Next question: DVD ripper?

[GetCarter]

Hello clever ones.

I just bought 8 pre-recorded DVDs (Cirque du Soleil) and I want to make a compo of the best bits (onto 1 DVD... don't need menus or anything) for personal use.

Can this be done? What software can I get/buy?

PC is: 3.4 gh P4 1024mb Ram 120 gb HD (not sure of speed of DVD burner)

Ta in advance.

Steve

[JoolzB]

Yeah it can be done. I've done similar stuff using an evaluation copy of Adobe Premiere. Pretty simple but not a cheap bit of software. A bloke at work uses Pinnacle ?? which he'd recommend. I'd imagine if u search around download.com etc you should be able to find something.

Should have mentioned that to rip them you could use something like DVD Shrink

>> Edited by JoolzB on Saturday 22 January 21:01

[murph7355]

Depends how far you want to go Steve.

First, you'll need to get the DVD content editable for your own use. You'll need a decrypter/ripper for this:

www.dvddecrypter.com works OK.

From there, it depends which software you have. There are various bits of editing software for the PC that come with video cameras etc. Adobe Premier is definitely an option, but the full version is expensive (at least 300 quid even if you have a product that is OK for upgrade I think) and the cut down version may not be sufficient for what you want to do (Elements at 70 quid).

I can't help much here though - I binned the PC ages ago for this sort of stuff as I found the Mac, which is far superior in this respect.

You may need to convert the file that pops out of the decrypting software for use in whichever package you choose. You can usually find stuff on the web to do this, but without knowing what you're going to use and what formats it can take, it's an open book.

Here's an off the wall idea for you though...

End of Jan/mid-Feb, Apple launch the Mini Mac. You could use your current screen and keyboard (if the keyboard is USB), and all the editing software you need comes "free" with the machine, or is readily downloadable for free/peanuts from the web

It's a tiny little box, so takes up no room, and will give you a lot of flexibility moving forwards - anything video or audio is so much easier on a Mac...

The box itself is 3-400 quid, so somewhere between the cheap PC software and the expensive software, and you'll get a powerful editing machine leaving your PC free for the other day to day stuff. It also has "cool" written over it (I'm murder for any excuse to buy a new gadget ).

Go on, you know it makes sense

PS You can spec these with Superdrives too. With this, you can do your editing, create your own chapters (DVD scene selection) and make a full DVD with menus (animated and with music if you want) etc etc and burn it yourself...

[smp]

As mentioned above, dvd decrypter is your starting point to remove any encoding.

DVD2ONE now lets you join discs or episodes together onto one disc. I suspect this will do what you are looking for.

Simon.

[GetCarter]

Thanks for the advice chaps... so far I've managed (due to you and some downloads - DVD Decrypter & DVD Shrink) to copy a DVD. Which is actually a bit of a result. Hey ... it works, and for anything to work is a result.

Have yet to work out how to grab 'chapters' from within a continuous movie. Will look at Simons suggestion next.

Andy, I actually work on a Mac (Duel G4) - but due to the sensitivities of the software I use (and the fact that it uses about 102% of the Mac's capabilities) I'm keeping pics/video/internet/games on my PC. (I really can't afford any crashes!) Probably a bad idea to desert the old dear... but there we go.

Oh, and I have the full Adobe PC Premier package (a bargain from e Bay - but have yet the make it understand that anything I have 'ripped' from DVD is any use to it at all.

Ah well. I hate computers anyway.

Thanks again.

Steve

[GetCarter]

...and whilst I'm here: To back up regular files (jpg/doc/wmv etc) to a DVD (Backing up a folder to CD is usually not an option any more, due to size)..

... what software do I need?

Ta again.

[Muncher]

Nero Burning ROM is best for that.

[ErnestM]

GetCarter said:

Thanks for the advice chaps... so far I've managed (due to you and some downloads - DVD Decrypter & DVD Shrink) to copy a DVD. Which is actually a bit of a result. Hey ... it works, and for anything to work is a result. Have yet to work out how to grab 'chapters' from within a continuous movie. Will look at Simons suggestion next. Andy, I actually work on a Mac (Duel G4) - but due to the sensitivities of the software I use (and the fact that it uses about 102% of the Mac's capabilities) I'm keeping pics/video/internet/games on my PC. (I really can't afford any crashes!) Probably a bad idea to desert the old dear... but there we go. Oh, and I have the full Adobe PC Premier package (a bargain from e Bay - but have yet the make it understand that anything I have 'ripped' from DVD is any use to it at all. Ah well. I hate computers anyway. Thanks again. Steve

Did you initialize the MPEG engine in Premier? It usually pops up and reminds you the first time you try to burn a DVD from inside Premier...

ErnestM

PS: After you do that, MPEGS are much more easy to deal with...

[murph7355]

Which is even better. Get a Mini Mac and share the G4s screen, keyboard etc

There are DVD rippers for the Mac that let you select specific chapters, so I'm sure there must be one for the PC somewhere.

Also, can Adobe take in VOB files (the resultant output)? If not, you may well need something to conver the VOB to MPEG or AVI etc.

Bit lost though now as I haven't done this on a PC before.

[ErnestM]

DVDCopy 3 by www.intervideo.com allows you to selectively pull chapters and do some combining...

ErnestM

>> Edited by ErnestM on Monday 24th January 13:49

[JoolzB]

The chap on
this forum reckons you could rename a vob to mpg and hey presto, I'm not so sure. I'll try and find my copy of Premier and see if I can get it going.

[GetCarter]

Thanks people... you will all have mail soon I hope.

Steve

[xm5er]

Minimac The wifes next birthday present, good recommendation!