Question for people with DVD ripping experience

[shmokes]

The Xbox I set up for my in-laws died and they decided to get a generic media streamer box (Zinwell ZIN-5005HD, for reference).  It's a pretty impressive little box for the price.  The interface pales in comparison to XBMC, but I'd use it to stream media over the PS3 any day of the week.

Anyway, I've recently run into trouble.  I gave them a metric ton of media, and it all plays fine, but the stuff that my father in-law rips is having a strange problem.  The video shows up in the preview window before selecting it (the preview window is exactly what it sounds like), but then when you select the video there's a brief flicker on the screen, like the device is switching video modes or something, and then we just get audio, but no video.  This only happens when I try to play in 1080i over component cables.  If I switch to 480p it plays fine.  However, the menu is displaying fine in 1080i and all the media I gave him is playing fine in 1080i.  It's just the stuff we're recently ripping.  Also, this is happening when streaming over the network, or playing directly through a USB attached drive.

So I figured it has to do with the rips.  First, these are not HD rips.  They're just DVD rips.  VLC plays them fine on the computer.  I tried ripping with Divx, Xvid, and H.264 and all behave the same on this media streamer.  I'm thinking maybe it's a resolution the device doesn't like, but I don't really know much about changing resolutions, beyond just trying things at random.  Also, this device will play HD media, including Blu-ray rips, so I'm not sure why it would be choking on the resolution.  In any case, I've compared non-working rips to working rips that both have the same resolution, so it can't be just that.  BTW, I'm ripping with DVDfab.

In short, any suggestions?

[Ond]

I know you've tried a few different video codecs but maybe try encoding to Matroska format (*.mkv) instead of say *.avi or other?  I've had similar problems with my media player not playing certain formats and that sorted it for me.  BTW I use WinAvi for my rips and conversions which allows just about any-to-any conversions and codec variations including quicktime stuff which can be a headache.  It's not free but it's the best I've used so far.

[SavannahLion]

It's a bit of a long shot but....

I have heard that some players will refuse to play over HDMI over higher resolutions of the permissions on that video don't line up. I can't imagine how the permissions on a particular disc would still remain in effect after the ripping process. Much less that type of permission problem cropping up on non-Bluray discs. But this behavior:

This only happens when I try to play in 1080i over component cables.  If I switch to 480p it plays fine.

sounds similar to the behavior I've read about. I don't think it's causing this particular problem because of the source and the fact you're not using HDMI but it might be worth at least a look-see.

I've encountered video from some sources that have really bizarre property values. For instance, my step daughters ---smurfy--- little camera sets the video property values to something like 1W, 1H for the resolution. Whenever I archive them, I have to remember to go in and manually tweak the values to the true values or the vast majority of non-VLC players balk. (VLC has played everything I tossed at it with exception of a couple of bizarre QT-Only files.) The video ripping settings might be correct, but the property values might be not. Might also be worth a look-see.

Not to steal the thread, but how does one convert from the DVD format to a more efficient format such as avi, mkv or whatever? I can pull the videos just fine (those that aren't copyrighted) as raw video data and I can convert any of the formats (eg avi, mkv, etc) videos I have into a DVD, but I'm a bit stymied by the post-reduction process. I've Googled for it in the past, but I get swamped by those crap pay-$40-to-do-this software for a process that is obviously well... duh.

[shmokes]

Handbrake is free.  But DVDfab is excellent.  It costs money, but definitely not crap.  I highly recommend it.

[jamesjones626]

It's a bit of a long shot but....

I have heard that some players will refuse to play over HDMI over higher resolutions of the permissions on that video don't line up. I can't imagine how the permissions on a particular disc would still remain in effect after the ripping process. Much less that type of permission problem cropping up on non-Bluray discs. But this behavior:

This only happens when I try to play in 1080i over component cables.  If I switch to 480p it plays fine.

sounds similar to the behavior I've read about. I don't think it's causing this particular problem because of the source and the fact you're not using HDMI but it might be worth at least a look-see.

I've encountered video from some sources that have really bizarre property values. For instance, my step daughters ---smurfy--- little camera sets the video property values to something like 1W, 1H for the resolution. Whenever I archive them, I have to remember to go in and manually tweak the values to the true values or the vast majority of non-VLC players balk. (VLC has played everything I tossed at it with exception of a couple of bizarre QT-Only files.) The video ripping settings might be correct, but the property values might be not. Might also be worth a look-see.

Not to steal the thread, but how does one convert from the DVD format to a more efficient format such as avi, mkv or whatever? I can pull the videos just fine (those that aren't copyrighted) as raw video data and I can convert any of the formats (eg avi, mkv, etc) videos I have into a DVD, but I'm a bit stymied by the post-reduction process. I've Googled for it in the past, but I get swamped by those crap pay-$40-to-do-this software for a process that is obviously well... duh.

Use handbrake to convert dvd files to avi or mkv. x.264 codec in mkv format is really the way to go. You can have soft subs (subtitles that you can turn on or off) and have multiple audio channels.  The compression is better than divx or xvid.  VLC player is decent, but i would reccomend getting cccp codec pack and using media player classic to play files, mainly for anime though.  Its a bit harder to setup but doesnt have the problems that vlc player sometimes have.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Another +1 for Handbrake.

[NightGod]

Yet another vote for Handbrake. It's really the only free option worth mentioning.

[shmokes]

I use Make MKV.  Then convert it to whatever afterwards.

Uh oh . . . I hope you're not ripping commercial DVDs!  That is unauthorized use, even if you own the DVD.   

[shmokes]

I know you've tried a few different video codecs but maybe try encoding to Matroska format (*.mkv) instead of say *.avi or other?  

No dice.  Just ripped to mkv (h.264) and it's exhibiting exactly the same behavior.  In the preview window I get video and audio, but when I select the movie I only get audio.  Annoying.  I'm gonna try ripping with Handbrake and see if I get any better results.  I gotta figure this out today because tomorrow I'm on the road to Chicago and I don't want to leave them with a box that isn't working right.

[shmokes]

You can't.  The DeCSS people attempted unsuccessfully to invoke Betamax.   

[BadMouth]

Bumping this thread instead of making a new one since it's where I've got some of my info from.

Is there anything out there that automates the process of ripping a DVD that has multiple episodes of a TV show on it?
I tried using the above methods, but it seems as though I have to do each episode individually.
Fine, but there are three or four files for each episode on the disc that appear identical.  I ripped one and it looked like it had scanlines added.
Is this some type of interlaced thing where then played on a dvd player, the files would be mixed together?

I tried a different program that was supposed to automate things, but it only ripped the first episode.

Is there anything out there that just knows which files to grab and does it automatically?
If not, any tips for doing this efficiently?

If it's going to require an evening of fiddling with each DVD, it's just not worth it.

[Vigo]

Not fully automated, but I think the current DVDfab will allow you to rip multiple files at the same time. I think you need to change rip to custom mode, then check all the files that look like episodes (Like if they are 25 or 50 minutes long). Then choose your output format and hit start...

It's been a while since I ripped, so if my instructions are flakey, there is a reason why.

[Louis Tully]

.

[SavannahLion]

DVD Shrink is no longer being developed and doesn't always handle your... home DVD's correctly. There are a few I've come across that absolutely won't work properly. In essence, if you get an error, resort to your backup. DVDFab has a very nice hit rate but I'm generally hard pressed to pay for it. I usually scoop up a free one whenever they have a promotional thing.

[BadMouth]

I have an old copy of DVD shrink saved somewhere as well as dvd decrypt.
I'll give it a try it again and see if it makes it any easier to pick out the right files.
Guess I overlooked it as an option since I've only used it long ago for making direct copies.

I'm probably just going to have to invest a day or evening learning the ins and outs of handbrake (probably deinterlacing) and then spend an hour or two picking out the correct files from each DVD.

[Vigo]

Avast ye, scallywags! If ya don't give a crap about being a software pirate (Yarr!) of a program ya wouldn't be able to afford or ever pay for anyway, then DVD fab is the way to go. Shiver me timbers, a pirates life for you.

If ya care of the legalities the, me matey, ya wouldn't be ripping yer DVD's to begin with. The dread MPAA has already cursed ye with the black spot for attempting to circumvent the copyright protection as decreed by the accursed DMCA. Those bilge rats!

[BadMouth]

Avast ye, scallywags! If ya don't give a crap about being a software pirate (Yarr!) of a program ya wouldn't be able to afford or ever pay for anyway, then DVD fab is the way to go. Shiver me timbers, a pirates life for you.

If ya care of the legalities the, me matey, ya wouldn't be ripping yer DVD's to begin with. The dread MPAA has already cursed ye with the black spot for attempting to circumvent the copyright protection as decreed by the accursed DMCA. Those bilge rats!

Yeah.  It's 2013 and when I want to watch something, I should only have to navigate a menu and hit play.
If nobody is selling that option, I've got to make it so myself.

[lordnacho]

One suggestion is once you have all the files, The Renamer is good for uhh renaming the files so they are all pretty looking and then apps like XBMC have no issue determing the show(movies as well).

I read that MakeMKV is good for ripping the shows and keeping them in order, then The Renamer should be able to do the rest.  I haven't tried it though, more of a movie fan than tv.