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How to convert DVD To DivX / XviD using SimpleDivX |
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by Jinks
This guides shows you how to convert a DVD to DivX / XviD in
some simple steps. This is version 1.33 but you can get a newer version (1.34).
I have decided to show
you this program as this is very good and unlike FairUse Wizard you can burn
VOB files already burnt
onto the pc. If you want to do this, read Afonic's guide about ripping a DVD
to the Hard
Drive of your PC here.
This
software leaves excellent results especially using the XviD codec. Sadly for
some reason 2 pass mode on
DivX will NOT work on my computer but on XviD it does. Anyway XviD is known
to be the best codec so lets get on with the software outlook. Make sure you
have the XviD or DivX codec installed on your PC beforehand to avoid confusion.
Also get SimpleDivX here.
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On top of the software you will
see nine different tabs. Do not worry as I will cover all and
provide you with the tweaks looking excellent.
Here you will first start off by selecting the directory in which the burnt
VOB files (or entire DVD is).
If you burnt it with the .IFO, this will include all the information of
the movie (subtitles, angles and so on)
select this solo file only. If not, do not worry as you can click the select
all file tab key. The bottom just
details all the information regarding the DVD movie itself. Select the main movie,
note the framerate number and click the next tab (Video). |
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Here are the video settings. Select the right framerate based on the one
you saw in the step before. Click enable Video Stream and use 0xE0. Now
click
Auto Retrieve cropping and select width 640. Leave everything blank in
Frame Options. You may want to preview the video, and then click the Audio
tab. |
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We are now on the Audio section.
Here click Create Audio. Then select Check Audio and Deselect
Extract all Audio. Now on the language drop-down menu it will indentify
what languages are available so
that you can encode your final product with. Select the one you want (be
careful not to select any director's comment track). Now on Audio Format,
you can choose AC3 which will keep the best sound possible (6 channels)
but will increase
the size of the final file (thus meaning it might not fit on a CD-R.)
I suggest to use MP3 and change
bitrate to 128kbps. You can click on Midnight Mode (which will normalize
the audio to 100% and
increse sound in places needed throughout the encode). Then click the Codec
tab. |
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Click the codec you will like
to use. XviD is the best choice. Make sure you select to create a
2-pass video file. It will take more time, but the quality is going to
be much better. In the Advance Settings you can make the video of a higher
quality but from
experience this file will come out larger than a 700mb disc. I normally
leave everything blank
but you can select Quarter Pixel (which increases the accuracy of micro-blocks
within the film).
The interlace option can also be used if wanted. On the fourth step screen
again, you will see at the bottom Pass Options. I normally do Both
passes but if for some reason you want to do a First Pass then after
a day do the 2nd pass
then this is also possible. Now click at the Compression tab. |
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On the top make sure you click Enter Final Movie Size. Then Get Time
from Movie. In the
File Size bar put in 700mb if you want it to fit on one disc, but if you
know the movie is very long
for example ''The Godfather'' then this will be better spread onto two
discs, so choose 1400MB.
Now this is where it gets a little complicated. If you place your movie
and you have followed
everything in this guide and the movie's Bitrate is 700kbps or less, then
you can either click at
the bottom End-Credicts and click Do Not Include end credits in movie (if
available). Another tip is
if you are watching a movie and you know there is not much action in it
(i.e. Slow Mystery) then
click in the Advanced Bitrate Properties (Not Much Action in movie). If
your movie is over 740kbps
in the Bitrate section then do not worry at all. Now click the Misc. tab. |
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This is very simple. If you want
to Create Subtitles using VobSub then click this. It will list
all the available languages. Click the one you want (If you are watching
the finished movie
with Windows Media Player and want to see subtitles, make sure you have
the final movie in a folder
with the two subtitles) and it will play them. Also make sure you always
click AVI as the movie's container. After you do so, click the Project tab. |
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Here in the project name, call the movie whatever you want (preferably
the title of it). Create a
temporary folder on your harddrive for SimpleDivX to store unfinished,
unsorted data. (tip: make sure you clean this out once in a while because
it can get huge in size). Make an output folder
for the finished movie. Do NOT click overwrite files and delete temp files
when finished because from
experience this will tamper with your workflow. Just delete manually and
especially problematic if you
are doing a lot of jobs.
The split total file at feature is great because if you want to put
the movie onto two seperate discs, then this will split it at 700mb to
be able to fit onto a disc. Deselect if you want
oneAVI movie (of whatever size) without a cut.
The Batch settings section is very handy as you can place jobs, if you
are doing more than one movie,
and it will do them all together. Just remember that everytime you click
on a job and change something
then click Modify so SimpleDivx can understand what you have changed. That's
all here, now click the Output tab. |
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This will basically explain what is going on with the encoding process.
If you want to Shut Down the
Computer when the encoding process finishes select it. And then START
to start the encoding process.
And it will begin. The Last tab stated as Setup should be left UNTOUCHED.
Now get ready to receive an excellent rip. It is an easy and free software
that after you get the hang of it
will leave you amazed with its results. Note that processing times depend
on your computer and
it's speed. On mine it takes around 5 Hours to encode but if your pc is
slower expect 8 hours. What you
are doing on the pc at the time of the encoding will also be a factor.
This software is extremely powerful
and has left me tobe amazed, hope that it will leave you
too! |
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