DVDs to XVCDs
This guide will help you make xvcd disks that can be playable on all standalones dvd player. If you correctly follow the directions you will make excellent quality xvcd that has a lot better video quality then standard vcd.
Software you will need:
Vobdec-newest version recommended(allow you to copy dvd files to harddrive) Flaskmpeg Pansonic plugin 2.5 Nero ( or any cdr burning software that can make vcd) TMPGEnc Find these tools in my links section Install all these programs according to their own included manual.Step 1:Copying DVD files to harddrive
Startup Vobdec and start ripping the vob files to your hardrive(read the included manual). If you are limited to 3 gig of harddrive then just rip the first 2 vob files which is about 2 gig. For the rest of you who can copy the whole movie, copy the .ifo files to the directory you rip the vob files to. Copy the .ifo file that is number in sequence to your vob file. This will allow you to copy subtitle.
Note: VobDec should be able to decrypt any movie. However it's possible - but improbably - that it will fail on some movies. This might be the case when your movie is not encrypted - deselect the Use Key box in that case and press GO, then in the Dos prompt window that opens press S at the beginning of each file and the files will simply be copied - of course you can also simply drag and drop unencrypted files from your DVD drive in Explorer. If you've copied the files and they look garbled - lots of green stuff in the picture - when you play them in a Software DVD player - always do that when you don't decrypt a file then you have to use DOD Speed Ripper. For more information about VobDec also read the VobDec-FAQ. You will also have to copy the .ifo file corresponding to the main movie. For instance you can see in the picture above that the main movie is contained in vts_02_x.vob, therefore you will need vts_02_0.ifo.Step 2:Conversion
Startup Flaskmpeg. Click on "file", then choose "open files" if you have only copy parts of the movie. Choose "open dvd" if you have copy the entire movie and it ifo file. For "open files" click on the first vob file and flaskmpeg will see all the vobs as 1 files. For "open dvd" click on the ifo file then you will be able to choose language and subtitle. Now goto option and make sure "panasonic mpeg" is the select output format. Now configure the "format ouput" and "global" setting.
In the Output Options form, make sure that MPEG-1 is selected, not VCD(very important). Adjust the audio bitrate down to 128. This will free up more bitrate for video. Then adjust the video bitrate up to about 1700-2000. A video bitrate of ~ 1700 and audio of 128 should allow you to burn around 45 minutes onto a 74 minute disk. In other words, about 2 disks per movie. Use the excel chart below to calculate your bitrate. The extra several hundred kb/sec you gain by doing this drastically increases the picture quality. Note: Make sure that your audio + video bitrates add up to a multiple of 16. This is important, so that your burner still recognizes the resultant mpeg file as VCD compliant.Excel chart for calculating bitrate
In Global Options, set similar to SVCD (NTSC 480 X 480 resolution, or Pal 480x576) Select decode audio and set it to 44,000hz. You can use 48,000hz for audio but it might not work well with some soundcards. Now select output name and hit encode.Step 3:Cutting and Burning
Now cut the movie in half using TMPGEnc. Load the program. Then goto "file" and click on "mpeg tool". Select "join/cut". Load the file and cut it in half to fit on 2 disks. For those who only convert half of a dvd movie at a time due to insufficient hard disk space, just burn the file and repeat step 1-3 again for the second half of the movie. Burn the mpeg files as vcd format. ( refer to the manual of your cdrsoft on how to burn vcd.) If you get an error saying the file is not vcd format just burn it anyway. It will still work, so don't worry. Now please spend some time checking out my sponsors so I can continues to improve this site.
