My first DVD to VCD

Getting a large collection of newspaper and magazine giveaway DVDs, but as yet, the only player we have (other than the PC) is a CD/MP3/VCD portable.

So, choosing my weapons... Tell me if there's a better choice...

1. Ripper - decided to go with DVD Fab Decrypter http://dvdidle.com/free.htm
Since although bthe material is unlikely to be hyper-protected, this seems to be the best one to get used to - for the moment.

Interesting, it ripped from a RPC-2 drive, and the region is still "none selected" - the disc used is printed as being R2+R4.

2. Encoder - I'd already decided to try out TMPGENC using KVCD templates, to see if the player handled them.

But that left a gaping hole between the ripped VOBS and TMPGENC - filled in with :-

3. DGMPGDec - http://neuron2.net/dgmpgdec/dgmpgdec.html

Using VFAPI support, so no AVISynth required - quite surprised the program doesn't need to be open when TMPENC runs.

The drawbacks are immediately obvious, no chapter support in this workflow, no matter, onward.

-------

After one false start, when I forgot to have it decode the AC3, and another, when loading the files after the template changed size, so it encoded a 720x576 MPEG1, finally encoded a decent result, PAL VCD image size, CQ mode with KVCD matrix parameters, sound at lower bitrate, mono (old comedy material, mono sound to start with).

Looked good on the PC, but basically unplayable on the player (NAPA DAV311).

Found some old references to the player being a little fussy, and applied the suggested tweaks, also brough the sound back up to standard rate and JS mode, as it seemed to be trying to play too fast, with a "dodgy microphone" effect on the sound.

Not played that one yet.



Any other suggestions for more control - I still want to use KVCD if the player handles this second attempt ok, as the actual picture was quite good.

I don't care if it's still multistep or even adds more steps, but I DO care if I have to go out and buy something, or put up with trial mode interference.

Also available on the system... Nero V6 (will have a full V7 eventually, but holding off until the next bugfix at least), Cyberlink PowerDVD.


Looked at DVDX, maybe that would be better
 
BUY A £19.99 dvd player and dont be a cheapskate LTR :p or ask for one for christmas mate :D

other suggestions mate does the player ONLY play VCD or will it play SVCD?

DVD2SVCD will encode a dvd to VCD mate there is a guide in tutorials :)

go with chickenmans guides and you cannot go wrong :D
 
You could:
Demux the vobs with vobedit. Convert the audio to wave. Load both wave and the m2v into tmpgenc and convert. Author and add chapters with vcdeasy.
Personally i would probably go with dvd2svcd and possibly use tmpgenc as the encoder :)
 
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Integrating another piece of kit into the stack (Cable STB and VCR) is gonna be tough, though I suppose the VCR could be retired with a recordable DVD in it's place.

Too many outputs, not enough inputs! - at least to have everthing properly SCARTed.


PS. So far, the DAV311 has puked badly on every KVCD - I think I have to pull the GOP structure back to standard, keep the KVCD matrix and CQ mode and see how it goes - not great even on the normal (1 5 2) GOP, but then I find it should actually be (1 4 2) for PAL mode - and the DAV311 is notoriously fussy, though some reports say it loves a straight Nero encode more than anything else.


This is now turning into a case of "it ain't gonna beat me" - I WILL have it doing a LP VCD, unless it is absolutely and totally unable to do it under any applied tweaking,
 
Some people just like torturing themselves dont they. KVCD are also notorious for not playing in many/most VCD/DVD players, so to start with your pushing sh!t up hill :D As everyone else has said, ditch the VCD and replace it with an el-cheapo DVD Player that will play everything. Why keep torturing yourself, lifes to short.
 
ChickenMan said:
Some people just like torturing themselves dont they. KVCD are also notorious for not playing in many/most VCD/DVD players, so to start with your pushing sh!t up hill :D As everyone else has said, ditch the VCD and replace it with an el-cheapo DVD Player that will play everything. Why keep torturing yourself, lifes to short.
might be right,but they always play for me and my friends,even plain mpeg play in all cheapo players!!
dvd is way to go-the only right one,i couldnt imagine life now without dvd burner
 
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