How do you get the most out of your DVD rip?

[hypemx7]

Currently I am using programs such as FU, MeGUI and AutoGK to back up older DVDs to avi, mp4 and mkv files.

I was wondering if there was a more "hands-on" approach that would allow me to shrink the size of the resulting files.

My current goal is to maximize quality for outputs with the following specs:

RES: 640x480/720x480 resolution or even higher if the source is good
SIZE: 2GB size limit for the file
FPS: 23.97/29.97fps or higher
LENGTH: 2.5hours long movie
BITRATE: Highest possible given the situation
ENCODING (video): x264 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC)
CONTAINER: avi, mp4 or mkv


I won't go into Audio specs because firstly, I am not familiar with them, and secondly, I do not believe optimizing
audio encoding will have a significant impact on the resulting output file size.


Any suggestions?
I all for manual, some what time consuming hard work, if it is required to keep the output file size low while
optimizing the quality of video.
Some general steps to optimize the output with the specs listed above, would be very much appreciated.

For example:
1-Use "Program name" to rip the DVD file to "File type"
2-Use "Program name" to edit the ripped file
3-Use "Program name" to encode the edited file
etc.


Thank you for the help.

[hypemx7]

As stated, the resulting output size has to be smaller than 2GB.
I store all my back ups on 2GB microsd cards, thus the size restriction.
(Thanks to a database mishap at a distributor my friend works at, I have about a 100 of 2GB microsd cards which I use for Movie backups)

[hatetea58]

use anydvd to rip your dvds
use handbrake to convert to mp4
OR use makemkv to directly rip and convert dvd to mp4

[setarip_old]

@hatetea58use makemkv to directly rip and convert dvd to mp4Your statement is incorrect...

[ron spencer]

Handbake....keep original ac3 (why not) and use x264

simple easy!!!

[Ghitulescu]

My current goal is to maximize quality for outputs with the following specs:

RES: 640x480/720x480 resolution or even higher if the source is good
SIZE: 2GB size limit for the file
FPS: 23.97/29.97fps or higher
LENGTH: 2.5hours long movie
BITRATE: Highest possible given the situation
ENCODING (video): x264 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC)
CONTAINER: avi, mp4 or mkv


The most can be obtained only by ripping to DVD/ISO/VOB with no compression (like DVDShrink) at all. For your list of choices, you can't maximize anything, you can minimize the damages only.

To 1. It's no use to go above the native resolution. If you intend to watch them on a PC you might need to correct their PAR.
To 2. Any modern codec (divx, xvid, h.264) would allow you a very good image at 2GB.
To 3. Like To 1. it's no use to raise the fps, keep it as it is (for TV) or do an IVTC (for Film) which decrease the fps. I assume you have only NTSC disks as PAL is 25fps.
To 4. Where do you want to cut Ben Hur or Quo Vadis? There are movies longer than 150 minutes....
To 5. We come around again on Big, Bigger, Biggest ;) There are bitrate calculators
To 6. x264 is the software, H.264 is the codec. Apparently you decided on this issue...
To 7. Since your spec list does not contain the player used to watch the movies, the answer should be IT DEPENDS. But AVI then MKV have the highest rate of success with the hardware players.

It's more than to put the DVD into the tray, click Go/Start/Run and have the movie ready in 3 seconds. In original quality at 1/5 of its original size. Gosh! Why did't the studios thought of this before? And this forum was created just for this issues and similar.

[CWR03]

To 1. It's no use to go above the native resolution.
I used to think that too. I used to keep width and scale down height to match AR, but I tried a few encodes from DVD and upscaled the width to get a 480P video, and it goes from "an acceptable loss" to "nearly transparent." The reason I think is because the inherent artifacts introduced by MPEG-4 compression are now much smaller and less noticeable in relation to the size of the video.

[hatetea58]

@hatetea58Your statement is incorrect...

sorry for that mistake. makemkv only output mkv file.
it should use makemkv to rip and use handbrake or any video converter to convert mkv to mp4.
a totally free way.:)