Capture from DVD

[TAMc]

I have old cine film which has been professionally transferred onto DVD as .mpeg. In the past I've been able to import from the DVD into VS9 & edit, but no longer. I now have to re-import as linkage has dropped & I can't relink. The DVD is playable. I've copied the files to hard disk, but no different - dialogue box says file not readable, format mismatch. Checking through previous forum topics, I have just one h264vdechpdll.dll, 993kb, already in common files/ulead systems etc. I also saw an item about changing file type from .vob to .mpeg but have difficulty understanding exactly how to do that, as the usual method in 'my computer' doesn't seem to apply? Any thoughts? Thanks so much.

[Ken Berry]

Re changing the extension, in My Computer right click on the file and choose Rename. Then simply delete the extension 'vob' and substitute the letters 'mpg'...

[TAMc]

Thanks Ken. That's the way I'd normally go about it & I've tried to do it that way. But that's not the way I've found this type of file presented in 'my computer'. I've tried different view options. Typically the files are shown as VTS_05_1, with no file type extension shown.

[Ken Berry]

Sorry but I don't have a computer running XP on at the moment so I can't check. (Now have Vista on all but one of my computers...) But I am pretty sure up in the top bar of My Computer are the usual File, Edit etc commands. And one of them - View, I think -- allows you to change Folder Options, one of which is to show all extensions as opposed to the default (?) 'Show only unusual extensions' or 'Hide commonly used extensions' or something like that.

It might even be in Control Panel > Folder Options if XP's Control Panel has such an icon... In Vista it does and the relevant Command is Folder Options > > Hide extensions for known file types...

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Trevor

Ken is on the correct lines, For XP¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K.

Select any folder on your hard drive
Select ¡¥Tools¡¦
Select ¡¥Folder Options¡¦
Select the ¡¥View¡¦ Tab

DE-Select ¡¥Hide extensions for known types¡¦.
OK the window

When you view the file you should see VTS_05_1.VOB

NOTE as you could not see the file extension you may be selecting a *.BUP file, this would cause problems.


OK

When you copy the files to your hard drive from a DVD you only need the ********.VOB type files.
The first VIDEO_TS.VOB contains the menu structure¡XI think.
The remaining marked VTS_01_1.VOB to VTS_01_4.VOB contain the video files.
Each will be approx 1 GB the last being smaller making up the entire movie.

Trevor is this the same DVD that has given earlier problems?

Are you able to import the other DVD¡¦s using DVD/DVD-VR¡K¡K¡K..

[TAMc]

Thanks Ken & Trevor. Delay due to having to have yet another new HDD, this time also with power supply! I'll find some time to look at this again in the next day or two & I'll let you know how I get on. Trevor Mc

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi TrevorM

Wow! you are having problems.

Good luck

[TAMc]

The process you outlined worked a treat, thanks.

These aren't DVDs I've had previous problems with, it's a pair carrying some hours of converted Super 8 which I've been able to import into Ulead & work on several times before. They are playable. I need to reload then as linkage has been lost, & I think I now understand why that has been occurring & the reason for my other earlier linkage & importing problems.

With all file extensions visible in My Computer I could see a triple mix of .BUP, .IFO & .VOB files. Copying just the .VOB files & changing the file extensions to .mpg enabled quick easy copying. Importing into VS9 was also straightforward, but only the first section of each chapter appeared. I think I now need to investigate the possibility of corruptions and/or incompatabilities with that DVD & find a way round it using the import process you've helped me with.

Thanks so much for all your help, it's very much appreciated.

[mykoalabear]

I think I now need to investigate the possibility of corruptions and/or incompatabilities with that DVD & find a way round it using the import process you've helped me with.

This might be a little off the centreline, but it might help you. I had trouble with a DVD that got badly scratched (I think something got inside my burner and lodged in the mechanism) so I could not clone the contents onto a clean disk. Following a lead on another forum, I downloaded a copy of DVDFab Platinum ( www.dvdfab.com ) and used that to make an ISO file. In turn I used that to burn a new DVD, and it worked perfectly.

The programme is set to identify errors and retry a certain number of times, then if not successful it blanks out the sector and a few either side, then carries on. This means there might be a second or so of blank screen, but at least you can get a usable copy, whereas Nero, Alcohol 120% or CloneDVD will just refuse to go on.

Hope this is of use to either you or someone else!

Paul

[Ken Berry]

Importing into VS9 was also straightforward, but only the first section of each chapter appeared.

Not sure exactly what you mean by this. Do you mean that the timeline showed just a single frame of each chapter then a long greyish colour bar? If the latter, then in VS9's File > Preferences > General, change Clip Display Mode to 'Thumbnail Only'...

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Granddad

Re-Linking

When opening a project or selecting a clip in the library Video Studio may indicate that a re-link is required.
An info box marked Relink shows the offending file name and location.
Make a note of this.
Selecting Relink will allow you to browse your hard drive. The relink file window shows the name of the required file. (at the top)

(In addition VS indicates a relink requirement by displaying the thumbnails in black and white)

Browse your hard drive to locate the file.
Remember the relink is activated because VS cannot find a file.
For some reason the file has been Deleted, Moved or Renamed.

Be careful you can easily relink to a different/wrong file. Make sure you select the correct file.

Hope this Helps

[TAMc]

Thanks for that, all.

Paul - appreciate that, & I'll consider what I might do as I find out more about what's going on.

Ken - only a few seconds of each of the the several lengthy clips is represented on the timeline & plays.

Trevor - I've come to learn that over the past couple of years as I've gone through the process. What I've only more recently understood is the imperative of having the source on the hard disk, rather than - as I've been doing - loading into VS9 off a DVD. It works for a time, allowing several project edit sessions, then loses it. I've not always managed to get it back as sometimes it says the clip should be longer than xx.yy.

Great solution to the capture, though. Just successfully done it again with something I thought I'd lost forever, or at least the many hours I'd spent editing. Good show guys!

Trevor