Ripping dvd's with VideoStudio 10

[Nicholas Rumin]

I have downloaded the free trial version but several features, like DV to DVD copying, do not work. I decided to try this product principally because I was informed that VideoStudio can be used to take apart dvd's. Since the trial version is not fully functional, I can not verify whether this is true. I dowloaded the pdf file with the detailed spec for VideoStudion but there is no mention of dvd ripping there. I keep getting reassured that " it may not be mentioned but that feature is there, and we have used it".
Can anyone clarify this point?

[heinz-oz]

What exactly do you mean by "ripping"? If you refer to copying commercial DVDs with copy protection, that will not work. If you refer to using footage of your own DVDs to create another or a different one from several others, that is supported. All you have to do is to "Import" the DVD VOB files you need. Copy protection of any description is not supported and will not happen.

[DVDDoug]

Nicholas,

Did you also download the User Manual?

Import DVD is on page 52 of the printed manual. I assume the PDF file is the same.

Some users are reporting problems importing some (non-copy protected) DVDs). If you do have problems with a particular DVD, it is NOT due to a trial version limitation. However, I don't think the trial version has a Dolby decoder, so you may not hear any sound if the source DVD has Dolby audio.

Doug.

[Nicholas Rumin]

Thanks for theuseful hints to heinz.oz and dvddoug. Indeed I am not interested in violating copywrights laws!
Unfortunately the dvd capture feature is not working on the demo version, as are many other features. Seems a funny way to convince people to buy your product

[heinz-oz]

First of all, It's not our product. While there are some people participating here, who are employees of ULEAD, the majority of moderators and ordinary participants are simply users of Ulead product, trying to help others with our own experiences and at the same time learn from others.

Secondly, whatever problem you are having with the DVD import feature is not a limitation of the trial version. If, however, you find that the trial version does not run on your system, the full version, in all probability, will not run either. You need to find out the real reason for your problems if you want to use this program.

[Ken Berry]

As my colleagues have already said, the feature is indeed there and indeed we have used it, even in the trial version! But also, some people have experienced problems. First, though, we need to know exactly what steps you have taken to 'rip' from the DVD.

The steps I take are first, of course, to put a non-protected DVD in my reader. Then, with VS open, I select Insert DVD/DVD-VR. A dialgoue box appears which contains the reader drive and name burned on the disc. You can browse to another drive if this is wrong. Anyway, I normally choose the Import button (not Import DVD Folder). A progress bar appears and a message saying that the program is 'parsing' the DVD. After a few seconds, a new box appears showing in top left the structure of the DVD broken into Chapters. You can highlight a chapter and view it in the small preview screen in that box, though it will take a few more seconds before it becomes active. Anyway, using that, you can choose exactly which chapters you want to import.

With each chapter you choose, you also have to check the little box which appears to the immediate left of that chapter. I stress this point because you would surprised by the number of people who fail to do it and then complain that the import function does not work!

Then you press Import. Depending on your computer resources, it will take a while for the various chapters you have selected to appear in the VS library pane. You may also at this stage receive a message saying the file has to be converted. Select OK.

This works perfectly fine on my, admittedly full, version of VS 10+. If it does not work for people, we normally suggest they first check to ensure the DVD (or more to the point, mini DVD if it came direct from a mini DVD camera) has been 'finished' in the camera. They could also try simply copying the contents of the disc to their hard disk using the Windows Copy function (not VS). Then use Insert DVD/DVD-VR and point VS at the copied files. And failing that, simply rename the extension of the vob files with the extension .mpg

[Nicholas Rumin]

Thanks Ken Berry and Heinz-oz. The problem turned out to be what appears to be an "unfinished" dvd which, by the way, can only be viewed on a pc.
I tried one of my old home dvd's and the capture works as Ken described.
Cheers.