Problems with DVD to Divx

[Guest thefruits]

Hi guys,

Firstly, just wanted to say that this is a fantastic forum - I'd never know how to do half the stuff with my SPV if it wasn't for all the useful info available here so thanks to all of you for that.

I'm trying to convert DVD to PocketMVP but am having difficulties which I just can't seem to resolve.

The DVD chapter I'm trying to convert is only about 25 minutes long (I thought I'd get the process nailed before I try anything longer!).

I'm using DVD Decryptor to pull the .VOB files from the disc and then DVD2AVI to convert to a huge .AVI file. I then use Virtual Dub (of which I have two different versions - the standard one and a 'mod' one (I've tried both)) which I have alongside Divx 5.0.2. I then use Clint Eastmans v2 settings before I 'Save As AVI' which, although it shrinks the file to a much more manageable size, has no sound.

My questions are:

1) Is this the right process to follow?

2) Should I be using DVD2AVI to convert straight to a single AVI (with both audio and video) or to a .d2v file and a separate AC3 (?) audio track? If so, what do I do with it next?

3) I understood divx to be a separate file format. If this is the case, should I always be saving as .avi or change the file to a .divx?

4) What am I doing wrong with the audio?

I've tried siu99spj's guide for encoding divx that a previous topic referred to but this hasn't helped with my audio (I wasn't sure if this was because he was using Divx 5.0.3) and I have searched every relevant topic without success but apologies if these questions have been answered before. After two days spent trying this I am getting a little frustrated and boggle-eyed :shock:

Cheers.

[Guest zeta101]

This is how i do it, there might be a better way (ie quicker, if so someone let me know :))

Ok, in DVD2AVI all you have to do is go to the audio drop down menu and (depending on your version of dvd2avi) select "output method" and then decode to wav, or it might just be called decode.

When you run it then you will have the avi file and a wav file.

Now when you use virtual dub load up the avi, then load up clints settings then go to audio and click WAV audio and select the wav file. The go to audio>compression and you need to pick something lol im not sure which is the best audio codec and/or bitrate for the spv, mp3 works, and the divx audio codec works for me sometimes too. you will have to experiment on small samples of film and see how low u can get the audio bit rate (and thus the end file size) without comprimising sound quality too much.

As far as im aware when using dvd2avi you do not change it to .divx because although divx can be a seperate file format it is also a codec, so u can get .avi that have been encoded with divx, and need the divx codec to watch them (this is how i always understood it anyway!)

Im only just learning myself, but i figured it out the other day ;)

goodluck!

[Guest Palindrome]

Have a look at this thread:

http://smartphone.modaco.com/viewtopic.php?t=89134

[Guest siu99spj]

Good to know my guide helps some people. I use a specific MP3 codec in my guide, so no excuses on that one.

However, some DVD2AVI programs avoid the sound file entirely. An easy way round this is to avoid such horrible programs and go for something which handles both, simply. FlasKMPEG is such a program. This program also avoids the nastiness involved in creating a full frame AVI. It goes straight from DVD to DivX AVI, with dual pass if needed.

As to your questions, thefruits, you need to ensure that the VOB has both the audio and video, as well as your full-frame AVI. Then, in VirtualDub, use my steps entirely (Same applies to either DivX 5.03 or 5.02), including the resizing of the Video AND THE AUDIO OPTIONS. It could be that you have a different MP3 codec to ClintEastman which causes the video to 'lose' its audio. A lot of people have had this problem but Clint seems relunctant to mention this to anyone.

Personally, I crush the DVD into CD size (700MB) with FlasKMPEG (with full DVD rips using SmartRipper), then use the encoded AVI with VirtualDub to make it into SPV size. Takes a long time, but the quality is perfect.

[Note to mods, please edit if I'm overstepping any marks here]