Hello Afterdawn Experts!! For quite a while I have been using DVD Shrink alone to rip my movies and then Nero to burn them. I haven't needed any other programs or had any problems. Then I got the movie "Click" and I had to follow arniebear's great guide using Ripit4me, then go to DVDDecrypter, FixVTS, then DVD Shrink followed by Nero. It's a lot of manipulation, and arniebear's guide was a total blessing and worked perfectly, but now I'm in a quandry. I got a bad burn recently when using DVD Shrink alone for the somewhat new "Legend of Zorro" movie. I watched part of my burned DVD which at first seemed ok, and then it began to jump around and have problems. So my question is, when do I use DVD Shrink alone and when do I need to use these other programs? A while back I used alkohol's guide for DVDFabDecrypter and VOBBlocker for some other problematic movie (I can't remember which one) that DVD Shrink couldn't handle alone. So having said all of this, how do I know which method to use for which movies? Is there some formula or are certain studio releases how I will know to use just DVD Shrink alone or to use another of these methods? I know a lot of the experts here on Afterdawn have tremendous understanding of how all the software works and why certain DVD's need certain software, and I now realize that I need to learn what you have come to know. I am using Verbatim media exclusively now, and have only had two bad discs after 175 burns. But I have burned some coasters because of not knowing what software to use for what movies. So please help me with this knowledge that I still need to learn. As always, thanks in advance for your advice and insights. The support I get on every question I ask here at Afterdawn has been invaluable!! Sincerely, Fryerider
Hi. If Shrink didn't choke while processing your input, the problem likely isn't with Shrink. The most likely causes are the following: - using poor quality media. Best is Taiyo Yuden, Verbatim, and made in Japan labeled Fuji and Sony. - burning too fast. A rule of thumb is to burn no faster than half the rated speed of the media. I burn at 4X because I seem to get the best quality burns at that speed most of the time. - out of date firmware. If your burner doesn't have up to date firmware, it may have difficulty burning newer media. Unfortunately some venders don't update their firmware. If you try to process a DVD with DVD Shrink and you get an error, you know you'll have to use other software. If you use the 1-Click wizard mode in Ripit4me, you shouldn't need to intervene to any extent until the DVD Shrink phase. It's also foolproof and will yield a good result if you adhere to the 3 points I raised above. DVDFab Decrypter along with FixVTS and then into Shrink is also pretty much a done deal. By far, the easiest approach is to just run AnyDVD in the background. You can almost always process with Shrink directly from the disk. Here's another Ripit4me guide by alkohol: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/422740 Edit: corrected typo
Either method you mentioned will be fine with any movie, new or old. The biggest thing is to keep your programs updated to keep up with new copy protection strategies, make sure firmware is current and continue using the Verbatims and you should have no problems.
Hi fryerider Just to add to the others good advice: Pretty much any movie distributed/released by Disney or Sony you'll need the other programs. Shrink can't do those alone. Then there's the Universal ones with the infamous running boy and Lions gate that is using Sony's ARccOS. (like this weeks See No Evil). I'm probably missing some here too. So can be hard to tell anymore. AnyDVD is the only program I know that will show what copy protection is used on the disc and all the disc info . I like to know what I'm dealing with - then decide on what I'll use
Hello my advisers! Laddyboy, as I wrote, I'm using Verb's and there hasn't been any problem computer-wise, firmware-wise, etc. You wrote, This is my whole point. Is there a way to KNOW if I need to use other software by which studio released the movie or some other method so I don't waste a disc finding out? You then wrote, What I want to know is, when is it best to use what? I tried the DVDFabDecrypter/VobBlanker method on "Click" and wasted a disc due to jumping and other glitches. When I used Ripit4em it worked perfectly, but I don't know WHY one worked and the other didn't. Last you wrote, I tried loading in AnyDVD on the 21 day free trial and it slowed down the rest of my whole machine. When I removed it everything started to work right again. Due to this I need to figure out the free programs, as AnyDVD really trashed my computer. Locoeng and binkie7: If you have any ideas on how I can use AnyDVD without it slowing my machine to a crawl maybe I will try it again. I just don't like this hit and miss method of trial and error while wasting discs trying to burn these movies. So any other tips would be deeply appreciated. I'm wondering now if I should just use the Ripit4me guide for everything I try to burn just to be sure I get what I want. Thanks so much for all your help, but I'm still unsure how to best go forward. Maybe hit and miss is normal, and I just have to expect to trash a few discs along the way. Let me know what you think. Fryerider
Once you've used the trial on AnyDVD the next step is to buy it. No more trials unfortunately. AnyDVD is a windows based driver that runs in the background and doesn't use alot of system resources. It really shouldn't be slowing down your pc unless maybe there is a conflict somewhere (?). Right off the only thing I can think of that conflicts w/ AnyDVD is DVD43. Hit or miss to me is not normal unless I'm playing around w/ different software. Your best bet imho w/o AnyDVD is to use RipIt4Me. Might be a few extra minutes but hey if you get the job right does it really matter
Yes, I agree with using Ripit4me. It doesn't take a whole lot of extra time as processing a ripped file goes much quicker than processing from the DVD directly. It also works every time. And it's all free! There isn't any outright reason for AnyDVD to slow down your system. As Binkie7 pointed out, the only known conflict is with DVD43 and AnyDVD won't even load if that program is installed. Thus I'm at a loss w/r to that problem. I'm also not sure why DVDFab and Vobblanker didn't work for you, although it is easy to make a mistake with Vobblanker and change DVD structure which is what may have happened. If you're only trying to clean up ripped files, I like FixVTS over 'blanker. If you want to edit out parts of the DVD, 'blanker is great.
If you rip the movie only with DVDFab Decrypter you generally won't need to take the extra VobBlanker step...you can remove the audio and subtitles and might not even need to use DVD Shrink in some cases as you've removed enough content to not need compression.
To my trusted advisors! Boy, I learn so much every time I write a thread!! I never have had DVD43, and from what I've read here on the forum it isn't that great anyway. I, like yourselves, have NO idea why AnyDVD slowed down my system. I was totally ready to plunk down the $ for the program, and I am still bummed that it didn't work for me. But if I can find a better and more reliable way to copy my discs with the other software available that's my goal. laddyboy wrote, I felt the same about using DVDFab and VOBBlocker. I don't know what these programs really do. I'm like a monkey following the guides rather than an expert who knows exactly what each software does. (other than in a very rudimentary way) Using DVD Shrink alone was fine at first, but now I realize that to be SURE that my output will be good and my burn usable I will have to use another method. From what you all seem to agree on, it's Ripit4me, followed by the respective programs listed in arniebear's guide. I know it will take longer than just using DVD Shrink by itself, but at least I won't have to worry about making another shiny coaster. So please just verify for me my understanding that you all agree that the Ripit4me approach is the safest way to avoid the scrapped discs that I so abhor. As always, thanks very much for all your help!! Fryerider
NOTE: make sure to update to the latest, regardless if it's DVDFAB Decrypter or RipIt4Me. DVDFAB Decrypter & VobBlanker is great if you know what you're doing and or looking for (i.e. deleting/blanking out FBI Warnings, rating logos, Trailers/Previews, Extras/Features, etc.) RipIt4Me is another awesome and flawless tool if you know how to use it. It is possibly one of the greatest free ripper beside DVDFAB Decrypter. Best of luck!!
Yes, Ripit4me is the way to go imo if you aren't using AnyDVD. Alkohol also has a ripit4me guide. See the link in his signature in his post above.
Well I have to say it -- The Afterdawn crew is fantastic, and the advice found here is beyond any expectation!! Thanks for your affirmation to my supposition that using Ripit4me is the way to go for hard to rip movies. It certainly takes longer than using DVD Shrink alone, but the promise of no more coasters is well worth the extra effort. One of the things I have been doing lately is trying a rip with DVD Shrink alone, and then watching the ripped files on my hard drive. If it plays well and doesn't have any wierd responses I feel pretty confident in then burning the files to a disc. If not I will head straight to Ripit4me! Special thanks to laddyboy and alkohol. It is alk's guide that I have been using, and when I did the movie "Click", (with much fear and trembling that I would miss a step or something), it worked perfectly! So I now have great confidence. And one of the things that has amazed me is that, once, when starting Ripit4me, it stopped me and told me that there was a new revision for me to download! I mean, WOW, that's more than pretty helpful! And today, when I went on the Afterdawn site, I saw that I had been upgraded to "Junior Member" level instead of "Newbie". For some that might not mean much, but it meant a lot to me! Even so, I still feel like a newbie, even after probably 400 burns. A year ago I floundered with these DVD's, and was ready to just give up and go back to VHS. It was really tough! Then I found Afterdawn and learned that the discs I had been using were junk, that the methods of ripping (i.e. software use) was really able to be learned, and that I could really have some confidence that I wasn't just going to have ongoing frustration. I even learned not only what discs to buy, but even where to buy them for decent prices!! So having said all of this, thanks to all so much!! This has been the best website experience of helpfulness and support I have experienced in over 8 years of internet use. I still want to come to understand more, and especially when and how to use the Ripit4me guide from alkohol with the VobBlanker software so I can routinely delete what I have learned are called "junks and craps". So I would like to ask alkohol to please write another guide for Ripit4me that will also explain when and how to use VobBlanker with the other software in that amazing and beneficial Ripit4me users guide! Thanks to all, and may God bless you richly during this Christmas season!! With deep appreciation, Fryerider
You're very welcome. We're glad we were able to help you out and make your experience an enjoyable one.
@fryerider You're welcome, glad you've got it all sorted out with the guide and the best of all is that you can follow the guide easily. You're the few that can follow it without struggling. Trust me, there are tons of newbies been following and had no clue whatsoever. I tried to make it simple with some nice screenshots, but I guess some people got lost sometimes. There are some really nice members here that are willing to help; to name a few of them: creaky, Locoeng, arniebear, laddyboy, binkie, Car.Mike and JaguardGod (he knows what he's doing, probably one of the most advanced user here). I might make a simple guide with VobBlanker on how to "blank and delete" unwanted junks (i.e. FBI Warnings, Trailers/Previews/Advertise, Rating logo, Extras/Features, etc.) in the near future. However, I strongly deemed that jsoto (the author of VobBlanker) has made a very useful guide via his homepage already, so you can check it out any time. Yes, VobBlanker looks complicated, but it's really not. Once you've mastered all the techniques, it's really simple, just few clicks and PROCESS!! and you'll have a nice backup with high quality in the end. To learn more about VobBlanker, go here http://download.videohelp.com/jsoto/guides.htm In case you want the latest VobBlanker, here http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=903803#post903803 I don't mind waiting an extra 5 minutes for my DVDs/movies to PROCESS via VobBlanker at all -- matter of fact, nearly 90% of all my backups are done with DVDFAB Decrypter + VobBlanker and the rest are done with RipIt4Me. Mostly I'll end up with "Main Movie + Menu" and I can tell you that half (50%) of the time, I can just do a straight burn with Nero Burning Rom or ImgBurn after VobBlanker without transcoding through DVD Shrink or Nero Recode at all. Best of luck!!
Wow! I'm again blown away. First, thanks to creaky for the thumbs up on my post. I bow to the mighty moderator, for I have such great respect for this website and it's leadership! Now, for alkohol - first your list of helpful people is fantastic. I have had posts on my questions from all but Car.Mike and JaguardGod, although I have read some of JaguardGod's informative posts. Binkie 7 has written a lot of times answering my questions, and that has meant a lot to me. Now, you also wrote, Now how do you know, if you don't use DVD Shrink, that the movie and menu will fit your disc? I always have to let DVD Shrink do it's initial examination of the movie disc to see if it will fit 100% or not. Does either DVDFAB Decrypter or VobBlanker give you that information? If so that would be very handy. Or is there some other way to tell if your files will fit on a disc? I also use Nero to burn, but I would need to know if it will fit to have confidence that I'm going to end up with a functional DVD. Boy, every time I get a post like this I learn more, but I also end up asking more questions. So thanks in advance for your answer! (But don't be surprised if it causes me to ask yet another question!) One other little question. I have been buying 16x Verbatims from Newegg, but after reading some posts I have been burning them at 4x since some people seem to think it's better. But my discs I did before, when I was burning at 16x, seem fine and play well. So is this a big deal, a small refinement or what? I sure don't mind taking longer if the quality is really better, but I'd be lying if I said I could see the difference on screen. Then again, I have had some pretty low percentage rips from DVD Shrink and I think the video looks just fine, so maybe I'm not as tuned in or I'm just less fussy than some other folks. In any case, please let me know your opinions! I will now click on the link you gave me and go check out the VobBlanker guide you suggested. I sure hope it's as good as the Ripit4me guide you wrote! Thanks again to everyone for your help and support!! Fryerider
Look at the file on your HDD after you've ripped it...if the size is less than say 4400Mb, then you can go straight to a burn as no compression is needed. It's called progress really...4X used to be the standard speed at which it was recommended to burn all media. With the invent of new high quality drives from BenQ, Lite-On, NEC etc coupled with excellent firmware and high quality media from Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden higher speeds can be achieved with better results and fewer coasters. I make all my burns at 12X and get very good scans from my Verbatim 16X and 8X DVD+R and my TY 8X media.
@fryerider & alkohol Thanks for the nice words. It's post like yours that make coming to aD worth it and make it the great place it is! I normally burn at 8x on 8x media and have been burning more at 12x on 16x media. Only using Taiyo and Verbs. All is good on this end too. editted to add: @amuse - nice post - much appreciated!
