Please critique this "practical freeware tutorial" for archiving DVDs

I wrote this for a friend and just wondered if experts on this newsgroup
could critique my explanation and improve the steps for me and my friends.

Here is how to archive your DVDs, using 100% freeware, without wasting time
watching boring and non-skippable idiotic trailers!

1. Always use DVDShrink freeware first 'cuz it works most of the time and
is easy and takes the least amount of disk space and time and effort.

No thinking; just hit the "Re-author" button, choose the main movie title &
press the backup button. Three easy steps.

2. Run three additional steps that are optional, but which result in better
burns. First, you can hit the "compression" tab in DVDShrink and remove
spurious languages so that you compress less. Second, I generally hit the
"Analyze" button so that every frame is analyzed for custom compression.
Thirdly, you can hit the double-arrow button to clip the beginning and/or
end of the movie so that it starts and ends with just the movie and none of
the "universal studios" logo crap.

3. Sometimes DVDShrink fails. You'll know it fails if it gives any kind of
error. Or if the main movie shows up as something way less than 3 to 6
Gigabytes. Just give up when you see an error; don't try to work around it.
For example, if the main movie shows up as 500 Mbytes, then don't even
think of using DVDShrink. DVDShrink will fail about 5 or 10% of the time
nowadays. When it fails, you have to add two extra steps in front of DVD
Shrink. These work 99% of the time; and when they don't, someone fixes
these programs (see below) so that they work 100% of the time.

5. The first extra step that works 99.9% of the time is to run DVD HD Fab
Decrypter freeware. Rip the entire movie to your hard drive. I'm not sure
why; just do it (that is, don't rip just the main movie). This will take
about 9 GBytes of disk space on your hard drive.

6. Then, after ripping the entire movie to your hard drive, run FixVTS
freeware to fix any bad blocks. Just drag any of the VOB files onto the
FixVTS GUI and tell it to fix the entire DVD in place (don't bother with a
backup which takes twice as much time and disk space for no gain).

7. Once you've run FixVTS freeware on the entire ripped movie, then go back
to step 1 above and use DVDShrink to shrink it to 4.7Gbytes. You'll notice
you need about 9 + 5 = 14Gbytes for the original and shrunk version, so
that is why you don't do this step first.

8. Once you have a DVDShrink result which works, the last step is to burn
the 4.7GB VIDEO_TS and (empty) AUDIO_TS folders to the root of a
good-quality DVD disc as data. I use ImgBurn freeware because it's a fine
program by a fine programmer; but you can use whatever you want.

9. Lastly, use only good-quality DVD disc media. You must know the "Media
ID" of your DVD discs. This sucks but that's the way it is. See this URL
for a description of good-quality DVD media. Within certain constraints,
quick practical advice is three steps. First, print out the Media ID guide
located at http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm
Second, "try" to select a brand/model from that guide. Third, use your
ImgBurn freeware to identify the "Media ID" (it's in the log file) when you
burn your DVD image to disc. If you're lucky, you bought good-quality
media. If not, try again until you find good-quality media. Once you have
good-quality media, stick with it.

10. Enjoy your archived movie, without all those annoying trailers! When
your backup gets scratched, repeat the procedure keeping your original DVD
dics pristine.

Please critique this process so we all learn better techniques.

janet

I just realized I didn't include the URLs to make your life easier.
Here are just one suggested location for each freeware package.
If you know of a BETTER download location, let us know.

a) 1st use DVDShrink freeware 1st; it's easy & works 90% of the time:
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/vi...dvd_shrink.cfm

b) Use DVDfab HD Decrypter freeware only when DVDShrink fails:
http://209.172.55.6/download/DVDFabHDDecrypter4016Beta
The download link changes constantly; see details here:
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/583712

d) Always use FixVTS freeware on DVDfab HD Decrypter results (dunno why):
http://www.softsea.com/review/FixVTS.html

e) ImgBurn freeware burns DVD images to disc & reports the Media ID:
http://www.imgburn.com

f) Buy first-quality DVD media based on the Media ID only!
http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

Does anyone know why DVDfab HD Decrypter doesn't just run FixVTS like
RipIt4Me does? Why is it a separate step (either FixVTS or VOBBlanker
anyway)?

janet

janet <> wrote in
news:sk%8j.7838$:

> I wrote this for a friend and just wondered if experts on this
> newsgroup could critique my explanation and improve the steps for me
> and my friends.
>
> Here is how to archive your DVDs, using 100% freeware, without wasting
> time watching boring and non-skippable idiotic trailers!
>
> 1. Always use DVDShrink freeware first 'cuz it works most of the time
> and is easy and takes the least amount of disk space and time and
> effort.
>
> No thinking; just hit the "Re-author" button, choose the main movie
> title & press the backup button. Three easy steps.
>
> 2. Run three additional steps that are optional, but which result in
> better burns. First, you can hit the "compression" tab in DVDShrink
> and remove spurious languages so that you compress less. Second, I
> generally hit the "Analyze" button so that every frame is analyzed for
> custom compression. Thirdly, you can hit the double-arrow button to
> clip the beginning and/or end of the movie so that it starts and ends
> with just the movie and none of the "universal studios" logo crap.
>
> 3. Sometimes DVDShrink fails. You'll know it fails if it gives any
> kind of error. Or if the main movie shows up as something way less
> than 3 to 6 Gigabytes. Just give up when you see an error; don't try
> to work around it. For example, if the main movie shows up as 500
> Mbytes, then don't even think of using DVDShrink. DVDShrink will fail
> about 5 or 10% of the time nowadays. When it fails, you have to add
> two extra steps in front of DVD Shrink. These work 99% of the time;
> and when they don't, someone fixes these programs (see below) so that
> they work 100% of the time.
>
> 5. The first extra step that works 99.9% of the time is to run DVD HD
> Fab Decrypter freeware. Rip the entire movie to your hard drive. I'm
> not sure why; just do it (that is, don't rip just the main movie).
> This will take about 9 GBytes of disk space on your hard drive.
>
> 6. Then, after ripping the entire movie to your hard drive, run FixVTS
> freeware to fix any bad blocks. Just drag any of the VOB files onto
> the FixVTS GUI and tell it to fix the entire DVD in place (don't
> bother with a backup which takes twice as much time and disk space for
> no gain).
>
> 7. Once you've run FixVTS freeware on the entire ripped movie, then go
> back to step 1 above and use DVDShrink to shrink it to 4.7Gbytes.
> You'll notice you need about 9 + 5 = 14Gbytes for the original and
> shrunk version, so that is why you don't do this step first.
>
> 8. Once you have a DVDShrink result which works, the last step is to
> burn the 4.7GB VIDEO_TS and (empty) AUDIO_TS folders to the root of a
> good-quality DVD disc as data. I use ImgBurn freeware because it's a
> fine program by a fine programmer; but you can use whatever you want.
>
> 9. Lastly, use only good-quality DVD disc media. You must know the
> "Media ID" of your DVD discs. This sucks but that's the way it is. See
> this URL for a description of good-quality DVD media. Within certain
> constraints, quick practical advice is three steps. First, print out
> the Media ID guide located at
> http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm Second, "try" to select a
> brand/model from that guide. Third, use your ImgBurn freeware to
> identify the "Media ID" (it's in the log file) when you burn your DVD
> image to disc. If you're lucky, you bought good-quality media. If not,
> try again until you find good-quality media. Once you have
> good-quality media, stick with it.
>
> 10. Enjoy your archived movie, without all those annoying trailers!
> When your backup gets scratched, repeat the procedure keeping your
> original DVD dics pristine.
>
> Please critique this process so we all learn better techniques.

In #8 you say to burn "as data". This could be a problem if someone choose
to use Nero (or possibly Roxio) to burn the files, since this comes with
the burner. Burning the files as a "data disc" will make a disc that is
unplayable in a stand-alone player. In Nero you should use "burn dvd-video
files". They should select a burning speed less than the maximum. It is
worth the extra 3-4 minutes to increase the likelihood of getting a good
burn. It is also a good idea to check the verify data box to confirm that
the burned disc matches the hard drive files.

Checking the media ID in #9 seems a bit overkill to me. It would be
simpler to just choose discs from one of the first or second class
manufacturers in their list and leave it at that. The brand I use most is
listed there as second class, but I get 98%-99% good burns (they claim 85%-
90%).

Using freeware is fine, but for someone with a lot of discs to copy it
would save a lot of time and trouble to invest in a program like DVD Fab
Platinum which will let them simply deselect the unwanted parts and then go
on to finish the job with no further work on the user's part.

Jeff

On Dec 16, 1:35 am, janet <jan...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> I wrote this for a friend and just wondered if experts on this newsgroup
> could critique my explanation and improve the steps for me and my friends.
>
> Here is how to archive your DVDs, using 100% freeware, without wasting time
> watching boring and non-skippable idiotic trailers!
>
> 1. Always use DVDShrink freeware first 'cuz it works most of the time and
> is easy and takes the least amount of disk space and time and effort.
>
> No thinking; just hit the "Re-author" button, choose the main movie title &
> press the backup button. Three easy steps.
>
> 2. Run three additional steps that are optional, but which result in better
> burns. First, you can hit the "compression" tab in DVDShrink and remove
> spurious languages so that you compress less. Second, I generally hit the
> "Analyze" button so that every frame is analyzed for custom compression.
> Thirdly, you can hit the double-arrow button to clip the beginning and/or
> end of the movie so that it starts and ends with just the movie and none of
> the "universal studios" logo crap.
>
> 3. Sometimes DVDShrink fails. You'll know it fails if it gives any kind of
> error. Or if the main movie shows up as something way less than 3 to 6
> Gigabytes. Just give up when you see an error; don't try to work around it.
> For example, if the main movie shows up as 500 Mbytes, then don't even
> think of using DVDShrink. DVDShrink will fail about 5 or 10% of the time
> nowadays. When it fails, you have to add two extra steps in front of DVD
> Shrink. These work 99% of the time; and when they don't, someone fixes
> these programs (see below) so that they work 100% of the time.
>
> 5. The first extra step that works 99.9% of the time is to run DVD HD Fab
> Decrypter freeware. Rip the entire movie to your hard drive. I'm not sure
> why; just do it (that is, don't rip just the main movie). This will take
> about 9 GBytes of disk space on your hard drive.
>
> 6. Then, after ripping the entire movie to your hard drive, run FixVTS
> freeware to fix any bad blocks. Just drag any of the VOB files onto the
> FixVTS GUI and tell it to fix the entire DVD in place (don't bother with a
> backup which takes twice as much time and disk space for no gain).
>
> 7. Once you've run FixVTS freeware on the entire ripped movie, then go back
> to step 1 above and use DVDShrink to shrink it to 4.7Gbytes. You'll notice
> you need about 9 + 5 = 14Gbytes for the original and shrunk version, so
> that is why you don't do this step first.
>
> 8. Once you have a DVDShrink result which works, the last step is to burn
> the 4.7GB VIDEO_TS and (empty) AUDIO_TS folders to the root of a
> good-quality DVD disc as data. I use ImgBurn freeware because it's a fine
> program by a fine programmer; but you can use whatever you want.
>
> 9. Lastly, use only good-quality DVD disc media. You must know the "Media
> ID" of your DVD discs. This sucks but that's the way it is. See this URL
> for a description of good-quality DVD media. Within certain constraints,
> quick practical advice is three steps. First, print out the Media ID guide
> located athttp://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm
> Second, "try" to select a brand/model from that guide. Third, use your
> ImgBurn freeware to identify the "Media ID" (it's in the log file) when you
> burn your DVD image to disc. If you're lucky, you bought good-quality
> media. If not, try again until you find good-quality media. Once you have
> good-quality media, stick with it.
>
> 10. Enjoy your archived movie, without all those annoying trailers! When
> your backup gets scratched, repeat the procedure keeping your original DVD
> dics pristine.
>
> Please critique this process so we all learn better techniques.

Your input is as good as it gets about it's subject. Thanks, Janet.

sandy58

"janet" <> wrote in message
news:sk%8j.7838$...
>I wrote this for a friend and just wondered if experts on this newsgroup
> could critique my explanation and improve the steps for me and my friends.
>
> Here is how to archive your DVDs, using 100% freeware, without wasting
> time
> watching boring and non-skippable idiotic trailers!
>
> 1. Always use DVDShrink freeware first 'cuz it works most of the time and
> is easy and takes the least amount of disk space and time and effort.
>
> No thinking; just hit the "Re-author" button, choose the main movie title
> &
> press the backup button. Three easy steps.
>
> 2. Run three additional steps that are optional, but which result in
> better
> burns. First, you can hit the "compression" tab in DVDShrink and remove
> spurious languages so that you compress less. Second, I generally hit the
> "Analyze" button so that every frame is analyzed for custom compression.
> Thirdly, you can hit the double-arrow button to clip the beginning and/or
> end of the movie so that it starts and ends with just the movie and none
> of
> the "universal studios" logo crap.
>
> 3. Sometimes DVDShrink fails. You'll know it fails if it gives any kind
> of
> error. Or if the main movie shows up as something way less than 3 to 6
> Gigabytes. Just give up when you see an error; don't try to work around
> it.
> For example, if the main movie shows up as 500 Mbytes, then don't even
> think of using DVDShrink. DVDShrink will fail about 5 or 10% of the time
> nowadays. When it fails, you have to add two extra steps in front of DVD
> Shrink. These work 99% of the time; and when they don't, someone fixes
> these programs (see below) so that they work 100% of the time.
>
> 5. The first extra step that works 99.9% of the time is to run DVD HD Fab
> Decrypter freeware. Rip the entire movie to your hard drive. I'm not sure
> why; just do it (that is, don't rip just the main movie). This will take
> about 9 GBytes of disk space on your hard drive.
>
> 6. Then, after ripping the entire movie to your hard drive, run FixVTS
> freeware to fix any bad blocks. Just drag any of the VOB files onto the
> FixVTS GUI and tell it to fix the entire DVD in place (don't bother with a
> backup which takes twice as much time and disk space for no gain).
>
> 7. Once you've run FixVTS freeware on the entire ripped movie, then go
> back
> to step 1 above and use DVDShrink to shrink it to 4.7Gbytes. You'll notice
> you need about 9 + 5 = 14Gbytes for the original and shrunk version, so
> that is why you don't do this step first.
>
> 8. Once you have a DVDShrink result which works, the last step is to burn
> the 4.7GB VIDEO_TS and (empty) AUDIO_TS folders to the root of a
> good-quality DVD disc as data. I use ImgBurn freeware because it's a fine
> program by a fine programmer; but you can use whatever you want.
>
> 9. Lastly, use only good-quality DVD disc media. You must know the "Media
> ID" of your DVD discs. This sucks but that's the way it is. See this URL
> for a description of good-quality DVD media. Within certain constraints,
> quick practical advice is three steps. First, print out the Media ID guide
> located at http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm
> Second, "try" to select a brand/model from that guide. Third, use your
> ImgBurn freeware to identify the "Media ID" (it's in the log file) when
> you
> burn your DVD image to disc. If you're lucky, you bought good-quality
> media. If not, try again until you find good-quality media. Once you have
> good-quality media, stick with it.
>
> 10. Enjoy your archived movie, without all those annoying trailers! When
> your backup gets scratched, repeat the procedure keeping your original DVD
> dics pristine.
>
> Please critique this process so we all learn better techniques.

In step 8 is it necessary to burn the AUDIO_TS folder onto the DVD? I always
just drop the VIDEO_TS folder into ImgBurn and get perfect results.

gavin

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:23:17 GMT, Jeff wrote:
> Checking the media ID in #9 seems a bit overkill to me. It would be
> simpler to just choose discs from one of the first or second class
> manufacturers in their list and leave it at that.

Hi Jeff,
Thank you for this advice. I agree with you. I did say "it sucks" when I
suggested we check the media id in step #9 but I'm not sure I understand
your suggestion.

If I *could* choose a disc in the first class without checking the media ID
after the fact, I would. But, I have TDK-brand discs that are CMC-Mag
landfill and I have TDK-brand discs that are in the first-class - so my
point is that, unfortunately, the guide is only reliable after the fact.
http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

I guess, by way of example, TDK is a bad egg whereas perhaps the other
"brands" (remember they outsource and buy from others and put their brand
name on the DVD discs) might not be as flaky as TDK.

For example, maybe Sony does not outsource so *any* Sony would be good
since Sony is only listed in the first-class category.

But, since I was burned with TDK-branded media that was in the
fourth-class, I'm gunshy of anything but the media-Id.

But, I do understand your point. One should *try* to buy from the 1st-class
"manufacturers" (which is what I said in the tutorial).

Should I change the tutorial to say "Buy only Mitsubishi, Verbatim, Taiyo
Yuden, Hitachi Maxell, Sony" media?

Notice I left out "Pioneer" which it says doesn't make good media anymore
(since 2003 anyway); and I left out TDK because I *know* TDK sells CMC-MAG
coasters which doesn't show up on those charts (just go to Costco and buy
their TDK-branded DVD discs and you'll be sorry soon enough).

janet

janet

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:23:17 GMT, Jeff wrote:
> Invest in a program like DVD Fab Platinum which will let them
> simply deselect the unwanted parts and then go
> on to finish the job with no further work on the user's part.

Hi Jeff,

There it is again! I'm so confused.
At first I thought DVDfab HD Decrypter 4 freeware only worked on the whole
movie and not the main movie only.

Then, I see Ron May implies DVDfab HD Decrypter 4 freeware can work on just
the main movie.

Then, I see you imply DVDfab HD Decrypter 4 freeware won't work on the main
movie unless we buy the DVD Fab Platinum upgrade.

Can someone clear up my confusion?

1st Question:
Does DVDfab HD Decrypter 4 freeware work on just the main movie or not?

2nd Question:
If DVDfab HD Decrypter 4 freeware works on just the main movie, then what
is the difference between DVDfab HD Decrypter 4 freeware and the DVD Fab
Platinum upgrade?

janet

janet

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 12:55:11 GMT, gavin wrote:
> In step 8 is it necessary to burn the AUDIO_TS folder onto the DVD? I always
> just drop the VIDEO_TS folder into ImgBurn and get perfect results.

Hi Gavin,
You are totally correct. The zero-sized AUDIO_TS folder is *not* necessary.
I don't know why it even exists (I read somewhere it was in the original
DVD specs but never used - but I never checked up on it personally).

I burn the empty AUDIO_TS directory 'cuz it's easy enough to burn and I
*assume* there might be a compatibility problem with some badly designed
hardwared DVD players; but I've never known a problem to arise when I
didn't include the empty AUDIO_TS directory.

Does anyone know of any problems if we suggest users always omit the rather
useless empty AUDIO_TS directory?

janet

janet

On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:57:53 -0600, Ron May wrote:
> go to DVDFab HD Decrypter
> (I use "Main Movie" and "Full Disc" interchangeably without problems.

Hi Ron May,

Jeff in a later post to this thread implies "DVDfab HD Decrypter 4"
freeware won't work on the main movie unless we buy the "DVD Fab Platinum"
upgrade.

This underscores that I'm confused whether "DVDfab HD Decrypter 4" freeware
can handle just the Main Movie.

I'm not sure what "DVDFab HD Decrypter" you're talking about which handles
the Main Movie only. Are you talking about the freeware or the paid
upgrade?

I'm sorry I'm confused. It shows up in my tutorial so I hope someone clears
the air once and for all.

1st Question:
Does DVDFab HD Decrypter 4 freeware handle just the Main Movie or not?

2nd Question:
If it does, what's the fundamental difference between the freeware and
paidware version of the software?

janet

janet

janet wrote:

> f) Buy first-quality DVD media based on the Media ID only!
> http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

Just FYI

Program: CDR Identifier
Author: Frank Wolf
Ware: (Freeware)
http://www.cdr.cz/software/cdr_identifier/
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail...er/970209376/1
"CDR Identifier lets you read the ATIP of a CDR with the most of the
current CDR recorders. This information tells the manufacturer and type
of dye used for this media."

Program: Nero Info Tool
Author: Erik Deppe
Ware: (Freeware)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download120.html
"Nero InfoTool is a utility which analyses and displays the most
important information about a drive, disc, configuration and software.
The information can also be printed or saved to a text file."

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group....comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

Susan Bugher