GUIDE: High Quality WMV for your PPC - Free and Easy

cope1915 · 07-19-04, 01:48 AM

High quality WMV for your PPC Easy and Free. GUIDE:

This method will encode a WMV movie straight from a VOB file – no encoding to AVI or MPEG needed, which saves hours. You will not believe the quality as compared to using programs such as PocketDIVXEncoder, Dr. DIVX, AutoGK, etc. It does not compromise on audio and video quality like those programs in order to. Best of all, all tools needed are free, and you won’t need additional viewing software (i.e. betaplayer) on your PPC. WMP will play it nicely in fullscreen/landscape mode.

What programs you need:

Install Windows Media Encoder
Install Intervideo WinDVD (WME needs the Audio/Video decoders in this program. You do not need to purchase, demo version is fine)
Get DVDShrink or DVD Decrypter if you don't already have these.

Take these steps:

1. Rip your DVD to your hard drive using DVDShrink or DVD Decrypter as you normally would. For this conversion, though, you will need to be sure that you create only one VOB file. To do so be sure the setting in each program is correct. For DVD Shrink edit/preferences/output files/deselect “Split VOB files”. For DVD Decrypter tools/settings/IFO Mode/Options/File Splitting/None
Also it would be optimal if you do not use any compression in DVD Shrink, unless of course you have a FAT32 file system and cannot create files larger than 4GB. This will allow WME to make the highest quality file possible.

2. Start Windows Media Encoder
New Session > Convert a file
Browse for the VOB file you just created as the source file
Enter Output file name and location >
Encoding options > Pocket PC >
Video: Pocket PC widescreen video (320X240)
Audio: CD quality audio >
Enter desired “Display information” >
Deselect : “Begin converting when I click Finish”
Click Finish
****at this point it may seem like WME is hanging, but it’s not, just analyzing the video, give it a minute******

Click on Properties
*****I wouldn’t mess with much here, unless you know the exact cropping settings you want. Otherwise let WME do the magic. I would suggest trying out this method with just a small clip of the movie you want to use, that way you can see quick results, and you can decide if you want to change any of the properties. ******

Click the Output tab. Select "Limit by size:" and choose the MAX size you want for you PPC movie.

After you’ve messed with the properties just click “Start Encoding”.

With my system – PIII933/384MB/WINDOWS2000 – it took about 3.5 hours to encode (2-Pass!) Office Space.

Hope this guide helps!
Please feel free to add any pointers and screen shots.

I also have a five-minute clip of Office Space, which was made using this method. How might I post it so that everyone here can access it? It’s about 9mb.

jacksonaaronc · 07-20-04, 04:35 AM

I would be verry interested in seeing your sample file. If you will email it to me, I will put it on my webspace and give the link to anyone that requests it...either way I would love it if you could send me a copy. Thanks

cope1915 · 07-20-04, 11:51 AM

VERY IMPORTANT INFO I DIDN'T INCLUDE IN THE GUIDE.
You also need to install AC3Filter. you can get it here from Sourceforge: http://ac3filter.sourceforge.net/

It will overide a file that WinDVD installs, which WME has a problem with.

cope1915 · 07-20-04, 11:52 AM

Aaron,

I'll send you the file shortly...does your box accept 9-10mb attachments?

cope1915 · 07-20-04, 01:42 PM

These two links will help you quite a bit:

A much more eloquent guide that I found, which is pretty much the same as mine, but he provides more detail and a bunch of screenshots. Also, he uses Smartripper to rip his DVDs to hard drive, you don't have to of course:
http://www.microsoftusernetwork.com/zarax/dvd_index.htm

Nice article from the MSDN library, which focuses strictly on Pocket PC encoding:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...l/encodppc.asp

jacksonaaronc · 07-21-04, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cope1915
Aaron,

I'll send you the file shortly...does your box accept 9-10mb attachments?

Actually, no it doesn't. Sorry about that.

I have been out of town, but I am going to give some of the .wma stuff a shot and see what kind of results I get. I'll post back when I'm finished. Thanks again.

outlaw2_0 · 07-29-04, 01:26 AM

For some reason when i try to encode it only encodes a SMALL part. like 1MB. But the VOB file is 3.7GB. WHats up? How can i fix this?

golgo21 · 08-02-04, 06:09 AM

Outlaw,

I had this same problem with a few of my movies and it drove me crazy for a solution. The easiest way to tell if this will happen is to open up Windows Media Encoder (WME), as described above, and go to 'Properties' 'Sources' and check out 'Mark In/Out'. If the duration doesn't look right then you'll have a problem.

To fix this, just use DVD Decrypter in IFO mode. Go to the 'Stream Processing' tab and choose the video and which ever audio you want. Just make sure to have the 'Demux' selected at the bottom. After you decrypt, the only files you'll need are the: *.m2v and *.ac3.

Now when you open up WME, just make sure to give it the seperate video and audio files for the 'Source 1'.

Hope this helps,
Golgo

Also, I found a way to include the sub-titles for foreign movies and forced-subs for english movies with the occasional sub-title in it. But it does add: 1 more program, 2-3 more hours, and quite a bit more input from the user. Let me know.

** update **
The Demux step I mentioned earlier seems to be causing an audio/video sync problem in some movies. The beginning is fine, but by the end of a 2 hour movie there could be as much as a 5 second difference. This is fixable but adds alot more steps and more software. In the end, it's just way too much trouble.

Now I just end up going the DVD to MPEG/AVI to WMV route. This makes the whole conversion process about 2.5 times the length of the movie. It may take a little longer, but it you'll save in head-aches. It's a much more consistant process. Just be sure to check the 'Mark In/Out' time in WME first.

I'm now using DVDx 2.2 for the MPEG/AVI encoding. This will also burn in subtitles for movies that need them.

outlaw2_0 · 08-02-04, 06:32 AM

Thanx bro. Ill do that in the morning. Right now im dead.

golgo21 · 08-05-04, 05:03 PM

I had installed the Intervideo WinDVD demo stated above. After the trial period, the decoders (codecs) were disabled as well. I tried PowerDVD but it didn't work in WME only WMP. I was able to find a MPEG codec compatible with WME. It doesn't have a trial period, it's free, and it's only 100k zipped. You can find alot more free codecs here as well.

Free-Codecs.com

cnjmorris · 08-05-04, 07:56 PM

Can you provide more info on ripping the VOB? I havne't had much luck. Tried DVD Shrink only to get an error about I/O.

I am a complete novice, only doing this because planes knock me out, and my poor wife sits there the whole time with nothing to do. =)

nelj_25 · 08-05-04, 08:37 PM

cmjmorris - did you start up your DVD player software first? I think sometimes you need to start the DVD software for DVD Shrink to "find" the DVD drive.

nelj

golgo21 · 08-05-04, 09:41 PM

cnjmorris,

I've never had an I/O error before using Shrink. Make sure you have the latest version (3.2.0.15). Check your settings 'edit'>'preferences'. Here's what works for me:

'preferences': custom=9999MB, x=automatically, x=run analysis
'output files': x=remove macro, x=remove p-uops, x=remove layer
'file I/O': x=check rpc2, x=enable burning

I have everything else unchecked on those tabs. The 'preview' and 'stream selections' shouldn't really matter.

If not, un-install and re-install Shrink. If your still having problems, it may be something a little more complex.

Good Luck,
Golgo

superluuk · 08-28-04, 02:55 PM

wme crashes after opening the vob

also office space

teehee · 08-29-04, 09:51 PM

Hi Guys:

You all sound like you would know this. I am stumped as to how do I transfer lectures on cassette tapes to the PC and then to the CD.

I run from no info to bad info.

But I need step by step. Any help?? (draw picture)

Terry