DVD to DV ripping

I've looked far and wide across this forum and others, but one solution still eludes me. Is there not a program out there that will let me rip a DVD directly to DV-AVI? They only let me rip to DivX (or something else) and then I have to convert it to DV in VirtualDub using my installed DV codecs (like Panasonic). Why won't a ripping program just let me use my installed DV codecs for ripping? The program recognizes DivX installed, why won't it recognize DV codecs? It seems this would be simpler and less likely that there'd be loss of quality after all the conversions. Maybe I'm wrong. In any case, it would be easier and less time consuming IMO.

Thanks,
MJ

Why do you want to rip to DV?

Not "ripping" (taking a fully digital signal path), but the fastest way to a DV file would be to connect your video camera's FireWire output to the computer, and your DVD player's S-Video output to your camera's S-Video input (which is often a shared, software selectable, connector with the S-Video output). Set your camera to the correct mode (A/V → DV on Canons) and import with your computer editing software.

I agree with Markie that connecting the camera to the DVD player seems to be the best (i.e. easiest) method, but alas my little Panasonic is a low end model without S-Video! But even so, isn't S-Video just video, no audio? I don't think my model has any sort of analog inputs, only output.

The idea is to edit the file in Premiere. If I setup Premiere to edit with a DV codec then I won't have to render the clips in Premiere if the file codec and the editing codec match. As everyone knows who's tried, editing with compressed media is no good (like DivX and MP3). It's just too bad that a ripping program won't let me choose whichever codec I have installed.

If anyone hears of a program that will let me do that, it'd be great to know of it. There are others on this forum who would like to know as well. For now I guess I'll stick with the longer way.

MJ

UPDATE:

I recently reinstalled a lot of software & codecs, including DVDx. When I went to the output settings>AVI under the codec dropdown menu, low and behold I saw my Panasonic DV codec listed! I installed the Canopus codec and it replaced the Panasonic codec on the menu. Uninstalled the Canopus and the Panasonic was back. I noticed the menu listed 9 codecs althought I know there are more than that installed on my machine. Perhaps DVDx only allows for 9 codecs to choose from. I'll experiment a little more, but for those who want to rip directly to DV it appears there is an answer.

MJ