new to VA - some basic questions

[fluffykeith]

Hi

I'm looking at VA wondering if it can do what I want.
Basically I have some VCD disks that I want to have on the hard disk. How do I do that?

or maybe even the built in video library - can that play various formats, mpg, avi or only VA?

cheers

Keith

[pBS]

vcd .dat files are just mpgs, so if they aren't already in the .ext list in config.xml, add them to playable list and then you can just click on them..

menus may be a problem...not sure if the dvd nav can handle them, they are similar but not same...would have to find out if there's a directshow filter available or just try adding the start file ext to the list..[for dvd it's Video_ts.ifo]
cuz if there's already a built-in filter, it should just start playing..

[fluffykeith]

I found a tool to convert the dat file to an mpg and do some basic edits. VCDGear - only played with it a little bit but I did find that the encoding of the audio is different to the PVRX2 recordings in that AC3filter converts one to surround but not the one of the VCD.

So, now I can get the VCDs off - but can you recommend a tool for ripping DVDs. Basically, I guess I am just after something to take DVDs and the main audio track to a MPEG. When I have looked into it before I fould that the audo and video have to be ripped seperately the rejoined to form the mpeg. Is that always the case or are there tools to do it in one step?

Thanks for helping

Cheers

Keith

[pBS]

i just use mencoder to rip to whole mpegs..mplayer can also but it doesn't re-compress..[end up with 6+ gig mpg file]

usually i rip to avi but almost same for mpegs.

Code:

Mencoder.exe -cache 8192 -alang en -vf filmdint,softskip -ofps 24000/1001 -fps 30000/1001 -dvd-device[color=Red] h:[/color] dvd://[color=Red]1[/color] -priority normal  -dvdangle 1 -oac lavc -ovc lavc -lavcopts vbitrate=2800:ildct:vmax_b_frames=2:acodec=mp2:abitrate=160:autoaspect:keyint=15  -of mpeg -mpegopts format=dvd:telecine  -idx -o "outputmovie.mpg" -af volume=16

change stuff in red for your movie..[not always same title#(dvd://1)]

this will only work for movies that haven't gotten 'cute' with the copy protection, normally 90% of movies work...but some trip it up..

[fluffykeith]

Thanks for the info pBS

SOunds just the job - I'll give it a go.

cheers

Keith

[fluffykeith]

I tried it but it didn't quite work. So then I tried a gui front end for it which helped a little but I got blank video with both.
I wasn't quite sure which track etc I would get - the part I got was quite short, I guess the menu.
The only other way seems to demux the tracks the mux them again - is that right?

EDIT: I've found a program (freeware) called VOB2MPG - basically its a no options, no config, it either works or it doesn't type program that goes through each of the VOBs and creates MPEGs. I don't know what it will do with multiple sound tracks or copyrights but for my use, which is basically ripping simple home movie DVDs back to mpeg, it works a treat.

cheers

Keith

[pBS]

you were probably picking the wrong title to play on the disk...
[it varies from disk to disk]
i usually just open the dvd in a real player and look to see which one is the main movie..

sometimes it's hard to figure out which one is the big movie..
anyways, glad you got it going...