DVD to AVI question

[pieroxy]

Here is my process to rip a DVD to DivX (it's been years):
1. Rip (I currently use DVDShrink with compression=0)
2. Convert video to vfapi with DVD2AVI and vfapireader
3. Open resulting AVI file with VirtualDub
4. Choose DivX or Xvid and configure the codec for bitrate and aspect ratio (I do not resize)
5. Encode AVI (This is the only long part, along with ripping)
6. Extract AC3 with vobedit
7. Remux with avimux (IIRC)
8. Done.

This process works fine for me, but for one point: The black portions of the DVD doesn't seem black and are full of artifacts. Should I apply a filter in vdub? Which one? Will that oversaturate the black level?

And how come the DVD video doesn't appear black?

[tedgo]

I agree with Axed.

Try this:
2.) Load the VOBs into DGIndex
(don't forget to set it to "Audio"-->"Output Method"-->"Demux all tracks". This will "extract" the AC3s)
3.) Load the created *.avs-file in VirtualDubMOD
(How to create a proper avs-file, read dgindexs documentation)
4.) Go to "Tools"-->"Script Editor" and crop the black borders
(for example with adding the line: crop(8,72,-8,-72). You can add another filters, read avisynths documentation)
5.) Choose DivX or Xvid and configure the codec
6.) Encode AVI
7.) Mux the created videofile with the AC3s demuxed by DGIndex with AVIMux
8.) Done

There are easier solutions for that: GKnot or AutoGK.
But the method above is more configurable (via avisynth).

[pieroxy]

Sorry, I confused everyone. By "Black Portions" I meant the frames where the image is black or dark... Not the black borders. Example:

In the 6th sense, one of the few first scenes features Bruce Willis in his basement, selecting a bottle of wine. On the DVD, most of the image is black. On my DivX, most of the image is dark gray, full of artifacts...

Thanks for your suggestions of new software, but let me ask a few questions:
1. What is the benefit of using VurtualDubMOD over VirtualDub?
2. Axed, my method already uses frameserving, so what would be the benefit of using DGIndex instead of DVD2AVI?
3. Axed, MPEG-2 is already mod-16, so why should I care?
4. When I'll encounter a DVD that DVDShrink can't handle, we'll see ;). One thing I learned: If it ain't broken, don't fix it... But thanks for the tip.

[tedgo]

The benefit of using VirtualDubMOD over VirtualDub is just the possibility to open AviSynth-Scripts and edit them with the Script Editor (often necessary in the way i posted).
Remember: the AviSynth-Filters are about more than twice as fast as the VirtualDub-Filters, cos they don't need a conversion to rgb32.
If you need to crop, resize or deinterlace, AviSynth is the better choice.
Additionally VirtualDubMOD is able to handle more audiocodecs - like ogg vorbis - and the OGM and the Matroska-Container (but its not recommended to use for directly muxing in Matroska, cos its a bit outdated).
You can create chapters and add subtitles directly for Matroska or OGM.

But maybe a newer version of virtualdub can handle some of the points i mentioned above, i haven't tried virtualdub since 2002.

Btw. DGIndex can create an AviSynth-Script automatically, DVD2AVI can't.

[pieroxy]

Thanks guys for the tips. If I get it right, DGIndex is just DVD2AVI faster, so I don't really care as I always encode overnight anyways. Same for VDM over VD... I'll get a shot at them anyways just to see how much time I can save.

Axed, you said:
Because you have to crop the black borders, and after that is done its usually not mod-16 anymore. And to keep the aspect ratio, it has to be resized exactly right (blessed Gordian Knot!).
Am I hallucinating? People now promote resizing by invoking quality????? I call it butchering. :sly:

If you re-read my first post, you'll see that I DO NOT RESIZE any of the movies I am encoding. Both DivX and XviD support anamorphic playback, allowing you to resize the video on the fly during playback, hence keeping the original resolution untouched. :D

As for not being mod16 anymore after removing the black borders, you can always cut a few more or less pixels to fix that.

And my original question is still unanswered ;)