Convert Any Format to DVD-Video/AVI/Mobile

[lostinlodos]

Convert Any Format to DVD-Video; AVI, Mobile.


MOST of the software in this guide is commercial. There may be free variants of SOME of the used programs, but not all. Everything other than the Nero HD plug-in is trialware, shareware, crippleware, nagware, et all.
NONE OF IT INCLUDES GREYWARE, SPYWARE, TROJANS ... IF YOU DOWNLOAD FROM THE SITES I LIST.


I both support and advocate free software; and also champion shareware/trialware. I believe in PAYING for what I'm using, if it's worth using. Until we're all in a utopia with no money and free everything, pay for things you use. Don't steal, don't pirate, use my (not finished) post on copyrights as a guide to what is legal.


This guide is NOT about shrinking size, rather it's for CONVERTING from source format to DVD; and then to AVI or Mobile. Once you have your DVD file; CloneDVDMobile can create the mobile format you require. For those that go straight to AVI, follow the "continue on" instructions to get to DVD, then use CloneDVDMobile.


YOU NEED SPACE, LOTS OF SPACE. Generally if done straight through you will need (S*4)+1/2S (source size: times 4; plus half-again)
If you want subtitles in the end, simply demux the files along with the audio and video. Check the end notes about adding them to your mobile files or into your DVD.

Target:
This guide is aimed at those who are serious users. That is; those who consume enough videos to warrant the expense of the programs involved.

Tips:
Remember every "hand" that touches a file degrades it.
2-prong! The higher the bit-rate and/or the higher the resolution the source the better the final result.
That is; the end result of converting Java Disc or VCD to DVD is about the equivalent at best, to the source. HD looks a little better than standard DVD. AVI to X can vary.
Goals:
Convert various formats to DVD, with as few programs and as little hands-on as possible.
Secondary level; converting to semi-standard AVI.

Tools:
AnyDVD-HD
CloneCD
CloneDVD-Mobile
VirtualCloneDrive
(slysoft.com) All trialware

Nero 8 Suite (shareware)
Nero HD plug-in (commercial only)
(nero.com)


Ultra Video Converter (aka UVC+ or UVC-Pro) (shareware)


EVODemux
tsMuxeR and tsMuxeR GUI 1.8.4 (MUST be this version to work correctly)
(use the tools section of videohelp.com to download secure versions of the programs) (both FREE)

Java Disc and Flash require FireFox and a video downloader plugin such as RealPlayer 10 PRO or FlashGet. (should be free, RP is crippleware)



VCD, Video Disc, AV Disc, EVD, CVD, REQUIRE ISOBuster. I know of NO other program that does the same thing equally well. It works 100% of the time; and the extract function is part of the free portion of the software. Pay for it and it can recover even the worst damaged discs as well (cracks, holes, scratches)! (nagware, with free functions and blocked functions after trial)



IMGBurn to burn DVDs. Its burns are more reliable than Nero's. (FREE)


Notes:
This guide is about Windows. I currently do most of my conversions on Vista x64; this will work for XP and Vista x32, x64 (some software will work on IA32/64) and Server 2003 and 2008

I'll add a step by step for Linux users later to this guide or as it's own.



For BD and HD/CHD users: at this point, DTS-HD can not be properly converted 100% of the time by any program. You may just be SOL if that's the only track. 2 points to note: first, when converting DTS-HD check your output at the beginning of the converted DVD to make sure you actually have sound on the converted output, and the end of the disc, to make sure your audio is in sync.

If you really MUST have a DTS-HD file converted that didn't work in the standard conversion: there is software out there that can extract the DTS track's core. Keep the DTS-HD track on your drive after the initial demux just in case. On failure; use the program of your choice to extract the DTS core. Then take the new DTS file and convert it in this order to preserve it's sync; first to FLAC wit EzFlac with a -.1ms offset; FLAC to AC3-M OR to RAW, no changes. You could also use a re-recorder if you can play back the -HD file. For NTSC video, pad the DVD's video at the beginning by -5 seconds; for Pal, by -3 seconds with a delayed black matt. You'll then need to convert the compliant DVD into a non-compliant UDF 2.X DVD with a no-split VOB video track. You can use DVD Decrypter for this, under options chose no splitting. Then mux the new single audio into the DVD. I've only done this once, I don't remember the programs used, and I'm not going to track them down. It DOES work; but you're doing things that aren't common, nor even claimed possible, by the required software. I do remember having to modify an INI file when I padded, or in this case reverse padded, the first VOB of the DVD, to make it ignore the error. You're telling the player that the DVD starts at X when it really starts at -Y. Your result is a non-compliant DVD. It will play on MOST computers, but very few standalone players. you CAN convert the resultant DVD with CDM.

 

[lostinlodos]

HD-DVD/CH-DVD
1) Rip the disc using AnyDVD-HD.
02) Navigate to the rip folder and find the EVOs.

03) Load EVODemux
04) Load the first file
05) Select the largest Video track and an Audio track. Demux it to a directory. I suggest using a sub directory in the source folder, titled SOURCE, and keeping the original file names. Easier for later!
06) Repeat for each file
07) Close ED and open tsMuxer
NOTE: You'll want one audio and one video file per track. You can use the free version of BSPlayer to check each demuxed file
08 ) Drag your chosen Audio and Video files per track into the "input" pain. Click "TS muxing" chose an output folder and name. Suggested folder, under Source, is Muxed. Again reuse the original file names.
09) Repeat per track (by clicking remove and then DnD the next file)
10) Load Nero Vision and chose "Create a DVD"
11) Drag the first file into the source pane (white area).
12) A pane will pop up stating "Please wait, Adding video files to project..." Allow it to do so.
13) A second pane will popup over the adding pane stating "Analyzing...." CLICK ABORT!
14) Wait, depending on your processor speed and ram amount/speed, from a few seconds to a few minutes, for Nero to become responsive again. You will know when you can continue because the "Next -->" button will appear.
15) Repeat for the rest of the files. Make sure (unless you don't care about quality, or a DVD-5 is your final destination), you select DVD-9. on some systems you can chose DVD-10 or DVD-18 Split.
NOTE: You can jam as much as you want into this process until you reach the red bar point, or do a single file per "disc". How much time you're willing to spend converting files is up to you. Just make sure you have enough space if you do multiple "DVDs"
16) Click More (use the thumb tack to make the options panel stay visible) The less files per DVD, the higher the output bit-rate will be, and hence the loss of quality.
17) (ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH MORE THAN ONE DRIVE) Click Configure. Under "folders" place your temp folder on a second drive. It's MUCH faster!
18 ) Click Video Options, DVD-Video tab. You'll want the following settings. Dropdown options from top to bottom: If available to you, click MPEG2. Quality: Automatic, Sample: (anything), bit-rate : (grey), Resolution: (ignore), Encoding: 2-Pass, Aspect: Automatic, Audio: Automatic (Automatic lets it convert DTS to whatever it can handle, based on your system.). Then OK
19) multiple steps: Click Next, chose NO MENU, Click Next, QUICKLY, CLICK NEXT AGAIN ON THE NEXT SCREEN (to make sure Nero doesn't crash, it doesn't support these files). Chose Write to Hard Disc Folder, and create another SUB directory in your tree. Then chose Write
20) Sit back and relax, go get a beer, dinner, laid, whatever. Each time you do this part can take between 2 hours (on AMD Quad Phenom) to 7+ hours on older systems.

BluRay
1) Rip the disc using AnyDVD-HD
02) Navigate to the Streams folder of the ripped disc
03) Load TSMuxer.
04) Load the first file.
05) Select the Audio and Video tracks you want.
NOTE: you can stop the partially remuxed file after about 10% to make sure you have the correct Audio and Video Track
06) Click "TS muxing" chose an output folder and name. Suggested folder, under Source, is Muxed. Again reuse the original file names.
07) Repeat per track (by clicking remove and then DnD the next file)
08 ) Load Nero Vision and chose "Create a DVD"
09) Drag the first file into the source pane (white area).
10) A pane will pop up stating "Please wait, Adding video files to project..." Allow it to do so.
11) A second pane will popup over the adding pane stating "Analyzing...." Let it finish the process as well.
12) Wait, depending on your processor speed and ram amount/speed, from a few seconds to a few minutes, for Nero to become responsive again. You will know when you can continue because the "Next -->" button will appear.
13) Repeat for the rest of the files. Make sure *unless you don't care about quality, or a DVD-5 is your final destination, you select DVD-9 (on some systems you can chose DVD-10 or DVD-18 Split)
NOTE: You can jam as much as you want into this process until you reach the red bar point, or do a single file per "disc". How much time you're willing to spend converting files is up to you. Just make sure you have enough space if you do multiple "DVDs"
14) Click More (use the thumb tack to make the options panel stay visible)
15) (ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH MORE THAN ONE DRIVE) Click Configure. Under "folders" place your temp folder on a second drive.
16) Click Video Options, DVD-Video tab. You'll want the following settings. Dropdown options from top to bottom: If available to you, click MPEG2. Quality: Automatic, Sample: (anything), bit-rate : (grey), Resolution: (ignore), Encoding: 2-Pass, Aspect: Automatic, Audio: Automatic (Automatic lets it convert DTS to whatever it can handle). Then OK
17) multiple steps: Click Next, chose NO MENU, Click Next, QUICKLY, CLICK NEXT AGAIN ON THE NEXT SCREEN (to make sure Nero doesn't crash, it doesn't support these files). Chose Write to Hard Disc Folder, and create another SUB directory in your tree. Then chose Write
18 ) Sit back and relax, go get a beer, dinner, laid, whatever. Each time you do this part can take between 2 hours (on AMD Quad Phenom) to 7+ hours on older systems.


HVD
NOTES/Warnings:
HVDs are a little difficult to deal with. As far as conversions go, this is probably the hardest media to manipulate. Where HD and BD use both higher bit-rate s and "High Definition" resolutions; HVD uses lower bit-rates at higher "High Resolution".
HVDs use a now-ISO-categorized transport stream known as IPTS. Its a modified TS similar to the big three, but with far more lax restrictions.
HVDs are encoded at 1680p, 1660p, 1620p, 1080p, or 720p. This is one of the few formats that will not show any major degradation from down-conversion as compatible players are designed to down-convert the video output to 1080 or 720, or 480 anyway.
1) Insert the disc into your drive, or mount your image
02) Navigate to the source folder and copy the files to a new hard drive directory.
03) rename the file extensions (they are commonly .ipts, .mpg, .mpeg, .mp2, or .mpv) to *.m2ts
NOTE: HVD files are in a single folder; and are always sequential. The menu is the first or last file. The options page is a PNG file stored in a TS file. It will be one after the first file, or one before the last file. You can discard these two files, they are (almost) always the two smallest files on the disc.
04) load TSMuxer
05) Drag the first movie file into the add pane
06) Select the movie track and the Audio track (rarely may be two) to keep. The Audio track is ALWAYS marked with a language specification. subtitles are optional, often a .sub or .st file, former standard DVD subs, latter a text file. Ignore anything else, they're various forms of player-based information and protections.
07) Click "TS muxing" chose an output folder and name. Suggested folder, under Source, is Muxed. Again reuse the original file names.
08 ) Repeat per track (by clicking remove and then DnD the next file)
09) Load Nero Vision and chose "Create a DVD"
10) Drag the first file into the source pane (white area).
11) A pane will pop up stating "Please wait, Adding video files to project..." Allow it to do so.
12) A second pane will popup over the adding pane stating "Analyzing...." Let it finish the process as well.
13) Wait, depending on your processor speed and ram amount/speed, from a few seconds to a few minutes, for Nero to become responsive again. You will know when you can continue because the "Next -->" button will appear.
14) Repeat for the rest of the files.
15) Click More (use the thumb tack to make the options panel stay visible)
16) (ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH MORE THAN ONE DRIVE) Click Configure. Under "folders" place your temp folder on a second drive.
17) Click Video Options, DVD-Video tab. You'll want the following settings. Dropdown options from top to bottom: If available to you, click MPEG2. Quality: Automatic, Sample: (anything), bit-rate : (grey), Resolution: (ignore), Encoding: 2-Pass, Aspect: Automatic, Audio: Automatic (Automatic lets it convert DTS to whatever it can handle). Then OK
18 ) multiple steps: Click Next, chose NO MENU, Click Next, QUICKLY, CLICK NEXT AGAIN ON THE NEXT SCREEN (to make sure Nero doesn't crash, it doesn't support these files). Chose Write to Hard Disc Folder, and create another SUB directory in your tree. Then chose Write
19) Sit back and relax, conversion can take between 1 and 3 hours.

 

[lostinlodos]

Java Disc
NOTES/Warnings:
This is another interesting format. Java Disc is basically a series of Java container incapsuled java (modified flash) video files, that play in a java sandbox. The first step is to install Mozilla FireFox 2.X or 3.X and a flash downloader extension.
01) Insert the disc, or mount the image
02) Copy the files to a hard drive directory, and create a sub-directory, suggested: Ripped.
03) Load FireFox
NOTE: Movie is either one or two files, often sequential.
04) Drag the first file into FireFox, hover the mouse over the video pane that appears and click the download tab that pops up OR right click and select download as flash (depending on the extension you use). Download them to your sub-directory.
05) Repeat for remaining files
06) Close FireFox, load Ultra Video Converter
07) Highlight all the "redownloaded " files in your sub-directory and drag them into Ultra Video Converter
08 ) Chose DivX or XviD depending on your player, and chose the quality level of your choice.
09) click on the aspect ratio drop down and chose a setting compatible with your player, then check "add borders to maintain original aspect"
10) Click Convert
NOTE: If your goal is an AVI, you're done! If you want a DVD, continue on...
11) Load NeroVision and chose create a DVD
12) Drag your AVIs into the add pane
13) Follow through and chose your menu if you want one, and burn your disc; to the drive, an image, or a blank disc.

DVD
1) It's already a DVD, dummy, move on!
For converting DVDs to AVI, use CloneDVD Mobile.

LD
NOTE: I will assume that you already have a computer LD drive setup. This is not the place for me to go through the troubleshooting of LD drives. LDs will often use DTS ONLY, if you need help converting DTS-LD to something else, PM me.
1) Use CloneCD to copy the disc
2) Mount the resulting image with VirtualCloneDrive
3) Load Ultra Video Converter
4) Copy the files from the mounted image into UVC
5) Chose DivX or XviD depending on your player, and chose the quality level of your choice.
6) Click on the aspect ratio drop down and chose a setting compatible with your player, then check "add borders to maintain original aspect"
7) Click Convert.
NOTE: If your goal is an AVI, you're done! If you want a DVD, continue on...
8 ) Load NeroVision and chose create a DVD
9) Drag your AVIs into the add pane; follow through and chose your menu if you want one, and burn your disc; to the drive, an image, or a blank disc.

VCD, Video Disc, AV Disc, EVD, CVD, FVD ...........
NOTE: This is for MOST other optical video discs.
1) Load CloneCD and copy your disc (as actual type or as data if the option is presented)
2) Mount the resulting image in VirtualCloneDrive
3) Load ISO Buster
NOTE: MOST optical video discs place the video files in one folder, menu graphics in a second folder, and may or may not have a third "extras" style folder for computer use among other format specific folders. Video files are often .DAT, .M, .MP, .TS, .MPT, or .MPG, or some variation or TRanSport STream or MPEG.
4) Select your image from the drive drop-down. and navigate to the folder that has video files in it.
5) Right Click on the video file and select "Extract but filter only M2F2 frames" and Chose an output directory, and Save
FOR DVD:
Load NeroVision and chose create a DVD
Drag your extracted files into the add pane
Follow through and chose your menu if you want one, and burn your disc; to the drive, an image, or a blank disc.
FOR AVI
Load Ultra Video Converter
Copy the files from the mounted image into UVC
Chose DivX or XviD depending on your player, and chose the quality level of your choice.
Click on the aspect ratio drop down and chose a setting compatible with your player, then check "add borders to maintain original aspect"
Click Convert.

Flash Video Disks
NOTES:
WARNING: IMPORTANT: READ ME: Before using a rental flash device, TURN OFF AUTOPLAY, autorun, automount, or whatever your OS uses.
Flash films are starting to become available for rent in various locations as trials for the "next" format move forward. They are available on SD, XD, USB, or CD/DVD
The video file is ALWAYS (to this point at least) in a directory titled ROOT or ROOTb.
So far, I have tried 9 different Flash Disk formats for "rental", 4 from trial kiosks at Wal-Mart and Kroger, 1 from an Albertson's, and the rest for review from studios interested in the format.
ALL have some sort of DRM on the drive that is loaded into AutoPlay installations. One format (CD/DVD) for HD/HR films also installs a special "required" player
01) Insert device media into your computer
02) Copy the "ROOT" or "ROOTb" directory to your hard disk
NOTE: Movie is either one or two files, often sequential. May also have bonus features. The shell menu is often in a separate folder.
03) load FireFox and drag the first file into it.
04) Hover the mouse over the video pane that appears and either click the download tap that pops up or right click and select download as flash (depending on the extension you use). Download them to your sub-directory.
05) Repeat for remaining files
06) Close FireFox, load Ultra Video Converter
07) Highlight all the "redownloaded " files in your sub-directory and drag them into Ultra Video Converter
08 ) Chose DivX or XviD depending on your player, and chose the quality level of your choice.
09) click on the aspect ratio drop down and chose a setting compatible with your player, then check "add borders to maintain original aspect"
10) Click Convert
NOTE: If your goal is an AVI, you're done! If you want a DVD, continue on...
11) Load NeroVision and chose create a DVD
12) Drag your AVIs into the add pane
13) Follow through and chose your menu if you want one, and burn your disc; to the drive, an image, or a blank disc.

 

[lostinlodos]

Karaoke KVD/Karaoke KCD
Just like converting VCD or CVD. See above.


Karaoke on DVD
Fancy bouncing ball subs are almost always hardcoded. Flashing or highlighted text are usually done in the DVD-SUB file by modifying the color of certain words. CloneDVD-Mobile will hardcode 99% of these without issue. For the formats that do NOT hardcode but simply transfer them into the new container; your player of choice may not recognize the color, border, transparency and other changes.


Karaoke on XSVCD
The text on this format is sometimes in SUB format. You'll need a DAT demuxer such as VDAT Extractor. First extract the SUB file from the .DAT files. Then convert the video files as a normal VCD (above). Next, convert your DVD to a no-split DVD (see DTS-HD note). Finally mux the .SUB into the films VOB file.


Karaoke HD-DVD/CH-DVD
Text on these formats come in two variations; first is the standard subtitle file that varies the text color and shade. They copy convert to DVD-SUB without issue. The other uses the new expansions of the two formats; such as Java or a second video track. These are VERY hard to reproduce; and covering it is currently outside of this guide's goal. To get you going, the free programs that are used to extract the extra features never quite work correctly, but they're free, and still in an infant stage of development. Give it time. The only surefire way is with software such as Adobe Premier and it's dozens of add-ons, or Image Design's "Production, Direction, Produce" (used by Pixar) and it's HD/BD addons. Both in fully working form, cost over $2000, out of reach for most to simply convert a movie.



VHS/TV/Camcorder, anything else you can plug in via a capture card.

Prerequisites:
VHS, analogue TV, and from a cable/satellite converter box: a Digital Capture Card
Digital TV (OTA), Standard Cable, Expanded Cable, Extended Cable: a "Digital Tuner Card".
Cable PPV/On Demand/Ready View requires a card with an IR and/or RF blaster to control your converter box OR a rare, expensive, and usage-fee laden CableCard adaptor.
Satellite recording of On Demand and PPV requires a licensed account card reader.

For recording television from your tuner card; see your card's manual for setting up the software and changing/scheduling channels to play. To be inclusive, we'll be using one, external program for recording all these formats, NeroVision. See your manual's instructions as well for the topic covering something to the likes of "using external software to view...".

NOTE: Capturing (saving) anything from your cable or satellite company within the United States, under United States Law AND FCC regulations, requires that you have a physical, non-computer-based, DVR from your provider OR pay your provider's DVR fee, if applicable.

1) Make sure your device is plugged in and working with your card's own playback software
2) Load NeroVision and select Capture Video
3) Chose navigate capturing and follow the prompts
4) press record on Vision and Play on the external device
5) when you're done, save the video and follow the prompts.
Note: This is one of the few Nero features that is very well annotated in both popup help (options, advanced, show balloon tips), and in the full help guide. You shouldn't have any problem with it. You can also easily save to Nero Digital to watch on your computer later or create a DVD, which you can then convert in CDM to mobile/AVI.


Reel-to-reel film.
There are two "easy" ways to record film. The first is with a digital film projector that has external ports such as USB, FireWire, or Coax. DriverGuide.com has computer drivers for many of the more common projectors that are intended to be plugged into a TV, to make them work with your computer. If you have a coax or component output on the projector, you can just plug it into a capture card and follow the steps above for VHS et al. If you have a compute style connector such as DVI or USB, you'll need the drivers to let windows recognize the player. Then load NeroVision and follow the VHS steps.

The other, faster but more expensive way is with a telecene machine which can record to your computer or to DVD. Both types of machine are available for rent from many camera shops.



Slide projectors
Option 1) You'll need a projector with a physical video out. For computer-compatible output such as USB you can probably find drivers of some sort at DriverGuide.com. If you have standard video out you'll need a capture/tuner card as well. Then follow the VHS instructions.

Option 2) see photos below


Photos
Two methods to this as well.

A) FREE This method will not work on 64-bit systems. If you have a scanner you can create photo slide shows. There is a nice program floating around the internet called Free Photo Slide Show. It's original host site is no longer running. The software is an older 16-bit program that is quite self explanatory once loaded, much like a For Dummies book. Jodix also has a photo to video converter that is made available for free from time to time, equally self explanatory.

B) Use NeroVision. Chose Make a Slide Show: DVD

1) Scan your photos
2) load your program of choice
3) Follow prompts, load photos, add music if you wish, and save your DVD
4) if you require AVI/Mobile use CDM and follow the prompts


Convert Any computer video file to DVD/AVI/Mobile
All assuming no DRM. For legal reasons, I'll state only this on DRM files; Analogue Hole, Demux.


Download and Install K-Lite Mega Codec pack, using the "lots of stuff" option. It helps both programs deal with non-native-support files.

Nero can read and interpret around 75% of the video codecs out there and 99% of the audio ones. For what Nero can't read, Ultra Video Converter can read around 95% of the video codecs and 99% of the audio ones.

Both can figure out about 95% of the container formats. For the rare container formats and more elitist and/or specialized ones, as well as OS specific (MKV, UNX, IMV...) all but two container formats have a free demuxer/extractor available. Check videohelp.com for your demuxer! The only codecs that can not be converted at this point are DTS-HD (see above), RAT (the company's A/V container and proprietary codecs, not the DVD zip), and AAV (Adobe). The only two containers that can't be extracted are NNA and MDRM. Both are from download rentals. Real Media 10+ may require Real Player to be installed and used, Real Alternative has issues with 10+

Load NeroVision and select create DVD. Drag your file in. If it loads, follow prompts and burn a DVD.

If Nero can not read your file, load Ultra and convert your file. Nero can read all of Ultra's outputs. Drag the result into Nero and create your DVD.

If Ultra can not convert it, download your format's demuxer AND an AVI muxer from videohelp.com. Demux your container. Convert the video track in Ultra. Remux your new video file and old audio file to AVI. Drag the new container into Nero, follow the prompts, and burn your DVD.

To convert your DVD to mobile/AVI, use CDM. For subs see below.


SUBS: For graphical subs to text: SupRip works best for SUP files, and comes with a Latin-based character set and can read GOCR script for adding other alphabets. You can use it to convert to text, and then use SUBRip to create a DVD-SUB file.

SUBRip 1.50 beta 3a is as good as it comes for handling both DVD Subs and ripping hardcoded video.

For flash based subs: Flash subs are a single video that is equal in length (often) to the film, and plays as an overlay. See the flash section above for converting the flash video track to AVI. Then use SUBRip to extract the Subs to text or DVD-SUB. Text subs can be played along side a video file on computers, or included in the mobile/AVI container for computers or mobile players. DVD subs can be muxed into no-split VOBs and then played on normal DVD players or hardcoded/passed through with CDM for mobile/AVI.

NO-SPLIT DVD NOTE. If you created a no-split DVD, and wish to use it on a normal player; you'll probably need to convert it back to a split-VOB DVD to use a lower UDF format revision. Reload DVD Decrypter and chose the option to split at automatic or 1Gb.

Final notes: Did I miss you're format? Something not work for you? Post and I'll cover it. Questions, comments? Great!