Ripped DVD to WMV / Xbox 360

By Alan O (aka Hitthebongo)

www.hitthebongo.co.uk

My favourite method for converting ripped DVD content to an Xbox 360 friendly format (wmv8 or 9) firstly extracts the mpeg2 content from the ripped DVD using MPEG Streamclip for windows. It then makes use of the triple punching power of Avisynth, Nics WM9 Encoder, and Microsofts VC-1 codecs to create a wmv with either 5.1 surround or stereo sound.

Avisynth is a very versatile script based video editing application. By making use of the DirectShowSource parameter within an aviscript file, it is possible for an mpeg2 file to be frame-served to Nics WM9 Encoder. This in turn pulls in the VC-1 codecs resulting in a high quality wmv9 output. It sounds very complicated, but the actions are pretty straightforward.

If you need help in ripping a DVD main movie to the hard drive and then converting it to mpeg2 click on the link below.

Converting DVD to MPEG2 Guide

Once you've ripped and converted to mpeg2 - please read on...

 

Software requirements

• Windows Media Player 11 (Required for Microsofts latest VC-1 codecs unless installed separately)
• Nics WM9 Encoder (This provides a useful Graphical User Interface to tie everything together)
• Avisynth (This will frameserve to Nics Encoder and works invisibly in the background)

In addition to the above I have made project folders available for PAL and NTSC DVD content. Each contains the required aviscripts to convert an mpeg2 file to either a standard 4x3 or widescreen 16x9 size. Included within the folders are a sample mpg2 file that may be used for test purposes. Ultimately this will be overwritten with a users own video. Select the folder appropriate to the DVD type your mpeg2 was created from:

• PAL
• NTSC

Note - A third aviscript named "version" has also been included in the project folders as a confidence measure to confirm that avisynth has been installed OK. If opened up in Windows Media Player or rendered as a video in Nics WM9 Encoder it should display the installed Avisynth version information. It is recommended that this is tried after the initial installation of Avisynth.

 

Provisos and observations

• Suitable mpeg2 Directshow filters must be installed and registered for this method to work. If Windows media player can playback DVD content , then these filters should already be installed. See the tip box below for suggested free filters.
• Some programs like DVD Shrink allow you to squeeze or compress a large movie to take up a smaller file size. The method I propose may not like mpeg2's created from a compressed DVD rip. Read my Converting DVD to MPEG2 Guide for more info
• Avisynth and Nic's Encoder are both highly configurable. The settings and scripts I have proposed are geared toward a speedily converted video with stereo sound, with a rendered screen resolution to match that of a DVD being played on a monitor. It is up to a user to explore further settings that may yield better results for their custom scenario (5.1 sound for example is possible with the Windows Media Audio 10 Professional option selected in Nic's Encoder).
• This guide is based upon my system set up - 512mbRAM, 2.8ghz Pentium 4, XP service pack 2.
• At the time of writing, Nic's Encoder is in the "Beta" phase of its development.There may therefore be certain bugs that may need to be addressed
• I have noticed that selecting Variable Bit Rates for the audio in Nic's Encoder sometimes gives an error message. There seems to be no such problems associated with Constant Bit Rates . I think that the problem is due to incompattible selections - you may wish to experiment !
• If audio problems are experienced, it may be because the ac3 filter is incorrectly set. If using the AC3 Filter make sure that the Output setting on the Main tab is set to AS IS (No Change).This will ensure that the created audio type is in accordance with that of the created mpeg2. Useful tip - A wmv with a louder volume can be created by setting the Master gain slider for increased volume. The audio filter settings can usually be accessed either by navigating to Start - All Programs then selecting the filter. Alternatively, play an mpeg2 in Windows Media Player 6.4 and select File - Properties - Advanced . The audio filter can then be selected and the Properties button will bring up the config page. This is a useful way to view the config page as it gives a good confirmation as to what audio filter is ACTUALLY being used (just because a filter is installed does not mean it will be the preferred filter to be used if others are present)
• I make no guarantees that the following method will work for everybody. Users install any mentioned software at their own risk!

If that lot hasn't put you off, please read on!

 

 

The Method

The following steps will attempt to convert the sample mpg file included in the project file. When converting your own mpg simply replace the sample. Unless the aviscript filepaths are altered in a text editor, the mpg file must be in the same folder location as the aviscripts and be named " movie.mpg "

1. Open up Nic's Encoder.
2. In the Input AVS File box, locate and enter one of the aviscripts located in the project folder. By default a wmv will be saved in the same folder as the aviscript folder.
3. Depending on your DVD type, set up Nic's Encoder as shown below

 

4. Next, click on the advanced options and set the Minimum/Maximum complexity to Fastest as shown in picture 3 "Fastest" ensures very quick encode times compared to the default settings. Once set click OK. WARNING - adjusting the settings on this window will alter the associated registry settings. Unless you know what you are doing, I would recommend returning everything back to default afterwards to ensure there are no unintended effects elsewhere on your system

 

5. Finally hit encode.
6. If all goes well, the progress bar should gradually fill up to completion. On my Pentium 4 (2.8GHz,) 512mb RAM XP machine, I would anticipate an approximate encode time of 3½ hours for a 2 hour movie. Faster encoding's can be achieved using wmv8.

Hot Tip
A great way to preview an aviscript is to drag it in to an old version of Windows Media Player 6.4. This version seems more aviscript friendly than WMP 9,10 or 11. It can be found nestled within the same program folder as more recent versions. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player and double click on the mplayer2.exe file. Once opened it should be possible to drag a script in to the main window for instant viewing. Note - If an aviscript does not playback in wmp6.4, it may be due to a missing YUV12 filter which Avisynth needs to display on media player. The Helix YUV Decoder works fine for me.

Avisynth scripts can be very simple to write or modify according to a users exact requirements. They can be easily edited with a simple text editor like Notepad. A far more comprehensive solution however is to use a dedicated aviscript editor such as AvsP

Anyone wishing to explore the infinite possibilities with Avisybth should visit avisynth.org where there are some good introductory guides..

 

Hopefully that worked OK. If it didn't , I would suggest reading over all the provisos again and trying to narrow down the problem. The weakest links in the chain are probably the mpeg2 directshow filters (Audio, Video, and Spitter.) and possibly incompattible audio selections being made in Nic's Encoder. Best results are usually achieved with a little experimentation. Once you've managed your first movie - the rest will hopefully be plain sailing.

Good Luck !

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Originally posted 12 March 2007...Last updated 24 April 2007