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LeeG · Jan 22, 2003, 09:32 AM

There's a really nice program thats been created for 1-click set it and forget it conversion of DVDs (that you legally own) to DIVX or SVCD (for your personal use). It's called "forty-two", and its currently donation-ware.

Its a little rough around the edges and needs some kinks ironed out (installation is hardly 1-click), but it seems to deliver on its promises - 1 click conversion from DVD to DIVX or SVCD - with perfect audio sync.

The discussions about it have been at VCDHelp.com Mac Forum.

PLEASE make a donation to these guys if you use the software, they have worked HARD on it, and it would be great to see the community support them and encourage further work on the app -

Lee

milf · Jan 22, 2003, 10:14 AM

I've been looking around for an application along these lines. I'll have to check it out and if it's a good product (or a product w/ potential), I'll certainly make a donation for their hard work.

GoGoReggieXPowars · Jan 22, 2003, 11:38 AM

Thanks for the link. This is also a good place to look for DVD->VCD or DiVX help, though it involves multiple programs: http://thegoods.ath.cx/~hmason/mdc/

Eug · Jan 22, 2003, 11:43 AM

Here is the original thread, as they were writing the software.

fetopher · Jan 22, 2003, 12:14 PM

Where can I get the software? I've looked around the site you linked to, and versiontracker.
Thanks

Eug · Jan 22, 2003, 12:34 PM

Originally posted by fetopher:
Where can I get the software? I've looked around the site you linked to, and versiontracker.
Thanks

42

fetopher · Jan 22, 2003, 05:32 PM

I having some of the same problems that the folks in the forum were having. It looks like a promising app, I just dont have the time to mess around with it to get it working.

-Q- · Jan 22, 2003, 06:54 PM

Thanks for the tip. I've avoided messing around with DiVx simply b/c it was a monumental PITA to make my own.

And if it's a good app, I'll definitely donate...

LeeG · Jan 22, 2003, 07:41 PM

After a little bit of tinkering, I have gotten this to work, with minimal effort, and I converted the second disc of my lord of the rings set to a 1Gb DIVX file, which, played with the newly released DIVX 5 codec, looks phenomenal.

Yeah, the program NEEDS some polish - A web page hosting the needed supplementary files/FAQs, and an installer thats puts things away for you, etc. Also, you cannot name your movie anything with a space (the program should not allow it, instead you get errors).

I will definitely donate, in hopes of this becoming even better - but the hard part is done, it DOES work and infinitely easier than the previous methods (which I agree were too cumbersome to be practical to anyone with a job/family/commitments).

With this program and the 40Gb HD on the new TiBook I just got, I could EASILY bring 10 movies along on a trip to watch in near DVD quality - just think someday we'll need an iTunes like program to organize our movies...

Lee

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Jan 22, 2003, 08:01 PM

Yeah it works really well, except I get missing file errors when it tries to preview any movie type except hi-res Divx - weird. I've read the boards, and it looks like they're working on this.

As for a new app... iRipper, anyone

SwarmyCurve · Jan 22, 2003, 09:28 PM

It seems like my Minority Report has taken all of enternity at this point . . . . but the program still does things much easier than any other.

Is the low quality divx setting really bad? The mid level setting is producing very large files (its already 1.2 gb).

Another question: what does the CD - DVD option do? What does ripping a dvd to dvd do? Is this like a full backup without a loss of quality?

Eug · 12:46 AM

Originally posted by SwarmyCurve:
Another question: what does the CD - DVD option do? What does ripping a dvd to dvd do? Is this like a full backup without a loss of quality?

The DVD option supposedly creates a DVD that will fit on a single DVD-R. However, it will take forever, because this requires a reencode.

If you wanted simply to do a DVD backup onto your hard drive (and playable in DVD Player), all you need is DVD Backup 1.3. It rips a movie in about 15 minutes.

EDIT:

By the way, this program seems like one of the best tests of the TiBook fan. Mine's been running straight for the past 4 hours.

LeeG · 04:33 AM

I ripped the second disc of LOTR (fellowship) at the best Divx qual and it took a while, but the final file was only 1Gb. And Looks incredible. Don't know how much of the movie is on the second vs the first disc, I will try another film tomorrow...

And yeah, the authors are hard at work making changes, simplifying even more, this is a really nice app...

Edit:
new Web Page for the app:

Lee

milenko11 · Jan 23, 2003, 09:53 AM

how do i install it?

Eug · Jan 23, 2003, 10:58 AM

Originally posted by Eug:
...this program seems like one of the best tests of the TiBook fan. Mine's been running straight for the past 4 hours.

>12 hours now, and it is half done. 1 GHz G4.

The test .mpg it generated does look incredible though. How long do the Divx ones take?

Mind you I'll still use my set top standalone Panasonic DVD recorder for the few times I'll want to do this. While the quality for movies over 90 minutes won't be *quite* as good, it does it in real time, and creates a menu and chapter points automatically every 5 minutes.

how do i install it?

It's in the instructions in the downloaded disc image.

midwinter · Jan 23, 2003, 09:10 PM

Originally posted by Eug:
>12 hours now, and it is half done. 1 GHz G4.

The test .mpg it generated does look incredible though. How long do the Divx ones take?

Mind you I'll still use my set top standalone Panasonic DVD recorder for the few times I'll want to do this. While the quality for movies over 90 minutes won't be *quite* as good, it does it in real time, and creates a menu and chapter points automatically every 5 minutes.

It's in the instructions in the downloaded disc image.

harumph. I keep getting an "mencoder error" even though I've installed it and placed it in the 42 folder in library/application support.

Freeflyer · Jan 24, 2003, 12:26 AM

Originally posted by Eug:
If you wanted simply to do a DVD backup onto your hard drive (and playable in DVD Player), all you need is DVD Backup 1.3. It rips a movie in about 15 minutes.

Really, is that all. I ripped a dvd (matrix) and it took almost an hour. I was running all the options (decode, unlock region etc) so I don't know if that would make a difference.

I'm running a Ghz Tibook with 1Gb ram. Is this unusually slow do you think.

Cheers,

J.

milhouse · Jan 24, 2003, 12:29 AM

I ripped my Austin Powers DVD to 2 mpg files in under 2 hours on my MDD.

Great little app.

Eug · Jan 24, 2003, 12:41 AM

Originally posted by midwinter:
harumph. I keep getting an "mencoder error" even though I've installed it and placed it in the 42 folder in library/application support.

Well, mine finished, and the resultant 2.3 GB video MPEG-2 file is excellent. However, there is no sound... the ac3 file is empty.

Really, is that all. I ripped a dvd (matrix) and it took almost an hour. I was running all the options (decode, unlock region etc) so I don't know if that would make a difference.

Hmmm... They never take that long for me. But then again, I usually am ripping smaller sized DVDs come to think of it. If I remember, they ranged from about 15 mins to 30 mins. Haven't tried Matrix.

benbargagliotti · Jan 24, 2003, 01:33 AM

eug, you could try just using the ac3 file straight from the dvd. also, will that mpeg2 stream with the lower bitrate play on a stand alone dvd player? This may solve the problem of fitting a ripped movie onto a single dvd-r. thanks

ben

Uncle Skeleton · Jan 24, 2003, 02:06 AM

Originally posted by LeeG:
... just think someday we'll need an iTunes like program to organize our movies...

Lee

incidentally, I have been writing such an app in my spare time for about the last 4 months. feedback welcome. http://metahoot.3ivx.com
support forum at http://forums.3ivx.com/cgi-bin/ikonb...s.cgi?forum=10

Eug · Jan 24, 2003, 11:46 AM

Originally posted by benbargagliotti:
eug, you could try just using the ac3 file straight from the dvd. also, will that mpeg2 stream with the lower bitrate play on a stand alone dvd player? This may solve the problem of fitting a ripped movie onto a single dvd-r. thanks

ben

Actually, that's why some people are using this program, to convert a DVD-9 to DVD-5. However, you can't just burn it directly to DVD. It has to be converted back to the proper VIDEO_TS folder setup, with the appropriate .vob files, etc.

As for reripping the AC3, yeah I could do that, but it's an extra step, and I dunno why it didn't work with Forty-Two.

Unfortunately this requires something like DVD Studio Pro, and your own time to create the menu (if desired) and the chapter points (necessary) to be able to view the material. However, this first rip has created an MPEG file that DVD Studio Pro won't accept.

And like I have said before, if I really had a strong interest in backing up a movie, I would just use my set top standalone DVD recorder. It does all this in real time, and automatically creates a simple menu as well as chapter markers. The results are excellent, as long as the movie is less than 90 minutes. With Once over 100 minutes the quality starts to deteriorate. (I can do this because I have a region free/CGMS free/Macrovision free DVD player I can use as the source.)

workerbee · Jan 24, 2003, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by Eug:
Well, mine finished, and the resultant 2.3 GB video MPEG-2 file is excellent. However, there is no sound... the ac3 file is empty.

Same here with Gladiator... no sound. Beautiful image, though.
Still: finally a DiVX app a normal, sane person can understand

(Thanks to the original poster!)

KidRed · Jan 24, 2003, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by midwinter:
harumph. I keep getting an "mencoder error" even though I've installed it and placed it in the 42 folder in library/application support.

What's the error? I downloaded it in Safari and Safari adds a .txt extension which is no good. You need to use IE to get the file.

I can't get it to work past the preview. Once i click 'continue', it spits out the DVD (because it's done) and then terminal says the movie.mpg.avi file is not found. I spoke to the author and he said mounted HDs can not have spaces in their names and the paths to both saved location and temp location cannot have spaces either. This will be fixed in a future release.

Hope some of you have some suggestions so I can figure this out. I'm waiting for the author to get back to me again.

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Jan 24, 2003, 12:37 PM

Originally posted by workerbee:
Same here with Gladiator... no sound. Beautiful image, though.
Still: finally a DiVX app a normal, sane person can understand

(Thanks to the original poster!)

You won't have sound in DiVX without using a utility like DiVXDoctor. Or, just play the .avi in VLC, the sound is fine.

benbargagliotti · Jan 24, 2003, 02:46 PM

Originally posted by Eug:
Actually, that's why some people are using this program, to convert a DVD-9 to DVD-5. However, you can't just burn it directly to DVD. It has to be converted back to the proper VIDEO_TS folder setup, with the appropriate .vob files, etc.

are there official bitrates associated with DVD-9 and DVD-5 that need to be used if it is to be used with standalone dvd players? Also, is there a web resource for this kind of info? Rip Different has been down for a while. thanks

ben bargagliotti

Uncle Skeleton · Jan 24, 2003, 03:56 PM

ripdifferent is back, but the users and old forum posts aren't

www.ripdifferent.com

Eug · Jan 24, 2003, 04:46 PM

Originally posted by benbargagliotti:
are there official bitrates associated with DVD-9 and DVD-5 that need to be used if it is to be used with standalone dvd players? Also, is there a web resource for this kind of info? Rip Different has been down for a while. thanks

ben bargagliotti

The main limitation is the amount of space on a disc. One DVD-5 only holds 1 hour of full bitrate video. Thus, to fit a 90 minute movie on it you need to reduce the bitrate accordingly.

benbargagliotti · Jan 24, 2003, 05:37 PM

Originally posted by Eug:
The main limitation is the amount of space on a disc. One DVD-5 only holds 1 hour of full bitrate video. Thus, to fit a 90 minute movie on it you need to reduce the bitrate accordingly.

but will a movie with a reduced bit rate still play on a standalone? I found this on the vcdhelp.com pages http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/userguides/126224.php

ben

Eug · Jan 24, 2003, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by benbargagliotti:
but will a movie with a reduced bit rate still play on a standalone? I found this on the vcdhelp.com pages http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/userguides/126224.php

ben

I guess I should point out that commercial DVDs don't even use fixed bitrates. Variable bit rates is built right into the spec. And essentially you can choose any average bit rate you want (within reason).

Part of what I was getting at with the 90 minute thing is that single-layer commercial DVDs are going to have lower bitrates already.

BTP · Jan 25, 2003, 01:39 AM

This is a good place to ask this I think...

Ok, DVDBackup. I had some success with this, but I have had nothing work lately, so I stopped using it. I would get error messages saying that something couldn't decode. Something like that. Does anyone know what the limitations are? Is there a size limiatation? Does it not work on DVD-9?

[APi]TheMan · Jan 25, 2003, 04:31 AM

Aww man, right when I find the tool to let me encode DVD to SVCD so easily Apple's servers get shot. mencoder works well, but my computer's too slow to play DivX well (Pismo 400), SVCD is all I EVER wanted...

WiseWeasel · Jan 25, 2003, 04:32 AM

This is because you need to let DVD Player launch once the DVD is inserted, so that it authenticates the DVD (as it says in the 'read me' file for DVD Backup). You probably recently set the Finder to not launch DVD Player upon DVD insertion, which is the default, set in the 'CDs and DVDs' preference panel. Let DVD Player authenticate the disc, then you can run DVD Backup to rip the DVD. Make sure you're running the latest version of DVD Backup, available here: http://195.134.134.27/downloads/macdvd/

dfiler · Jan 25, 2003, 01:53 PM

I'm in love with 42. It IS the answer.

I've offered to contribute some modified GUIs for the developers' perusal. If they express any interest in the mockup nibs, i'll post screen shots here... stay tuned.

pdot · Jan 25, 2003, 03:56 PM

Originally posted by Silky Voice of The Gorn:
Yeah it works really well, except I get missing file errors when it tries to preview any movie type except hi-res Divx - weird. I've read the boards, and it looks like they're working on this.

As for a new app... iRipper, anyone

Mine always work once right after I reinstall mplayer, but after that, I get the missing file errors too.

[APi]TheMan · Jan 25, 2003, 05:05 PM

Originally posted by pdot:
Mine always work once right after I reinstall mplayer, but after that, I get the missing file errors too.

Missing files here too... Trying to encode to SVCD. Doh. Maybe I should try to DivX or VCD.

midwinter · Jan 25, 2003, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by KidRed:
What's the error? I downloaded it in Safari and Safari adds a .txt extension which is no good. You need to use IE to get the file.

I can't get it to work past the preview. Once i click 'continue', it spits out the DVD (because it's done) and then terminal says the movie.mpg.avi file is not found. I spoke to the author and he said mounted HDs can not have spaces in their names and the paths to both saved location and temp location cannot have spaces either. This will be fixed in a future release.

Hope some of you have some suggestions so I can figure this out. I'm waiting for the author to get back to me again.

The error "mencoder missing," even though I've got it in the /library/application support folder.

Anyone know what I'm doing wrong here?

Cheers
Scott

BTP · Jan 25, 2003, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by WiseWeasel:
This is because you need to let DVD Player launch once the DVD is inserted, so that it authenticates the DVD (as it says in the 'read me' file for DVD Backup). You probably recently set the Finder to not launch DVD Player upon DVD insertion, which is the default, set in the 'CDs and DVDs' preference panel. Let DVD Player authenticate the disc, then you can run DVD Backup to rip the DVD. Make sure you're running the latest version of DVD Backup, available here: http://195.134.134.27/downloads/macdvd/

You were right on the mark. Excellent diagnosis! Thanks for that! Now everything works perfectly!

[APi]TheMan · Jan 25, 2003, 06:59 PM

Originally posted by midwinter:
The error "mencoder missing," even though I've got it in the /library/application support folder.

Anyone know what I'm doing wrong here?

Maybe the wrong version of mencoder? This is my version:

Code:
[Alan-Orths-Computer:/Library/Application Support/forty-two] aorth% ./mencoder

MEncoder CVS-030118-18:03-3.1 (C) 2000-2003 Arpad Gereoffy (see DOCS)

benbargagliotti · Jan 25, 2003, 07:06 PM

Looking through the RipDifferent forums, i found another tool that I think i like better than "42". its called transcoder by Hillmann Minx, the same guy who did iSwipe. You can get it here .
This tool lets you import the m2v and the ac3, and it outputs an m2v that has its bitrat lowered just enough to fit the m2v and the ac3 onto a dvd-r. seems to take it one step further than 42.

ben

midwinter · Jan 25, 2003, 07:13 PM

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
Maybe the wrong version of mencoder? This is my version:

Code:
[Alan-Orths-Computer:/Library/Application Support/forty-two] aorth% ./mencoder MEncoder CVS-030118-18:03-3.1 (C) 2000-2003 Arpad Gereoffy (see DOCS)

Hrm. Can you point me to where I can get your version of mencoder?

Cheers
Scott

[APi]TheMan · Jan 25, 2003, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by midwinter:
Hrm. Can you point me to where I can get your version of mencoder?t

In the forty-two folder there is a folder called "Links", it's kinda hidden because you have to scroll down a bit... But here is where it points you to for mencoder:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/m...5.sit?download

Who knows if this will fix your problem, but it coudln't hurt to have this version anyways... ehhe.

midwinter · Jan 25, 2003, 07:44 PM

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
In the forty-two folder there is a folder called "Links", it's kinda hidden because you have to scroll down a bit... But here is where it points you to for mencoder:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/m...5.sit?download

Who knows if this will fix your problem, but it coudln't hurt to have this version anyways... ehhe.

Still gives me the error, even with that version of mencoder.

Cheers
Scott

[APi]TheMan · Jan 25, 2003, 10:18 PM

Originally posted by midwinter:

Still gives me the error, even with that version of mencoder.

Ahhh, I dunno.

I'm currently trying to rip DVD to DivX at the lowest quality setting there is, hopefully it'll at least produce something.

Only problem is that at the "preview" stage I get this error:
Playing movie.avi
File not found: 'movie.avi'

Not found... whatever.

Hopefully in a few hours it'll finish ripping and I'll have success... we'll see.

WiseWeasel · Jan 26, 2003, 01:07 AM

Get the mencoder binary here: http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/mplayerosx. The mencoder rc4 release and earlier are approved for use with Forty-Two, and later builds cause errors in the video. Then, right- (or control-)click on the Mencoder for OS X application, choose 'Show Package Contents' from the contextual menu, navigate to the Contents/Resources folder, and there you find the mencoder and mplayer binaries. Copy or move these to the /Library/Application\ Support/forty-two directory.

midwinter · Jan 26, 2003, 01:15 AM

Originally posted by WiseWeasel:
Get the mencoder binary here: http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/mplayerosx. The mencoder rc4 release and earlier are approved for use with Forty-Two, and later builds cause errors in the video. Then, right- (or control-)click on the Mencoder for OS X application, choose 'Show Package Contents' from the contextual menu, navigate to the Contents/Resources folder, and there you find the mencoder and mplayer binaries. Copy or move these to the /Library/Application\ Support/forty-two directory.

Woot! That did the trick! I vaguely remember having seen a reference to this, but I ignored it. Yet again, I confront irrefutable evidence in support of the theory that I am a dumbass.

Thanks VERY much for your help! Running a test rip of Red Planet now.

Cheers
Scott

BTP · Jan 26, 2003, 01:25 AM

Ok, since I had good luck with my last question. I'll push my luck.

What is the easiest/fastest/best way to rip a DVD-9 to a DVD-5? I know that likely involves some changes to data, but not too much more than that.

42 sounds cool, but I don't think it will do that. Thoughts?

WiseWeasel · Jan 26, 2003, 02:22 AM

Originally posted by BTP:
Ok, since I had good luck with my last question. I'll push my luck.

What is the easiest/fastest/best way to rip a DVD-9 to a DVD-5? I know that likely involves some changes to data, but not too much more than that.

42 sounds cool, but I don't think it will do that. Thoughts?

It depends on what you need, the movie you're doing, and the tools you have. If the main video track is <4.4 GB, you can remove extra features of a DVD to fit it onto a DVD-R by using DVD Backup to backup the VIDEO_TS folder to the HD, and then replace the .vob files from the extra feature tracks with dummy text files with the same names. Then, burn this new VIDEO_TS folder in a new DVD in Toast, and it should play fine in any player. Do not select the buttons in the DVD's menus for the features you have removed, as they will no longer work.
If, on the other hand, the main track is >4.4 GB, and you don't need the subtitles, you can split DVD-9 discs to two DVD-5 discs with the two tools DVD Extractor 0.9b (classic MacOS) and DVD Studio Pro. With DVD Extractor, browse your DVD's contents in Scene mode and select half of the scenes of the main video track (or about 4.3 GB worth), check 'merge selected items' and 'demux streams', and save to HD, followed by the rest of the scenes. You can then extract any bonus features by track instead of by scene. You then import these streams into DVD Studio Pro and master your DVDs. There might be a chance of a very slight and hardly noticeable audio synch problem, but it has never been a problem for me.
If you need subtitles and the main video track is >4.4 GB, you can use Forty-Two to reencode the mpeg2 video at a lower bitrate with burnt in subtitles to use in DVD Studio Pro or Sizzle to master a new DVD that will fit on a DVD-R disk.

Scifience · Jan 26, 2003, 09:28 AM

Perfect! I ripped an anime DVD to mDiVX in about five hours. The audio is perfect and everything!

I ran it through the DiVX validator from DiVX.com and installed the 3ivx codec and everything worked great.

dfiler · Jan 26, 2003, 12:22 PM

Originally posted by BTP:
Ok, since I had good luck with my last question. I'll push my luck.

What is the easiest/fastest/best way to rip a DVD-9 to a DVD-5? I know that likely involves some changes to data, but not too much more than that.

42 sounds cool, but I don't think it will do that. Thoughts?

42 will allow you to preserve multi-channel surround while making everything fit on a DVD-5... give it a shot.

I contacted the guys working on 42 and they're busting their asses on this project. They also seemed quite receptive to my GUI feedback. Stay tuned!