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#185773 - 21/10/2003 10:48 Easiest to use DVD ripper?
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
I want to convert the contents of a DVD into a computer-playable file (AVI, MOV, MPEG, whatever). Not for piracy purposes, but for personal use. In fact, the DVD is a video of one of my performances at a convention.

In the past I've messed with some of the software out there which does this, but it's always very complicated, requring things such as processing the audio separately with third party encoders, and requiring me to know which audio tracks are which (I always ended up extracting the rear surround channels instead of the proper left/right stereo audio).

Are there any programs out there which are self-contained and work more simply?
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#185774 - 21/10/2003 12:15 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: tfabris]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Hmm, "DVD-to-AVI" certainly meets those requirements for me. Inexpensive, too.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#185775 - 21/10/2003 12:25 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: tfabris]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
Not the easiest way, but here is a guide I found a while back.
_________________________
Matt

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#185776 - 21/10/2003 12:31 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: tfabris]
Neutrino
addict

Registered: 23/01/2002
Posts: 506
Loc: The Great Pacific NorthWest
Tony;

I use a program called DVDShrink. It will copy a DVD to your harddrive. It will also allow you to decide what level of compression you want. I use it to transfer my DVD's to my fileserver. I use no compression and end up with an exact copy for viewing through my HTPC via 100Mb lan. The media remains in it's original file structure (VOB's). There are a number of players out there that will handle this type of media. One free one is called zoomplayer. Your best bet is to visit http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=26 you will find more than you want to know there.
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No matter where you might be, there you are.

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#185777 - 21/10/2003 12:31 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: Dignan]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Cool guide. That's exactly the level of complexity I wanted to avoid, though.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#185778 - 21/10/2003 12:32 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: Neutrino]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
The media remains in it's original file structure (VOB's).
I specifically want to convert it to a standardized PC playback format rather than a VOB. But thanks for that information!
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#185779 - 21/10/2003 13:08 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: tfabris]
mcomb
pooh-bah

Registered: 31/08/1999
Posts: 1649
Loc: San Carlos, CA
I want to convert the contents of a DVD into a computer-playable file (AVI, MOV, MPEG, whatever).

If I may be allowed to tag onto your thread, I have the exact same question except I am looking for OS X software. I would like to be able to rip and compress my DVDs so that I can reasonably keep 5 or 10 movies on my laptop hard drive while traveling. I have found programs that work if you are willing to go through a multistep/multiprogram process, but is there an easy "click here to convert this DVD to mpeg4" type program for OS X?

-Mike
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EmpMenuX - ext3 filesystem - Empeg iTunes integration

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#185780 - 21/10/2003 13:11 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: mcomb]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Same problem...I want to rip some of my home DVDs to my computer here at work. I'd like DVD to DivX or XviD ripper. No nasty questions or configurations except maybe to select the resolution and quality. Just put it in and hit rip.
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~ John

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#185781 - 02/11/2003 02:54 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: tfabris]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
Tony, I'm not sure if you're still looking for something, but I recently ran across this, which is the same program as the one I mentioned earlier, but I believe has some of the complexity removed. I haven't tried it yet, but I might, since i never used the other version myself (I also thought it was far too long and complex).

Just a thought.
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Matt

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#185782 - 02/11/2003 14:18 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: Neutrino]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
For making *exact* copies of a DVD contents (VOBs), no special utiliity is really needed. Just start up a DVD player app, wait for it to handshake with the drive and thereby turn off the protection, kill it, and then just copy the files at will.. The "need" for specialized "ripping" software to make an exact hard drive copy of a DVD has always mystified me.

Now transcoding software.. sure, that's definitely different!

Cheers

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#185783 - 03/11/2003 00:23 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: mlord]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
The only thing I can think of is that if the vob's do in fact get compressed but are still playable and DVD compliant, that might make it possible to burn to your own DVDs with the 4.7GB limitation.
_________________________
Matt

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#185784 - 03/11/2003 01:48 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: Dignan]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Thanks for the information, D. Still too complicated, and beta anyway. There are some shareware apps which do what I need to do (the one I linked at the top of the thread turned out to be gar-bahge), and I've been messing with them. I like their simplicity for my purposes.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#185785 - 03/11/2003 11:51 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: tfabris]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
gar-bahge
lol I've been wondering how you would type that out. I say that all the time

What programs have you been using?
_________________________
Matt

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#185786 - 03/11/2003 11:57 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: Dignan]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
What programs have you been using?
I don't have it here on this machine to check. If I remember later, I'll check when I'm back on the DVD machine. I just started googling and downloading a whole bunch of different ones and trying them out. I was downloading all of the commercial ones that have a 30-day demo or similar.

And yeah, I actually put some thought into how to type that word. Glad you liked it.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#185787 - 07/03/2004 12:16 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: mcomb]
drakino
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
If I may be allowed to tag onto your thread, I have the exact same question except I am looking for OS X software. I would like to be able to rip and compress my DVDs so that I can reasonably keep 5 or 10 movies on my laptop hard drive while traveling. I have found programs that work if you are willing to go through a multistep/multiprogram process, but is there an easy "click here to convert this DVD to mpeg4" type program for OS X?
Bumping this back up, because I came across HandBrake. Simple, one program for BeOS, OS X and Linux.

Anyone find something similar for Windows?

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#185788 - 07/03/2004 13:37 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: drakino]
mcomb
pooh-bah

Registered: 31/08/1999
Posts: 1649
Loc: San Carlos, CA
Bumping this back up, because I came across HandBrake.

Hey, thanks for the link. This looks like exactly what I wanted!

-Mike
_________________________
EmpMenuX - ext3 filesystem - Empeg iTunes integration

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#185789 - 07/03/2004 14:54 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: mcomb]
andym
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3995
Loc: Manchester UK
I just use Xmpeg, it's free and it does everything I want. I usually convert to DivX but you can use any Windows Codec.
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Cheers,

Andy M

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#185790 - 30/03/2004 10:06 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: tfabris]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
Bringing this thread back up.

I haven't tried it yet, but I found this program just now. It seems good. I'm not certain, but I think this is the program that was used by whomever ripped the seasons of Buffy
that can be found on suprnova.org. I've been watching those files and they're fantastic quality. Each file is also 350MB. That's decent for high quality ~44 minute files.

I can't wait to get home and try it out.
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Matt

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#185791 - 22/01/2005 16:21 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: tfabris]
SE_Sport_Driver
carpal tunnel

Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
Hey Tony, what did you end up using? I have a DVD of my baby's ultrasound and I'd like to save it to my hard disk (I managed to find software like DVD Shrink to do this part) and then convert it to AVI or something so I can share with family..

Then, I'd like to add photos to the DVD to have a gallery on the same DVD to give some people at the baby shower.... I have a feeling that'll be more complicated though.
_________________________
Brad B.

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#185792 - 22/01/2005 17:00 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
newguy1
enthusiast

Registered: 26/01/2002
Posts: 278
Loc: Massachusetts,USA
You can use TMPGEnc DVD Author To create Custom dvd's and it will also convert unencrypted DVD's to an mpg file rather simply.Just ask a question i'll see if I can help
You can use the trial version for 30 days
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MIKE 80Gb RIO

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#185793 - 22/01/2005 17:01 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
I ended up using Super DVD Ripper. Not fancy or even particularly good, but it got done what I needed it to do, which was make a few AVI files.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#185794 - 22/01/2005 17:02 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Trust me.. your pals do NOT want a DVD of your child's ultrasound.

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#185795 - 22/01/2005 17:42 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: mlord]
genixia
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing!
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Mk2a 60GB Blue. Serial 030102962 sig.mp3: File Format not Valid.

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#185796 - 22/01/2005 18:32 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: mlord]
SE_Sport_Driver
carpal tunnel

Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
Quote:
Trust me.. your pals do NOT want a DVD of your child's ultrasound.


My child's grandparents do.
_________________________
Brad B.

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#185797 - 22/01/2005 18:58 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Warning: weird sense of humor ahead!!!

How long is the ultrasound video? I have always been one to hate wasting media. Perhaps you could burn a movie onto the extra space. "Alien" springs to mind.

(runs for cover as quickly as possible)
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#185798 - 22/01/2005 19:43 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: pgrzelak]
SE_Sport_Driver
carpal tunnel

Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
Rosemary's Baby?
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Brad B.

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#185799 - 22/01/2005 22:05 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
"It's Alive"?
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#185800 - 22/01/2005 23:26 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
Cybjorg
addict

Registered: 23/12/2002
Posts: 652
Loc: Winston Salem, NC
I recommend #1 DVD Ripper if you are looking to rip a DVD and encode it to AVI format.

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#185801 - 23/01/2005 00:57 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
Waterman981
old hand

Registered: 14/02/2002
Posts: 804
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT
For adding the photos I would recommend DVD-Lab. You can import the original VOB files directly if you want for the movie, then they have a nice slide show where you just add the photos, add a soundtrack if you like, and it does the rest. I can't recommend DVD-Lab enough.
_________________________
-Michael

#040103696 on a shelf
Mk2a - 90 GB - Red - Illuminated buttons

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#185802 - 23/01/2005 01:17 Re: Easiest to use DVD ripper? [Re: Waterman981]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
Ditto on DVDLab. I just upgraded to the pro version because it's so damn good.

This was an older thread. Since it was last up I've used that FairUse program I linked quite a bit. Every once and a while it screws up and creates a 12KB file, but for the most part it does a very quality job. You can encode in Xvid or Divx and with an AC3 audio track.
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Matt

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