DVD compression for HTPC archival and playing

[DuffmanOhYeah]

Ok, so here's my latest idea. What Id like to do is take my entire dvd collection (about 220 movies) and rip them to a Divx or xVid format (or other at your suggestion) for eventual storage on an HTPC box so that I can essentially do away with the physical dvd's, and be able to browse the entore collection from an HTPC.

THe big question is, how deeply can I compress them and still have a good watchabiolity factor? I was hoping to get them down to about a gig, but a gig and a half each wouldnt be too bad.

So seeing that, what would be the best software/compression standard to use to achieve this?

As a follow up, is this even possible??

Thanks.

 

[Todd33]

I use Fairuse, the free version makes all DVDs 700MBs, but they look good. I recently installed the Divx encoder and Fairuse will make DVDs 250MBs, but they are poor quality but good for kids movies. I'm sure if you made the Divx 1GB or so they would be hard to tell from the original, but I think you will lose 5.1 sound.

http://www.fairusewizard.com/lang_en/fa...vx_xvid_backup_tool_light_edition.html

 

[Auric]

1.5 GB should be plenty for MPEG-4 while maintaining original resolution an AC3 track. You may consider AVC rather than the ASP-ish XviD though. Check out doom9.org

 

[Slick5150]

I just went through the same process. I just used AutoGK, used the xvid codec, and set it to Quality mode =100%, and left the audio as AC3. The file sizes vary from movie to movie anywhere from around 1.2gb, to just under 4gb, but most are in the 2-2.5gb range. The quality is excellent, and it was simple enough to do.

 

[robphelan]

i use fair use wizard for ~100% of my DVDs... normally rip my daughter's movies to 700mb and they look fine - especially the cartoon movies.

If a movie has a lot of special FX or it's an action movie, I rip at 1gb to 1.5 gb.. no more than that.

i store them on my PC and stream them to my modded xbox. works great.

 

[Traire]

Originally posted by: DuffmanOhYeah
Ok, so here's my latest idea. What Id like to do is take my entire dvd collection (about 220 movies) and rip them to a Divx or xVid format (or other at your suggestion) for eventual storage on an HTPC box so that I can essentially do away with the physical dvd's, and be able to browse the entore collection from an HTPC.

THe big question is, how deeply can I compress them and still have a good watchabiolity factor? I was hoping to get them down to about a gig, but a gig and a half each wouldnt be too bad.

So seeing that, what would be the best software/compression standard to use to achieve this?

As a follow up, is this even possible??

Thanks.

Ive done exactly that using Xvid and AutoGK. All my movies are around 1-1.5 gb depending. Some movies compress better than others. Movies with a lot of fast motion dont compress as well, etc. Basically using AutoGK, I set to do double pass encoding at 1gb file size. After it does the compressability test and before it starts its first pass I check what the estimated quality (subjective) percentage is according to AGK. If its less than 50%, I usually stop and set it to a larger files size.

A movie encoded at AGK 50-70% will look fine on a regular TV. If your going to be watching on a HDTV or a comp monitor at decent resolution (1024x768 or better) than you will want to encode at larger file sizes closer to 2gb or better than 75% on AGK.

 

[DuffmanOhYeah]

Thanks for taking the time to reply everyone. I had used AGK yesterday in trying to make a movie. Maybe I just compressed it too much, but I wasnt pleased with the quality. I think I set the space limit to 1000Megs and I think the resulting compression said that it would be around 60% quality? Im guessing that maybe I just have to go for the quality target and let the file be whatever size it wants to be.

I'll give y'all an update hopefully tonight or tomorrow morning after I try an 80% quality setting.

And as a follow up, no HDTV yet, but hopefully within the next 6 months or so, so Im figuring that whatever I do now should be prep for that.

Thanks again

 

[Traire]

Originally posted by: DuffmanOhYeah
Maybe I just compressed it too much, but I wasnt pleased with the quality. I think I set the space limit to 1000Megs and I think the resulting compression said that it would be around 60% quality? Im guessing that maybe I just have to go for the quality target and let the file be whatever size it wants to be.

That gets to my point of xvid video at 50-70% will look ok on a standard definition TV (essentially 640x480 resolution), but when you play it on a computer or on HD set, you will start to notice compression artifacts on anything below about 70%. Its just that standard definition TV sucks, and you notice less imperfections.

If you want "perfect" reproduction of your dvd's you will need something better than 75%.

You might also want to look into H.264 instead of xvid. Someone above mentioned above using an AVC codec (H.264 is an AVC codec) instead of ASP (Xvid and Divx are ASP). You will get better quality at the same file size with H.264, but will take a lot more horsepower and time to encode. The actual process of encoding to H.264 is a bit more complex since there isnt a one click tool like AGK to do it for you.

 

[DuffmanOhYeah]

Well Crud. I had wanted to try to encode another movie at a higher quality setting, but now AutoGK is just crashing on me before it even loads. I have tried uninstalling it and reinstalling it, but the same thing keeps happening.

I d/l'd the latest version 2.2.6.1062 and thats whats giving me the trouble. Any advice??

 

[DuffmanOhYeah]

After some reading on Doom9, it seems that the new divx codec was the culprit. I removed Divx, and the program loaded normally. I'll let everyonr know how the higherQ encode works shortly.

 

[Traire]

Originally posted by: DuffmanOhYeah
After some reading on Doom9, it seems that the new divx codec was the culprit. I removed Divx, and the program loaded normally. I'll let everyonr know how the higherQ encode works shortly.

If you search around Doom9's forums, you should be able to find a link to where you can d/l a modified divx library file to fix the AGK problem.

 

[DuffmanOhYeah]

Ok, so I got everything working again (using AutoGK) and at the 80% quality setting, it looks pretty darn good. The file size was acceptable as well. Most movies were coming in at just around 1.5 Gigs. Im comfortable with that.

However, I am having a bit of trouble with the output volume. The output volume on the encoded file seems quite a bit lower than the source file. can I increase this by adjusting the gain on the ac3 filter? If so, about how far can I go without distorting? What I was doing was keeping the original ac3 track. If however, you all sugggest that I scrap that for an mp3 track, maybe I'll try that instead.

Thanks as always.

 

[doan]

Over time storege gets cheaper (quickly) and the quality of the display you'll be watching your movies on goes up. I'm currenly ripping all my dvd's as ISO's and only compressing enough to fit on a DVD-R for back-up with DVD shrink. roughly 100 movies fits on a 300GB drive, a lot of them are kids stuff.

The intent here is that when i move to bigger nice HDTV display, I won't have to re-encode everthing and dig out the original DVD.

 

[tw1164]

I would suggest using StaxRip or MeGUI. You may want to try x264 for your video, and AAC for you audio.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: doan
Over time storege gets cheaper (quickly) and the quality of the display you'll be watching your movies on goes up. I'm currenly ripping all my dvd's as ISO's and only compressing enough to fit on a DVD-R for back-up with DVD shrink. roughly 100 movies fits on a 300GB drive, a lot of them are kids stuff.

The intent here is that when i move to bigger nice HDTV display, I won't have to re-encode everthing and dig out the original DVD.

bingo
I keep everything on HDs as DVD img file. XBMC can play them as is. I do 1:1 rips of "must keep" movies (all time classics and such) and others I will rip down and remove addtional audio tracks and such that aren't needed.

 

[0roo0roo]

its gonna take more than a 300gb for sure if you want to keep resolution and ac3. are u sure its worth the trouble? wait a little longer and just get a hd or two big enough to not have to compress. its a lotta trouble just to watch a less than perfect copy when u have the original lying around. video jukeboxes arent useful..no where near the usefulness of music jukebox.

 

[bassoprofundo]

Try ratDVD if you want compress the DVDs and still maintain all of the features. I have trouble telling the difference between these and the originals. That said, I still have a standard def set, so YMMV...

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

Originally posted by: doan
Over time storege gets cheaper (quickly) and the quality of the display you'll be watching your movies on goes up. I'm currenly ripping all my dvd's as ISO's and only compressing enough to fit on a DVD-R for back-up with DVD shrink. roughly 100 movies fits on a 300GB drive, a lot of them are kids stuff.

The intent here is that when i move to bigger nice HDTV display, I won't have to re-encode everthing and dig out the original DVD.

bingo
I keep everything on HDs as DVD img file. XBMC can play them as is. I do 1:1 rips of "must keep" movies (all time classics and such) and others I will rip down and remove addtional audio tracks and such that aren't needed.

I Concur. Storage is cheap - go with a carbon copy. Plus, keeping them in DVD format makes setting up postprocessing with ffdshow on your DVDs easy.

Before & After postprocessing.

- M4H

 

[doan]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
its gonna take more than a 300gb for sure if you want to keep resolution and ac3. are u sure its worth the trouble? wait a little longer and just get a hd or two big enough to not have to compress. its a lotta trouble just to watch a less than perfect copy when u have the original lying around. video jukeboxes arent useful..no where near the usefulness of music jukebox.

Depends on your use....I have 4 kids, the youngest is 18 months old. Not having to juggle DVD's, rewind tapes, skip/wait through commercials is awsome!

I have all their stuff on-line using GBPVR and an IR receiver on the HTPC. Everything runs from the TV remote.