King Kong

[Primetime]

I am using DVDFab Decrypter and when I burn the DVD to disk it keeps making some of the chapters/scenes blurry. Is anyone else having this problem?

[WarDog]

Yes, the movie is to big to put on a single DVD5. You need to split it or try DVD Rebuilder.

[BSpielbauer]

I am using DVDFab Decrypter and when I burn the DVD to disk it keeps making some of the chapters/scenes blurry. Is anyone else having this problem?

I suspect you compressed it. What program did you use to compress? Did you keep all of the extras, and all of the audio tracks, and commentary, and the subtitles? If you did, keep in mind that King Kong is a VERY long movie. The only way it can all fit onto one single layer (if you insist on this as the end result), is if you use a LOT of compression. This will always mean a poor final picture quality, due to the length of this particular film.

Option 1 - You could split this to two discs. Option 2 - You could also eliminate everything you do not absolutely have to have, which will leave you with more space for the main movie to fit. Option 3 - You could also buy dual layer blank media (assuming your burner and your home DVD player can handle this).

-Bruce

[VWRacer]

I made 2 versions. One Reauthored on DVD Shrink at 53%, one I ripped an ISO on Decrypter, and did a DL burn. Considering there isn't a whole lot you can remove, I considered 53% borderline on compression. Needless to say, the DL print is excellent.

Racer

[WarDog]

70% is really borderlined. Anything below that you are wasting a disk especially if you are watching it on a big screen HDTV.

[setarip_old]

At the risk of eliciting wisecracks questioning the size of my viewing screen, be advised that DVD2One generated a very acceptable compressed version of the single disc version of this (Full) Region1 DVD.

I presume the broad black borders contributed to the "compressibility-without-deterioration".

To make an ABSOLUTE statement as to "acceptable levels of compression" is not a valid concept.

The length of the movie is only one of the factors in the quality of the compressed version. Other factors are:

1) The software used to compress (I find both DVD2One and DVD95Copy to yield far better results than DVD Shrink)

2) Degree of "high action" in the movie

3) Degree of extreme colors in the movie

4) Number/Type of audiostreams (This one disc version contains only a 5.1AC3 stream)

5) Filesize of extras (Virtually non-existent on this version)

[BSpielbauer]

To make an ABSOLUTE statement as to "acceptable levels of compression" is not a valid concept.


Correct.

And, the list you posted is 100% accurate, but I would also remind lurkers that even that list is not a "complete" list of factors.

-Bruce

[WarDog]

At the risk of eliciting wisecracks questioning the size of my viewing screen
I was answering VWRacer in reference to DVD Shrink, not DVD2One or DVD95Copy. I don't know why you even brought them up in regards to my post or that I may say something about the size of your viewing screen again.

[LordHeinrich]

For those of you that want the maximum quality after compressing, download this zip file (2.51MB):

http://rapidshare.de/files/16688470/King_Kong.zip.html

Read the directions in the "Readme.txt". It is only tested on the Widescreen Single Disc version.

The most important part of the directions is to only rip chapters 1 through 49 using DVD Decrypter in IFO Mode...

[setarip_old]

@LordHeinrich

Hi!

You refer to "only rip chapters 1 through 49 using DVD Decrypter in IFO Mode...". Am I correct in presuming you are not providing a way of creating a DVD copy?

I ask because the postings in this thread are all about making a backup DVD...

[setarip_old]

@WarDog

My lighthearted statement (and the entirety of my post) wasn't directed toward anyone in particular...

[manono]

Hi-

And, the list you posted is 100% accurate, but I would also remind lurkers that even that list is not a "complete" list of factors.

True. I would say that of the items in the list, the black borders helped to make it compressible, as well as the inclusion of only 1 audio stream and lack of extras. However, there are 2 more important reasons (in my opinion) why it compresses so well. One is that it's exceptionally "clean". The whole thing has been "digitally scrubbed" somehow. There's little to no film grain to make it harder to compress. The huge amount of CG probably has something to do with that. I'm pretty sure that every single frame has been digitally manipulated. Also, the average quant is quite low, meaning that there's quite a bit of "overhead" for further compression. I've seen a DVD Shrink version of it, and it looked remarkably good on my HDTV. I was surprised. This is the most compressible DVD I've seen since Sin City (also a CG job).

Just remember that the bitrate by itself has little or nothing to do with how good a film might look after being reencoded, or even transcoded. For some films, 3000 is plenty (as in this case), but for others 5000 isn't near enough. Much more important is the average quant, combined with the matrix used.

Since he didn't provide many details, I have no idea why Primetime's version is blurry.

[coodbe]

I used DVD Rebuilder Pro with Cinama Craft Encoder. The resulting copy looked fine. I use it whenever compacting is below 70 percent. I ripped it to the hard drive with DVD Rebuilder and Any DVD in the background. Then I used DVD Rebuilder.

[philco]

i used dvd decrypter and shrink with no problems , the movie turned out very good ...

[LordGothos]

A few months ago I had a problem burning newer movies with shrink and decrypter. I completely removed both programs and reinstalled them. I just backed up my copy of King Kong with Shrink and had no problem at all. I am trying Narnia now. Will post outcome of that when done. If all else fails try CloneDVD2 with AnyDVD.

[setarip_old]

@LordGothos

Hi!

"King Kong" has no special/newer copy protection and (as you've done) can be copied DIRECTLY by DVD Shrink.

As you'll soon discover, "Narnia" contains "RipGuard" copy protection and, therefore, CANNOT be DIRECTLY copied by DVD Shrink.

[daveandjen]

you say that you have used shrink for this? I have tried using it and i get a cyclic error at 60% through the read through. Why?

[daveandjen]

@philco

Those are the programs that i have and neither will work. What did you do?

[birdie_in_texas]

i thought my Shrink backup of king kong looked damn good on my 50" HDTV with upconverting dvd player...looked better than a LOT of movies at 1:1

[LordGothos]

I could not burn with Narnia with Shrink or Decrypter but I had great success with Clone DVD and AnyDVD. Both programs need to be used together. I know my 4 year old will destroy the original so I had to back it up.

[ww]

For Narnia I was able to burn with Shink from ISO(decrypt) with no problems. Copy works fine.

King Kong, Original DVD didn't work on my player. So I ripped & burned anyway & was able to watch it with the copy. May have been a firmware issue with my older player.

[dvd_man]

For both Narnia and King Kong I used Region+CSS free with shrink and had great results. I copied the complete disk not just the movie and played them make on my 52 wide sceen they looked great.

[Zimmy]

I bought Kong but if I were to make a copy of it, I would rip out all the stuff on the boat. That would make a copy much easier.

[JFerguson]

I just did this title (King Kong, R1, 1-DISC version) with DVD Rebuilder. Ripped out the two commercials and the DVD authoring credits (Titles 2-5, VTS 02-03).

DVD Rebuilder reported average bitrate of 2744kbps -- that's pretty low. I did 4-pass CCE.

It looks pretty good (testing on computer, 19-inch monitor, PowerDVD v4), but with this bitrate there is definitely artifacting, aliasing, whatever you call it -- present in the encoded result.

I just briefly browsed it, but one scene to examine is on the island where Jack Black is rolling up on those dinosaurs with camera in tow. Follow the outline of the actors, dinosaurs, dinosaurs in background, etc. and you'll see the blurries and junk.

I dunno, I gotta watch this on an 84" projector, so I'll probably just split it, or back it to a DL disk.


I also did Harry Potter 4, and this one was 3418kbps average -- did 4-pass CCE. That encode looks like a keeper...

[SamuriHL]

I dunno, I gotta watch this on an 84" projector, so I'll probably just split it, or back it to a DL disk.


For a movie that large, DL or splitting really is the best option. DVD-RB is amazing, but, there's only so much it can do with that much data. I used a DL disc on this one and obviously it's flawless. Splitting it is an option for those that don't mind swapping discs or those that have a multi-disc changer. I for one stick to single disc backups which means compression if it's acceptable(CloneDVD and DVD-RB are my tools of choice for that) and DL discs when the compression becomes too much.

[blutach]

@JFerguson - although 2700 is not real low BR, I think you'll find CCE is not the best at lower BRs. Maybe try HC or if you have it, Procoder2 will just blow your mind at lower BRs.

I also have a projector - it throws a 4 metre wide image - and the results with Procoder 2 at low BRs are astounding.

On the other hand, splitting does give flawless results and a bathroom break :) While DL is easy but no fun.

Regards

[SamuriHL]

On the other hand, splitting does give flawless results and a bathroom break :) While DL is easy but no fun.

Regards

ROFLMAO! There is that I suppose. :D

[deuce2]

After reading all these messages I decided to purchase DL media to burn Kong. I've had the burner for a year but was too cheap to buy the DL until now. Used DVDFab Decryptor and Nero Recode and have a fantastic copy (100% vs 51% on SL). Thanks to all your inputs.

[techmule]

I thnk ppl have forgotten about DVD-RB here.

Use DVD-RB with HC or autoqmatenc on KingK and I bet you wont make out the difference between the original and copy.

[SamuriHL]

I thnk ppl have forgotten about DVD-RB here.

Use DVD-RB with HC or autoqmatenc on KingK and I bet you wont make out the difference between the original and copy.

Nope, I never forget about DVD-RB, but, on a movie like this I didn't think it'd be worth the trouble. It was just easier to use one of the DL discs I have. That is, after all, why I bought them. :D In my area they're routinely about 2 bucks a piece now and for movies over 2 hours or with lots of action sequences, I generally just do a 1:1 onto a DL disc these days. It preserves the quality and layer break, and since I use AnyDVD to remove the PUOs I can skip all the crap at the beginning and just get right to the menu. I love DVD-RB, but there are times when a DL disc is worth it.

[techmule]

I thnk ppl have forgotten about DVD-RB here.

Use DVD-RB with HC or autoqmatenc on KingK and I bet you wont make out the difference between the original and copy.

Let me rephrase it.....

that is only if you dont have a DL burner, otherwise you dont need any of those compression/ recreator tools for your copy. Unless you still want to apply filters.

[SamuriHL]

Let me rephrase it.....

that is only if you dont have a DL burner, otherwise you dont need any of those compression/ recreator tools for your copy. Unless you still want to apply filters.

In some places DL discs are still RIDICULOUSLY expensive so DVD-RB or splitting still makes a lot of sense. I personally don't like splitting as I'm lazy and don't like to get up to switch the disc. LOL! DVD-RB is an excellent tool to have in the arsenal, that's for sure.

[fender62]

i used clonedvd and anydvd for kong and it had blurrs now and again

[SamuriHL]

Was it a movie only and one language copy, or did you try to do extras and stuff? On an SL disc King Kong is too large to do anything but a movie only copy.

[setarip_old]

@SamuraiHL

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the single disc version of this DVD has only one language and virtually no space taken up by "extras" and, therefore (along with the several other reasons mentioned earlier in this thread), a full disk copy of this single disc version yields, what appears to me and some others posting to this thread, excellent results...

[SamuriHL]

Yea, that is a good point. I did my backup on a DL disc to skip any kind of compression at all. I just don't think CloneDVD is up to the task of making what I'd consider an "excellent" SL disc. I think I remember you liking 1-Click Pro but I've never used it. It may have better IQ than CloneDVD on longer movies...

[setarip_old]

I think I remember you liking 1-Click ProNope, not I.

If I remember correctly, I used DVD2One to compress this one...

[SamuriHL]

DVD2One, eh? Haven't seen that one in a while. I had read that while it's fast, the IQ wasn't overly great. Interesting. I guess I'll have pull out Kong and see how CloneDVD does on an SL backup. I honestly never bothered to try. Personally if I was going to even ATTEMPT an SL backup of this movie it'd be with DVDRB Pro. I've read a lot of people had excellent success with it, not just in this thread, but on other forums, as well. For me, I find that with longer movies it's just easier to stick em on a DL disc these days. Around here they're fairly cheap at around 2 bucks a disc or less. And since not every backup requires a DL disc, I find that it's fairly economical to keep a spindle of 20 or so kicking around. That lasts me a LONG time.

[blutach]

We're OT of decrypting, but I can tell you that DVD Rebuilder (http://dvd-rb.dvd2go.org/) with Procoder 2 did an excellent job on KK.

Regards