Hi folks, First off cheers for the guides. They're very helpful and organized (rarity these days), and they're much appreciated. I have two somewhat unrelated questions. I've been reading posts and guides, and I understand that due to CSS encoding, it's not possible to simply copy a DVD bit by bit (byte/block/sector, whatever DVDs use) to a hard disk. So the content must first be decrypted, then copied over, which I guess is one and the same in a stream algorithm. My question is whether this decryption/ripping in any way reduces the quality of the resultant streams stored on the hard drive? A simpler way to phrase it might be to ask if it's reversible: If I rip a DVD to HDD, and burn it back, and rip it again, will there be any difference in the extracted files? I guess for the sake of argument, you can assume that burning it back results in a perfect burn to answer that. (I'm assuming there's no loss of quality when putting VOB files on a DVD). My second unrelated question [can't believe you're still reading this ] is whether there's a straightforward way to create a custom DVD once the DVD is decrypted/ripped. What I want to do in essence is backup my DVD collection by extracting the main movie from a DVD (hopefully with no loss in quality), and just backing it up with at most chapters, and a simple menu. I'm trying to keep it simple to avoid compression, by the way. I've read some stuff on DVD Shrink's reauthoring and a bit on IFOEdit. Any good guides you can point me to? Thanks again, mers
In answer to your first question: The ripping process ONLY removes the encryption key (CSS) and does not affect ANY of the video/audio content contained. So by ripping to HD, burning then ripping again - you should not see ANY difference between the 2..... If you have a single layer DVD5, then this can be a 1:1 copy, but without the CSS......so no loss in quality..... It would be unusual for you to avoid having to compress slightly as more and more dvd's are coming out as dual layer discs DVD9.... As before, with a DVD5, then you will not need to compress as it will fit on a standard blank -r/+r etc.... However with a DVD9, you will probably need to compress a little (handled by programs easily) unless, after stripping audio/subtitles/menus etc the total size is below 4.37Gb, then it can be burned as is.... I just keep the movie as I do not seem there is much point having a menu, when the only selection you have is to play the movie.....just my preferance...... If you do require a simple menu, then TMPGenc Dvd Author would be a good start, this has simple menu's and can fully author a dvd compliant set of files..... Have a look at http://www.chrismccann.co.uk for some useful info and a host of user friendly guides..... The programs you want to have a look at are Dvd Decrypter, Dvd Shrink, Dvd2one - and some burning programs such as Nero and Recordnow DX..... For TMPGenc to work, you will need to obviously rip first then strip/compress if required.... Hope this helps......
Thanks for your reply baabaa. As you said... That's what I'd like to do to, just have the movie. I was under the impression that you had to have a menu of some sort, my newbie mistake. From what you're saying, can I use SmartRipper to just extract the main title, use Nero to burn those files as a DVD movie, and it would start playing the title when I put the DVD into a settop box then? Cheers, mers
In order for the dvd to start playing, it requires a video_ts IFO (I think)... If you just rip the movie portion you will not get the video_ts IFO..... If you include the video_ts IFO, then it will be wrong as it has info pointing at areas that you have removed......with me so far.... I am pretty sure that if you rip just the movie IFO and VOBS and burn them, then it will not play (maybe wrong, as I have never tried it) So if I am correct, we need to rip the movie IFO and VOBS, then re-author those to a dvd compliant structure. The structure needs to include IFO/BUP/VOB... Re-authoring tools like Dvd Shrink and Dvd2one do this flawlessly, Dvd Shrink is free, whereas Dvd2one costs you some money.... So I think Dvd Shrink is the way to go first.....this can rip and strip/compress and re-author, but you need Nero or another suitable burning program to burn to dvd.... I have never used Smartripper to rip, or even Dvd Shrink so I cannot comment on them.....but yes you can set them up to just rip the movie IFO and VOBS..... The guide at http://www.chrismccann.co.uk for Dvd Shrink will work for you..... But you can download Dvd Decrypter and try that, that is a good ripping tool, one which I use all the time....... You can set Dvd Decrypter up to just rip the movie IFO and VOBS..........then import them into Dvd Shrink to compress (if over 4.7gb) abd re-author a dvd compliant set of files which will play as soon as it is inserted in the dvd player..... ALL these files NEED to be placed into a folder called VIDEO_TS (in capitals) and that folder just needs to be burned...... You can also, use Dvd Decrypter to rip and then Ifoedit to generate the correct IFO's for the movie information, but I think Dvd Shrink and the guide will be easier for you to use.... Hope this helps.....any Q's just post.....
Perfect mate, the DVD Shrink guide you pointed me at has a step-by-step explanation of the reauthoring process. Now I just need to buy a burner. Hehe. Thanks!
Hmmm, I read somewhere one of those burner thingy's could have some sort of use.......LOL Hope it helped.....
