Getting DVD to CD size.

[SystemHack]

Ok here's my situation. My computer at work has only a cd rom drive, not a dvd drive. I would like to watch movies on my computer since I work overnight and everything is really really slow. I have used dvd shrink and dvd decrypter but I cannot get the file size down enough to fit on a cd. DVD Shrink will not shrink it down below 1.5Gb or so, even after multiple shrinks. If anyone has any ideas that might help it would be most appreciated. Yes I know the quality will suck .. and any format is fine .. video cd .. wmv .. mpeg .. whatever I do care as long as I can fit it on a cd. Thanks for any help.

[jel]

hi SystemHack and welcome to the forum!

to be honest i am not at all familiar with encoding DVD's to CD size, although, from what i have read, your best bet, quality wise would be to try your hand at mpeg-4 encoding .. particularly with the interest being generated in x264 and nero digital.

you may want to start with some of doom9's excellent guides, avaliable here:
doom 9 mpeg-4 guides (http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/divx-encoding.htm)

another option would be to go down the vcd/svcd route - guides avaliable here:
vcd and svcd guides (http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg/svcd-guides.htm)

hth
j

[SystemHack]

I thought about using MPEG-4 Encoding. The software I attempted to use was the pspvideo nine that I use to convert my smaller files to a format compatable with the PSP. I have had problems with trying to do larger files off dvds though. When running the conversion software, the program keeps running and converting even after 100% complete has been achieved. I left it running for 3 hours one day and it still never stopped. I will check out the guides you suggested to see if I can find anything on their. Thanks !

[jwo62]

I have done 1 cd dvd backups. for the exact same reason,my pc at had no dvd drive. fortunatly,that has changed.

I found that dvdx (not dvdx copy)can do the job.

the picture quality on a 1 cd backup is crap,but watchable. a 2 cd backup looks pretty good,relativly speaking.

The program is pretty easy to use and can be downloaded here at doom9 or at labdv.

http://www.labdv.com/dvdx/


another option might be the new program ratdvd,currently being talked about in a thread here in the oneclick forum. but its a new program and will require some patience.

[theReal]

I haven't done MPEG4 backups in a while, but when I still used to make those I was using GordianKnot (and later I manually adjusted Avisynth, Virtualdubmod and BeSweet to get the best results).
As a very good and free MPEG4 codec I'd recommend XVid, and for perfect MPEG4 playback even on older computers ffdshow codec.

I think GordianKnot is now available as "AutoGordianKnot" (sounds like it has become even easier to use - I'd check that one out if I were you).