Is there a better way to remove previews and other junk?

[dwallersv]

I'm finding that my main use of all these great tools now is to make backups of my existing video collection with the annoyances removed -- previews, FBI and other warnings, ratings stills, etc.

Here's how I'm doing it, and I've got to think there is a better way. I'm a total neophyte with PGCEdit, so I've kind of stumbled my way through figuring out a method for this, but it works:


Select the PGC for removal
Go into the PGC editor
Add a blank cell
delete the original cell with video
edit the chapter table to fix the chapter index
repeat for other segments to remove


I also use PGCEdit to alter the first-play command(s) to point straint to the root menu rather than whatever startup junk is on the disk.

Then, in DVDRebuilder I blank out those same segments/cells (not sure what to call them -- I'm still learning) that I removed from the play sequences, recovering the space when rebuilding the DVD.

I did this with the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (one of my kids favorites -- they've probably watching it 30 times already), and it all came out perfectly -- when the DVD is inserted, it goes straight to the menu. Select "Play" and it goes straight to the opening of the movie. All is good.

However, I'm sure there's an easier way from PGCEdit. At a minimum, there's got to be a way to get rid of those segments entirely so that I don't have to go through the extra step of blanking them in DVDRebuilder. Also, the process for taking them out of the program flow in PGCEdit that I'm using seems overly complicated and cumbersome -- I expect there is a much more direct way to do this.

Any advice?

[dwallersv]

A point of clarification: One might wonder, why did I go to all this trouble rather than just changing the First Play command to point to the Root Menu, then change the PLAY button on the menu to point directly to the movie PGC?

The answer is simple: Following the execution path of the DVD from first play, and from the play button it runs through all sorts of different PGCs, cells, etc., where there is quite a bit of command code to track what ads and so forth you have already seen (so they don't force you to view them again), sets up some audio stuff, etc. I didn't want to take the time to reverse-engineer all this code, figure out what it does, then implement the necessary stuff in the first play thingy or wherever.

It's much simpler just to make the chains in question content empty, yet all the commands stay and get executed. Works like a charm, but it's cumbersome.

[BSpielbauer]

I do not know if you will find my methods any less cumbersone, but I suspect you might, based on your description of your process...

I use PGCEdit, to remove this nonsense. I use the "Trace" mode. Are you already familiar with this? It basically allows one to start at the true beginning, and jump from one command to the next, but pausing at each and every bit of video that is found. At each stopping point, I preview the video, (hitting one key on the keyboard), and decide whether to dump it, and then (if it is garbage), I click on a button on the "trace mode toolbar" which will "inhibit the play." I then continue the trace. There us a guide for how to do this -- follow the link below:

http://jean.laroche.free.fr/SkippingStuff0.4.3.1/index.html

-Bruce

[jel]

well personally i prefer to use jsoto's vobblanker or dimad's dvdremake pro to replace all non-essential items with blank video. iirc it will essentially perform the same tasks (except modifying the 'first play' command) you are using pgcedit for, in a far quicker/simpler fashion.

cheers
j