DVDFab and DVDShrink producing files unreadable by VLC Player or PowerDVD

[openSauce]

Hi,

I have some old DVDs I would like to back up, and I've tried using DVDFab HD Decrypter 5.0.2.2 and DVD Shrink 3.2.0.15, both under WinXP Pro SP3.

While both programs appear to copy the DVDs correctly, I have problems when trying to play back the resulting files from my hard drive or from a burned DVD. Power DVD 5.0 gives the message: "Error Code: 80040265. Cannot play back the file. The format is not supported. Error trying to play [path]\VIDEO_TS.IFO". VLC player 0.9.6 gets as far as the main menu on the DVD, but the menu items are not clickable.

I've had success with DVDFab and DVD Shrink in the past. The versions of DVD Shrink and Power DVD are quite old I think, but DVDFab and VLC Player are fairly new. Can anyone help me diagnose the problem?

[ammck55]

Welcome to the Forum:

If you run a search on Error Code: 80040265, you'll find that the usual suspects are a damaged file, or your system missing the appropriate codecs. Download GSpot, load up your file/s and see what it reports on the audio/video codecs required to render the file/s. If your problem is as simple as a missing codec, this is one way to track it down.

If you've the correct codecs installed, it might be safe to assume that your source is crap. :)

ammck55

[setarip_old]

@openSauce

Hi!I have some old DVDs1) What happens if you try to play these actual DVDs, using the same software players?

2) What happens if you try to play them on your standalone DVD player?

[Wombler]

@openSauce

You should also update DVDFab HD Decrypter. The version you have is way out of date.


Wombler

[openSauce]

Thanks all for your replies. I've downloaded GSpot 2.70a, and upgraded DVDFab to 5.2.3.2.

GSpot reports that the correct codecs are installed (MPEG-2) for the VTS_01_1.VOB created by DVDShrink and by the newly-upgraded DVDFab (VTS_01_1.VOB is the first part of the main video stream on the DVD, i.e. it's the first 1GB file).

@openSauce

Hi!1) What happens if you try to play these actual DVDs, using the same software players?

2) What happens if you try to play them on your standalone DVD player?

They play perfectly; all are in good condition.

It turns out that when I try to open the VOB files directly in PowerDVD, instead of using its "Open DVD File on hard drive" option which opens a directory, it doesn't give the error message. It plays the file at high speed, jumping between frames. I think I've read somewhere that this is a new anti-piracy measure which goes beyond CSS, and technically the DVDs using it don't conform to the DVD standard, but most players can handle it. If that's right, does anyone know a way around it?

Funnily enough, an older version of VLC player (0.8.something) is installed under Linux on the same machine, and can play the copied files. This is good but I'd prefer to have something which can play anywhere before I'm happy to rely on it as a backup!

[setarip_old]

I have some old DVDs I would like to back upI think I've read somewhere that this is a new anti-piracy measureWhich is it?

What are the Titles and Region numbers of your original DVDs?

[openSauce]

I think I bought them around 2004. They're The Sopranos Series 2, region 2.

[setarip_old]

Those Titles, if only by virtue of their release dates, cannot contain any NEWER copy protection and certainly can be properly dealt with by virtually any decrypting/ripping program published in the last few years...