FixVTS Version 1.25 (New version)

[canuckerfan]

how would I process an entire DVD with this tool?

EDIT: i got it. WOW, don't know how i missed that!!?!?!?

[jeanl]

YOu're not the only one. I think the button labels aren't as clear as they should be! Sorry...
Jeanl

[canuckerfan]

what would probably be the best order? fixvts, then vobblanker or vice versa?

[linx05]

canuckerfan, I think we're supposed to do it last. But then again, I'm not too sure. I use AnyDVD and now I am wondering if it does it automatically when you use their ripper or only when you have "remove unreferenced and blank cells" selected.

So that would mean I would have to do it again after all that crap (vobblanker etc)? I'm confused now. I've asked a similar question (http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=177667) in the AnyDVD forum but no response yet.

[jeanl]

For the purpose of "cleaning up" a DVD so it will open properly in Shrink, you can use either fixvts or vobblanker. You don't need to use both. If you're going to edit your video as well (cut segments out and so on) then only use vobblanker.
I don't know much about AnyDVD ripper, so I can't answer your question there... But you should be able to see for yourself whether a protected DVD opens or not in Shrink after ripping...
jeanl

[jeanl]

BoB66, to help me solve this problem, could you possibly send me an email at jeanldvd at free dot fr ? I will send you a 1.24 version that I just compiled on my new machine. If this does not run well on your machine, it will be a sure sign that something in my build environment is screwed up (I have seen many problems with DVDSubEdit as well, I'd like to get to the bottom of that!)...
Thanks in advance.
Jeanl
For those of you interested... Apparently 1.24 "new build" does not crash BOB66's machine, so the problem must be with something I introduced in the code between 1.24 and 1.25. I'm currently investigating.
jeanl

[dirio49]

For those of you interested... Apparently 1.24 "new build" does not crash BOB66's machine, so the problem must be with something I introduced in the code between 1.24 and 1.25. I'm currently investigating.
jeanl

Thanks for the heads up jean
I tested on xp pro sp2, everything is working fine.:)

[jeanl]

Thanks dirio49, that's also what I have and it works fine on my machine. BOB66 is currently doing some tests to get to the bottom of that silly problem!
jeanl

[blutach]

@canuckerfan and linx5

See Kill ARccOS in my signature.

Regards

[selyb]

Feature Request: Option to create backup in root folder if the current folder is VIDEO_TS
PGCEdit does this

[jeanl]

Not sure I undestand you.. YOu mean, put the backup in the same folder as VIDEO_TS instead of inside VIDEO_TS?
jeanl

[r0lZ]

Yes, it's probably what selyb wants. PgcEdit has an option to do that.

[jeanl]

OK I'll put that in the todo list...
jeanl

[Ander]

FixVTS is awesome. Thank you.

Has this already been suggested?: It would be great if FixVTS would let you save the converted files to a different drive. That could speed it up a lot.

Cheers

[jeanl]

Yes, it's been suggested. Unfortunately, that would require a bit of a rewrite... That will have to wait! My favorite mode is "in place", I find that that's the fastest way, if you don't remove unreferenced material...
Jeanl

[Ander]

My favorite mode is "in place", I find that that's the fastest way, if you don't remove unreferenced material.
With all respect, it's always faster to write to a separate drive, especially if it's on a different channel.

It can even be faster to write to a different folder on the same drive, because it's more likely to be on a different platter. Perhaps you'll try some speed tests sometime.

FixVTS is actually the only file-conversion utility I know of that doesn't offer a target-folder option. I wouldn't bother you about it, but I imagine that people often use FixVTS to copy several GB. That's a lot, even on a fast machine.

Thanks again for your great utility. Cheers, Ander

[jeanl]

With all respect, it's always faster to write to a separate drive, especially if it's on a different channel.

You're right in general, but, it's faster to just read, than read and then write! In many cases, FixVTS does not need to write anything because nothing needs to be modified. For example, when processing in-place and not removing unreference material, there's always the same number of packs before and after, and all that FixVTS has to do is write NavPacks back after modifying them (and only if they need to be modified!). Since navpacks are far in between, this is quite efficient.
If you have to write every pack, then it's a different story, and indeed, it would be somewhat faster to write to another disk, hopefully on another channel.
I'll think about adding that in a future release...
Jeanl

[PBear]

Dear jeanl,

The homepage for FixVTS says it can fix video recorded on VR mode discs so it can be opened in DVDShrink. How? FixVTS won't even recognize the files copied from my VR disc to my hard drive.

Naming convention for these files is not standard DVD (they come from my JVC standalone DVD recorder): there are no VOB files and no VIDEO_TS folder. Instead, the video is recorded to a single file named VR_MOVIE.VRO in a folder named DVD_RTAV.

I know the VRO file is not corrupt and is basically just a renamed VOB because, if I rename the extension back from VRO to VOB, I can open the file in DGIndex (DVD2AVI) and extract it as a D2V project.

But, even if I rename the file extension to VOB, FixVTS still refuses to open it (giving the usual error message about only being able to open VOB files).

How is it, then, that FixVTS supports "VR" DVDs?

:thanks:

[blutach]

FixVTS also needs IFO files to work with, IIRC.

If you have a vaid VOB, use IfoEdit (http://ifoedit.wh.fr0zen.com/) to create IFOs.

Regards

[PBear]

FixVTS also needs IFO files to work with, IIRC.
If you have a vaid VOB, use IfoEdit (http://ifoedit.wh.fr0zen.com/) to create IFOs.
Regards
Doesn't work. Disc already has IFOs (VR_MANGR.IFO/.BUP). If I rename them to VIDEO_TS.IFO/.BUP, as well as renaming VR_MOVIE.VRO file to VIDEO_TS.VOB (or VTS_01_1.VOB), I find I can now run the VOB thru FixVTS. Results from FixVTS produce "Invalid Navigation Structure" error when trying to open them in DVDShrink.

When I use IFOEdit to remake the IFOs, I get error from IFOEdit "No Navigation Pack Found in VOB Files." It will proceed to make another copy of the VOB file and make new IFO files, but these files produce the same error from DVDShrink - even if I run them thru FixVTS again.

Wish someone could examine the original files and figure out what's going on with them. All I'm really looking for is some simple program that can convert VR disc files to regular DVD files so they would be usable with all the various DVD tools that I use.

Thanks again.

BTW: What is "IIRC" (in your first sentence above)?

[blutach]

Yes, it sounds like you have an invalid structure. Every DVD Video needs a Video Manager (VIDEO_TS.IFO and BUP) and then some titlesets (VTS). The titlesets need to be properly referenced in the manager.

Possibly the easiest thing for you is what I said before. Create IFOs for your VTS VOBs. Then create a Video Manager - the old free version of DVD Fab (www.mrbass.org/dvdfab) is good at this in one click.

Regards

[bigotti5]

http://www.authoringware.com/vro_main.htm

BTW: What is "IIRC" (in your first sentence above)?

IIRC = If I Remember Correctly

[BigCondor]

IIRC - If I Recall/Remember Correctly

[blutach]

LOL - I forgot to answer :D

Regards

[r0lZ]

Obviously, the VR files produced by your recorder are NOT equivalent to the VOB files, as the very important Nav Packs are missing.

It is certainly possible to recreate a real DVD-Video by reencoding it and remultiplexing it. But you will loose some picture quality, and it's a slow and relatively difficult process.

I don't know if a tool to convert directly VR files to regular VOB exists, but you are probably not the first wanting that. Maybe PVAStrumento can do that? If it doesn't work, try to search google...

Also, look in the setups of your DVD-recorder. Maybe you missed an option to output directly regular VOB files?

[edit] I haven't noticed page 12 of this thread before posting my reply. DVD Integrator might be the tool you want, as Bigotti5 said.

[PBear]

Obviously, the VR files produced by your recorder are NOT equivalent to the VOB files, as the very important Nav Packs are missing.
I don't know from NavPacks - all I know is, if I change the extension from VRO to VOB, the video and audio are there and usable, just like in a VOB.

It is certainly possible to recreate a real DVD-Video by reencoding it and remultiplexing it. But you will loose some picture quality, and it's a slow and relatively difficult process.
There should be no need to re-encode, just demux/remux. I can do that already with DGIndex and any remuxer, but it's dicey trying to find the exact borders between the clips in DGIndex (since up to 4.37 GB can be stored in a single VRO file, holding any number of clips of widely varying specs - all different video resolutions and audio formats) and it sometimes requires multiple tries. (That's why I'm looking for an easier solution.)

I don't know if a tool to convert directly VR files to regular VOB exists, but you are probably not the first wanting that. Maybe PVAStrumento can do that? If it doesn't work, try to search google...
I have a copy of that somewhere; I'll dig it out and try it, thanks.

Also, look in the setups of your DVD-recorder. Maybe you missed an option to output directly regular VOB files?
No joy there.

[edit] I haven't noticed page 12 of this thread before posting my reply. DVD Integrator might be the tool you want, as Bigotti5 said.
Tried it - can't see its usefulness, as it does not create IFOs for the converted VOBS. When I try to create IFOs from the VOBS it makes, using IFOEdit, IFOEdit just crashes when it gets to the write phase.

Here's the rub, really: If TMPGEnc DVD Author weren't so damned insistent on DVD format compliance, there wouldn't be any issue and I wouldn't need any other program to convert my VR files to standard DVDs.

It's already a cinch to convert VR files using TMPGEnc DVD Author, which can read the VRO file and show a perfectly readable list of all the titles on the disc ready to be imported into a regular DVD ... if, and only if, every clip in the VRO is absolutely DVD compliant (meaning 720x480 or 352x480). DVD Author refuses to import any clips that are non-compliant, even though both the JVC DVD recorder and my regular DVD player (an LG model) have no trouble playing back any of the out-of-spec recordings the JVC makes -- which is very hard for me to anticipate, since the recorder just has settings for XP/SP/LP and manual duration by length in minutes, and I can never remember what the output resolution is going to be for any particular setting.

Since TMPGEnc DVD Author can author separate title sets, it would be a breeze to import clips with different specs into different titles and save them as separate VOB sets, after which I could mix and match clips using DVDShrink in Re-author Mode - if TMPGEnc would let me override those freaking non-compliant error messages. :mad:

OK, enough of this tangent. My original post was to inquire after FixVTS's claim that it can handle VR discs and convert them to standard DVDs that can be loaded into DVDShrink. I guess the answer is that FixVTS can handle some VR discs, but only those which use a standard VOB/IFO structure (which maybe they could clarify on their home page).

:thanks:

[jeanl]

Well, I must admit I don't have any direct experience using FixVTS to handle VR files. It put that line in the home page in connection with a discussion found here
http://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=292808
but I don't think the discussion was about VR file, so the home page is poorly written. I think what was meant was "created by DVD recorders", and then only "some" DVD recorder would be more accurate.
So, sorry that FixVTS can't help you with your problem.
Jeanl

[PBear]

So, sorry that FixVTS can't help you with your problem.
Jeanl
Thanks, jeanl. That's what I needed to know.
;)

[CoNS]

jeanl, in FixVTS 1.6 I can't open the log file. Nothing happens when I choose Open LOG from the menu after processing files. No matter if it's a Full DVD or just a Cleanup processing.

It doesn't seem to be a path problem. I can't open the log either when I place the program in the root of C:\

I'm (still) using Windows 2000 Danish...!

(BTW, there's a tiny cosmetic "bug" in the GUI: When detecting PAL/NTSC that weird | character is shown after "PAL" or "NTSC", just like in early versions of DVDSubEdit)

[r0lZ]

And the "Format video" message is in french. It's probably a debug message forgotten by jeanl.

[CoNS]

jeanl, I think the problem was caused by the fact that the log file extension (.log) was unknown on my system.

I turned out that the log file was indeed created correctly each time, but it just didn't open in Windows until I associated Notepad to files with the .log extension. It may be better to change the log file format to .txt instead?

[john clevenger]

Hello, I attempted to download this newer version but received messsage that the file was either corrupt or invalid.

Please advise.

Thank You,

John

[blutach]

Something wrong with your connection I think john. I just downloaded it OK. Try again, perhaps after clearing out your Temp cache.

Regards

[john clevenger]

Thank you for recommednadation, blutach. Cleaned up unnecessary files on my c drive and DVD FixVTS worked.
It just seems that I am not downloading and installing updates to RipIt4 Me and DVDFixVTS correctly. My homework!

Happy Holidays,
John

[setarip_old]

@john clevenger

Hi!It just seems that I am not downloading and installing updates to RipIt4 Me and DVDFixVTS correctly.Have you tried using the installer available for download from the "RipIt4Me" website at?:

www.ripit4me.org

[Surgeon]

Hey Jeanl,

Great util! Use it all the time in "Full DVD/In-Place" mode after "clearing the trash" from dvds with PGCEdit.

Got a question and a request:

Q:
What's up with FixVTS when it finishes a "Full DVD/In-Place" operation but displays the "Full DVD" option button again? It only happens ocassionally, as normally the "Full DVD" button is hidden once it completes... I've observed this with several different versions and was wondering if it meant that another pass on the files was needed or if it is just an ocassional glitch?

R:
How about adding a nice "-x" option to the CLI so FixVTS will automatically terminate & exit when it finishes processing? I'd like to be able to add it to a script so it automatically runs between my TitleWriter and Copy2DVD apps, but as it never automatically exits it's hard to tell when it's finished...

Thanks!
-Surgeon-

*UPDATE* Ignore the "-x" request -- I just tested it and now realize that if I specify the "-s" for AutoStart mode it *ALREADY DOES* the exit/terminate when it finishes! My brain-fart for not trying it first! -Surgeon-

[jeanl]

No, there's never any need for a second pass on any given file. THe second pass wouldn't change anything. I'm not sure what's up with the grayed/not grayed button...
Jeanl

[Mtz]

Did anybody encountered this: after running FixVTS, the buttons from menu are showed about 0.01 seconds in PowerDVD? The original backup made with RipIt4Me working fine.

enjoy,
Mtz

[r0lZ]

I have had a similar problem with one menu of one DVD only! Furthermore, it played fine on my computer, but the menu was looping too early in one of my standalones.
Anyway, I doubt that this problem is caused by FixVTS. Have you used another tool before (MenuShrink for example)?

[blutach]

MenuShrink (http://jean.laroche.free.fr/MenuShrink/) causes this problem in cells with multiple sets of buttons. Not sure about the exact source of the problem, since the highlights look right in DVDSubEdit.

DVD Remake Pro (http://www.dimadsoft.com/dvdremakepro/index.php) does things correctly.

Regards

[Mtz]

As I said, I used RipIt4Me (latest version), including the fixvts internal options, but when I loaded the DVD in VobBlanker I was scared about many many warnings. Before FixVTS step I used DVDRemakePro. The DVD exported from DVDRemakePro cannot be opened by DVDShrink, so I processed the files again with FixVTS and DVDShrink accepted. But the cells table was modified a lot, the duration of time was doubled. Maybe some people ask: why DVDShrink? Because I made 2 very long encodes with the output from DVDRemakePro using DVD-RB and the result was.... an error. I think if DVDShrink accepted the file, also DVD-RB can encode it to the end. But I was tired after 2 days fighting with the DVD.
I don't want to talk more about this DVD because made me nervous and I distroyed it and deleted all files.
I didn't ask for help, just wanted to know if another people had the same problem. Thanks r0lZ for the answer.

enjoy,
Mtz

[blutach]

Use FixVTS as part of the ripping process before you load into DVDRMP.

Regards

[Mtz]

I know my english is not good but I said the same thing like you: "I used RipIt4Me (latest version), including the fixvts internal options, but when I loaded the DVD in VobBlanker I was scared about many many warnings."

enjoy,
Mtz

[blutach]

VobBlanker (http://jsoto.posunplugged.com/vobblanker.htm)'s warnings can be just information - things like pointer mismatches and not one-sequential PGCs. You'll need to be more specific.

And as you have found out, the DVDRMP output will not load in DVD Shrink unless FixVTS has run first. The process should be:

RipIt4Me -> FixVTS -> (editing program) -> (shrinking program)

Regards

[john clevenger]

Sure feel stupid about this but cannot upgrade to current version.(1.603)

I save extract zip files and download but when I run Ripit4Me.....receive message that I am running an older version of FixVTS??


Can you get me back on tack.

Thank You,

John

[jeanl]

2 solutions:
- Download the RipIt4Me installer. This will put FixVTS where it should be and make sure that RipIt4Me points to it.
- Fix the path yourself in the preferences in RipIt4Me: Open the preferences, and in "Path to FixVTS" make sure that you're pointing to the latest version that you downloaded. I'm willing to be that it's pointing to an older version that you have somewhere else...
jeanl

[john clevenger]

appreciate you getting back to me. I did download from RipIt4Me site and received message that I was running an older version of FixVTS 0.0.0.0 and should upgrade?? Received message after I downloaded, extracted and then, ran application.

Thank You,
John

[john clevenger]

Well I'm going to simply say thank you as I do not feel very bright.(right now)
RipIt4Me was pointing to an older version so now I am back on track.
Sincerely,

John