Converting .VOB to .MPG Playback Problems. (1 Viewer)

[yogiman_uk]

Hi Everyone

I was hoping someone might be able to solve a little problem I have. For use with my MP. HTPC. I have been converting my DVD's to .mpg files. I don't want to use divx etc as I am not happy with the blocky effect and the time it takes to convert the movies.

However I figured out that .vob files are basically .mpg files so I used dvd shrink to compress movies to the maximum it will allow and I disabled the (cut into 1gb chunks) option at I obviously wanted a single file. Once I had done this I then rename the resulting .vob file to .mpg and it plays. The files are about half the size of a DVD, twice the size of a DivX but I have plenty of hard disk space so I was quite happy with the results.

Now to my problem.

On some of the movies I have used this method on they report incorrect film length, so for example a movie of 3 hours says it is only 56 minutes. Now as a vob file, dvd playing software appears to ignore this and plays the whole movie, however as a .mpg file it only plays the movie to the 56 minute point and then either stops or freezes.

Now if I then rename the .mpg back to vob and play it in say powerdvd it works fine although still reports incorrect film length.

This is obviously causing me a problem. Can any one tell me what is going on here and if there is a way around the problem?

Thanks

Yogiman!

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

You think all DVD's were the same format, wrong, headers can be different and may not be written correctly, when re-encoding, joining etc.

The only way i know of getting around is to keep the files split in one folder, and Name the folder same name as the film.

Or back to Nero Digital 1.4gb size files does not give you blockiness in replay.
the only problem i have, is cannot use fast forward\reverse, need to use + and - arrows to go forward\back a period of time, which i may say, am very happy with anyway.

 

[yogiman_uk]

Paranoid

Thanks for the tip, unfortunatly putting the files in a single folder does not help me.

I have 3 devices

My MediaPortal HTPC.
My D-Link DSM-320.
My Packard Bell Media@TV 2

The D-link and the Packard bell require 1 file to read "filmname.mpg" or "filmname.avi"

I don't want to have 2 different formats on the system as the amount of movies I have it would take up too much space.

I could try the Nero solution but I now how over 600 DVD's and I don't have 1200 hours or more to spare encoding them all.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Yogiman

 

[Sh4nn0w]

Why not do a compressed .iso rip of the DVD's (film only) with DVD Shrink & use Daemon tools to mount iso images?

Wiki bit's here, not sure if it will do what you want or not:

http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/MediaPortalSetup_General#Daemon+Tools+setup

Or will this not interact with your D-Link/Packard Bell properly?

 

[yogiman_uk]

How is that going to allow me to use the same files on my 2 media boxes that don't read ISO?

EDIT: Sorry just read the last line again, no I don't believe those two media boxes with read that format.

They need mpg avi or simlar?

The interesting thing is that compiling all the .vobs together and making one large .vob for the film and renaming it to a .mpg actually works on a large percentage of the movies I have done. However there are still the ones which mis-report the length of the movie.

I guess for those I could rip the DVD's to mpg using IMtoo but it's still a really slow process.

Cheers

Yogiman!

 

[yogiman_uk]

OK I should make my self a little clearer.

I am not looking for advise on which video format to use. If have tried the various formats and I am happy with the size and quality of the .mpg files I have settled on.

Most of the .mpgs seem fine. I need to find a solution on how to deal with the files that are not.

For example:

Can I edit the header file to show the correct duration of this film, if so, then how?

If I can not do that is there another method simlar to that which I am currently using which will allow me to end up with the correct duration.

Thanks

Yogiman!

 

[Sh4nn0w]

I've tried your current process on a couple of DVD's and as you've mentioned works fine.

Do you have a list / or a few titles that don't work to try out (assuming I have them)? I've got loads of diff. progs I use for encoding/editing, but obviously I need a non-working one to test on.

If you've already found a solution, then don't worry.

 

[emilius256]

Hi,
if you rename a vob file you don't have an simple mpeg file.
The only way i know is to demux the big vob to mpeg video only (m2v usual) and audio only(ac3 ?, mp2 ? wav ?).
Then mux the video only and audio only to mpeg.
You can do both easily with TmpgEnc / file menu / mpeg tools and use simple de-multiplex to demux and simple multiplex to mux.

This way you should have a compiliant mpeg file.

Bye.

 

[yogiman_uk]

Hi,
if you rename a vob file you don't have an simple mpeg file.
The only way i know is to demux the big vob to mpeg video only (m2v usual) and audio only(ac3 ?, mp2 ? wav ?).
Then mux the video only and audio only to mpeg.
You can do both easily with TmpgEnc / file menu / mpeg tools and use simple de-multiplex to demux and simple multiplex to mux.

This way you should have a compiliant mpeg file.

Bye.

Hi

Is this a long process? The reason for doing this in the 1st place was to keep the conversion time down.

thanks

#Yogiman!

 

[yogiman_uk]

I've tried your current process on a couple of DVD's and as you've mentioned works fine.

Do you have a list / or a few titles that don't work to try out (assuming I have them)? I've got loads of diff. progs I use for encoding/editing, but obviously I need a non-working one to test on.

If you've already found a solution, then don't worry.

Hi yes

Movies that give incorrect duration :

The Terminal (tom hanks)
Any Lord Of The Rings Movie
A Nightmare On Elm Street 1 - 6
Alexander
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Jonny Depp)
Doctor Zhivago
Exorcist Dominion, The Beginning, Heretic, III
Final Destination 1 & 3
Hackers
Halloween 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

If you don't have any of these let me know and I can list more

Thanks

Yogiman!