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[Q] converting DVD for mobile (touch HD)

Hi,
I've been searching the forum and reading a few posts but I still have some basic questions about converting my DVD's to play on touch HD. Apologies in advance if some seem a bit obvious but having never converted anything i'm sure what the best route is. OKay:
1: I've decoded some dvd's and copying them to my hard drive -i presume this is necessary for all dvd's?
2: I then have to convert them to 800x480 - which is the best software? SUPER looks confusing so haven't really used it much, and i downloaded a trial of iSofter which seemed a bit easier BUT which is the best software for a beginner? Something easy and obvious?
3: how long does it take? when I ran SUPER and iSofter it seemed to take 3/4 hours for 1 DVD. IS this normal? Or have do I have to change the settings and choose something to make it faster?
Once I've managed to copy over my first DVD I'm sure all the other posts about quality, resolutions, etc will make a lot more sense. Just want to try and watch one...
Cheers,
Paddy

I always do it a little differently. I use AutoGK to back up my DVD's, which will back them up to CD sized, whilst still being watchable on my TV using my stand-alone divx player, (or the TV out from your graphics card). This typically takes 3-5 hours using my 2.3ghz athlon. If I then want to watch on my PDA, I use pocketdivxencoder, which takes about 20-40 mins to reduce it down.
Both these pieces of software are free, and are very easy to use.

My thoughts....
I myself use Handbrake to rip any DVD that I have to my PC and then use either AnyVideoConverter or Format Factory to convert the files to an acceptable AVI quality for all my family's mobile devices. All 3 programs are straightforward and easy to use. Below are links for you to find out for yourself.
HandBrake
Any-Video-Converter
Format Factory
Hope that helps!!
PS. And as for the time it takes to convert the videos, yes those times are about right, depending on you PC's CPU. The CPU is the single biggest factor when ripping and converting video, with memory coming in 2nd and hard drive space a close 3rd.

DVD Catalyst is the best and will do it all. What format, how good of quality and whatever else you can think of. It is user friendly out of the box/download and as you get use to the settings you can adjust them accordingly. Google it and give the trial a shot. I have use this software for years now and have yet to find anything as good.

I use Magic DVD Ripper to convert DVD to AVI
To convert to .mp4 i use AONE FLV to AVI MPEG WMV 3GP MP4 iPod Converter it actually converts every format not just FLV very easy to use and good results.
All in all a very easy process

Hi All,
Cheers for the replies - really useful. So the timing thing was right, and it looks like that new PC I need will have be bought sooner rather than later as the CPU, etc on current one is pretty slow.
Just one more thing - what setting you guys use? I have a Touch HD so I presume the screen should be set to 480x800, but I haven't a clue about rates, frames pre second, sound quality, etc. Some pointers would be brilliant. So is AVI good for smaller file sizes. The files just have to be good enough to watch on the train etc without to much flicker or jumping. Hopefully I'll be watching The Wire on the train soon!
Cheers (again)
PAddy

padsmcnulty said:
Hi All,
Cheers for the replies - really useful. So the timing thing was right, and it looks like that new PC I need will have be bought sooner rather than later as the CPU, etc on current one is pretty slow.
Just one more thing - what setting you guys use? I have a Touch HD so I presume the screen should be set to 480x800, but I haven't a clue about rates, frames pre second, sound quality, etc. Some pointers would be brilliant. So is AVI good for smaller file sizes. The files just have to be good enough to watch on the train etc without to much flicker or jumping. Hopefully I'll be watching The Wire on the train soon!
Cheers (again)
PAddy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your going do display in widescreen so the device in sideways then the res will be 800x480 unless the media player automatically does this?
The frame rate want to be the same as original source you can find this by right clicking properties on the file and tab summary, the best format for mobile video is .mp4 as they hold the quality but are low in data, as the less data you have to pull @ a time off a memory card helps too.

Need all your Help to push MS / avi transcoding issue

Hi Everyone,
I m kindly asking you to help me push MS into fixing the avi/xvid issue since conversion times are too long.
edit Several members have also raised concern that the Zune software transcodes videos where there is really no need!
ruscik said:
a 720p Family guy blue harvest in divx (my own copy) was converted to mp4 but resolution was not lowered.
A 720p family guy something dark side in mp4 was converted to mp4 but resolution was not lowered or audio adjusted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have created a post on the official MS support forums and the fellow users have supported the post but MS is trying not to give a proper answer on the issues unless people reply enough or click the "I would like an answer too" button. The post seems to be ending up unanswered and pushed back. I need to let the post grab MS attention!
I would like MS to escalate the issue internally but I need more input! So please be so kind!
I suggest that we could do this for other issues as well!!!
Their forum relies on Live IDs so it is just about entering your username. (Doesn't take long)
http://social.answers.microsoft.com...7/thread/b71af2ac-9f72-4b10-a5ee-eaa29c1933e7

It can be fixed quite easily.
1) Write down the spec of your computer on a piece of paper.
2) Go to your local PC shop
3) Hand them the piece of paper and ask for something faster at encoding video
4) Happiness

Yep. Crap computers suck at transcoding video. Even a better graphics card would work much better, since lots of GPUs these days can offload much of the conversion.
Some notebooks were sold without multi-core processors (but are still 64-bit, some people assume 64-bit = multi-core), and lots of consumers have things like mismatched ram sticks and the like that can reduce their computer performance for these types of tasks.

Thanks a lot guys!!!! Appreciated!
It looks like they are still ignoring the issue. I think I might try to upvote the thread tomorrow again.
My general issue is that I am accessing different PCs all the time. Let it be work, uni, friends, or my home laptop. So I generally just need a fast way to get stuff onto the device.
Maybe we get lucky and they enable it again

I personally don't think this issue should have a high priority, as Zune software reencode your file on the fly.
Even at Microsoft, ressources are limited, and there are lots a other stuff I would like first (custom ringtones, multitask, silverlight and flash on the browser...)
My 2 cents.

(nico) said:
Even at Microsoft, ressources are limited,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue here is that it works on the Zune HD without re encoding or demuxing and the same applied to the wp7 emulator until they decided to take the feature out...
Maybe it will be a OEM specific feature?!

Name one reason for DivX /XviD support, except that you want to play your pirated movies...
Transcoding XviD shouldn't take much time with a modern computer.

Why do they have to be pirated? There are those of us who have huge DVD/BD libraries ripped to xvid (and later on MKV). Personally I have several hundred DVDs that I have painstakingly converted to xvid for digital storage and easy access from my HTPCs.

Sir. Haxalot said:
Name one reason for DivX /XviD support, except that you want to play your pirated movies...
Transcoding XviD shouldn't take much time with a modern computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could make the same assumption about mp3s. I started ripping in 99.. I don't have the resources to rerip my music into something better now. And in a real case scenario I don't want to be told 2 years from now that an MP3 player doesn't play mp3s anymore because they are "all" considered to be pirated .....

I have pleny of DVD's/BD that on top of normal movie have a digital copy that can be used with portable players. They come in many formats on those discs and all require to enter a code before 1st play so it can check if it is valid copy.
I do that and then can play them on my PC even via Zune. Formats I have are WMV, AVI, MP4 and DIVX.
My death race in wmv that works on windows 7 fresh install (with no extra codes and net access) is converted by zune. Annoying as zune officially supports WMV and even plays that movie.
Two mp4 movies (Mummy and Mummy 2) from the same Box set one just copies and works one is converted from mp4 to mp4. Some Divx movies are "converted" but it lasts 1 to 2 min aka it only changes extension while some are properly reconverted but resolution or quality are the same afterwards (720p or standard resolution no matter). There is a problem there.

[Guide] Video Convert w/subtitles available (FREE)

Ok in the process of learning and trying out software to encode video files for my Inspire I ran across a bit of software so this will be a short guide.
Download: http://www.winnydows.com/
install XviD4PSP which is a free software. if you like it please support the developer.
I have used it on some decent size files and its slow but does a VERY good job with audio and video encoding. You select the files you want and then a place to out put them (i usually put them in my dropbox account) and then i can download them to my phone as they are done! its not very processor intensive (Pentium M 2.0 GHz with 2GB of RAM on W7 laptop) so i let it run in the background while i am running around throughout the day. Since it is encoding video for psp specs you may want to change resolution and such but i have found this is not necessary as the psp is not NEAR as powerful as the Inspire so video will run very nicely.
I know this is more of me telling you about the software and less of a Guide i just wanted to share
If i have helped solved your video problems in anyway drop me a line or give some thanks!
If you want to give us both some extra space on dropbox (250MB) then link me via: Sync your files online and across computers with @Dropbox. 2GB account is free! http://db.tt/zolCPYV
If you have better software than what I have mentiond then just add it to the list!

Reducing Video Size/Resolution for putting on phones?

So, some of the videos I want to put on my phone are over 4 gigs. I want to put them on my phone, and it's Fat32, so 4 gigs won't cut it. I figure if I downsample it a bit, it'll fit, not to mention my phone's resolution isn't huge.
So... is it possible?

There is a program out there can't remember the name that will take your video and resize it for your phone. Will let you know when I remember the name.

Sure you can
I use this app (SUPER) for the task, but maybe it requires some knowledge
google for: erightsoft super
and click the first post
give ir a try, you can find info about its options by googling, or ask if you like.

I use free video converter, just google it and you'll get a link. But it's free and converts any video file.

i just remember there is another tool for this, really easy to use, almost 1 click
search for: PocketDivXEncoder
its kind of old, but it does the job

You could try Badaboom if you have an nVidia GPU that supports CUDA, or for the ATi side, Avivo Video Converter, both of them allow quick transcoding speed using the GPU, which is pretty useful if your CPU is dated, in which most video transcoding software use.

[Q] Surface RT - [app] ffmpeg0.6

Noob, so I cant post this where it actually belongs..
So I thought to give Surface RT a chance and bought one. I still have my iPad on the side, and I would like to get rid of it, if RT works for my purposes. Now I have few issues with mi new shiny device.
Question 1:
I have managed to "install" jailbreak and use some of those nice Desktop apps ported to Windows RT.
But I cant/dont know how to use ffmpeg0.6.
I have installed it, but when launching app it tells me about missing dll file. What can I do about it? There is no GUI?
Question 2:
I use Internet Explorer to watch some live hockey streams that are Flash based (also available on html5), but it seems to be somewhat too laggy. Is there something that might fix that?
Question 3:
Almost all my video files are AVIs and playback is terrible. Very low fps and stuttering audio and video. I have tried several media players from Microsoft Store but same issue with them all. Around 700 Mb *.avi files are not working properly and this could be a dealbreaker with this device for me... Is RTs processor just too weak, or is there someting that might fix this issue?