Capturing DVD video, exporting frames

[1commander]

First, I apologize if this is in the wrong forum as I know it mentioned analogue sources in the description, but I didn't know where to post it. Please move it appropriately.

I am new to ripping from DVDs. Although I have backed them up before, I have recently wanted to take out still frames from several DVD to use in image editing work. I am wondering the best way to do this - would I first rip it to my hard drive with something like DVD decrypter? And then what program would I use to export frames (of the highest quality?) (I know that if I pause a DVD there are often blurs and great pixelation which doesn't appear to be there while watching.)

On the side, just incase someone suggests it: oddly enough, if I pause a DVD and then take a screen shot, there is nothing in it from the DVD! The video is actually missing from the SS, even though the DVD program is shown to be open - very weird.

Thank you for any help. I am looking for the greatest quality image/frame I can take from a DVD movie.

[Mtz]

Open any VOB file which contain the movie in VirtualDubMod. Go to the desired frame and press ctrl+1. You'll have that frame in your clipboard. Paste it in any image viewer.
Check the aspect ratio before using it.

enjoy,
Mtz

[Guest]

would I first rip it to my hard drive with something like DVD decrypter? Yes.

And then what program would I use to export frames (of the highest quality?) Do as Mtz said above, or open the VOB in DGIndex and then do File/Save BMP.

On the side, just incase someone suggests it: oddly enough, if I pause a DVD and then take a screen shot, there is nothing in it from the DVD! The video is actually missing from the SS, even though the DVD program is shown to be open - very weird. Not weird at all. The player is using the video overlay, which usually cannot be captured via typical screen capture methods.

Thank you for any help. I am looking for the greatest quality image/frame I can take from a DVD movie. If you have hard telecining or interlaced video, then you will have a problem getting clean progressive frames. In that case you may need to serve the video via DGMPGDec and an Avisynth script into VirtualDub. You do the decombing in your script and then capture the frame within VirtualDub.

[1commander]

Thanks alot you guys, I didn't know about the overlay mode which prevents screenshots.

[1commander]

Well, I am very new at this, and I have gotten the .VOB to my harddrive. Unfortuantely, when I open it up in Virtualdubmod 1.5, I cannot seem to get anything to play, and therefore cannot go to the specified frame. The screen is black. I do not know how to use the program well, so if anyone can offer any information in this matter, that would be great.

Also:
"If you have hard telecining or interlaced video, then you will have a problem getting clean progressive frames. In that case you may need to serve the video via DGMPGDec and an Avisynth script into VirtualDub. You do the decombing in your script and then capture the frame within VirtualDub."

I am not sure what this entirely means or how to do it. I did download the DGMPGDec programs and the Avisynth program. I imagine what you meant was copy the .VOB file to an avi and then do something in avisynth to prep it for virtualdubmod. Could you provide instructions on how this is done? (I tried opening the .VOB in DGIndex but got a black screen again, and play (F6) just yielded a beep and information about the .VOB, it appeared.)

If it is not clear already, I am extremely unfamiliar with the DVD community and this project of mine had led me into new territory.

[setarip_old]

@1commander

Hi!

1) What is the Title and Region of your original DVD?

2) What software and procedures did you use to "have gotten the .VOB to my harddrive"?

[1commander]

Hi setarip,

It's called "Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie." It's Region 1, or North America.

I used DVD Decrypter. I selected all files, and copied them to a folder called SF Movie. I used default settings.

Edit - I should note that I opened something that appeared to be an encoded mpeg (the disc's menu, not the main movie) and it was decryted by VirtualDubMod and appeared to play well.

[setarip_old]

I didn't know about the overlay mode which prevents screenshots...Unfortuantely, when I open it up in Virtualdubmod 1.5, I cannot seem to get anything to play, and therefore cannot go to the specified frame. The screen is black.Did you remember to turn overlay mode back ON? I have gotten the .VOB to my harddrive...I selected all files, and copied them to a folder called SF Movie. I used default settings.Do you have only one .VOB or multiple .VOBs in the"SF Movie" folder on your hard drive?

What are the filenames and filesizes listed in this hard drive folder?

[1commander]

Thanks for your continued help.

Here are the files in the folder:
VIDEO_TS.BUP 16kb
VTS_01_0.BUP 76kb
VTS_02_0.BUP 18kb
VTS_03_0.BUP 20kb
VTS_04_0.BUP 18kb
VIDEO_TS.IFO 16kb
VTS_01_0.IFO 76kb
VTS_02_0.IFO 18kb
VTS_03_0.IFO 20kb
VTS_04_0.IFO 18kb
VIDEO_TS.VOB 22kb
VTS_01_0.VOB 110,502kb
VTS_01_1.VOB 1,048,414kb
VTS_01_2.VOB 1,048,414kb
VTS_01_3.VOB 1,048,518kb
VTS_01_4.VOB 839,226kb
VTS_02_0.VOB 22kb
VTS_02_1.VOB 8664kb
VTS_03_0.VOB 22kb
VTS_03_1.VOB 305,000kb
VTS_04_0.VOB 22kb
VTS_04_1.VOB 74,666kb


Can you tell me how to turn overlay mode back on exactly? I don't recall ever turning it on.

[setarip_old]

Can you tell me how to turn overlay mode back on exactly? I don't recall ever turning it on.Not necessary. I thought your post #4 here indicated that you had turned OFF the overlay function in response to the suggestion by "neuron2".

What happens if you first open VirtualDubMod and then "drag & drop" the file named "VTS_01_1.VOB" onto it?

[1commander]

After a a very long time, I finally got things to work, thanks to the great help present in this thread. I have another question now. I was wondering what to do about frames that appear to be two frames in their merging sequence - I don't know the name for this - but many scan lines appear and it seems that the frames are overlapping. This effect is not visible on a DVD player.

Neureon 2 mentioned:
If you have hard telecining or interlaced video, then you will have a problem getting clean progressive frames. In that case you may need to serve the video via DGMPGDec and an Avisynth script into VirtualDub. You do the decombing in your script and then capture the frame within VirtualDub.

I am unsure of what sort of script to use, if this is an explanation of what I should do - I am just guessing it is. If it isn't, can someone please suggest what I should do from here?

Thanks.

[1commander]

Also, I have been getting the frames I want through snag-it. Is there a better way to export?

[Blue_MiSfit]

You're missing one crucial step:

DGIndex!!!

Use this wonderful application to sync up all your VOBs. I would imagine that the largest VOBs

VTS_01_1.VOB through VTS_01_4.VOB

would be the likely candidates for the full movie. Band-box select these four VOBs, and drop them into DGIndex. Push F5, and see what the "Video Type" field says after a few seconds.

If it's Interlaced then leave things as they are, and if it says FILM at near 90%, then set Video -> Field Operation to "Force Film".

Finally, save the project by doing file -> save project. This will create a D2V file, which points to all the VOBs.

Now, create an AviSynth script like this

MPEG2Source("c:\movie\movie.d2v")

With the path and d2v title replaced with your d2v.

If your video was FILM, that's all you need. If it was interlaced, you will probably have to deinterlace. Report back, and we can make some suggestions on how to do that in this script.

Finally, you can drop this file into VirtualDub - and you will get a nice seekable stream of all the movie without any waiting, and rip screenshots as you like!

I suggest using VirtualDub - not VirtualDubMod. Mod is very outdated.

~MiSfit