Ok, I'm just getting started trying to make back-up copies of DVDs that I own. I did a lot of research and a lot of playing around. After my 3 attempts this weekend, I was left with 2 coasters, 1 perfect copy and a lot of questions! I'm sure these have probably been asked in one form or another, but there's just so much content here and my questions are all over the place that I figured I'd start a new thread. Before I begin, thanks for taking the time to read this.. Any assistance that you might be able to offer would be appreciated! The first thing I tried to do was to use DVD X Copy from 321 Studios. I had heard that this software was excellent. Well, all it did was say that it couldn't do anything because the DVD was protected with css. Is this software useful for anything? So, I pulled out the Xilisoft DVD Ripper. I pretty much left all the settings as their defaults (Video CD MPEG1 @ 352x240). I loaded the output from this into Nero and turned it into a video CD. When I played it back on the television, the picture was pretty poor. I figured that I needed to use a resolution higher than 352x240. So, I tossed the DVD in the garbage and went back to work. I reset the settings on Xilisoft to Super Video (MPEG2 @480x480) and then followed the same procedure -- again burning with Nero. The results were MUCH better, but the picture was a little "sluggish." Is this a limitation of my CPU not being able to handle the picture quality at that resolution or is the resolution just set to low and I just need to use a higher resolution -- If I set the resolution to 720x480 will I have better results, the same results or worse results? After the super video test, I found DVD Decrypter - Fantastic software! I had no problem making an exact copy. Questions from that process: If I look at the DVD in file mode, there seem to be three types of files (IFO, VOB, BUF). I would eventually like to be able to remove such things as previews, FBI Warnings, etc when I make my back-up copy. I'm guessing that some of these tracks are exactly that sort of content and can be removed. How can I find out more about these (what are each of the extensions, what is their function) Last question that I can think of right now - If I want to do some simple editing (remove a chapter, move part of a chapter somewhere else) what good tools are out there that would help with these sorts of tasks. Thanks again for taking the time to read respond! I had a lot of fun this weekend and can't wait to play around more!
You did the right thing in getting DVD Decrypter. Those file types... For your DVD to play in your player it has to meet certain specifications. These specifications are laid out in, what else, The DVD Specification Book. One part of the specification requires that a DVD-Video have certain files on it. These include the files you mentioned. These are: 1. IFO, this stands for InFOrmation. This is the file that contains the navigation data your player needs and you access when you press a button on the player's remote control. 2. BUP, this stands for BackUP. This is a virtual copy of the IFO file and must be present for the DVD to play correctly. 3. VOB, this stands for Video OBject. Here is where all the actual video files are embedded or multiplexed into the video are the audio and sub-picture streams. Your computer media player can play these by themselves, without the IFO or BUP files. All these files are laid out on the DVD in a very specific manner, along with a few other required parts. As far as simple editing goes, try DVD Shrink. It will let you remove things and save others. There are lots of guides available for using both Decrypter and Shrink. Try one of ScubaPete's guides: http://www.dvdplusvideo.com/tutorial007.html Frank
Cheers to fastfrank and what he said. 6 months ago I was where you are, jb, but with Decrypter and Shrink, I've backed-up my entire DVD library. When you bump up against a term you're not familiar with, try the Glossary section of Afterdawn. Decrypter only rips and burns. It doesn't "shrink to fit" a normal commercially- produced movie with is a DVD-9 (or dual layer) disc to a DVD-5 (or single layer) disc. Shrink handles that part for me as well as removing al the stuf I don't want - extras, menus, nag screens, foreign language subtitles, etc. The 2 programs together make a nice little package. Shrink has a very simple (VERY simple) editing function called "Start/end frames" which is nice considering its a free program. It has some limitations. Each section you "carve out" becomes a separate title so that you can't "rewind" through a previous section when playing the spliced together DVD - you have to go back to the begining and play though. It takes more advanced software to create rewind ability. But as a learning experience it's great!
Thank you GT50 for filling in some of the areas I glossed over. The thing I like about joining a few clips together with Shrink is how easy it is. jbfraleig, You will have a lot of fun doing this and you will see how basic editing is done. Also about those resolutions... That is not an issue when using Shrink/Decrypter. You will always make DVDs at the same resolution as the source.
