Best format to store/view ripped cd's

TheBazman

Hi all

I am using RipIt4Me to backup dvds and make copies using DVDDecryper. I would like to store the films on my hard drive to either backup again onto a dvd at a later stage or else to just view them on my pc. When I back up I am left with a folder with the .vob and .ifo files, and when I burn with DVDDecrypter I am left with a .ISO file. Which is the best way to store the film?

If I keep the .ISO file I presume I can extract it onto a blank DVD at a later stage, however I cant view it on my pc
If I keep the VIDEO_TS folder with all the .ifo and .VOB files I can easily copy them, but is this format best for viewing? If I open one of the .VOB files will this play the full film through on my pc or will it just play part of it , in which case I will have to open up 3 - 4 files to view one film?

I know I can just rename the .VOB files as .mpeg but it still leaves me with 3-4 mpegs. I would like just one

Cheers

calex71

.iso files can be mounted using any number of programes such as alcohol 120% , daemon tools or nero image drive, once mounted they play like a normal dvd, think of iso as a virtual dvd that u use a virtual drive to play if that makes sense?

TheBazman

calex71 wrote:

.iso files can be mounted using any number of programes such as alcohol 120% , daemon tools or nero image drive, once mounted they play like a normal dvd, think of iso as a virtual dvd that u use a virtual drive to play if that makes sense?

Hi Calex - I think its some form of a zipped file - do you mean unzipping when you say mounting? I readsomewhere that you can use Winrar to extract them - I wonder does that leave them in a format that can be viewer or burned at a later stage

hopeful

VLC can play DVD iso's directly.

8T8

Do you want to keep all the menus & extras intact or just main movie only ?

SouperComputer

RAT DVD is good if you plan keeping the extras and features of the DVD. Other than that, H264 is probably best if you want to have just the main feature.

TheBazman

Cheers folks

only interested in keeping the main feature - I'll give those a shot.

8T8

Did we have this discussion already or was it someone else ?

Either way if you want to only keep the main movie just rip to a single vob file and rename that .mpg and it will play in pretty much anything that decodes MPEG-2 & AC3.

In DVD Decrypter click tools->settings->IFO mode, under file splitting select none.

Using AnyDVD & DVD Decrypter in IFO mode will give you a single .vob file containing the movie & audio (in the stream processing tab you can prune redundant audio streams and subtitles).

For AC3 decoding use AC3 Filter.

{That's my method}

Alternatively with it Ripit4me what you must do is go inside DVD Decrypter click tools->settings->file mode, under options/file splitting select none because Ripit4me only works in file mode in DVD Decrypter, when you start Ripit4me select movie only this will present a UI similar to the stream processing tab to jettison unwanted audio streams/subtitles & that's all there is to it you will be left with one large .vob file to rename .mpg

Edit: How odd the Ripit4me method worked on The Goonies but did not work on Blade Runner DVD's I tested with, not sure what to make of that.

TheBazman

hopeful wrote:

VLC can play DVD iso's directly.

Maybe someone can help me - when I use videolan to view files (ISO or VOB) files I dont seem to be getting the correct audio. I usually get either the music soundtrack playing in the background or else someone tallking over it like the director or something. I have tried in the audio options to change the track but I dont seem to be able to get the correct audio/soundtrack

Thanks

8T8

It shouldn't do that the audio track selection simply reads the audio streams within the file so whatever is there is playing, it should default to track 1.

You didn't accidentally remove the audio stream from the vob file beforehand ?

TheBazman

8T8 wrote:

It shouldn't do that the audio track selection simply reads the audio streams within the file so whatever is there is playing, it should default to track 1.

You didn't accidentally remove the audio stream from the vob file beforehand ?

No as when I play it on Windows Media Player I get the correct audio - really strange - I have tried it on a few different films now all with the same problem on VLAN

8T8

In the VLC start menu entry try the "reset VLC defaults and quit" function to see if that clears the problem.