DVD ripping

OK so I have a DVD from the UK of " The Office "

I unfortunately have a US tv and DVD plaer.

the dvd is region free (or at least I have converted it to region free)

but i can't play it still .. i think it is PAL format.

other dvds i have the same problem with too .. but what I want to do is convert the movies to AVI and re-burn them .. or just convert the DVD to NTSC fromPAl .. i dont see an easy wayof doing this .. i'd rather keep the quality and meu structure too ... any suggestions before i post in a dvd forum (and am forced to reregister)

Giles

Lots of good info on http://www.clonead.co.uk/

O.. what fun Pal /NTSC.

This is what I do....

First thing I would do is copy the whole DVD to a folder on ya computer.

Then join all the vobs together and then demultiplex the sound from the one big VOB.

You then will have one big PAL VOB and one sound file.

Look at the sound file, you may have to convert it to a PCM or AC3 or dts or aiff as NTSC players cannot play mpa/m2a sound tracks.

Run the PAL720/576 video file through a encoder and resize to NTSC DVD mpeg2 720/480 file but still at 25fps and not 29fps.....

Next run the PAL file through the little dgpulldown program that puts flags into the PAL video file to trick the NTSC DVD player to play the Pal file at NTSC speed. You will hardly notice it and the quality will be the same.

Once you have those two files (Audio and Video) just compile them like you make any other NTSC DVD and burn.

If you are on a MAC then good luck but on a PC it's easy and I can let ya know what programs to download to use.

Hope that helps.

Wags

Easy but sounds like a lot of work ...

I am wondering as there are two VOB files for the menu structure if the menus will still work then ...

but sure .. let me know what software (especially if itis free) and i'll give it a go .. i tried burnign it in Nero from my PC but unlike burning an avi file i could not choose to burn it as NTSC .. bummer.

but I am up for anything .. if i had a uk dvd player wouldit play on a US tv ? or an international dvd player ?

For $200 you can buy a multisystem, multizone DVD player that has abuilt-in converter.Then you can watch the Office, Couplings and even Ozzie and Asian DVDs.

Yeh just buy a multiplay DVD player.

Step one...copy the Video TS to a folder onto ya hard drive. Don't need the audioTS nothing in it...

Next Download a copy of DVDLAB PRO free for 30 days....

Import the Video TS file (VTS_01_1) into the assets bin in DVDLAB PRO.

A Window will open and click on Join and Demultiplex to Elementary Streams.

DVDlab PRO will join the Vobs 1, 2, 3, etc and rip the audio track out of it. Cool Hey...and it will dump a big single VOB and seperate audio track in the Video TS folder.

Find and move these two files to another folder so you don't get lost..

DVD lab Pro can also convert the sound track to a PCM or wav audio file if you like for NTSC players.

Next encode that big single vob to a single mpeg 2 progressive 720/480 @ 25fps file. Try TMPGE etc..

Then run that new 720/480 25fps file through dgpulldown (FREE) putting in the 25 to 29 flags.

Then get that file and compile it with the audio file into a NTSC DVD.

Does not take that long once you have it set up. There will be no menus/chapters, just pop it in and it will play.

DVD LAB PRO is very good (CHEAP) in making DVD's, you can even include you own code.... and it can do what others cost $1000's of dollars worth can do. You can really get in their and fiddle around. About the only thing it cannot do it output to DLT tape for replicators, but most take normal Master DVD-r's now days anyhow. The guy that made it must of really anoyed the big $$$$ DVD authoring software makers.

www.mediachance.com is the place to go and have a look..

Much easier than that mate, drop me an email, I know someone on the island who can convert it on to another DVD.