Thinking of ripping DVD collection to HTPC running NextPVR

[McBainUK]

I'm torn between a full rip (ISO, DVD folder) and movie only (AVI, MKV, ...?). Disk space and quality are the considerations. In my initial tests with DVDFab the ISO was 4GB and the video files were around 800mb to 1GB.

How have other NextPVR users gone about this?

[InVermont]

I use DVDFab to get the full DVD to disk, then use ShrinkDVD to extract just the main movie, remove the subtitles and any audio tracks I don't want(I do not typically shrink the size though). This leaves me with the VOB files.
Then I use VOB2MPEG to make them straight .MPG files. If space is a problem, I use HandbreakCLI to convert them into MP4 files. You can use various profiles.
Some of these steps can be combined into one (like using ShrinkDVD on the original disk) but I like the A->B->C approach, mostly because it works for me.

[imilne]

I've done something similar, keeping DVD quality (via anydvd and dvdshrink), but only keeping the main movie and the soundtracks and subs that I want. I just left them as VIDEO_TS folders. I've done a little under 200 movies, and the average file size came out at 4.7GB*. YMMV.

* some were as low as 2.something, others as high as 6.something.

Iain

[InVermont]

average file size came out at 4.7GB*. YMMV.
Iain

By going to MP4, I can get most movies down to just shy of 1GB (although some are stubborn and go 1.5GB) with little loss of quality.
The nice thing about going to MPG is when the little lady bought Bones (a TV series), I broke the episodes up into individual shows.

[imilne]

It's time (and a probably irrelevant worry over quality seeing as I think all DVDs look rubbish compared to blu-rays) that stops me converting anything to another format.

It's hassles over subtitles that stop me putting everything into mkv containers that would make things much easier.

Iain

[InVermont]

Yes, time is a problem. The conversion from VOB to MPG is quick (a few minutes, because the quality isn't changing), but I had to write a program to schedule conversion to MP4 on overnights.
It takes forever and just makes the machine unusable. I can't say I've ever used subtitles as well.

[ACTCMS]

If I want to watch DVDs on the NMT, I assume that I would need to rip them to mpg.

[steveum]

I use DVDFab to rip the DVD image to the hard drive, then I use Handbrake to create M4V files. The M4V files are similar to the MP4, but allow you to keep your chapters and the AC3 audio. If you ever plan on using Apple devices to play back your videos (ipad, iphone, apple TV), I would really recommend this format. Most of the movies end up being around 1 GB.

[Radhard]

I have ripped my 170ish DVDs so I could watch them in XBMC (I use nPVR for capture mostly).

I have used Handbrake to re-encode them to h.264 using a constant perceived quality factor of 18 (identical to DVD for me, even on the 50 inch).
I use AC3 and DTS passthrough to keep multi-channel sound intact. DTS is BIG, but has moore oomph on my system.
I use the MKV container so I can keep multiple audio tracks and have subtitles embedded in the file (though not burned into the vid).

It has worked very well. File size vary widely, depending on aspect-ratio and graininess of the DVD.

Files are about 1.5 to 2.5G apiece, which is still about 3-4 times smaller than straight DVD-rips for no perceived loss in quality.

I can store 7-800 movies in $80 worth of hard drive so I don't worry too much about the size.

[ga_mueller]

+1 wrt to Handbrake. I use the "high profile" setting, with a custom .mkv option. Typical file size is 1-1.5G. Cannot see a difference wrt original DVD (although I'm viewing on a 32" flatpanel... YMMV).

George