Converting VCD to DivX

[JXBlack]

I have copied 3 *.DAT files from the 3 diccs of a VCD. I would like to link them together either before ?? or after using VCD gear and Auto Gordian Knot.

What is the right time to merge them and which (hopefully freeware) program should I use?

Thanks

[Nick]

Use binary concatenation from a DOS prompt.

Extract them as MPEG streams using VCDEasy, VCDGear etc.

Rename the files to file1.mpg, file2.mpg, file3.mpg etc.

Open a command prompt window and navigate to the folder containing the files.

Type
copy /b file1.mpg+file2.mpg+file3.mpg merged.mpg
Press enter and wait.
On completion (disc space permitting!) the folder will now also contain a file called merged.mpg which will be all 3 files in one.

Load this into VirtualDub or whatever to compress as you wish.

[JXBlack]

Thanks...it works perfectly and is very fast. Do you know if I can pur a Command Prompt shortcut on my desktop?

Thanks again

[Nick]

You can if you want.
Right click on your desktop and choose "New" from the context menu, then Shortcut.

It will ask you to find the file you wish to create a shortcut to. Simply type cmd in this box. This should create the command prompt shortcut.

Alternatively, perhaps you could write a batch file to rip the discs and merge them. Are you ripping directly from CD or creating image files of the discs to rip from?

[JXBlack]

Thank you for CMD shortcut........it worked great.

I am copying each VCD disc and them running them thru VCDGear.
Then I use your merge technique.
I then put this file into AutoGK but with limited success because the files don't come out as DivX, as you pointed out earlier.
I'm going to try Dr DivX this weekend.

I don't know how to write a batch file.

DOS Question

assume directory XX has two sub directories aa and bb

to get to "aa", I type cd XX then cd aa
and I will have
C:\XX>cd aa

what DOS command do I type so I can go back to
C:\XX


Thanks again for your interest in my series of little problems

[Nick]

Typing

cd..

takes you up a level in the directory tree.

If you want some help with a batch file I'm sure I could rustle something up but I would master recompression to your desired output format first.

[JXBlack]

I would love some help with a Batch file but I'm not quite sure how to begin.

With your help I am up to the point of converting the series of *.DAT files into one continuous *.mpg file. But here I'm stuck.

My Sony DVD Player plays DivX very well but does'nt play *.mpg and I don't think it does well on Xvid although I.ve been told, if it does one it should do the other. I'm suppose to use FourCC which I don't understand yet.

I have been downloading from bitorrent *.avi files and I run them through a program called ImTOO RM Converter. They seem to come out DivX and I have never had any problem burning 5 or 6 of them to a DVD disc using Nero Express.

I have ignored all other formats than *.avi.

Now I would like to convert my rather large collection of VCD's and put 5 or 6 of them on DVD disc's. As I have previously explained, I'm stuck at trying to get them from *.mpg to DivX.

Also, I would love to do it all with freeware,if possibe, as I have so far avoided puting my Credit Card info on the Internet.

Many thanks for your patience in listening to my sad tale of woe, and sorry......I don't Skype.........I barely e mail.

[Nick]

OK.
Let's start with a couple of tips.

1. Read the forum rules (http://forum.doom9.org/forum-rules.htm)
2. We_do_not_discuss_files_downloaded_from_p2p_networks_here.
3. We_will_not_assist_you_in_processing_content_you_do_not_legally_own.

However, as yet, you have not asked for help for the files you have downloaded, only on your VCD collection that I shall take at face value are genuine. So I shall leave this thread open and instruct you to consider this your first and last warning on the matter.

Back to your VCD's there is a guide on Doom9 site for converting VCD to DivX.
http://www.doom9.org/mpg/vcd2divx.htm

If you import your merged file into virtualdub, it should work as per the guide.

On the batch file front, you might like to try this. Download VCDGear Console Version (http://www.vcdgear.com/files/vcdgear176-040415_win32.zip) and extract the exe file to a folder of your choice. Copy and paste the contents of the box below into Notepad.

@ECHO OFF
:ini
SET DRIVE=H:
SET WORKDIR=c:\VCD
SET VCDGPATH=C:\VCDGEAR\VCDGEAR.exe
SET OUTPUT=merged.mpg
SET /A FILE=1
SET /A DISC=1

:rip
ECHO Please insert disc %DISC% then
PAUSE
DIR %DRIVE%\MPEGAV

:loop
SET /P FILENAME=Please type filename of the file you wish to rip, or done if there are no more files to rip on this disc:
IF "%FILENAME%"=="done" GOTO next
%VCDGPATH% -dat2mpg %DRIVE%\MPEGAV\%FILENAME% %WORKDIR%\file%FILE%.mpg
SET /A FILE=%FILE%+1
GOTO loop

:next
SET /P Y=Is there another disc (y/n):
IF "%Y%"=="n" GOTO cmdini
IF "%Y%"=="y" GOTO inc
GOTO next

:inc
SET /a DISC=%DISC%+1
GOTO rip

:cmdini
SET /a TEMP=2
SET COMMAND=%WORKDIR%\file1.mpg
SET /A FILE=%FILE%-1

:cmd
SET COMMAND=%COMMAND%+%WORKDIR%\file%TEMP%.mpg
IF %TEMP%==%FILE% GOTO runcmd
SET /A TEMP=%TEMP%+1
GOTO cmd

:runcmd
ECHO COPY /b %COMMAND% %WORKDIR%\%OUTPUT%
COPY /b %COMMAND% %WORKDIR%\%OUTPUT%
EXIT

In the :ini section at the top, alter the variables so DRIVE=your CD reader drive letter, WORKDIR=the directory you want to rip the files to and VCGGPATH=the path to the VCDGear Console executable you downloaded. Now save it to your desktop as VCDJoin.bat

When you run it, it'll prompt you to put a disc in and list the contents of the MPEGAV directory. The video streams on the VCD will be listed as AVSEQ01, AVSEQ02 etc.

It'll prompt you for the filename of the stream you want to rip. Type it in and repeat for all the streams you want, then type done. It'll then ask you if there is another disc. If you type y, it will prompt you for it and repeat the above. If you type n it will proceed to merging the mpeg streams into one file.

Please note all your responses to these prompts should be entered in lower case - don't use capitals.

Cheers
Nick

[JXBlack]

Many thanks for your advice as regards items #1, #2 and #3.
I understand clearly........nuff said.

Yes, the VCD are righteous and thank you for continuing to assist me.

Some things have come up, unrelated to this subject that will take up my time for the next few days........please permit me to respond later to the Doom9 site guide and the Batch file.

Thanks again.