Any simple way to get AviSynth to read from a VOB?

[bobkoure]

Hey folks,
I'm learning how to use DVD-Rebuilder, which makes use of AviSynth filters.
I'd like to be able to see what any AviSynth filters I'm using are doing without using DR, just to speed up finding "the right combination".
Any ideas? Or am I (being a newbie to DR and AviSynth) asking the totally impossible. Apologies if I am - feel free to laugh now if you like... :)

[qwerpoi]

I'm not sure if I understand your question completely, since I'm not familiar with DVD-Rebuilder, but if you just need to open a vob in avisynth, you have 2 options - directshowsource and mpeg2source. The first option is easy, just make an avisynth script such as:

DirectShowSource("C:\something.vob")

and you're done, just open the file in VirtualDubMod or whatever you use. This method will work assuming you are able to view vob files in a media player on your pc. The problem with this method is that it might be a bit buggy seeking and keeping audio sync. The preferred method is mpeg2source, which requires making a d2v file. Simple enough - get Donald Graft's updated version of DVD2AVI, DGMPGDec (http://neuron2.net/fixd2v/decodefix.html). Read the guides to make a d2v file using DGIndex, put the dgdecode.dll file in your avisynth plugins directory (or load the plugin manually), then use a script such as:

MPEG2Source("C:\something_else.d2v")

This method is better all around, but you have to create a d2v file in order to use it. Note that this script only has video, if you need audio, you need to demux the ac3 file (again using DGIndex) and use the avisynth plugin AC3Source in order to get audio.

Anyway, I hope that answers your question, feel free to post again if I missed the mark or if you have any problems.

[bobkoure]

Thanks!
Looks like DirectShowSource was just what I was looking for.
DVD-Rebuilder builds d2vs and, once I've figured out what filters/sharpeners/whatever are appropriate for my digital video I'll end up running it through that - so audio and seeking don't matter to me for this.
I was looking for something that could, somewhat in real time, just show me how a set of filters might work on the video in a VOB - and this looks to be exactly that.
Thanks again!
Bob

[qwerpoi]

Glad to help out. I found that DirectShowSource was extremely buggy in older versions of avisynth, it got drastically improved on the 2.5.4 release (maybe earlier), so if you have problems try updating your version of avisynth. Another thing that might help is using this script instead:

DirectShowSource("C:\something.vob",audio=false)

This script will load the video and not the audio, making it easier to go through the file, since you say that you don't need the audio.

[Bogalvator]

You can also use "Mpegdecoder" by Nic availiable from:
http://www.avisynth.org/warpenterprises/

MPEGSource("your.vob",-2) should work.

Might be faster than DirectshowSource.

[Cyberia]

I want to reiterate qwerpoi's original post and strongly recommend using DGMPGDec over DirectShowSource. It's the farrrr better solution for VOB files.