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Key
facts:
- Format:
.mpg (MPEG1)
- Resolution:
PAL (352x288) & NTSC (352x240)
- Bitrate:
about 10megs per minute Quality: Video - Similar to VHS
Audio - CD Quality (44kHz, stereo)
- Encoding
time : 1-2 frames per second on a PII-350
- VCD
capable standalone players will play the VCD on your TV
-
Hardware MPEG Decoders such as the Hollywood Plus or DXR3
will be utilized in playing the VCD, as opposed to MPEG4
where it all relies on your computer's specifications.
-
The
quality is great, but of course, less than an original
DVD's quality
Software
You Will Need:
-
DeCSS (guess what? this isn't a link...find it somewhere
else)
-
Latest FlaskMPEG Encoder
-
Panasonic MPEG PlugIn ver 2.10
-
*NEW STEP* DV MPEG
- *NEW
STEP* Xing MPEG Encoder
-
iFilm Edit (Apachez - Tools Section)
- Adaptec
EZ CD Creator or Nero Burning ROM
And
now... The Guide
1.
DeCSS (put the dvd in your dvd-rom and rip to your hard drive,
don't merge files)
Note:
For this entire procedure, you're going to need plenty of
hard drive space. DVD movies are anywhere from 4 to 6 gigs,
and u also need the space that the resulting MPEG will occupy,
which can be an extra 1 to 2gigs.
I
only recommend using DeCSS...way too many reported errors
with DoD Speed Ripper.
If
you have a newer movie or wish to use VOB Dec. VOB Dec will
not fail at removing the newest encryption schemes.
Remember...
for Flask you only need to rip VOB files. Starting with the
first 1gig file until the end of the files named like it.
For example. Vts_01_1.vob is the first 1gig file....select
all the files named Vts_01_X.vob except Vts_01_0.vob.
*
For those of you having problems ripping to HD (like "Title
key might not be encrypted...done") Try to temporarily disable
your DVD drive's DMA mode. Right click on My Computer, go
to Properties, Device Manager tab, double click on your DVD
drive under CDROM and check the Settings tab. Uncheck "DMA"
while "Sync Data Transfer" and "Disconnect" should be checked.
Auto Insert should be off. These settings provide for faster
data transfer and speed reliability. Reboot. Retry to rip.
Remember to turn DMA back on after you're done :)
2.
FlaskMPEG Encoder (encode audio and video at once to 1 big
mpeg with Panasonic Plugin)
This
is probably the BEST way to convert DVD to VCD...if it works
for you! AMAZING quality! Remember to choose MPEG as your
Output Format.
Please
READ the DOCS Section or the readme.html file. I suggest reading
also the news and everything you can on the site to gain more
knowledge as to how the program works. You may see a solution
for a problem that you can avoid.
Now,
install the Panasonic Plugin itself to c:\windows\system and
use the default dir for the program. Then search your HD for
"cm-mpeg-pwi2.0e.prm" COPY it to your Flask dir and rename
it to "panasonic.cm.flask"
Flask
DOES have the ability to see all the files in the directory
and treat it as one file. This removes the need to merge.
When you go to File -> Open, select the FIRST 1gig VOB of
the series. It will then auto detect the other ones and say
something like "Vts_01_1.vob thru Vts_01_5.vob found and will
be treated as one logical file." Then select your audio track
(numbered in the way they are presented in the movie usually).
Finally, make sure your selected output format is Panasonic
MPEG1.
Settings
To Use:
PAL
Settings (Region 2+)
- Resolution:
352x288
- FPS:
25 Audio: 44100 Hz
- Encoding:
VideoCD/PAL (MUST choose this in "MPEG Output Options")
- Filter:
Adaptive - Weakest (I recommend this filter, works well.
Also at the bottom of "MPEG Output Options" for Panasonic)
NTSC
Settings (Region 1)
- Resolution:
352x240
- FPS:
29.97 (with recent versions of Flask it is now recommended
to ALWAYS USE 29.97 even if the movie is detected as 23.976!)
- Audio:
44100 Hz Encoding:
- VideoCD/NTSC
(MUST choose this in "MPEG Output Options")
- Filter:
Adaptive - Weakest (I recommend this filter, works well.
Also at the bottom of "MPEG Output Options" for Panasonic)
Once
started, I don't recommend you pause or do anything that demands
a lot of CPU usage.
2
hour movie takes me 16 to 17 hours in Windows98 with my Celeron
550. Be patient.
Tip
1: Use Windows2000 for encoding when available. It is faster!
Tip
2: Your audio/video sync problem may be something normal.
Fast Forwarding or Rewinding in a big mpeg....usually most
of the time, the audio and video get mismatched. and the audio
does eventually "catch up" with the film however, in a matter
of seconds, depending on the size of the file. This is normal
and probably nothing you can do about it.
Tip
3: If you're still getting audio/video syncing problems, try
to first run the player for a few seconds, stop the player,
and then proceed to encode!
Tip
4: This last tip is probably not recommended in the latest
versions of Flask. It involves using the Pal2Film and NTSC2Film
Tools in order to change the FPS of your VOB files to 23.976.
What this does is provide a better sync'ing mpeg in Flask.
After loading these new VOB's in Flask, you must use ALL PAL
SETTINGS in order to complete this step. This method works
very well.
3.
DV MPEG (Separate audio and video)
This
step and step #4 were both added to ensure 100% VCD Compliance.
Have you noticed how sometimes iFilm Edit gives you an error?
or EZCD says the system clock reference is gone? These two
steps will ensure 100% functionality on standalones and PCs.
Install
DvMPEG and read Serial.txt. From the Start Menu select "MPEG
DeMultiplexor"
Input
file is the .mpg you made with Flask. At this point, you could
delete the original VOB files on your hard drive IF you need
the space... you never know when you'll have to start over.
Make
sure you have enough free space on the output folder drive
and to include a backslash at the end of the dir. Ex: F:\Temp\
... not F:\Temp
4.
Xing MPEG Encoder (merge video and audio again)
First
thing to do is READ the README! Install and run the program.
Click on "NEW" and under the VideoCD category select PAL (25),
NTSC (29.97), or FILM (23.976fps that you should not have
used! but oh well...)
Stream
type should be "System." For Video, click on Browse and locate
the .MPV created by DVMPEG. For Audio, click on Browse and
where it says filename, type an asterisk (*) and press enter.
Browse to the .MP2 created by DVMPEG
Same
as always, make sure you have enough free space for the Target
filename. This process won't take too long but DONT even use
your computer while it's going! Stare at your monitor or go
get a drink.
5.
iFilm Edit (cut big mpeg into 2 files less than 74 minutes,
NOT 650megs, for proper VCD creation)
NOTE:
Do NOT use anything besides iFilm Edit, not VCD Cutter...
NOTHING!
Read
Nobliege.nfo for installing info and serial.
Please
proceed to this How-To-Cut guide @ http://www.vcdhelper.com/ifilm.htm
If
you get an error stating there's not enough free space, you
may need to change the Temp Directory it uses, which is also
in preferences. For an Invalid Data error, see below.
Incorrect
Data in Crop Area - Note: You should not be getting these
errors any more. If you are, then you did something wrong
and I cannot help you.
6a.
Nero Burning ROM (burn mpeg with)
LATEST
Nero always! Do not use versions before 4083! As soon as the
program starts, click on "Close Wizard" and from the left
Column, select VideoCD.
Very
straight forward but visit http://www.vcdhelper.com/nero.htm
for more info if you need it.
Remember,
if any programs tell u the files aren't VCD compliant after
splitting with iFilm, they're lying!
IMPORTANT!
The SIZE of the mpeg file DOES NOT MATTER...it's the LENGTH
of the mpeg that cannot go over 74 mins in order to fit to
a CD!
6b.
Easy CD Creator -or- VideoPack -or- WinOnCD (other burning
programs)
Information
about using any of these is available at http://www.vcdhelper.com/burnmpg.htm
with screen pics. (Please ignore the section that says "Repair
MPG"... if the program doesn't accept the file, use a different
program) Adaptec's Easy CD Creator 4.02 with VideoCD Creator
is perhaps the easiest out of all of these.
Remember,
if any programs tell u the files aren't VCD compliant after
splitting with iFilm, they're lying!
IMPORTANT!
The SIZE of the mpeg file DOES NOT MATTER...it's the LENGTH
of the mpeg that cannot go over 74 mins in order to fit to
a CD!
The
4.02 PATCH for EZ CD Creator @ http://fileforum.efront.com/browse.php3?setcategory=CD+Writers
Congrats...You're
done. Now you can watch beautiful mpeg quality in a standalone
DVD/VCD player or your PC at home.
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