So, my DVD Ripper of choice is Xilisoft, I find it the fastest option, with enough options, but nice enough GUI to be extremely usable. My problem with it, as I found out to my displeasure is when ripping 16:9 DVDs to Xvid avis. Now, they give you an option of the aspect ratio, but that bears no impact on the avi you end up with, no matter what you choose, it gives you a 5:4 avi, with 5:4 pixel size. Now, I found a great program, MPEG4Modifier, http://www.moitah.net/ which changes the header information of the files, to say 16:9, instead of 5:4, so that programs like Windows Media Player and the like play it properly, which is great, but that wasn't what I wanted to use the rips for. I've an Archos MP4 player and wanted to watch the rips while travelling. Problem is that the Archos doesn't take any notice of the headers, obviously, it just plays the file how it is, so when it's on there, it still tries to play as 5:4 and all messed up. So, after trying all the other way rounds, and not really interested in going through each and every DVD I ripped and doing it all over again, I was wondering if there's a program that'll hopefully batch convert loads of files, but not re-encode, just change pixel size. Is this even possible, I don't know? I've used AviDemux a little bit and that's great for just copying the stream you put in, but if I change a setting, I think it needs to fully re-encode, which I think would be a massive waste of effort. Just to give you an example of this, as AviDemux also sees through my hack, here's an example of what it sees, as you can see, I've put a fake filter on the file, just to get a preview. So even though its size is 720*576, it's coming up as a stretched, 5:4 image: Thanks for any help you'd be able to give and I'll take on board any and all reasonable suggestions.
Actually, looking at it again, all I really want is a program that can set the aspect ratio, properly. Not by editing the header files, like I described with MPEG4Modifier, but properly. Preferably without the re-encoding process, but if that needs to be done, it needs to be done.
Have a look at Alltoavi: http://alltoavi.sourceforge.net/ Let's you set Aspect Ratio, not sure on the reencoding.
Well no one here ever recommends Xilisoft (except for the spammers). You also have not provided details of what your Archos actually needs as far as format. Also note ripping and converting are 2 distinct phases. If MPEG-4 Modifier did not work you will probably have to re-encode. You could use your already converted files, but I would start over with ripped DVD files (ripping is simply transferring from your opticals to your HDD, removing protection, but not converting)). Here's an excellent free app that has many output options. http://www.winnydows.com/page.php?2
YUP your Archos actually needs as far as format. Also note ripping and converting are 2 distinct phases.
no idea what you mean by that, there's nothing wrong with my Archos, it's just that I put incorrectly encoded video files on it. understood, I've since gone back and ripped the DVDs to the hard-drive with AnyDVD, then converted them with AutoGK. because the DVDs are episode DVDs, I've had to split them up, after conversion with AviDemux, in future, I'll use DVD Decrypter to do that when ripping. thanks anyway guys.
