DVD to DVD-R: two DVD movies into a single DVD-R

[Areku]

Please help me! I need to fulfill two "different projects" from the same movie: 1) backing it up which would be a straight DVD to DVD-R rip and 2) reducing its size which would give me enough space to fill in another movie onto the same DVD-R:

Let's start:

A friend of mine just gave me a DVD containing TWO DVD movies: Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy. They play awesome well in set top DVD players and into my PS2. Both have been ripped and I understand they've been reencoded so they two can fit onto a single DVD-R. The author even added extras like trailers, the Aki photos stuff, the U2 music video and so on. Everything packed into a single DVD-R (4.7Gb) with menus (dirty, non-cute menus) and sub menus.

I can assume menus where created on the LAST (?) step of the process and probably made with Spruce UP or Scenarist (do you recommend it or any other authoring software?).

Now I'm trying to replicate the same thing:

After reading all kind of tutorials, all I've managed to do is to mix ideas and get confused!!

Most people say they use SmartRipper (hey! it's really smart!!) but others (like in Doom9.org site) do use other tools and manual ifo editting to remove unwanted stuff in several steps. Smartripper apparently uses one step for the same result.

So now I have a DVD movie ripped to my hard drive (Operation Swordfish, PAL region 2). From the whole DVD ripped on my hard drive, I made a test using it as source and streamprocessing it to extract just the video and the audio track I want.

So I've gone from 5'35Gb (only the movie files, original rip) to 3'70Gb (just video and audio track, second rip).

The result of the second rip is an .AC3 file and the same .VOB files of the original rip but with the reduced size (since I removed extra subtitles and audio tracks).


Soooooooooo returning to the original question, let's say I want to do two things:

1) What should I do to master those new .VOB files into a DVD so I can play them on a set top DVD player? I know there's some .IFO editing involved, but HOW? And more important, will a bunch of 800Mb files meet the standard of video_ts format??? If not, what should I do next???


2) I know 3,70 will fit into a single DVDR but I want MORE SPACE! So my idea is to end with something like 1'70Gb (that's a 50% reduction) and hopefully add a second movie to the DVD, like my friend did. How would I achieve this from the point I left it on the second rip (ie. an AC3 file and a bunch of smaller VOB files)??
With which tool do you recommend I create the menus to play both them then? Are they (those tools) supposed to do the hard work with IFO recreation??


Thanks SO much!

[SiC]

I've had good success in putting 2 120min movies onto a single DVD-R with the original DD5.1 AC3 @ 448kbps sound and video re-encoded @2000kbps. Believe it or not 2000kbps using Robshot's method (http://www.robshot.com) looks GREAT! When I first tired this method it looked like crap cuz I didn't follow his first step in making the single pass VBR @ 2000kbps minimum & 9800kbps max (I did 3800kbps min & 9800kbps max). I went thru the second stage using the reference files created from this first pass and I was unable to get the Q.Factor down below 9.0. After I made that big mistake, I tried again using Robshot's method but only this time following the exact bitrates that he used and I was surprised with the out come, 2 full 120min movies (Mummy & Mummy Returns) on one DVD-R with the original DD5.1 ac3.
So for the answers to your question:

1. Refer to the guide on doom9 about ripping a DVD to DVD-R without menus and extras

2. Use Robshot's method to get the best quality at low bitrates so you can fit 2 movies onto a single DVD-R.

You'll never get such good quality from TMGEnc, CCE all the way!!!

[talman]

Thanks for the info SiC! I've just completed my first attempt using robshot's method and I have a question: I assume that I load the resulting mpv and wav file into an authoring program. Which one do you recommend? Shouldn't the .wav file be an ac3 encoded file? (it's name is AC3_TO1_3_2ch_384kbps_48khz.wav)

[talman]

Another question about your attempt: Did you find any of the "gray bitches" :D that robshot talks about? I went through my entire movie and there wasn't a single gray bar--so I left the min at 2000.

[SiC]

When you used DVD2AVI to demux the audio file and create the *.d2v file you should've ended up with the original AC3 audio file instead of a wav file..... Unless the DVD movie had PCM audio to start with. But yes, convert the wav to ac3 or else the wav file will be too big and it may not fit on a DVD-R. Use Sonic Foundry Soft Encode to make the wav into ac3 @ 192kbps for 2channel. Almost all movies with Dolby Digital 2 channel sounds are encoded at 192kbps, so that would be my choice. If you're encoding Music Videos with PCM sound, I'd go with a higher bitrate (maybe 320kbps or so).

Yes I did have the "grey bitches" so I had to raise the bitrate a little until it was all gone. You just mentioned "I went through my entire movie and there wasn't a single gray bar--so I left the min at 2000". In your second pass, be sure to set the minimum to 0 and your average to 2000, DO NOT set the minimum to 2000. Oh and set your Max to 9800kbps.

Good Luck!!:D

[Areku]

SiC,

Got some questions though.

I used SmartRipper to extrat just the movie and the .AC3 soundtrack.
I ended up with an .AC3 file and the same 7 .VOB files of the original movie but those are relatively smaller (5.7Gb vs the final 3.70Gb ones).

Is there any simpler way to turn those .VOBs and the .AC3 into a new set of .VOBs so I can test burn the first ripped movie I make?

Also, tutorial in this site about ripping stuff from the .IFOs is not clear enough for me... I get lost on the "open ifo, save ifo, copy old over new, move ifos here, there, recopy, reopen, reedit"!!! Is there any simpler way?

Thanks!

[SiC]

If you don't mind quality (just for a test burn) the easy way would be to use ReMPEG and change the size to about 60% so it fits onto a DVD-R.
Now for the question about if you can use those "*.VOBs & *.IFOs" ripped with a DVD ripper to recreate a DVD without having to re-encode. It is possible, you just have to edit the *.IFO files correctly with IfoEdit. It's explained really well @ http://doom9.org/mpg/ifoedit-menustripping.htm

Oh and if you're gonna re-encode the movie to a lower bitrate to fit a DVD-R, then you don't have to worry about the *.ifo files since the DVD authorware will create new ones for you.

[Areku]

OK, so I guess I get it now.

In order to fit 2 movies in 1 DVD4.7, I'll be forced to sacrifice quality, that's obvious, so I guess it's OK to think that the ReMPEG method works OK for this and your (Rob) method works best for just a rip of a single original movie into a single DVD?

Also, what if I rip a movie, I end with 800Mb .VOB files (I've noticed hollywood DVDs VOB's sizes are always 1Gb), and those vobs are vts_02_x? Shall I rename them to 01 or will the author soft do this for me too??

Thanks!

[SiC]

Actually Robshot's method is the best for either. I put 2 movies onto 1 DVD-R using Robshot's method and also downsizing a 3 hour movie like Braveheart to fit a DVD-R. I only mentioned ReMpeg just so you can do a quick test. The quality made with the Robshot method is awesome even at low bitrates. If you take 3 mpeg2 files that were encoded with same bitrate with CCE (Robshot style), TMPGEnc 2pass VBR, & ReMPEG, ANYONE can see a huge difference in the quality with the CCE (Robshot style).

>"Also, what if I rip a movie, I end with 800Mb .VOB files (I've noticed hollywood DVDs VOB's sizes are always 1Gb), and those vobs are vts_02_x? Shall I rename them to 01 or will the author soft do this for me too??"

Authorware will only accept MPEG and audio files, there is no authorware that will accept a *.VOB.

[Areku]

Geez!

This looks like the never ending story!

Let's see! ;)

1) How long does it take to fit 2 1h30min movies onto a single DVDR with your machine and which machine and OS are you using for RObshot's method?

2) If author software does not accept .VOBs, I imagine burning software like Prassi PrimoDVD will do the trick? Will it rename and rebuild the .vobs and .ifos?? Will it resize them to match video_ts standards OR is a video_ts standard a set of .VOB files smaller than 1Gb each???
;)

Thanks!!

[SiC]

1. My machine is a P4 2.0GHZ overclocked to 2.2GHZ with 512MB RIMM, Asus P4T-E mobo, Adaptec Ultra 160 SCSI card, Seagate U-160 76GB Cheetah HDD 10,000rpm x 2, and it takes about 1.5 to 1.8 times faster than real time so 1 hour movie would take me about 40 to 45min to compress but this is for each pass, and I do a total of 4 passes including the initial Single Pass VBR. So it would take me about 160min to do a 1 hour movie with all 4 passes. Quality takes time.

2. I never tried this before......... it may work.... I suggest trying it with a DVD-RW first.

[Areku]

1) 160min is OK!! I have a P3/800 and 256Mb ram though... Something in the 9h per movie figure would be reasonable, but the 27h that ReMPEG was spitting is unacceptable!!

2) Can't believe no1 here has just tried to rip a movie (just the movie off of an original set of .VOBs) and then remastered it onto a DVD-R. Really? No1?

[GlenC]

@sic

Do you not get any problems with audio sync using this method. Do you use ntsc discs for this, or pal?

Cheers

Glen.

[SiC]

GlenC, I don't have ANY audio sync probs. Whenever I use DVD2AVI it gives me a name_T01_3_2ch448kbpsDELAY-111ms.ac3 file which shows the delay time. I put this file into Maestro and it aligns perfectly with the video. I guess it has something to do with the timecodes inside the ac3 files, Maestro can read them and align the ac3 file with the video...

[GlenC]

Thanks for the info Sic, where abouts do you put the time codes in maestro?

Do you check the Sync to audio timecode option in the Sync Audio File Dialog box?


Glen.

[SiC]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by GlenC
[B]Thanks for the info Sic, where abouts do you put the time codes in maestro?
It's inside the ac3 file itself.

Do you check the Sync to audio timecode option in the Sync Audio File Dialog box?

Yes, and then do a realtime preview after wards and you'll see that the video/audio is in sync.

[talman]

Thanks for the good info Sic! I wrote down 2000 min when I meant 2000 avg..so I'm ok! Will there be issues with sync if I run the wav file through Soft encode? Or would I be better off just ripping the audio track to a separate file from Smartripper? Thanks again!

Off to find the maestro help/pdf file....

[SiC]

Even if you encode a wav to ac3 with Soft Encode, you should be able to align it in sync with the video using Maestro. Check the preview to make sure though.
If you find any help/pdf files for Maestro, plz notify me!! :D

[talman]

That's what I thought. I'll let you know if I'm successful. ;)

[Areku]

Well,

I indeed tried to rip with SmartRipper, just the movie (video track) and audio, and I do get a file vts_02_([0x81]_Audio_Español_AC3(6Ch)_48kHz___)_Delay_-112ms.ac3 which as you notice includes the delay.

So I wonder if I can save a step in here, as SR seems to already rip off unwanted stuff plus separate the audio along with the delay.