Conversion (Standard Definition)
Now that we have all the players and codecs down pat, it's time to talk not just about playing video files but also about file manipulation. The main issue in this section is how to back up your own DVDs to MPEG 4 formats like DivX, Xvid etc and also H.264 files. This is a form of compression, as the output file size after conversion is smaller..
I use this software called VirtualDub, or VirtualDubMod. It’s my tool for anything video-oriented. The only thing is if the DVD is copy-protected it won’t import the file from the DVD folder. Use DVD Decrypter when in doubt to get the video on your hard disk. You will get a folder with a lot of files, so look for the largest couple of .vobs, play them once in MPC to check, and keep them aside to import in VirtualDub.
Once imported, do some editing if you need, and also cropping and shaping the dimensions of your video. You can apply filters here too, like adding some noise in the video. When you are done, you may open the compression option (Ctrl+P) and select DivX to encode your video. I never compress all the way till one CD size, rather click the calculator icon on the DivX GUI and select the 1100 MB preset. This is perfect for SD video like DVDs; you get a nice quality.
Another option to rip .VOBs to DivX/XviD is Auto Gordian Knot. You can't edit or do stuff, but it's ideal for straightforward converting. It's very simple; just install and use. If its 3GP you want to convert to, another great encoder pack is the software SUPER . You can use it for mobile phone video converts, and much more, just check it out, its awesome.
If you want to separate audio from a video, then again Vdub is your thing. Go to Streams > Streamlist and click Demux /Save wav (see fig.).
Hi Siddharth
