Star wars II [merged]

[senderj]

I am trying to backup my Star wars II. DVD Decrypter reported that it is CSS/CPPM protected and is a R1 disc. I use DVD Decrypter v 3.1.5 file mode to copy all files to HD successfully. Then I use DVD Fab v0.17 to split into 2 folders. Then I use Nero 6 to burn the video_ts to DVD+RW. DVD Info reported that the DVD+RW is region 1 to 8. But when playing it with my Philip set top player, the screen showed that the disc is not formatted for my region. My DVD player is region free and can play the original DVD. Any idea why?

[mrbass]

hmmm both discs report that? DVDFAB 0.17 the last free version sometimes had something funky about the .ifo file but I believe it was only disc 2. Only caused problems for a few IIRC. When you rip with dvddecrypter does it say it has RCE protection and for you to set a region? In dvddecrypter do you have your settings to region 1 or whatever your dvd player is?

[senderj]

No, only disc 1. disc 2 does not have any control feature. It plays direct to the rest of the movie. Only disc 1 has this problem.

dvddecrypter didn't report any RCE. At least I did see any. After starting dvddecrypter with the original disc in the drive, it only report protection of CSS/CPPM as I've mentioned. But after you mention this, I check the General tab of dvddecrypter and find that the RCE protection region is set to R2. Is this the reason? But I've check the disc 1 with DVD Info and reported that it is region 1 to 8. What is this option for?

[setarip_old]

I use DVD Decrypter v 3.1.5

Since there was, in fact, a DVD Decrypter v.3.1.5, I won't presume this is a typo.

Therefore, I'll suggest that you try using DVD Decrypter v.3.5.4 instead...

[senderj]

I finally completed backing up Disc 1 of the Star Wars II into 2 DVD-R. But when it comes to Disc 2, new problem arised. After DVD Decryptor (v3.1.5) copied the whole disc 2, I use DVDFab (v0.17) to split and use the default split point (VTS 6 PGC 1) provided by DVDFab. But it rejected with message: "Can't find split point. Action aborted". I then tried every option in the PGC pull-down and all hit the same message. What's wrong?

[setarip_old]

Although I don't know that it will have any effect on the outcome, since you've now repeated that you are using DVD Decrypter v.3.1.5, I just have to ask you why you aren't using v.3.5.4?

[battscrew]

I used DVD shrink in reauthor mode to split - worked fine

[senderj]

setarip_old,

I welcome your suggestion on v3.5.4. In fact I have already downloaded it after reading yours. But I haven't install it yet. Since my problem is related to DVDFab splitting, newer version of DVD Decryptor may not resolve my problem. Beside I can play the movie from my HD (output of DVD Decryptor). So the Decryptor output should be fine. It is the DVDFab that cannot split at the point where it suggests.

[setarip_old]

I believe you'll find that v.3.54 preserves the original DVD's layer break information. This may be what DVDFab is looking for...

[senderj]

Thanks for the info. I have installed v3.54 and about to give it a try. But I find another more serious difficulty.

Disc 2 is the special feature disc housing deleted scenes, directors commentary etc etc. So there is no "main movie" nor large vob that contains most of the scenes. I carefully examined each and every menu button of the Disc 2 and find that the menu to vob relationship are multi-lateral. It is impossible to simply split the disc without touching the vob files and the menus and yet save the trouble of frequent changing of disc. Searching through various sites and cannot find the right guide for such case. Most of the guides are aiming for the main movie only.

It seems to me that its time for DL media and burner. I like to know if I have DL media and burner, is making backup of DVD9 as simple as droping all files of video_ts to Nero (after DVDDecryptor)? Do I have to care about the layer break point? Recall the SVCD and SL DVD age, I have to find the right combination of encoder, authoring, burner, media and player to make them work. Now it's the DL and I have to go through the hardship again. Anybody has any experience on this? My Sony A510 can read DVD9, but I think this does not mean it can burn DL. Is this correct?

[setarip_old]

"I like to know if I have DL media and burner, is making backup of DVD9 as simple as droping all files of video_ts to Nero (after DVDDecryptor)? Do I have to care about the layer break point?"

There would be no need to use NERO at all. You'd simply use DVD Decrypter v.3.54 in "ISO mode" to first "Read .ISO" (rip to your hard drive as an .ISO image) and then "Write .ISO" (burn to burnable D/L media).

As I mentioned previously, DVD Decrypter v.3.54 will preserve the layer break point...

[blutach]

Setarip_old is correct in his last post but when in ISO write mode, you would need to select the little .mds file, not the ISO.

Don't sweat it, it is simple. One thing though. DVDs suc as Star Wars and Matrix often have angles on them (don't know if SW2 did). In this case, when you rip, make sure the setting to remove VOB PUOs is not checked.

PS. setarip_old - nice to see you again.

Regards

[senderj]

Thank you for the info. Before I go to DL, I further study the structure of the DVD and find that the situation is not that desparate, though not easy. With the price of DL coming down, the purpose is real for challenges rather than the actual product.

Splitting vob seems unavoidable, but if I divide the Disc 2 (Star Wars II) appropriately, I only need to split one vob and yet retain the friendliness of the menu (i.e. less disc switching). I plan to put contents corresponding to Main menu button 1, 2 and 3 in one disc, and button 4, 5 and 6 in another disc. To make this works, I need to do a few things and I have question to answer for each of them:

1. Splitting of vob into 2 parts

Certainly I don't want to re-encode. I use mpeg-vcr for splitting mpg before. But it has something like noise reduction (which I can de-select) and Q value (which I cannot de-select) in the parm. So I am not sure if it will re-encode or not. Is there any other tools that for sure will not re-encode?

2. Disable some button in the main menu

I guess pgcedit is a good tool and guide for patching button is available. I can live with the remaining menu text as long as user cannot tab to/ select there. So I guess I can use the Hide Button>Jump to non-deleted button to patch the program.

3. Blank vob

To make sure the product is friendly to burner and player, it is better to ensure dummy vob files are in the disc that has not button to link to. Appreciate any help on what tools to use for generating dummy vob.

4. chapter point

For the cut vob, it is a title of itself. But I don't know how to patch the chapter point so that it jumps to the correct time code in the cut vob. Please help?

I welcome any suggestions/corrections to the plan. Or is this too difficult? Thanks.

[setarip_old]

Appreciate any help on what tools to use for generating dummy vob.

If, by this, you mean an empty .VOB file of -0- bytes, simply open "Notepad" (do NOT type anything), click on "File", select "Save as" and for the filename type "VTS_01_1.VOB" (INCLUDING the quotation marks), or whatever name you please.

[Mr. Monte]

DVDs suc as Star Wars and Matrix often have angles on them (don't know if SW2 did). In this case, when you rip, make sure the setting to remove VOB PUOs is not checked.
Regards

blutach,

Could you explain why to uncheck this option? And would it be better to just leave it unchecked all the time? Seems to me one could forget

TIA

[setarip_old]

And would it be better to just leave it unchecked all the time?

That probably would be best.

Although I don't know If the statement by "blutach" is correct, I do know that on at least one occasion (ripping "The Incredibles") putting a checkmark in "Remove VOB PUOs" resulted in periodic FALSE onscreen indications of multiple angles (the little camera icon appeared in the upper right corner of the screen).

Re-ripping with this category UNchecked eliminated the false indicators...

[Mr. Monte]

:thanks:

Wonder if I can get more info about this.

I've read that movies like the Simpson Series disc would not work if you removed PUO's

[senderj]

Setarip_old,

The reason I need a tool for blank vob is becuase I assume all info related to the length of the vob and the chapter points recorded in ifo need to be adjusted. I hope there is such a tool do both - blank the vob and change the pointer. Any idea?

[setarip_old]

@senderj

Although I've never used it myself, I'd speculate that the program "VOBBlanker" would do precisely what you are seeking.

I'm fairly certain that another poster, with specific knowledge of "VOBBlanker", will come along to either confirm or refute this.

[blutach]

VobBlanker can split disks and you need do nothing to the menus.

If you are playing disk 1 and select a chapter which is now on disk 2 (which has been blanked on disk 1), you will simply land in a cell that is blank and be returned to the main menu. Or you can insert a fancy "insert disk 2" clip :)

Similarly, if you are playing disk 2, but select a chapter that is on disk 1, then you will play a few blank cells before the second half of the movie starts.

VobBlanker does all the blanking and pointer resetting you need.

Get VobBlanker free at the link in my sig. Guide to splitting disks on the guides section of the site.

Also, if you want blank VOBs, they are there under the VOB/IFO tools section, along with the best darn demuxer around, PgcDemux.

Help for any of this stuff in our IFO/VOB Editors forum.

Regards

[blutach]

That probably would be best.

Although I don't know If the statement by "blutach" is correct, I do know that on at least one occasion (ripping "The Incredibles") putting a checkmark in "Remove VOB PUOs" resulted in periodic FALSE onscreen indications of multiple angles (the little camera icon appeared in the upper right corner of the screen).

Re-ripping with this category UNchecked eliminated the false indicators...My technique is to determine if angles exist on the DVD. If so, then I uncheck it. Otherwise, I remove the VOB PUOs.

Note, you can reset your PUOs (IFOs and VOBs) with PgcEdit's new plugin.

Be careful if you are using DVD Shrink or Recode afterwards. They have settings that remove all PUOs. So be careful if your DVD has angles on it.

Regards

[senderj]

Thanks for all the helps here.

VobBlanker is great. I use it to split the Star Wars II disc 2 and the work is much simpler then my plan. I then use pgcEditor to hide the unwanted buttons in the main menu of the 2 result discs. This avoid the problem of disc break.

While VobBlanker is a great tool, user still has to deal with physical components of a DVD: VTS, PGC, Cells etc. Take the disc I have just done as an example, what I want to do is to split the disc according the menu options in the main menu. There are 6 buttons and I want to split the disc by menu options. It will be much friendlier if there is a UI where user can select from the main menu of the disc, say option 1 and 2 to Disc 1 and option 3 to 6 to Disc 2. The software can then check the size before proceeding. If the size doesn't fit, user can then drill down to sub-menu for selection. My point is it is better to driven the splitting selection through the menu and sub-menu of the disc. Certainly there are issues to be ironed out, but it is my wish list.

[blutach]

In VobBlanker, you can look at the cells and see what chapter is associated with each cell - so if your menu button you want to be the first on the next disk is say ch 17, then you blank everything out from 17 on. Not much easier than that. :)

And VobBlanker does give you the resultant size in the top right of its main screen. Get familiar with it and you will see. :) Also, there is no need to do anything to the buttons (but it doesn't hurt).

Regards

[senderj]

blutach,

Thanks for the advise. I am sure VobBlanker can do it and I have just experienced the power of it and successfully split a DVD (see my posts in this thread). For main movie disc, there are clear guide in the VobBlanker site about how to split. Main movie disc is easy to handle because usually we only need to determine a split point by drilling down to cell level once (or a few time). But what I am talking about is the special feature disc where there is no main movie that occupy most of the disc. Such disc has short scene and lots of menu, sub-menu and button. The relationship between menu, button, vob, vts, pgc, cells are multi-lateral.

That the disc I've just completed (Start Wars II disc 2), it has 23 menus/sub-menu, 70 titles, around 100 chapters and endless buttons. the sectors they point to are not in the same sequences as the menu structure. If one has to drill down to cell level to determine what to blank, it will take a long time.

The reason I can complete it is because prior to VobBlanker, I have gone through the whole disc and map out which menu button goes to which part of vob. And then figure out how to divide it to 4.7GB parts. So I am thinking, it will be great if there is a UI that allow me to simple select what to blank/keep by clicking on menu button. Just an idea.

[setarip_old]

@senderj

That the disc I've just completed (Start Wars II disc 2), it has 23 menus/sub-menu, 70 titles, around 100 chapters and endless buttons. the sectors they point to are not in the same sequences as the menu structure. If one has to drill down to cell level to determine what to blank, it will take a long time.

For this particular disc, you might want to try simply compressing to a single DVD5, using DVD Shrink or similar. You may be pleasantly surprised at the resultant quality...

[blutach]

Also, you could look at PgcEdit, which has a handy trace mode - easy to map things out.

As well, you can see roughly where to split, in windows explorer. You can add up the VTSs till you get to say 4Gb (making sure you leave enough room for the menu). Then blank everything after that? Just a thought. I know it is more complex, cos some menu pages flick from VTS to VTS.

In this case, a straight copy to DVD9 or, as setarip_old has suggested, a shrink may be the go. Better still, a re-encode with DVDRB might give you higher quality.

Good luck and regards

[setarip_old]

Per "senderj":

Before I go to DL, I further study the structure of the DVD and find that the situation is not that desparate, though not easy. With the price of DL coming down, the purpose is real for challenges rather than the actual product.

[senderj]

Thanks. I still prefer splitting before I give up the quality to re-encoding.

I am interested in your suggestion on fancy "insert disk 2" clip. I know how to prepare a still in Photoshop and encode to MPEG2 and turn it into DVD (VOB). But can you tell me how to put it into an authored IFO and link up with a menu button?

[blutach]

The easiest way is to use the PgcEdit macro, "Insert title's closing clip". Select the "Clone behaviour of original disk" option.

You can make it a still for as long as you like (0-254 seconds or 255 = infinite), or if you have an animated clip, just select that option.

For some already authored insert clips - see here (http://www.posunplugged.com/clips_body.html).

Regards

[setarip_old]

@senderj

I am interested in your suggestion on fancy "insert disk 2" clip.

You might find it easy to use the "Change Graphics Packet" ("CGP") function of the OLDER FREEWARE of DVDFab 1.7 (NOT DVDFab Decrypter) to accomplish this...