DVD-Video to DVD+-R : Movie only rip - A summary

[akis]

Hello all

Because some films are so complicated with previews, extra material, menus etc, I decided that all I need is a straight forward movie copy that you put in and starts playing. ReMPEG-ing is not an option as (a) it takes ages (b) produces inferior results (my experiment on Cast Away produced awful results) (c) blanks are so cheap anyway. So I would like to be able to split a larger movie into 2 DVDs.

If the stripped movie fits into 1 DVD then Enemy_Within's short guide is very accurate and works even with American Pie. Many thanks to EnemyWithin for a simple guide that works.

But if for example I wanted to keep the French audio in American Pie, then it would not fit into 1 DVD and I would need to split it. IFOEdit falls over when splitting DVDs (those that have multiple titles at least). Also the author of IFOEdit is now working on DVD X Copy and so I do not expect a new version that could handle splitting complicated films like American Pie.

Has anyone got a reliable method for splitting a lengthy movie into 2 DVDs without recompressing and without manually editing 1 zillion items in IFOEdit?

Finally, IFOEdit's option of "Create IFOs" would have been ideal as it would allow you to select the VOBs that you need, copy them into 1 or 2 directories as appropriate (basically doing the splitting by means of selecting which VOBs would go where - no parsing at all), then run this option to get your header files (IFOs) and all would be there. Unfortunately it messes the audio streams and subtitles.

[Bstansbury]

AKIS,... I've done what you have suggested in you final paragraph and it works fine,... but I did strip out all languages and subtitles other than english. All I had left was the main movie. Then split it in two,.. it is a little more complicated than that. I'm in the process of making a small guide, since it is a simple process,... but I need to test it out on several movies myself to make sure things work as expected. I have had no problems with the audio doing it this way.

[akis]

The premise is that the 2 disks are completely independent of each other. In his split guide he suggests we copy all other files intact but that creates lots pf problems with chapters, multiple titles, menus etc.

In my case, "Create IFOs" messes the subtitles (they appear smudgy green) and sometimes audio streams. But it solves the problem of incorrect chapters, multiple titles per movie etc. If I prove that there is ONLY a problem with smudgy green subtitles then this would be a viable solution provided we strip away the subtitles.

So if the solution of "Create IFOs" is to be used, then I wonder if we need to go through the extra step of "ripping" anything out of those VOB files which we know contain our movie. Is there any reason to use "VOB Extras"? Can we not simply copy the VOB files into the "disk1" and "disk2" directories straight off DVDDecrypter and then do a "CreateIFOs" on them?

[akis]

Ref my last para, I forgot to clarify that in case we are using 2 DVDs then there is no reason to strip audio streams and/or subtitles.

[Bstansbury]

AKIS, I believe that is right but as I said, it will take some more testing. If you proceed we will have several tests going. Be sure and use RW media. There is no sense experimenting and making coaster. They are too expensive.

By the way, I did take a lot of the initial information for other post that I have received and from one specific guide. My problem is that I have downloaded so many guides (about 30+) I did not keep track of where I got it. Anyway, one other very important item was the guide on how to fix the 2nd disk such that it starts with the main movie. I will locate that guide and either send you the entire guide or add the link here.

[akis]

I tried splitting Lord of the rings. I decrypted and then manually copied the VOB files into two directories (I had to rename those on the second disk so that they number from 1). Then I ran IFOEdit / Create IFOs on both.

I tested the results with WinDVD. It all seemed OK except:
(a) The subtitles were a smudgy green (OK I can live with that)
(b) There was no description for either the audio streams or the subtitles (eg English, French etc), but I can live with that too. The audio streams did have the correct info though, eg AC3 5.1 48KHz etc
(c) navigation is well flaky on disk2. FF at anything over +4X results in a lock. Changing chapters jumps to the first one or gets locked. Similar results when tried on the Pioneer DVD player at home.


So it seems splitting to 2 DVDs is not successful yet. I wonder why navigation is so bad on disk2. It all seems correct.

[Bstansbury]

In the movies I've tried, I've always stripped out all subtitles, even english and all audio files except the one I want. I've also stripped out the menu since there is nothing left to select, and the movie starts right away.

I have noticed in other films that I put through IFOedit, the subtitles were smeared also. Don't know what that is all about. Could be the bug I've heard about in IFOedit and NTSC. Most Menus are in NTSC.

On the ones that I have made, I've had no problem with 2x and 4x, and jumping to chapters, they have all worked. The problem is I have only done 2 movies. Search the forum for problems with IFOedit and see if you can find anything. I saw a new guide from Doug Crowe and in it I think he mentions the problems with NTSC.

I'm just happy that you got "Lord of the Rings" 'Divided' into 2 disks and they play. I can live without FF but I do like chapter jump.

You did make sure that you got new VTS sectors on the 2nd disk. right.

[akis]

Yes that sums it right. I can't "jump to previous-next chapter" BUT I can select the chapter number directly (the Pioneer allows you to simply press a number button) and then it is OK. This happens only with disk2. Yes I have done Get VTS Sectors.

The nature of the problem implies that the VOB files contain some navigational information too, so when the IFO files get created they contain wrong information for disk2 which is missing a whole lot of chapters from the beginning. Disk1 apparently is not affected because it is missing chapters at the end.

It probably all hinges around the "Create IFOs" function - it perhaps has minor bugs and I do not think we will be seeing an upgrade as the author is working commercially on DVD X Copy now.

Is there any other software that can do "Create IFOs" ??? That is all we need from IFOEdit, not any of its other features.

[Bstansbury]

I don't think there is anything except IFOedit. I haven't tried VOBedit much and don't know anyting about it. Check the e-mail I sent you, It had a different guide and might have something in it.

In that guide there is a section on how to fix the 2nd movie to start right away. This may be the one thing that gets the chapters on track. Try it.

[barret907k]

Yes i have found a program that made ifo files. IT takes a little more effert but it can be done. The program is Dazzle DVD Creator. YOu need to make a dvd image and then look into the directory for the dvd video folder and there is the ifo and other video files.

[akis]

Thanks for the email. I had a quick look. All checked - illegal navigation is not the problem. It just jumps to Title 1. There is another problem somewhere.

If someone could give me the format of the VOB files and what is expected in the IFO files, I would sit down write a simple program. I bet a simple copier which copies the main movie without any extra bells and whistles would be very popular.

[akis]

Just used same technique for Cast Away: manually copy the VOB files into 2 directories and then use Create IFOs. disk2 plays fine, but thinks it has 23 chapters when it only has 20. Trying to jump to any chapter beyond 20 stops the playback. FF and FR also stops the playback. Edited the IFO files, told it it only had 20 chapters, still it did not improve FF abd FR at all. Navigation on disk1 works absolutely fine with no extra edits.

[destrozeitor]

Hey guys. This solves the green subtitles.

Once you have rebuilded the vobs with ifoedit:

(Copied from other forum, dont remember author. Sorry)

1. Open the IFO from the original DVD
-(the first place ripped vts_01_x.ifo)-
2. Locate a line that reads something like F:ORIGINALDVDFOLDER......???.IFO
3. Expand the tree and locate VTS_PGCITI
4. Expand this tree
5. Select the first Cell listed
6. Select SubTile Color from top Menu
7. Select Copy Colors From this PGC
8. Now Switch over to the new IFO you created which should be listed right above.
9. Locate the same line and select the first cell.
10. Select Subtitle Color from Menu, and Select Past Color from PGC Cell
11. Select Save from the bottom menu to save ur edited IFO

Tried in two diferents films and works.

[akis]

Yes the color entries are all 0 on the files produced by IFOEdit, this must be the reason for the funny subtitles.

However I cannot seem to follow your mini-guide : did you use IFOEdit for the editing of those colours?

[Jinwoo]

Hi guys,

I was able to split Starwars Episode II using IfoEdit without any problem. It was very simple.

I followed one of the guide in this site
Process is something like this

1. Rip DVD (all files to one folder)
2. Open Ifo file for the main movie in IFO edit
3. Click on VOB extra select 2 DVD option
4. Ifo edit will ask you what chapter do want to split (I use default)

Then Ifo edit will creat 2 folders with all the files you need.

You just have to do the sector adjustment.

In result, I was able to obtain every audio and subtitle unchanged.


Hope this help

[akis]

But you did not get proper IFO files (if at all) especially for the second disk. So your second disk will be unplayable or it will have serious navigational errors.

[Jinwoo]

Here is the site with the detailed instruction.

http://www.doom9.org/mpg/ifoedit-2dvdrs.htm

If this link does not work properly, goto www.doom9.org
select ifoedit on right upper screen.
Then select guide DVD-9 to 2 DVDRs


I skipped the steps 3,4,5. They are optional

[Jinwoo]

But you did not get proper IFO files (if at all) especially for the second disk. So your second disk will be unplayable or it will have serious navigational errors.

Ifoedit created all necessary files including .ifo files and VOB files for both disks in two directories.

All I had to do was sector adjustment.

[destrozeitor]

Akis:

Yes. When i say to "open the ifo....." i wanna say to open it with Ifoedit, and referred to the "copy colors" part you have that option in the ifoedit taskbar. (press on "subtitle color")

Version used: 095

[akis]

But you did not get proper IFO files (if at all) especially for the second disk. So your second disk will be unplayable or it will have serious navigational errors.

Ifoedit created all necessary files including .ifo files and VOB files for both disks in two directories.

All I had to do was sector adjustment.

Yeap I tried that yesterday on American Pie DC and it works fine. Except (i) the VIDEO_TS.IFO and all other files have to be copied manually (easy)
(ii) You can copy all other content to both disks (if it fits) so you can watch the "extras" on both disks
(iii) You may want to split half-way through the movie (look at the Position) and not where IFOEdit suggests. That way you will have 2 balanced disks.
(iv) Both disks think they have the wrong number of chapters, but navigation seems to work on WinDVD 4 - tonight I will try on the settop player and if it works I will copy to DVD+R.

[Bstansbury]

AKIS, In reading your last post, it seems you used a combination of the two guides we've been talking about. In the guide I did, I did not copy over all the un-used IFO files, even thougth this is defined in the 2nd guide. It seems that to make all functions work, chapters, FF, subtitles, etc. you need to include that step. My problem was that I had already stripped just the main movie and no longer had it. Therefore I was working from only main VOB, I didn't even have IFO files.

Let me know if can update that guide and send it back. It would save me a lot of time trying to read multiple post and try to get it right.

Thanks