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Huh???
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed this?
I mean, wouldn't you have thought that in order to create a genuine, bonafide DVD2AVI project file, one would have to use the DVD2AVI *program*, right?
Well, apparently not !!!!
I could not believe my eyes! With the new SmartRipper version 2.41, there is a new option under 'Settings', somewhat confusingly called "[ ] Create Index-File". It's right there alongside all the other usual options like "copy ifo file", "macrovision", "create list file", etc.
When you look at a dvd2avi .d2v project file, you see that it is really just an ascii text file. If you open up the file in a text editor, you'll see the first line reads, "DVD2AVIProjectFile". So...
I let Smartripper create it's own version of the file, and *sure enough*, the first line read, "DVD2AVIProjectFile". (!!)
This is most extraordinary. It would seem then, that if you do not use DVD2AVI to extract the audio file from the vobs, (but rather, use another method like GraphEdit or AC3Dec), then it *might* not even be necessary to use DVD2AVI *at all*(!) when frameserving to TMP.
Oh, I had to test this puppy out for myself....
I made two copies of a small 2-minute test clip from the animated "Shrek" DVD. Since I always use GraphEdit to extract the audio, I did so here as well, and used the same wave file in both of the clips.
I made clip 1 in the normal way, using DVD2AVI to create the .d2v project file. I then fed the audio.wav + project file into TMP's standard VCD template, and made a perfectly fine looking vcd-compliant mpeg-1 file.
For clip 2, I cleared the folder out and got SmartRipper to rip the same clip again, but this time I ticked-off the little box that said, "Create Index-File". Sure enough, the .d2v project file was dutifully created by SmartRipper itself, at the same time as it was ripping the clip.
So, I fed *that* particular .d2v project file, (plus the original wave file) into TMP again, and got (yes!) another *perfectly fine-looking* mpeg-1 file!
Quality-wise, the two files looked absolutely identical!!!
If anyone else would like to have a 'go' at this, to assure me I'm not "tripping out" or something, please let me know how you made out, ok?
Notes:
When using DVD2AVI to create a project file, you get important information after pressing 'F5' to start the preview, like, "Frame Type", "Frame Rate", "Interlaced" (or) "Progressive", etc.
If you use SmartRipper to create the project file, you are not given this information. (Yes, you can take a look at the .d2v file itself, but the specs written there are confusing for me to decipher).
Also, if you want to use DVD2AVI to extract the audio file, then using SmartRipper to create the project file would make no sense.
Incidental Note To dRD Re: Your vcd guide:
When using DVD2AVI to extract the audio, is it *really* necessary to specify downsampling from 48Khz to 44.1Khz, if you're going to use TMPGEnc anyway? (I don't think so). It won't hurt anything if you do of course, but either way, TMP's standard VCD template will take either a 48Khz *or* 44.1Khz wave file and compress it into the necessary 44.1Khz .mp2 file (and then multiplex it of course).
(Just an observation, dRD).
So you see, this new SmartRipper function has really got me scratching my head. It would seem, at least on the surface, that if you use an alternate method to get your audio, DVD2AVI *might* not even be (strictly-speaking) necessary anymore!
Thoughts, anyone?
-- A Confused Klingon --
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Yep, good points all, dRD. I can see you've given this a lot of thought.
I hadn't been aware of TMPGEnc's earlier limitations on this in their previous 12x versions. (no 48kHz support).
And yes, TMP would need DVD2AVI's .vfp file in order to even recognize a .d2v file, whether created by SmartRipper or not. Hadn't thought about that.
Which really has me wondering why SmartRipper even chose to include this ability to begin with. Without DVD2AVI, SM's ability to create a .d2v on-the-fly would seem rather redundant because you couldn't use it anyway. Go figure.
Thanks.
-- KlingonAgent --
"Honour Is Everything, But Homemade DVDs Are Even Better" -- Lord Grogg, House of Hum, Senior Advisor To The Klingon High Council --
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