release.

[Starbuck2010]

Fix is released in 4.0.0.5 tonight

Download: http://www.labdv.com/dvdx/download.php

[Starbuck2010]

I'm pleased to announced I've released DVDx 4.0.0.5 for all platforms (Windows, Linux and Mac OS X), particularly pleased because it fixes an annoying bug on Windows, making DVDx 4.0 quiet useless with cumulative error `Player engine couldn't get DVD title number` on every disc loading. This bug was due to MPlayer font cache update.

Changelog:

All:
- change settings id to Open Edition
- remove max limit for test frames and test position (for arbitrary slicing)
- fix MPlayer font cache update issue
- updated MediaInfo 7.45

Windows:
- delete useless registry key at installation

Download: http://www.labdv.com/dvdx/download.php

[Noahtuck]

Well the new version allowed me to open up a dvd ripped to my hard drive and encode it to Xvid but...

The final Xvid's audio and subtitles were both out of sync with the video.
Kind of a trifecta or triple whammy.

The audio was out of sync with the video, the subs were out of sync with the video, and the subs were out of sync with the audio.

The audio ends at 43:51 and the video is 48:15.
The original video is 43:51

Also being able to get subs without them being hardcoded would be nice.

Being able to select file size would also be nice.

It gave me a 450mb file on "fair quality" setting and FairUse Wizard gives me better quality with a 375mb file.
Both retaining the 5.1 audio.

I then read this,

Read the settings at bottom, you must have Xvid video and MP3 audio, if not, see how to configure output format.

But clicking the link only gave me this....

Configure DVDx 4.0 encoder settings
- TBD: explain configure button and profile dialog...

Encoder settings in DVDx 4.0 Smart Edition
- DVDx 4.0 Smart Edition is not released to public yet.
DVDx 4.0 encoding preview
- TBD: how-to of this nice feature...

DVDx 4.0 preferences explained
- TBD: ...

Which had no other links and was really no help.

I thought maybe there needed to be some other setting changed when using or retaining the original 5.1 ac3 audio ?

I know it is no easy task to make something work and be totally universal on all systems and i am just reporting what is happening when i use it.

[Starbuck2010]

labDV.com has founded DVDx 4 Open Edition (my hard work so far) and I comitted to help Jim to release DVDx 4 Smart Edition which is not open source and not free but provides a few more features (such as picture resolution, bitrate, sampling, Xvid 2-pass, estimated time and fps speed for encoding progress - and x264, MKVmerge engines).

Smart Edition should be released soon and you'll find more features in there (Jim and I have agreed on these new features until fall'11 and we'll talk Open vs. Smart features for 4.0.1 expected end of year, based on user requests and other consideration and $$ concerns).

About a/v not sync could you tell me:
- is the DVD a NTSC movie?
- what FPS is given in DVD media informations (look at VOB of main title - the larger VTS_xx.VOBs)?
- what FPS is the encoded movie?

I did NTSC testing with Matrix region 1 which wasn't sync with DVDx 2 but is sync with DVDx 4. But sounds still some work to be done.

[Noahtuck]

The DVD is NTSC @ 29.97 and the encoded Xvid is 29.97

I will try a different dvd and see what happens.

The dvd is Babylon 5 season 1 disc 1.

It does show all 4 titles combined and each title separately and i selected the first single title to test the encode.

[Starbuck2010]

Hello all,

To support DVDx 4 Open Edition project, the labDV team has leveraged on my DVDx 4.0 Open Edition code, thanks to LGPL license. It will be sold as DVDx 4 Smart Edition for a reasonnable price.

I'm happy to announce DVDx 4.0 Smart Edition Beta1 release!

This edition requires an activation with the labDV VIP Pass (MyDVDx) credentials, if not activated, it runs Open Edition features.

Direct link download from GoogleCode: http://dvdx4-builds.googlecode.com/files/dvdx-4.0.0.6a-win32.exe

What's new in Smart Edition:

• Encoder user settings: rezolution, bitrate, audio sampling
• One-click 2-pass encoding to DivX-Xvid to fit video movies in one 700MB CD
• One-click remux video files (correct bad index and bad sync.)
• Better process monitoring: display remaining encoding timed
• Better process monitoring: display real-time encoding speed
• FFmpeg 64-bit engine

Registering at MyDVDx and activating Smart Edition will provide you with the new features and contribute to fund the whole DVDx 4 project (much more to come).

Enjoy
Starbuck

[MACS RULE!!!]

Sorry but right now this program is driving me insane!!

Why does it keep saying "Failed to set player input."

We are trying to import footage of a rugby league game from a source that has always worked when we used DVDx2. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt!!!!!

I haves wasted too much of my weekend on this!!!

[SWBisbee]

Will not register says no internet connection, already have vip pass

[MACS RULE!!!]

Will not register says no internet connection, already have vip pass

Yes we do have an internet connection! But has nothing to do with it. Program is on the computer DVD is in drive. never needed internet connection before

VIP Pass????

[SWBisbee]

Please read: This edition requires an activation with the labDV VIP Pass (MyDVDx) credentials, if not activated, it runs Open Edition features. Starbuck

Program does not connect to the internet

This is for starbuck

[MACS RULE!!!]

Please read: This edition requires an activation with the labDV VIP Pass (MyDVDx) credentials, if not activated, it runs Open Edition features. Starbuck

Program does not connect to the internet

This is for starbuck

So its no longer a free program?