Problem with a few DVD rips

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,298
64
91
I'm ripping all my DVD's to HDD for my HTPC build and have run into an odd problem.

I'm using AnyDVD and Handbrake to rip my DVD's, converting them to MP4 files (M4v) and everything is working very well... I've even figured out how to get the normal subtitles to burn in (Red Dawn, Hunt for Red October, etc)

I have 2 DVD's that I can't seem to rip in a recognizable format, though, one an older movie, one fairly recent. They show up as MP4 files after encoding, but I am unable to play them using about 5 different players, including XBMC and VLC... it simply can't read it. It encodes and reads everything else on both disks, just not the movie itself. And both files wind up being huge... 6GB's +/- , far bigger than normal.

I don't get it... someone help me out here. :'(

(Note: I'm not super-savvy on computer tech, let alone encoding; what you are reading is the limit of my techinical ability... :\ )
 

Anteaus

Platinum Member
Oct 28, 2010
2,448
4
81
I'm ripping all my DVD's to HDD for my HTPC build and have run into an odd problem.

I'm using AnyDVD and Handbrake to rip my DVD's, converting them to MP4 files (M4v) and everything is working very well... I've even figured out how to get the normal subtitles to burn in (Red Dawn, Hunt for Red October, etc)

I have 2 DVD's that I can't seem to rip in a recognizable format, though, one an older movie, one fairly recent. They show up as MP4 files after encoding, but I am unable to play them using about 5 different players, including XBMC and VLC... it simply can't read it. It encodes and reads everything else on both disks, just not the movie itself. And both files wind up being huge... 6GB's +/- , far bigger than normal.

I don't get it... someone help me out here. :'(

(Note: I'm not super-savvy on computer tech, let alone encoding; what you are reading is the limit of my techinical ability... :\ )

If the resulting files are larger than 4GB (32bit limit), you need to use a 64-bit MP4 container or else they won't work. The catch is that if you enable 64-bit containers, the files won't work on current gen game consoles or mobile devices (that will change in the future).

The fix is to either use the 64-bit container or reduce the quality to keep the resulting file under 4GB. Handbrake calls the 64-bit switch "Large File Size". Not sure what it would be in AnyDVD.

This is why there are multiple VOB files on a disc. It keeps the individual file sizes under 4GB.
 

smitbret

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2006
3,382
17
81
I see a couple of different ways to go with this. If you are getting 6GB .mp4 files, I have to wonder what CRF you are using. I've gotta think that using an average bitrate of 1250mb/s will be far more than generous and will keep all of your DVDs at under 2GB.

I didn't see any particular reason why you used .mp4 instead of .mkv. If you went that route, you can just ignore the "Large File Size" setting and just passthru the .ac3 or .dts track from the DVD.
 

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,298
64
91
Do they work fine if you rip to iso?

I'm not that savvy to know how to rip to .iso... o_O

I see a couple of different ways to go with this. If you are getting 6GB .mp4 files, I have to wonder what CRF you are using...

...I didn't see any particular reason why you used .mp4 instead of .mkv. If you went that route, you can just ignore the "Large File Size" setting and just passthru the .ac3 or .dts track from the DVD.

Just once in a while I get a big file. I usually set the RF between 15 and 20, nothing super-duper.

I read the tutorial on the MP4 vs MKV file and I didn't really understand the differences; but it said they were in general terms the same.

If the resulting files are larger than 4GB (32bit limit), you need to use a 64-bit MP4 container or else they won't work. The catch is that if you enable 64-bit containers, the files won't work on current gen game consoles or mobile devices (that will change in the future).

The fix is to either use the 64-bit container or reduce the quality to keep the resulting file under 4GB. Handbrake calls the 64-bit switch "Large File Size". Not sure what it would be in AnyDVD.

This is why there are multiple VOB files on a disc. It keeps the individual file sizes under 4GB.

'Large File Size' did the trick! It wound up only being 3.3GB... and I don't know why... it's a 1940's B/W movie. But it encoded and I can open it.

Thanks for everyone's help.
 

smitbret

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2006
3,382
17
81
Glad it worked out.

Incidentally, there's rarely a reason to use anything higher than a CRF of 16 on a DVD. The law of diminishing returns kicks in. You're better off just ripping the .vob straight off the DVD and not converting at all, since the new, h264 file is almost the same size as the old MPEG-2 file.