MediaSlayer - CD and DVD HD ripping tool (v1.0e)

[-Manfred-]

Hi folks!

This plugin can rip CDs and DVDs to your HTPC really easy way - one button click - and optionally get media info from FreeDb or IMDB.

Originally this was based on CD Slayer and DVD ripper but they missed some important features or didn't work at all and therefore development started. All credits to those developers: jAxx, jburnette and lordsavant.

Features
General:
- advanced or simple GUI
- auto eject disc
- all settings (almost) fully configurable

Audio:
- ripping formats: MP3, Flac or Ogg Vorbis
- cover art grabbing
- FreeDb for disc info

Video:
- ripping formats: full disc (DVDFab: iso) or main movie (mencoder: avi).
- movie name changing via virtual keyboard
- movie cover grabbing
- movie info from IMDB

Mpeg4 specific features:
- 2 pass encoding
- subtitles in sub/idx format
- default language selection for subs and audio, two letter id (e.g. en, de, hu, fi...)
- direct audio copy, no MP3 or other conversion just AC3 or DTS
- audio track selection via GUI if more than one track found for default language or not found at all (Tip: leave audio language setting empty if want to select always)
- bit rate selectable from range 800 - 2000kbps

Requirements
- Monochrome skin (4x3 also supported)
- DVDFab for DVD ripping (DVDFab HD Decrypter or Platinum, versions 4.x.x or 5.x.x)
- MPlayer or just mencoder from that package for Mpeg4 encoding
- IMAPIv2 from Microsoft if using internal ISO writer (XP SP3 and Vista support inbuild)

Installation
- install plugin and configure it (right click plugin) and you are ready to go. All settings should be self explanatory.

Notes
- MP general settings: select always on top if you don't want to see DVDFab to popup while ripping
- configure Daemon tools usage in MP settings to automount .iso files
- For Mpeg4 encoding 1300 bit rate should be enough for most cases
- at least ffdshow can show subs if some other decoders does not support idx
- subtitles will be disabled if not found from DVD for Mpeg4

Changes
1.0e:
- trying to fix problem when plugin is not starting to rip at all
- DVD plot and CD track list added to GUI -> new skin file (only Monochrome updated)
- internal ISO setting changed to DVD sheet

1.0d:
- RC3 core files used when compiled
- if DVD ripping is cancelled movie info is not stored to db
- progress bar bug fixed for mpeg4 ripping
- free space now shown for all UNC shares
- OK button label can be defined for non-english OS, edit MediaPortal.xml manually and add OK_label entry with button label to MediaSlayer section

1.0c:
- Audio: tracks' info saved now to database
- General: plugin name can be changed
- Video: using temp directory only with network drives
- Video: experimental internal ISO writer to use with DVD43, AnyDVD etc. (activation from general settings)

1.0b:
- DVDFab handling totally rewritten - hope it will work this time
- network shares should also work now for DVDs (ripping first to temp locally and moving finished file to share)

1.0a:
- full support for DVDFab with progress bar and time estimation
- also free version of DVDFab HD Decrypter supported
- tested with 4.1.0.2 Platinum, 5.0.7.6 Platinum and HD Decrypter
- Monochrome 4x3 skin support - thanks 2BitSculptor!
- Note that DVD Decrypter will not work anymore!!!

0.8h: last version with DVD Decrypter support
- use this version if you want to rip main movies to folder
- no more developed

Bonus: Image file handling enhancements/corrections
- Compiled against 1.0.0.0 RC2 + SVN 20th of Aug. Remember to backup your original files.
- New approach for share view, hope that will not freeze anymore

To install:
- Add image extension (.iso) to accepted movie extensions at MP configuration
- Copy Core.dll to MP root and WindowPlugins.dll to Plugins\Windows

Changes:
- Stacking for image files
- Virtual Clone Drive support
- Cover art in share view
- OSD info
- Movie info doesn't trigger mount procedure, only when play pressed -> faster movie info.
- Quick weather info for any city via virtual keyboard

Bug found!?!
- Configure MP to debug mode at general settings
- Zip Mediaportal.log and error.log and attach it to your message with description


Cheers and happy ripping,
/m

(Note that this tool is meant for backup purposes only from your own media!)

[cowanrg]

nice plugin!

i have a few small problems though.

it seems its not ripping correctly from dvd-decrypter. it doesn't include the VIDEO_TS folder, which mediaportal likes. also, it doesn't include the VIDEO_TS.ifo file. it just includes the VTS_01_1.ifo or whatever, which isn't enough to play the dvd.

i haven't tried cd's yet, but if those two problems were fixed, it would work fine for movies. im only trying to rip the 'main movie' and not the whole dvd.

[gingertom]

nice work. many thanks

[Spragleknas]

I love CDSlayer, and this sounds even better! A feature really needed in MP!

Btw: jburnette should also be given som credit for this, as he developed it further.


Old CDSlayer thread: CDSlayer - Easy CD Ripping

[-Manfred-]

Originally Posted by cowanrg

it seems its not ripping correctly from dvd-decrypter. it doesn't include the VIDEO_TS folder, which mediaportal likes. also, it doesn't include the VIDEO_TS.ifo file. it just includes the VTS_01_1.ifo or whatever, which isn't enough to play the dvd.

This is totally intented behaviour and not a fault. If VIDEO_TS.IFO is included then also menu files + some others should exist and what is then the difference between full and main movie? And yes you should be able to play the movie by selecting the only .IFO file found on the target folder. If not then there is something wrong at your setup.

Why VIDEO_TS folder is not created? If created you have to navigate two folders down before movie playing can be started. And the reason is described above.

You can try what happens if you put VIDEO_TS.IFO and ripped movie files to VIDEO_TS folder.

I strongly recommend to use full disc method.

/m

[cowanrg]

well, mediaportal needs the VIDEO_TS folder to operate correctly. it assumes this subfolder.

from me understanding, you cannot just play a movie from the VTS_01_0.ifo. you need the VIDEO_TS.ifo file as well.

edit:

i also don't ever rip the full disc, i just want the movie. there should be a way to do this easily. if you just load dvd decryptor, select main movie, and rip that way, it does just fine.

[cowanrg]

i realized another problem. this may or may not be the plugin. the icon in the home screen isn't showing correctly. at first i thought it was just a bad icon file, so i replaced it with another, and both show up strange. i attached a screenshot of what they look like. everything else looks fine. ideas?

[-Manfred-]

Originally Posted by cowanrg

i realized another problem. this may or may not be the plugin. the icon in the home screen isn't showing correctly. at first i thought it was just a bad icon file, so i replaced it with another, and both show up strange. i attached a screenshot of what they look like. everything else looks fine. ideas?

I haven't seen this before. Maybe you can delete skin cache and see if that helps.

Also studied a bit this VIDEO_TS issue and for some reason some movies works fine and others doesn't start to play - black screen only. So my conclusion is that we were both right but it is much more safe not to include VIDEO_TS.IFO in VIDEO_TS folder.

/m

[cowanrg]

i usually use ripit4me for all my movie ripping needs. it leaves me with a video_ts.ifo, the vts_01.ifo (or whatever), and the vob files. from my understanding, this is what's needed to play a dvd, full movie or otherwise.

i can use ifoedit to add back in the video_ts.ifo, and things seem to work. but i tested 5+ movies, and none of them work without a video_ts.ifo. i've never seen it work before.

has anyone else gotten a partial movie to rip, and work?

[mamachan]

Originally Posted by -Manfred-

Requirements
- MediaPortal 0.2.3.0 + SVN
- Monochrome skin (only included skin file at this time)
- DVD Decrypter for DVD ripping

Is possible to use DVDFab HD Decrypter or DVDShrink+DVD43 instead of DVD Decrypter??