I record camcorder footage I've taken
to a stand-alone DVD recorder.

I'd like to convert the DVD files to
Mpeg or WMV so I can edit them.

Can anyone recommend a free or
cheap converting program? (I have
several programs to edit Mpeg/wma
files, but they don't convert DVD files)


I had a friend download the free version
of VideoReDo, but he said it wouldn't
do converting, unless it was upgraded.
(PLEASE let me know if he's wrong)

allr1@webtv.net wrote:

If your camcorder is a miniDV, trust me when I say that you'll be MUCH
happier capturing the footage with a basic firewire card and editing it
in your choice of NLEs, most of which have a variety of output format
such as MPEG (DVD) and WMV.

Mike

<allr1@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:20520-4718B5C9-35@storefull-3157.bay.webtv.net...
First "DVD Files" would include .vob files that hold
your camcorder footage in MPEG stream(s).

VideoReDo has no "Free version", they do provide a
free trial period. (If I remember right you had to register
the trial download for a trial key, but it was free.)
VideoReDo will extract the MPEG data in a .vob
correctly, and allow you to save as .mpg files or as ES
files or as TS files.

Many programs that can edit .mpg files can edit .vob
files as well. In some cases you may need to rename
the file to .mpg.

Luck;
Ken

kXuXjXfXaXm@xplornet.com (Mike*Kujbida)
wrote:

" If your camcorder is a miniDV, trust me when I say that you'll be MUCH
happier capturing the footage with a basic firewire card and editing it
in your choice of NLEs, most of which have a variety of output format
such as MPEG (DVD) and WMV. "

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I do have a MiniDV camcorder, but I've been using an older Hi-8 lately
because due to the weather being so hot and humid.

I'd rather subject the older camcorder to the elements, until it gets
cooler around here.


And, I have captured from the MiniDV using
the firewire output, but it's been glitchy. It doesn't help that the
only computer I own
with a firewire input is an older one.

It's just SO much easier to get the footage recorded with my stand-alone
DVD recorder,
and then use a DVD-ROM drive, which all
of my computers have, to upload it.

I just need a converting software that will
handle (and convert) the .vob folder files.

kmaltby@sbcglobal.net (Ken*Maltby) wrote:

" First "DVD Files" would include .vob files
that hold your camcorder footage in MPEG stream(s). "

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Well the .vob files I'm talking about are
the ones created on the stand-alone DVD recorder. (and on commercial
DVD's)

==================================




kmaltby@sbcglobal.net (Ken*Maltby) wrote:

" VideoReDo has no "Free version", they do provide a free trial period.
(If I remember right you had to register the trial download for a trial
key, but it was free.)

VideoReDo will extract the MPEG data in a .vob correctly, and allow you
to save as .mpg files or as ES files or as TS files.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As a trial version?

I'm going to install it, (it's on a disk) and drag
and drop the DVD's .vob folder files onto the VideoRedo icon to see if
will ask me to convert.
(instead of trying to find the menu)

Hopefully the trial version will convert them.

====================================




kmaltby@sbcglobal.net (Ken*Maltby) wrote:

" Many programs that can edit .mpg files can edit .vob files as well. In
some cases you may need to rename the file to .mpg. "

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And I have several of them (video editing programs) on several of my
computers.

That gives me an idea. Maybe I'll drag and
drop the DVD's .vob folder files onto each of the programs icons, to see
if they'll recognize .vob files or will ask me to convert them to
whatever.

<allr1@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:26706-471A6F42-77@storefull-3151.bay.webtv.net...

kmaltby@sbcglobal.net (Ken Maltby) wrote:

" First "DVD Files" would include .vob files
that hold your camcorder footage in MPEG stream(s). "

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Well the .vob files I'm talking about are
the ones created on the stand-alone DVD recorder. (and on commercial
DVD's)

==================================




kmaltby@sbcglobal.net (Ken Maltby) wrote:

" VideoReDo has no "Free version", they do provide a free trial period.
(If I remember right you had to register the trial download for a trial
key, but it was free.)

VideoReDo will extract the MPEG data in a .vob correctly, and allow you
to save as .mpg files or as ES files or as TS files.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As a trial version?

I'm going to install it, (it's on a disk) and drag
and drop the DVD's .vob folder files onto the VideoRedo icon to see if
will ask me to convert.
(instead of trying to find the menu)

Hopefully the trial version will convert them.

====================================




kmaltby@sbcglobal.net (Ken Maltby) wrote:

" Many programs that can edit .mpg files can edit .vob files as well. In
some cases you may need to rename the file to .mpg. "

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And I have several of them (video editing programs) on several of my
computers.

That gives me an idea. Maybe I'll drag and
drop the DVD's .vob folder files onto each of the programs icons, to see
if they'll recognize .vob files or will ask me to convert them to
whatever.


You sound like you are working on a Mac, or at least
like you are used to working with an Apple OS.

Not all Windows based programs are so Drag & Drop
oriented. You may need to click on the "File" tab and
add/open/insert video/media into the timeline or media
pool/library. Drag & Drop to VideoReDo, will open an
individual file (with MPEG data in it) but will ask you if
you want to "Combine" or "Join" files; if you feed it multiple
files.

Note: Some of the .vob files can hold the menu videos/
graphics.

Luck;
Ken

allr1@webtv.net wrote:

For example, using an arbitrary VOB from a family DVD I made (based on
a Google earth capture to AVI with FRAPS), I've just successfully
imported it into both Womble MPEG Video Wizard and VideoRedo.
(Actually 'Video Redo Plus' here, but I'm sure that's irrelevant in
this context.)

However, I found a few inconsistencies that I'd appreciate feedback
about please.

Using TMPGEnc Express 3.0, I got the message:
"The selected DVD contains an audio track which cannot be decoded.
The decodable audio format are as below.
MPEG-Audio, Linear PCM
Other format are not recognized."

I assume this is because the audio is 'Dolby Digital 2'? The only one
of the first 6 players I tried that *wouldn't* play both video and
audio was NeroShowTime, which gave the message:
"Due to patent license restrictions, Dolby Digital 2-channel decoding
is not available. This feature can be added by installing the
DVD-Video Plug-in, the Nero 6 retail package, or the Web version."

I'm puzzled about the restriction in NeroShowTime, when it's accepted
happily by all the other players and editors?

I then tried Movie Maker 2 (built into Windows) but that failed. On
changing the extension from VOB to MPG it imported OK, but on dragging
to MM2's timeline only the *audio* stream was present, no video. I
rarely use MM2 these days, but anyone able to explain that behaviour
too please?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 10:16:15 +0100, in 'rec.video.desktop',
in article <Re: DVD file to Mpeg/WMA file conversion>,
Terry Pinnell <terrypin@dial.pipex.com> wrote:

I'll try.

Probably Dolby Digital AC-3 in a 2.0 channel configuration.

Those other players and editors either have built-in/bundled AC-3
codecs or they're using some third-party codec that's already
installed on your system, either an ACM codec or a DirectShow filter.

Do you happen to have either Alexander Vigovsky's AC-3 DirectShow
Filter (ac3dx.ax) or fccHandler's AC-3 ACM Codec (ac3acm.acm)
installed? A typical location for both of these would be your Windows
System32 directory, usually either "C:\WINNT\system32" or
"C:\WINDOWS\system32".

As far as Nero ShowTime is concerned, Dolby Digital is proprietary to
Dolby Laboratories and it's legal use requires a license - and that
license costs money. Nero AG is a legitimate company and wouldn't
offer an unlicensed AC-3 decoder. I haven't used ShowTime in some
while so I'm only guessing here, but I suspect that it doesn't use
third-party codecs, just its own.

Please note that many codecs in common use are encumbered by IP
(intellectual property) rights (software patents in this case) and
require licensing, not that that stops the open source community, and
others, from producing and distributing both encoders and decoders
without a license. Probably the most well-known of these is LAME (LAME
Ain't an MP3 Encoder), an MPEG Layer III encoder which isn't an MPEG
Layer III encoder (get it?).

One of the ways in which some people attempt to get around the
licensing issue is to only distribute the code via official channels
in source, never object (executable) form. One has to go to a
different Web site, usually one run by a private individual, to get
the actual, end-user runtimes. These sites are sometimes hosted in
places like RU and UA.

Now that is sort of strange in that you almost certainly do have a
DirectShow MPEG-2 video decoder filter installed on your system. Just
wondering, but does this .vob, after its file extension has been
changed to .mpg, play okay in Windows Media Player (WMP)? I would
think that if it plays okay in WMP, then it should import okay into
WMM.

--
Frank, Independent Consultant, New York, NY
[Please remove 'nojunkmail.' from address to reply via e-mail.]
Read Frank's thoughts on HDV at http://www.humanvalues.net/hdv/
(also covers AVCHD and XDCAM EX).

Frank <frank@nojunkmail.humanvalues.net> wrote:

Thanks Frank, appreciate the help. Yes, I have ac3acm.acm.

I'm glad that you're puzzled too, as it mystified me!

Yes, it plays video and audio. But there's definitely something
strange about this file. Unlike my default MPG player, Media Player
Classic, which I opened it with originally before loading it to MM2,
WMP10 refused many attempts to *stop* it! Kept stuttering etc but
refused attempts to stop or close the file, for 15-20 secs or so. And
now I've just tried it in PowerDVD, which plays the audio fine but
just a psychedelic pink flashing video. Hang on, I'll try a few more
and make a summary.

Player Audio Video
-------------------- ----- --------------------
Media Player Classic OK OK
TMPGEnc Express 3.0 No licence OK
Nero ShowTime No licence Flashing red
Womble MPEG Wizard OK OK
VideoRedo OK OK
MM2 OK Nothing
WMP10 OK OK (But hard to stop/unload)
VirtualDub MPEG-2 OK OK
VLC OK No - Flashing blue + bars
Power DVD OK No - Flashing red
KM Player OK No - Flashing red

I'm in the middle of hastily preparing some sight-seeing GPS waypoints
for a trip to Prague tomorrow morning, just dipped into my newsreader,
so I can't do any more on it now for a few days. But finally here's
what GSpot says, in detail:

--- File Information --- File Name:
VTS_01_1.mpg File Name (with full path):
N:\MOVIES\PROJECTS\Leigh-William\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.mpg
File Size (in bytes): 359,118,852 ---
Container Information --- Base Type (e.g "AVI"):
MPEG (.MPG/.MPEG/.VOB) Subtype (e.g "OpenDML"):
Interleave (in ms):
Preload (in ms):
Audio alignment("split across interleaves"):
Total System Bitrate (kbps): 10080
Bytes Missing (if any):
Number of Audio Streams: 1
--- Video Information --- Video Codec Type(e.g. "DIV3"):
MPEG2
Video Codec Name(e.g. "DivX 3, Low-Motion"): MPEG-2
Video Codec Status(e.g. "Codec Is Installed"): Codec(s) are Installed
Duration (hh:mm:ss): 6:48.040 Frame Count:
10201
Frame Width (pixels): 720
Frame Height (pixels): 576
Storage Aspect Ratio("SAR")" 1.250 Pixel Aspect
Ratio ("PAR"): 1.422 Display Aspect Ratio ("DAR"):
1.778 Fields Per Second:
Frames Per Second: 25.000
Pics Per Second: 25.000
Video Bitrate (kbps): 6751
MPEG-4 ("MPEG-4" or ""):
B-VOP ("B-VOP" or ""):
QPel ("QPel" or ""):
GMC ("GMC" or ""):
NVOP ("NVOP" or ""):
H264 ("H264" or ""):
Quality Factor (bits/pixel)/frame: 0.651" MPEG-2
("MPEG-2" or ""): MPEG-2 Interlaced ("I/L" or
""):
Progressive ("Prog" or ""): Prog
Top Frame First ("TFF" or ""):
Bottom Frame First ("BFF" or ""):
3:2 Pulldown ("3:2" or ""):
Picture-per-field ("PPF" or ""):
--- Aspect Ratio Related --- Broadcast standard: "PAL" (else blank)
PAL
Broadcast standard: "NTSC" (else blank)
src:"VCD", "SVCD", "CVD", or "DVD (else blank): DVD
Instructions to convert to VCD, first part: Resize to 360 x 288 (
w:[1/2] h:[1/2] )
Instructions to convert to VCD, second part: Trim 4 from each side
for 352 x 288
Instructions to convert to SVCD, first part: Resize to 480 x 576 (
w:[2/3] h:[1/1] )
Instructions to convert to SVCD, second part: No cropping req'd
Instructions to convert to CVD, first part: Resize to 360 x 576 (
w:[1/2] h:[1/1] )
Instructions to convert to CVD, second part: Trim 4 from each side
for 352 x 576
Instructions to convert to DVD, first part: No resize req'd
Instructions to convert to DVD, second part: No cropping req'd
Instructions to convert to AVI, first part: Resize to 787 x 576
(Use +/- for other target sizes)
Instructions to convert to AVI, second part: Crop off any
non-picture areas, if req'd
--- Audio Information --- MPEG Stream ID (e.g. "0xbd"):
0xbd
MPEG VOB file Substream(e.g. "0x80"): 0x80
Audio Codec (e.g. "AC3"): AC3 Audio Codec
Status (e.g. "Codec Is Installed"): Codec(s) are Installed Audio
Sample Rate (Hz): 48000
Audio Bitrate(kbps): 192
Audio Bitrate Type ("CBR" or "VBR"): CBR
Audio Channel Count (e.g. "2" for stereo): 2

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:44:39 +0100, in 'rec.video.desktop',
in article <Re: DVD file to Mpeg/WMA file conversion>,
Terry Pinnell <terrypin@dial.pipex.com> wrote:


Don't know, Terry, maybe the file is damaged in some way.

Is it supposed to be progressive, BTW, and not interlaced?

--
Frank, Independent Consultant, New York, NY
[Please remove 'nojunkmail.' from address to reply via e-mail.]
Read Frank's thoughts on HDV at http://www.humanvalues.net/hdv/
(also covers AVCHD and XDCAM EX).