Magic DVD Ripper - Tutorial (Vidding tutorial, PC)
Another in my series of DVD ripper software! Today's review is for Magic DVD Ripper, which is a DVD ripper (extracts VOB files to your hard drive) as well as converter (converts DVD to an AVI, MP4 or other some file). It also compresses a commercial DVD (typically 7 GB) so it'll fit into a consumer DVD-R (4 GB).
For vidding purposes, there are two main options: Rip the DVD's VOB files and then use other software (MPEG Streamclip, VirtualDubMod, Avidemux, etc) to convert to an editable codec like DV AVI or Lagarith. The second option is to use Magic DVD Ripper to convert the DVD straight to an AVI file. But this DID NOT WORK OUT AT ALL, as I will explain in this tutorial.
RIPPING YOUR DVD WITH MAGIC DVD RIPPER:
First, I'll show what does work: Ripping the contents of your DVD (digital .VOB files) to your hard drive.
Be sure to select "Copy Disk Fully." Do not have the disk compressed at all. Final size might be up to 7 GB.
It'll take perhaps 10-30 minutes for a full DVD to rip, using this method. You will find the complete DVD (lots of .vob digital video files) on your hard drive. You can then open these .vob files in another video converter (like MPEG Streamclip or VirtualDubMod) to convert to DV AVI or Lagarith AVI. (Tutorials for using these other programs on the Foolish Passion fan video forums.)
Wait for ripping to finish. All done!
Some of Magic DVD Ripper's options:
Excellent!
CONVERTING YOUR DVD TO AVI WITH MAGIC DVD RIPPER
THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED. NOT NOT NOT!!!!1! I tried to convert the DVD to two popular "editable" codecs (Lagarith AVI and HuffYUV AVI), using Magic DVD Ripper. The ripping/converting process itself was relatively seamless, but the AVI files that Magic DVD Ripper produced were useless, or in the case of HuffYUV, made my system crash! NEVER NEVER NEVER! It's not worth it!
You can of course just stick with Magic DVD Ripper's default AVI. But this is bad for vidding. Lower picture quality, and a compressed type of file (with compressed audio). More on that below.
If you don't know what I'm talking about in regards to "editable codec," read this tutorial. In a nutshell: Some video codecs are better suited for editing fan videos, because of picture quality and also stability. Compressed video codecs and file types (like DivX, XviD, MPEG-4, WMV, iPod, etc) are lower quality and their compression can cause your video software to have problems. Many vidders use these codecs anyway, unaware that some of the glitches and problems they get while editing (freezes, crashes, audio or video not showing up, not able to get frame accuracy) are due to using an improper codec, and not because (as they often assume) the software is acting up.
This tutorial shows screenshots and comparisons between lower quality codecs and "editable" codecs, if you want to see what a difference it can make!
Magic DVD Ripper's default AVI setting is inadequate. It's an MPEG-4 codec (like XviD/DivX, too compressed for vidding) and with a lower bitrate (1200).
When it comes to vidding, do yourself a favor, don't buy Magic DVD Ripper. It is inadequate for converting to an editable AVI file--one that is suitable for fan videos. Instead, use the MPEG Streamclip DV AVI method instead. It's cheaper, in some cases free, the quality is good, less disk space than HuffYUV, and you can pick and choose just the scenes you need (even down to a few seconds here, a few seconds there). If you want to use Lagarith (for faster PCs, gorgeous quality) or HuffYUV (slower PCs, lots of disk space required), then you can use the freeware VirtualDubMod or Avidemux (tutorials on the Foolish Passion fan video forums).
CONCLUSION ABOUT MAGIC DVD RIPPER:
If you already have this software, it's going to be excellent for general DVD backing up, and ripping VOB files to your hard drive (which you can then convert to AVI using another program). And for making archival video (iPod, Apple TV) it sounds like it's fine. But for vidding . . . not so much. You're better off using one of the free DVD Rippers (read tutorials for a few of them) and then using the inexpensive or free video conversion programs, like MPEG Streamclip or VirtualDubMod to convert to an editable AVI file. Again, tutorials showing how to do this on the Foolish Passion fan video forums.
For vidding purposes, there are two main options: Rip the DVD's VOB files and then use other software (MPEG Streamclip, VirtualDubMod, Avidemux, etc) to convert to an editable codec like DV AVI or Lagarith. The second option is to use Magic DVD Ripper to convert the DVD straight to an AVI file. But this DID NOT WORK OUT AT ALL, as I will explain in this tutorial.
RIPPING YOUR DVD WITH MAGIC DVD RIPPER:
First, I'll show what does work: Ripping the contents of your DVD (digital .VOB files) to your hard drive.
Be sure to select "Copy Disk Fully." Do not have the disk compressed at all. Final size might be up to 7 GB.
It'll take perhaps 10-30 minutes for a full DVD to rip, using this method. You will find the complete DVD (lots of .vob digital video files) on your hard drive. You can then open these .vob files in another video converter (like MPEG Streamclip or VirtualDubMod) to convert to DV AVI or Lagarith AVI. (Tutorials for using these other programs on the Foolish Passion fan video forums.)
Wait for ripping to finish. All done!
Some of Magic DVD Ripper's options:
Excellent!
CONVERTING YOUR DVD TO AVI WITH MAGIC DVD RIPPER
THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED. NOT NOT NOT!!!!1! I tried to convert the DVD to two popular "editable" codecs (Lagarith AVI and HuffYUV AVI), using Magic DVD Ripper. The ripping/converting process itself was relatively seamless, but the AVI files that Magic DVD Ripper produced were useless, or in the case of HuffYUV, made my system crash! NEVER NEVER NEVER! It's not worth it!
You can of course just stick with Magic DVD Ripper's default AVI. But this is bad for vidding. Lower picture quality, and a compressed type of file (with compressed audio). More on that below.
If you don't know what I'm talking about in regards to "editable codec," read this tutorial. In a nutshell: Some video codecs are better suited for editing fan videos, because of picture quality and also stability. Compressed video codecs and file types (like DivX, XviD, MPEG-4, WMV, iPod, etc) are lower quality and their compression can cause your video software to have problems. Many vidders use these codecs anyway, unaware that some of the glitches and problems they get while editing (freezes, crashes, audio or video not showing up, not able to get frame accuracy) are due to using an improper codec, and not because (as they often assume) the software is acting up.
This tutorial shows screenshots and comparisons between lower quality codecs and "editable" codecs, if you want to see what a difference it can make!
Magic DVD Ripper's default AVI setting is inadequate. It's an MPEG-4 codec (like XviD/DivX, too compressed for vidding) and with a lower bitrate (1200).
When it comes to vidding, do yourself a favor, don't buy Magic DVD Ripper. It is inadequate for converting to an editable AVI file--one that is suitable for fan videos. Instead, use the MPEG Streamclip DV AVI method instead. It's cheaper, in some cases free, the quality is good, less disk space than HuffYUV, and you can pick and choose just the scenes you need (even down to a few seconds here, a few seconds there). If you want to use Lagarith (for faster PCs, gorgeous quality) or HuffYUV (slower PCs, lots of disk space required), then you can use the freeware VirtualDubMod or Avidemux (tutorials on the Foolish Passion fan video forums).
CONCLUSION ABOUT MAGIC DVD RIPPER:
If you already have this software, it's going to be excellent for general DVD backing up, and ripping VOB files to your hard drive (which you can then convert to AVI using another program). And for making archival video (iPod, Apple TV) it sounds like it's fine. But for vidding . . . not so much. You're better off using one of the free DVD Rippers (read tutorials for a few of them) and then using the inexpensive or free video conversion programs, like MPEG Streamclip or VirtualDubMod to convert to an editable AVI file. Again, tutorials showing how to do this on the Foolish Passion fan video forums.