Mencoder exits unexpectedly re-encoding a DVD rip

[ehjd94jvq0]

I'm trying to re-encode a VOB file copied from a DVD I own. My problem is that when mencoder approaches the end of the encode, it just exits.

Before the exit, the most recent output/error messages I get are regarding some frame-rate and aspect ratio switching, but this occurs several other times in the movie and the encoder has no problem proceeding through it.

If I offset the encode by even just a second (-ss 1) the encode completes successfully. So there isn't some weird data at the end that just causes mencoder to exit, apparently.

I've verified the issue using both 'x264' and 'lavc' video encoders, and with sound disabled completely (-nosound). Aside from codec-specific diagnostics, the messages before the exit are identical.

Even with "-msglevel all=9" the output and error messages don't clearly indicate to me why mencoder is exiting -- like I said, all the messages I see at the end are things that also occur earlier in the encode, with no problem. And, when I encode with "-ss 1", the same messages also occur; but instead of exiting, that encode keeps going.

Any ideas on how I can get more information as to what's causing the unexpected exit? I can post the logs if it might be helpful.

[hech54]

Taking just one VOB from the set that you see on a DVD is never recommended. All of the VOB files work together carrying data from the previous and passing it on to the next, and so on and so on.

[ehjd94jvq0]

Thanks for the reply, hech54 -- I tried using dvd://[track] instead of the VOB file, and sure enough it works fine.

I'm still confused by the output I was getting before; was what I was doing really so stupid, that no one bothered to make an error message for it? (FWIW, I wasn't just copying the VOB files from the DVD, but was using mencoder with -dumpstream -dumpfile as a few guides had suggested to me)

Anyway, you're right about the root cause, so I'll just have to re-evaulate my ripping method. Thanks again.