copying DVD footage..
 

I've shot and edited lots of corporate videos, but I just happen to have a first here.. The client has given me a DVD disc that has the video on it. Its not a data disc, but an authored disc that plays. They want the video from the DVD to be posted on their website, but no longer have the original video file. What's the best way to get the video off of the DVD?

Thanks.

1) Rip the DVD using DVD decrypter. Use the .vob files in your timeline. I know Vegas works with them, unsure about others.

2) Copy the .vob files directly off of the disk (explore the disk in windows)

There may be an issue recognizing .vob files. If so, just rename the extension to .mpg.

Also, there may be an audio issue if they did AC3 audio. This is probably not the case, but if it is, use the decrypter method.

Probably others will have a hundred other methods. These are just the ones I've used.

Thanks DJ... any chance you would know where I could get a copy of DVD Decrypter? I've done a Google search, and tons of sites come up saying they have free downloads. However, they actually don't, and want me to complete surveys, enter to win an i-pod, anything but actually having the software.

rip it
 

Cal, you can get freeware from afterdawn.com and doom9.net and their are others available. rename the vob to Mpeg. these work on a PC. You can also take the dvd straight to FCP video. Smart ripper used to be available but I couldn't find it recently. There are numerous software solutions on the net and most everyone has a favorite. (Also gordial Knot used with Virtual Dub MPEG)

Rand




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failure can not contend with persistence

I know it will cost in terms of quality but what about hooking up the S-Video and Audio outputs from a DVD player to your capture card/break out lead and copying that way?

dvd ripper software is the best approach, but ONLY if it pulls the mpeg file off of the dvd without re-encoding it... a lot of those packages will not do that, so be careful.

www.womble.com has mpeg editing products that will do lossless dvd ripping of both the mpeg file and it's associated ac3 file, and i think that there is a free 30-day trial of the software.

then all you'll need is encoding software that'll recognize those formats as source files... be sure and tell the client ahead of time that his inability to come up with the original video for the dvd will result in a lower quality web video file, because of all the re-encoding... mpeg2 for dvd's is very inefficient.

Wouldn't web video be downgraded in quality anyway?
 

Isn't it likely that the video for web would be reduced in quality for faster downloading anyway?

I use DVDxDV. It works perfect. You can export using different formats.
www.dvdxdv.com

"export using different formats" is exactly what i'm warning against, because most people don't have a clue whether or not the footage is being re-encoded when it's ripped.

if you wanted to rip a dvd directly into a web video format, that's fine, but if you want to put the footage on another dvd, but unknowingly rip it into a web video format and back to mpeg2, you've just ruined the picture quality big time... because you re-encoded it at least twice in the process.

when we talk about ripping a dvd into other formats, we have to look at the workflow being used... for instance, does the ripping software give you options for two-pass vbr encoding? probably not... so would you be better off ripping the dvd to your hdd with womble or similar, then using professional encoding software to change it into whatever format you want?

if you have the pro encoding software to begin with, and it'll accept mpeg2, use the lossless ripping method, which basically copies the vob onto the disk with a .mpg/.m2t(?) moniker.

Dan,

DVDxDV can export to iMovie, FCP (.mov), and Uncompressed 8 and 10 bit. The program makes a straight digital copy. Thats is their major selling point.

Besides as David mentioned the video will be encoded/compressed and the quality will be lost.

I was only trying to answer Cal's question not start a encode debate.

i wasn't attacking anything you posted matt, rather, i was just pointing out pitfalls with conversion software in general.

as for DVDxDV, it's impossible to find any technical details for the product on their website... does it do two-pass encoding? vbr? etc.