Lots of problems, getting no where! (DVD-- >Divx/VCD)

[keegs]

Help!!

I'm a newbie to almost everything except playing DivX movies.

My problem:

I have a DVD. I have ripped the DVD, successfully creating 5 *.VOB files totalling around 4.5 gig.

Now what do I do? The guides I have looked at are too vague, and generally refer to the use of older versions of the programs that are availible-- Its all too confusing!!!

I have tried using individual apps like DVD2AVI so then I can encode to DivX(with what program exactly?), with little luck. The furthest I got was using GordianKnot package, following the steps but getting stuck.

I created the D2V file from the vob's, but even the simplest thing like using the bitrate calculator - the 'help' says:

"make sure 'calculate average bitrate' is checked and set your desired filesize, audio-bitrate (or filesize) and
interleaving."

Even something so simple as the above quote, I don't quite understand it. The filesize is the ending avi size I guess, set at 700mb. The audio bitrate? How do I find this out? The files that DVD2AVI created has the filename: "meep AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps 48KHz.wav". Does this mean that my audio is 48Kbit? No explanation is given. What is interleaving for that matter? I can't see anything about interleaving on any of the screens in Gknot.

Also, something not defined anywhere else, is that after running DVD2AVi I have the following files:

(Please disregard the 'meep' filenames, I was frustrated)

meep.d2v - 436kb
meep AC3 T03 2_0ch 192Kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3 - 140mb
meep AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3 - 281mb
meep AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps 48KHz.wav - 197mb

I do not see an AVI file, isn't that what DVD2AVi is supposed to do?

Any help is appreciated, as I have been spending hours on going through guides and downloading recommended apps without luck!

- keegs

[aleksander]

Wow....
As far as I know Doom9 updates his guides very often, so none of them is out-of-date.
There are guides for eveything you may want to do - divx, vcd, svcd or dvd. Just follow it exactly.
The audio bitrate? How do I find this out? The files that DVD2AVI created has the filename: "meep AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps 48KHz.wav". Does this mean that my audio is 48Kbit?
If you will set GordianKnot to do it automatically, it will transcode the audio form .ac3 to .mp3 and will put appropraite value where needed. You can do it manually (using BeSweet) though. And 48KHZ doesn't mean that your audio is 48Kbps. It is 384Kbps. If you want to keep ac3 sound, just select in the audio A, set the interleaving 1 x ac3 and that's it. If you want mp3 - transcode it to mp3 (or let GordianKnot do it), set 1 x vbr and that's it.
Also, something not defined anywhere else, is that after running DVD2AVi I have the following files:

(Please disregard the 'meep' filenames, I was frustrated)

meep.d2v - 436kb
meep AC3 T03 2_0ch 192Kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3 - 140mb
meep AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3 - 281mb
meep AC3 T01 3_2ch 384Kbps 48KHz.wav - 197mb

I do not see an AVI file, isn't that what DVD2AVi is supposed to do?

DVD2AVI is mostly used for making a project that you can later use with GKnot since Gknot cannot be served with vob files directly (neither VirtualDub or Nandub - you have to make an AVS file or use Vfapi to feed them). The other three tracks are audio tracks demuxed from the dvd. The first two are ac3 (DolbyDigital 5.1) and the latest is wav (as the name suggests).
Make sure you follow Doom9's guide exactly especially the ones about Gknot). They are very easy to follow.

aleksander

[keegs]

Thankyou aleksander.

I did not mean that Doom9's guides were out of date, rather I was referring to other ones I have gone through, for example a few on DivX.com's site, more specifically one on flask. The guide uses an older version that what is availible on their site.

I have found a few other guides on Dooms site, ones that are not listed on the main guides page -- rather links off links off the guides page.

My mistake, the guide i am looking at now (comprehensive divx-encoding with gknot page) looks understandable.

I was using the gknot help with my last post, and couldn't figure it out.

thanks again!