Is it safe to use VOB2MPG & VideoRedo combo

After a long discussion at this topic - https://forum.videohelp.com/topic373979.html

I decided to convert DVD discs only to MPEG2 format instead of XviD.

I tried many applications found here at videohelp and I think I will stick to VOB2MPG & VideoRedo (Mpeg2Cut2, TMPGEnc weren't good enough).

Those apps are easy to use etc. Using VOB2MPG (not pro version) despite many popups I can get VOBs converted into MPEGs and with VideoRedo I can easily cut and append MPEG files.

The main concern about these two apps - the errors they might introduce to my video files.

Although I did not notice any sound lag or something, I still need to know for sure if I will not mess up my MPEG video files while doing above-mentioned actions.

1. Does ALWAYS VOB2MPG trasform the VOB files exactly as they were on DVD? Doesn't it alter the MPEG file to introduce any kind of lag or something bad? Would results be better if I bought Pro version?

2. Will VideoRedo not introduce any kind of lag or something bad while cutting and appending MPEG files?

FYI I made a fresh WinXP reinstall and installed drivers, codecs and those two apps, I think my PC is as ready and trash-free as possible. HDD is defragmented and registry cleaned.

I've never had any problems with VOB2MPEG...though I've only used it for experimental purposes. Maybe it's because I'm also a big fan of MPEGVCR. Though it's not free it is inexpensive and makes error-free cuts 100% of the time for me....and it also opens VOB files so...there is another tool to add to your possible arsenal of "video stuff"....

Thanks guys!

One more question do I need both MPEG-VCR and Womble MPEG Video Wizard or I could do only with MPEG-VCR since I only want to cut and join files, no authoring, nothing else.

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

I suggest this -- http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/edit-dvd-recorder.htm -- to get MPEG off a DVD in edit-ready format, for an MPEG editor.

That's my normal routine.

hmm, also take a look at this tut:

http://www.videoredo.net/msgBoard/showthread.php?t=5732

quote from the guide:

Using DVDDecryptor: DVDDecryptor in IFO mode has an option to combine all the VOB files for a program as a single large VOB file when it copies them to the hard drive. Since a program like DVDDecryptor is the fastest way to transfer VOB files to your hard drive., this is probably the easiest way of creating a single large VOB file. For additional information, please see this How-To guide

Does combining all vob into one big continuous video file introduce any kind of lag? would make it easier to edit

VideoRedo is the only program you need. As long as the DVD is not copy protected, you don't need to use a decryptor. If you use Quick Stream Fix, you will not have the sync problems that every other program listed in ths thread can cause (I shouldn't say cause but do not prevent).

It's not free but IMO, it's way better than Womble Video Wizard.

Yup, my DVDs are not protected, just regular homevideo from VHS recorder with a DVD recorder straight to DVD.

Okay, just please elaborate more on that Quick Stream Fix option, when do I have to select that option? When I load my vob / mpeg file? or when I mark start and end of the clip and after i hit 'add selection' button? when exactly, at what points do I use that?

Originally Posted by Impaler

Okay, just please elaborate more on that Quick Stream Fix option, when do I have to select that option? When I load my vob / mpeg file? or when I mark start and end of the clip and after i hit 'add selection' button? when exactly, at what points do I use that?

Load your vobs ("Combine") then use Quickstream Fix to create an mpg file, then go ahead and load that mpg into Videoredo and do all your edits.

so basically I need to Quickstream Fix VOBs and NOT MPEGs. What about when I cut and / or append mpeg files? I would still need to Quickstream Fix ?

File > Open Title From DVD > Video_TS Folder > (the correct PGC should be automatically selected) tick "Auto QuickStreamFix" and click OK. Select output file and folder and click Start QuickFix. It will take about the same time as it would to use a decryptor to get the file into the computer (maybe a little longer) but it will be in sync and will be an MPEG2 file. If you need to cut commercials out then you can open the file you just created and make your cuts and save the finished file. It will not recode the file (kinda like smart render in Virtualdub). You can QuickStreamFix a file by using Tools > QuickStreamFix.

Another thing I like is if the audio is too low (common with COX recordings) you can raise the volume. Tools > Adjust Audio.

There is a VideoRedo forum with guides...

http://www.videoredo.net/msgBoard/index.php

thanks 4 all the instructions. though i still have some minor questions:

1. While doing this step "File > Open Title From DVD > Video_TS Folder > (the correct PGC should be automatically selected) tick "Auto QuickStreamFix" and click OK." i also saw "Enable filters" tickbox. Should i use it? any particular circumstances when i should use it? in short what it does actually? add effects to the mpeg?

2. while doing this step "If you need to cut commercials out then you can open the file you just created and make your cuts and save the finished file. It will not recode the file (kinda like smart render in Virtualdub). You can QuickStreamFix a file by using Tools > QuickStreamFix. " so as far as what I understood I should open the mpeg file, cut / append other mpeg files, SAVE as new mpeg then reopen the new file and quickstreamfix it and save once again?

BTW this article (http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/edit-mpeg-videoredo.htm) didnt have any info on quickstream fix usage. only mentions it and thats it.

Thanks.

1. Leave "Enable Filters" disabled. All it does is limit your quickstream output to one dimension (if your stream (eg DVB stream) has multiple dimensions).

2. After you do your editing, just save it. (Saving automatically "quicksteam-fixes"!).

thanks, will try to play around some more with this VideoRedo.

BTW are there any recommended settings in the options menu for VDR? To there seems to be a number of very not so self explanatory settings.

Usually you should just leave the option settings at default. Check the help files for more info. (NB you can also hold SHIFT when you click options to get access to even more "hidden" settings).

DVDDecrypter's FILE SPLITTING - NONE option is much easier....in my opinion....and it's free....

Yeah but he wants to edit his vobs. VideoRedo is dead-easy.

Quickstream fix is not always necessary, but I like to do a quickfix anyway, just so I know I've got a rock-solid mpeg stream with perfect a/v sync to work with. (I think PVAStrumento does a similar sort of thing).

If I want to burn my edited result to DVD, I export from VRD as "elementary streams" and load these into Muxman.

You don't happen to have a life-sized poster of VideoReDo on your wall do you?

Yes.

It's one of my most-used tools here, I gotta say.

Thanks for all the info! I'll be sticking with the VRD now for sure

Originally Posted by hech54

DVDDecrypter's FILE SPLITTING - NONE option is much easier....in my opinion....and it's free....

We tried using DVD Decryptor on all of my friends DVDs he created using his Philips DVD Recorder and COX box and not only was every disc out of sync, Decryptor couldn't copy all the data off of the discs. DVD Fab Decryptor would copy all the data but again, everything was out of sync.

With VideoRedo, you don't need a decryptor to get unprotected DVDs into your computer and as ZQX stated, Quickstream fix isn't always necessary but is a precautionary step to insure that you always get a file that is in sync.

I am one that uses almost all freeware programs but this is ome program that I would recommend to anyone who records movies from a STB and DVD Recorder or captures with a Hauppauge HD capture card.

Originally Posted by DarrellS

With VideoRedo, you don't need a decryptor to get unprotected DVDs into your computer and as ZQX stated, Quickstream fix isn't always necessary but is a precautionary step to insure that you always get a file that is in sync.

You can turn off the decryption for one thing....but that would still have ZERO to do with out-of-sync audio. I am one of those guys that paid around $800 for the old Philips DVDR985 recorders WAY back then...and I've never had sync problems working with those discs in either DVDDecrypter or the last version of DVDShrink(as long as the Philips disc has only one title). We old-school Philips owners also used to scour Ebay for old versions of Ulead DVD Movie Factory 2 SE before they blocked the AC3 passthru on the later versions. You could actually re-author(add a menu to) the Philips created RWdisc ON THE DISC - without ripping the contents to the HDD with Movie Factory 2 SE.
For me with my Philips DVDR985 machine and discs, and my Hauppauge PVR-350....VideoReDo has always been un-necessary.

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

Dropping VOBs into a timeline without accessing the video stream via the IFO file will often lead to disjointed breaks at the VOB splits. You're not supposed to access video direct from the split VOB sets like that.

It's as bad as renaming VOB to MPEG and expecting it to be the "same thing" -- that's a novice mistake.

Who's doing that?

Originally Posted by hech54

Originally Posted by DarrellS

With VideoRedo, you don't need a decryptor to get unprotected DVDs into your computer and as ZQX stated, Quickstream fix isn't always necessary but is a precautionary step to insure that you always get a file that is in sync.

You can turn off the decryption for one thing....but that would still have ZERO to do with out-of-sync audio. I am one of those guys that paid around $800 for the old Philips DVDR985 recorders WAY back then...and I've never had sync problems working with those discs in either DVDDecrypter or the last version of DVDShrink(as long as the Philips disc has only one title). We old-school Philips owners also used to scour Ebay for old versions of Ulead DVD Movie Factory 2 SE before they blocked the AC3 passthru on the later versions. You could actually re-author(add a menu to) the Philips created RWdisc ON THE DISC - without ripping the contents to the HDD with Movie Factory 2 SE.
For me with my Philips DVDR985 machine and discs, and my Hauppauge PVR-350....VideoReDo has always been un-necessary.

VideoRedo works as a decryptor on unencrypted DVDs.

My friend uses the Philips DVR 3576H and I use the Hauppauge HVR1800 and I have had a few HD captures that were out of sync and I could not fix with DGIndex or it took hours or days. Almost every single DVD that my friend records is out of sync. They play fine on the disc but the second you pull them into the computer and try to edit them, they're all out of sync. I've even had Store bought DVDs that I could not convert or edit without having sync issues. The out of sync audio has to do with the way the disc is structured. Decryptors don't seem to know how to handle the seperate audio and video and the timing. Neither does VOB2MPEG or similar programs. VideoRedo just seems to automatically know what to do with the file and if it doesn't then you can use Quickstream Fix to repair.

I'm glad you have no sync issues but for a lot of us, this is the simplest cure for our sync issues. I'd rather get it right the first time than spend all day trying to sync up a DVD or video capture. If there was a free equivalent to VideoRedo, I'd be pushing that but there is not.

Originally Posted by DarrellS

If there was a free equivalent to VideoRedo, I'd be pushing that but there is not.

PVAstrumento?