Topic: Rip high quality DV clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) (Read 6,051 times)
Elvira Administrator Aspect Ratio Diva member is offline
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Rip high quality DV clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Thread Started on Apr 7, 2008, 6:26am »
This method should work with (Some users may have to use the MJPEG codec instead of DV, see notes at bottom of page, and iMovie users may want to consult this tutorial.)
This is not the only way to rip clips, and it may not be the best way (depending on your needs) but it will give you good quality in most instances, and most importantly, it's easy. The software you will use will cost you at most $20 (free for some Windows users, if they use a workaround). It'll also be faster than using some commercial DVD converters/rippers, which cost more and allow for less customization.
Converting DVD footage for editing in MPEG Streamclip: May also work for converting downloaded XviD/DivX/3ivX AVI, H.264 MOV & MP4 files to DV MOV or DV AVI. See notes at bottom of tutorial.
First, if you don't know how to rip clips from your DVD or need additional info, consult this page. You will need to buy Quicktime's MPEG-2 Playback Component in order to get MPEG Streamclip to recognize your DVD digital files (.VOB files) or else follow the instructions on the MPEG Streamclip main page to install a free alternative to Quicktime (if you don't want to install Quicktime or don't want to pay $20 for the plug-in from Apple.) I recommend getting the $20 plug-in (and keeping Quicktime installed) if possible, for the easiest and most trouble-free experience. Caution: Some users—especially Vista and Windows 7 users—report that iTunes doesn't work with the Quicktime alternative, so consider buying the $20 plug-in.
Follow the instructions on this page for opening your DVD's VOB files in MPEG Streamclip.
For more information on your DVD (what its frame rate is, and its aspect ratio) go to "File >> Show Stream Info" after you have opened the DVD's ripped VOB files in MPEG Streamclip.
This information will become very handy later on, so take special note of it.
Select the portion of your DVD that you want to make into a clip, by pressing the "I" and "O" keys at your in and out points (where you want the clip to start and end). Then go to "File >> Export to AVI" (or "Export to Quicktime" if you are working in iMovie or Final Cut).
If your DVD is from North America, choose the compression option for "NTSC" (Apple DV/DVCPRO). If your DVD is from the UK, Australia or is PAL, select "DV - PAL." Caution: Using another codec (DVCPRO, DVCPRO50) *might* look messed-up in your video editor. (Example screenshot of Sony Vegas with a PAL DVCPRO clip.) These tutorials have only been tested with DV PAL or DV/DVCPRO NTSC.
Keep the frame dimensions at default.
Click on the "Options" button at the top:
Select "16:9" for aspect ratio (unless you are absolutely, POSITIVE that your DVD is 4:3 or "fullscreen"—check "File >> Show Stream Info" in MPEG Streamclip [as illustrated earlier in this tutorial] to confirm the aspect ratio). Select "progressive." Click "OK." (For more information on aspect ratio, or if you don't know what aspect ratio is, read this page.)
Now, I admit I'm a little unclear on what the right settings are to use if you see interlacing in the video, but so far I've done okay by keeping all settings at "progressive" so it probably should work okay. (If you get those shimmery lines—kind of like comby lines—in the video, especially when there's more motion in the video, that's interlacing.)
For audio, select "uncompressed." Deselect all check boxes (circled in red in illustration below) but check the "deinterlace" box if you need to get rid of interlacing lines in your video. (Again, not 100% sure this is the best way to go, but it's been working fine for me for a while . . . )
Click "Make AVI" (or MOV for Macs) to convert your clip to an AVI/MOV file with the DV codec. You'll see a progress bar as MPEG Streamclip converts the clip over. The preview will show that the video picture is a teensy bit squished (or elongated). This is normal.
Now this clip is ready to be imported into your video editor.
ASPECT RATIO CAUTION FOR SONY VEGAS!!!!
Vegas recognized the clip, I placed it in the timeline; all was golden. But when I exported it out of Vegas, this is what my finished video looked like:
Squiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssshed!!! You can see black bars on the left or right. NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE!
So, I go back to Vegas and right-click on the clip:
I unchecked the "maintain aspect ratio" option. I'll have to do this on all DV AVI clips I use in Vegas. (An easy way to do that is to highlight all clips in your timeline at once, right-click, go to "Switches" and turn off "maintain aspect ratio.")
Now, here's what my finished video looks like (with "maintain aspect ratio" unchecked.")
HARD DRIVE SPACE USAGE: DV files take up about 1 GB of space for every 5 minutes of footage. A regular feature-length film will be approximately 20 GB or more.
This is the way it is when working with any decent editable file format. This is why many vidders have external drives, or an additional drive. If you want to save disk space, scroll through the movie or episode, pick out the scenes you intend to use, and just convert those. If you are truly desperate for disk space, try a smaller (but still editable) codec like MJPEG or JPEG 2000. (Tutorial here.)
You don't have to edit in DV:
DV is a good codec for editing—Final Cut Pro and Express users often edit with it, as do many Windows editors. But there are other options too, some which many vidders prefer (like HuffYUV for Windows). Before ripping a whole DVD to DV MOV or AVI, do a few sample clips, see how your editor deals with them, and then proceed from there. If your editor won't open or behave with DV (Windows Movie Maker might not), then try the MJPEG (Apple Motion JPEG A) compression in MPEG Streamclip (tutorial here), and see how that works. (Some Sony Vegas users might not be able to use this codec—do tests first. Or better yet, stick with DV AVI—it has much better quality than MJPEG.)
Windows users often edit in DV, MJPEG, or other codecs like Lagarith or HuffYUV (AMV.org really likes these). Mac users often stick with DV or DV MOV, but can also edit in Apple Intermediate Codec, or the new PRORES 422 codec.
For more detailed information on the various codecs often used for editing, read this short tutorial. It'll explain some practical differences between DV, Lagarith, HuffYUV (and others) and help you choose the best codec for your needs.
Is MPEG-2 okay to use?
Editing MPEG2 has problems with frame accuracy, so you'll get more of those annoying "flash frames" (where you thought you cut your clip right before the next scene started, only to find that a flicker of that scene is still there ). This article and document from Adobe give more specific reasons why MPEG-2 editing isn't so great.
Mac users—do not bother. Sometimes iMovie or Final Cut will open MPEG-2, but there will be no audio, and the picture will be degraded. Stick with DV MOV, DV, or some other Final-Cut-friendly format.
What about XviD/DivX/3ivX AVI? Or WMV?
XviD / DivX / 3ivX / WMV are not recommended editing formats. They're really meant to be a delivery codec (meaning, you convert your finished video to it, so you can upload the video to YouTube, or share it online). This article gives some excellent reasons why you should stay away from DivX/XviD for editing. If you want to take your chances and edit with DivX/XviD anyway, good luck—perhaps you'll not experience any problems. Just don't ask for tech support here if you have difficulties!
By all that is holy, DO NOT—DO NOT—convert your DVD rip to DivX/XviD/3ivX/WMV or some other compressed file. AMV.org cautions against it (top of page). It's absolute insanity to convert lovely raw DVD footage to a highly compressed, lossy, problematic format like XviD/DivX. If I were low on disk space, I'd trim to just the scenes I needed to use, and possibly use a lower quality (but still suitable for editing) codec like MJPEG or JPEG 2000. Tutorial for saving disk space by using MJPEG or JPEG 2000.
You cannot expect to skimp on disk space when editing video.
It's not uncommon for video editors and vidders to buy additional hard drive to store media. (An external Firewire drive is often used by Final Cut professionals.) I sometimes hear vidders say that they think DivX/XviD is "better" because the file size is smaller. This is exactly the opposite of the truth. Compressed video formats are the last type of files you want to use for editing.
Converting your downloaded XviD/DivX/3ivX AVI, WMV, MP4, etc. footage to DV AVI or DV MOV:
This may have been recommended to you, because editing in straight XviD AVI (or whatever compressed file format you downloaded) can cause problems in your video editor.
To convert the downloaded footage, follow the instructions outlined above (obviously ignoring the part about locating the .vob files on your drive). You will have to know the aspect ratio of your footage in order to configure the aspect ratio in MPEG Streamclip. Hint: If the frame size is more "rectangular" rather than "boxy," then it's probably 16:9 or widescreen. But if it's some super-widescreen aspect ratio like 2.35:1, then forget it, you'll never get it looking right unless you know how to tweak aspect ratio manually in your video editor.
Mac users will be able to open and convert WMV files in MPEG Streamclip as long as they've purchased WMV Player Pro ($29 US), but I don't think Windows users can convert WMV directly in MPEG Streamclip. (Not sure about other encoding software either. )
Downloadable samples edited using DV files:
To see some video samples which were made using the ripping/encoding methods described in this tutorial (as well as the exporting tutorial), visit this page.
Joined: Apr 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 98 Location: UK
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #2 on Apr 9, 2008, 4:46pm »
Just want to say a HUGE and heartfelt thanks to the lovely Elvira for this tutorial
I was having untold problems until I went right back to basics and read the whole thing word by word .... from realising that the newest version of QT alternative wouldnt work with MPEG to all about how Divx has compromised the quality of my vids in the past, it all made complete and utter sense to me at last
I feel like a new woman and ready to face some new vidding challenges with a renewal of my inspiration at last.
Joined: Apr 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 98 Location: UK
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #4 on Apr 10, 2008, 8:40am »
I just wanted to say that the quality of the clips made with this method are just stunning.
I'm in the process of converting some of my fave men, and the difference in quality is pretty amazing actually. Now I have to make sure I do them justice in the end product
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #6 on Apr 10, 2008, 7:53pm »
I would just like to say thank you ever so much for this tutorial i honestly appreciate this.I going to try this out I shall be recommending this tutorial and site to others (: x
Joined: Apr 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 773 Location: Midwest, USA
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #7 on Apr 16, 2008, 9:58am »
This is great! I'll definitely have to try this out whenever I get my CD driver working again. ( ) Question: I've heard somewhere that it's better to rip DVDs using a desktop computer. Is that true? Or do laptops and desktops give the same quality?
Skaro Awards: On hiatus until April 1st. See you then!
Elvira Administrator Aspect Ratio Diva member is offline
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Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,636
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #8 on Apr 16, 2008, 10:05am »
I have no idea, amtrack! (I guess the concern would be with the laptop's slower hard drive? ) I have a Mac Mini (which internally, is like a laptop without the monitor), and I've almost always used a Mini to rip footage from a DVD. I am pretty sure that there are many other vidders who use laptops exclusively.
I would think the quality would be the same—a rip is a rip. It's the copying of data (VOB files) from one location to another. It might be slower on a laptop (if you have a s-l-o-w laptop) but other than that, I don't know what the basis is for saying that desktops are better than laptops.
Joined: Apr 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 773 Location: Midwest, USA
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #9 on Apr 16, 2008, 10:37am »
Okay thanks, Elvira! And hey! My CD drive just opened! Of course now I'm scared to risk putting in a disk and getting it trapped in there. I hadn't been able to open it for a week.
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #10 on Apr 16, 2008, 11:55am »
i think you get better quality on a computer...:\ since it has a bigger hard drive so the ripping size wouldn't be so much compressed as on a laptop. But i dunno, it could be the same quality?:s
Elvira Administrator Aspect Ratio Diva member is offline
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Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #11 on Apr 16, 2008, 12:04pm »
Quote:
i think you get better quality on a computer...:\ since it has a bigger hard drive so the ripping size wouldn't be so much compressed as on a laptop. But i dunno, it could be the same quality?:s
No, I don't believe that it works that way.
Ripping a DVD (i.e. extracting the VOB files from a commercial DVD and putting them on your hard drive) is merely copying and transferring data. The DVD ripper does not do any compressing, its only function is to move the VOB files from the DVD to the hard drive, and also in the process, strip any region settings or other settings from the VOB files (which might impede your encoder from converting the VOB to an editable format).
It doesn't analyze what kind of hard drive you have, or what size, or the speed of your hard drive. It doesn't do any compressing on the fly. That is not its function.
And converting VOB files (with MPEG Streamclip or other encoder) to DV or some other editable codec is the same thing—the encoder isn't analyzing the size of your hard drive, or its speed. It's encoding DV files at a certain data rate, per your instructions. If the hard drive starts to get full, you'll get an error message, but that's it.
A VOB file is a VOB file. A DV file is a DV file. Just like a JPEG file is a JPEG, and a DOC file is a DOC file. Whether it was created or copied onto a laptop or a desktop computer, it makes no difference.
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #12 on May 3, 2008, 11:50am »
I'm ripping my RH dvd using MPEG Streamclip. From what I can see the clips' quality is stunning : I've converted the VOB files into the DV-PAL format and the files are quite large... but I have a lot of free space in my HD Thank you Elvira for this tutorial!
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #13 on May 5, 2008, 8:13am »
Okay I tried mpeg streamclip for the first time today ! I use DVD Dycrpter for extracting VOB files and used to use super to convert them to AVI DIVX which were good , if not excellent, quality . MPEG streamclip worked well for me but the DV AVI files were a bit larger than what I expected so then I tried the mpeg conversion but those were pretty large too Around 15 minutes of footage was going beyond 300 MB Is there any way that I can convert these to a slightly smaller sizes?
Experimenting with Sony Vegas 8.0 pro| my videos |
Elvira Administrator Aspect Ratio Diva member is offline
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Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,636
Re: Rip high quality clips from your DVD (Mac/PC) « Reply #14 on May 5, 2008, 12:23pm »
Unfortunately, no, we cannot get small file size and high quality! This tutorial explains why editing in a lightly compressed (or even non-compressed) format is usually the best way to go. Nothing is stopping you from continuing to edit in DivX, but there are a lot of problems with it and you'll probably never get the really "shiny" gorgeous video quality that some vidders can get when they edit in DV AVI or DV MOV (or HuffYUV or whatever). Small file size in editing codecs is not a desirable thing!
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(Some users may have to use the MJPEG codec instead of DV, see notes at bottom of page, and iMovie users may want to consult ![[image]](http://richard-armitage.org/Vidding-Screencaps/MPEG-Streamclip-stream-info.gif "[image]")
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CAUTION: This "uncheck aspect ratio" workaround WILL NOT WORK if you are using clips in more than one aspect ratio (like 4:3 and 16:9). ![[image]](http://richard-armitage.org/graphics/smilies/gah.gif "[image]")
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.... from realising that the newest version of QT alternative wouldnt work with MPEG to all about how Divx has compromised the quality of my vids in the past, it all made complete and utter sense to me at last ![[image]](http://richard-armitage.org/graphics/smilies/thanks.gif "[image]")
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) Question: I've heard somewhere that it's better to rip DVDs using a desktop computer. Is that true? Or do laptops and desktops give the same quality?
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