I haven't ripped a DVD to .avi In years. What's the best free way?

[snafoo]

Years ago, i ripped an UNPROTECTED DVD to .avi, but forgot how. I have some UNPROTECTED DVD's that i wanna watch on my Samsung HDTV. My Samsung doesn't play mp4. It only plays avi. What's the best free software to do this?

Happy Holidays, everyone!

[davexnet]

Probably a few ways to do it, even today.
AutoGK - takes care of everything, inverse telecine, frame rate, deinterlace, etc. (Not sure if it runs on recent Windows)

Or using recent software MakeMKV and Xmedia Recode. Use MakeMKV to create a lossless MKV of the main movie.
Then use XMR to convert to DIVX Avi/Mp3. But you'll need to take care of the stuff I mentioned above manually

[ProWo]

For unprotected DVDs you can also use clever Ffmpeg-GUI to rip the movie and elaborate it further.
It's small, portable and doesn't need installation.

[Sharc]

One would have to reencode the DVD rip (mpeg2) to mpeg4 part2 (=mpeg4 visual) for .avi.
It can be done with ffmpeg, like
https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/MPEG-4
Replace the input file by your ripped file (*.mkv in case of ripping the DVD with MakeMKV).
Using a GUI which does it may be simpler though.

[ProWo]

My Samsung doesn't play mp4. It only plays avi.

Could you specify the exact model of your Samsung HDTV?

[jagabo]

If your TV plays MPG files: VOB2MPG

[IndigoZephyr]

DVDFab can convert your DVD disc to AVI as well.

[netmask56]

Samsung TV's normally, natively supports MKV container format unless its a very old TV. Using MakeMKV is the easiest and best way to do it without any re-encoding or loss of quality. It will work on all DVDs protected or not.

[cholla]

First you need to rip the UNPROTECTED DVD to your PC in DVD format folders.
Then join the .vobs.
I use one of these programs to do this & both work equally well.
https://www.videohelp.com/software/VOBMerge
or
https://beginwithsoftware.com/videoguides/joinvobfilestool.html

Then use ffmpeg to convert the "joined.vob" into an .avi.

ffmpeg -i input.vob -c copy -r 29.97 output.avi

The -r 29.97 is the frame rate of the .vob I tested with.
Yours should be the same but if it isn't match the frame rate to your .vob.
You can check the framerate with MediaInfo,

[hech54]

MakeMKV then Handbrake.

[johns0]

Or vidcoder.

[snafoo]

Probably a few ways to do it, even today.
AutoGK - takes care of everything, inverse telecine, frame rate, deinterlace, etc. (Not sure if it runs on recent Windows)

Or using recent software MakeMKV and Xmedia Recode. Use MakeMKV to create a lossless MKV of the main movie.
Then use XMR to convert to DIVX Avi/Mp3. But you'll need to take care of the stuff I mentioned above manually

Been a while since i have been on the site. Thanks for the suggestions!

[snafoo]

OK i want to really go the extra mile in ripping DVD's to a video file. I know that MKV is better quality than MP4. I know that Handbrake is supposed to be a good piece of software to do the trick. Does anyone have a set way that they rip their DVD's, with the upmost in quality? Please let me know. I have used Handbrake, but i did not go through the settings to make optimal rips. Please advise. Thanks!

[johns0]

Mkv isn't better quality,just a different container,just rip the dvds with makemkv and encode with vidcoder,search videohelp for more info.

[cholla]

It depends on if you are still working with unprotected DVDs.
Whether if you still want an .avi or now an .mkv.

If unprotected just rip full size to a dvd9 with whichever program you choose.
Handbrake will work with a DVD .ifo.
MakeMkv will also rip an unprotedted DVD & a protected DVD usually.This may depend on how new the movie is.
DVDFab will also rip both even after the trial but has a waiting period for new releases.
DVDFab Passkey Lite will also do this.

I do not have vidcoder but it probably works much the same as Handbrake to create the file format you want.
ProWos Clever a ffmpeg GUI should also do the conversion to .mkv.
I have not tested it using an .ifo file. Prowo can post if it can do that.
So many methods you just need to test them & choose the one you like.

[Alwyn]

Mkv isn't better quality,just a different container

Correct. If you rip a DVD with MakeMKV, you will see, with MediaInfo, that the codec is MPEG2, the original DVD video format.

If you have size constraints, you can re-encode that into H264/MP4 with programs such as Handbrake, Vidcoder (I'm not familiar with Videcoder).

If you don't have size constraints, leave the file as-is, in MKV (MPEG 2), or do a lossless "conversion" from MKV to MPG with AVIDemux. In fact, if the DVD is unprotected, AVIDeumx will do the whole lot, after you have copied your DVD VIDEO_TS folder to your hard drive. Do not use Handbrake to convert MKV to MPG; as far as I am aware, HB does not do smart-rendering/lossless transfers.

[snafoo]

strange thing when trying to download Vidcoder. My PC's antivirus detected a trojan in the download. Anyone else's antivirus detect a trojan when trying to download Vidcoder?

[Alwyn]

No issues with the Vidcoder downloads (EXE and ZIP) here. No reports from Windows Defender or Malwarebytes.

[davexnet]

strange thing when trying to download Vidcoder. My PC's antivirus detected a trojan in the download. Anyone else's antivirus detect a trojan when trying to download Vidcoder?

Where did you download it from?

[snafoo]

strange thing when trying to download Vidcoder. My PC's antivirus detected a trojan in the download. Anyone else's antivirus detect a trojan when trying to download Vidcoder?

Where did you download it from?

from this website. i will use it if it is not infected.

[johns0]

Your virus protector sounds like either McAfee or Norton's,neither to be trusted.

[snafoo]

Your virus protector sounds like either McAfee or Norton's,neither to be trusted.

I had RAV Endpoint Protection installed. I uninstalled it. I i will now download vidcoder!