I have a client who wants me to pull footage from a DVD and i'm having zero luck with this process. The program I found online and currently using is AutoGk (Auto Gordian Knot). I can successfully rip the DVD to my computer and see it as an .avi on my desktop (5 hours later), also when playing back through windows media player, i can see/hear it. But when i load the file into Vegas nothing shows up on the audio track, why is this?

If you have success ripping dvd's please tell me what you think my problem might be or what program you use (preferably a freebie) and whats your opinion of it. I heard good reviews about AutoGk and it appears quite user-friendly i just need some help solving this lastest escapade.

if its a copywritten DVD with CSS encryption, you will need to use something like DVD Decrypter, but i wouldnt if i were you considering its copywritten..

another option is DVD Shrink to extract teh files from the disc...

another option is to directly copy the VOBS from teh disc to HDD then import those into vegas. Note that the AC3 component of the file WONT open in vegas, but yo ucan get around that with a lil app called besweet to convert the ac3 into as many channels as u need.

if its a copywritten DVD with CSS encryption, you will need to use something like DVD Decrypter, but i wouldnt if i were you considering its copywritten..

another option is DVD Shrink to extract teh files from the disc...

another option is to directly copy the VOBS from teh disc to HDD then import those into vegas. Note that the AC3 component of the file WONT open in vegas, but yo ucan get around that with a lil app called besweet to convert the ac3 into as many channels as u need.

No the DVD isn't copywrited so i don't have that issue. Also, i can see the differnt files on my Hard-drive.

But the Vob files, i see about 3 of those. I though they are all video, i guess i was wrong. Is one of them sound? Because they're really big for a sound file. I may try using the "besweet" program your talking about to conver the files to sound. thanks

Just drag the .vob files onto the timeline. That's it. If for some odd reason it doesn't work, you can simply change the extension from .vob to .mpg, and it will work. I've done it many times. But the sound will not work. It does have to be converted.

Your problem is that the audio is in AC3 format and Vegas doesn't read that format.

Now... if you want an "unofficial" solution: It appears that if you install the newest version of Movie Studio, then Vegas will be able to read the AC3 for you.

Do you mean it can manipulate AC3s on the timeline now? Does it work with DVD Architect as well?

DVD Architect has always read AC3 files.

I mean dropping AC3s onto the Vegas timeline.

Yes, if you install the Movie Studio demo, you should be able to drop AC-3 files on the VEGAS timeline. One of the new features of Movie Studio is the ability to read the DVD's recorded in the Sony cameras which happen to use... AC3 audio!

Yes, if you install the Movie Studio demo, you should be able to drop AC-3 files on the VEGAS timeline.

I'll vouch for the fact that it does work. I read about this over the weekend and tried it. No more fooling around with any awkward utilities. Fantastic is all I can say!!

Mike

Every so often I need to do a minor edit on a DVD. While I use Vegas for everything else, it's faster and you get better quality results using an mpeg editor like MPEG Wizard found at womble.com. The editing options aren't as extensive, but usually at this stage, simple edits are all that are needed.

The reason I use the Womble editor is because it treats mpeg video like Vegas treats DV video. In other words it smart renders. Only the edited parts are actually rerendered. All unchanged parts are simply copied with a straight file copy. This is incredibly fast, and you don't degenerate the quality of the video with renders and the decompression and recompression that this requires.

Lets say I need to add some new titles to a DVD. I generate the titles in Vegas, save them as an mpeg 2, load the VOB files directly into the MPEG Wizard timeline, add the new mpeg 2 file in as well, edit as I need in MPEG Wizard, and save the final project as an mpeg 2 file. What I end up with is exactly what I want, most of the project looks exactly like it did before, and the whole process is quick and painless.

If on the other hand, you need to use parts of an old DVD in a completely new project, by all means use Vegas. I rip AC audio from DVDs using the ImToo DVD Audio Ripper found here:

http://imtoo.com/dvd-audio-ripper.html

Just slide the ripped audio in under your video files.

Edward, I've downloaded the demo mentioned, but all my AC-3 files seems to be off sync with the video files, and its very noticable. Where can I adjust sync offset.

Just adjust it forward or backwards on the timeline the necessary frames to get it to match up. Or does it vary over time?

I haven't had a need to pull data off a DVD to try this method.

Do you mean installing Vegas Movie Studio (6) would allow you to bring ac3 into a Vegas Video HD (6) timeline? How would that work? Is it because of shared pluggins?

I tried getting the trial version of movie studio (and rebooted after install) and Vegas Video still won't bring in any ac3 files. The VOB's look great though. Thanks for putting that idea in my head, this method is way faster and uses less disk space and most importantly is higher quality than capturing DVD video through my ads pyro a/v link through firewire.

I do plan on downloading the trial version of womble and doing a similar simple edit in vegas video and compare the results on a test DVD-R. I can't imagine womble looking any better than the video pulled in this way to vegas - it looks fantastic. But I will compare.

Any ideas on the ac3 for vegas? I don't want to convert to wav and loose the 5.1 surround sound. I don't want to go back to my old capture method either because that was pulling it in through rca stereo and destroying the 5 channels also. This isn't the case of a weird format of ac3 either, I tried several different formats. Also, ac3 isn't listed on the pulldown list of media choices so I know something is missing....it's not working in movie studio either.

Vegas 6.0c or 6.0d will do it without needing any version of VMS installed.

Any ideas on the ac3 for vegas? I don't want to convert to wav and loose the 5.1 surround sound. I don't want to go back to my old capture method either because that was pulling it in through rca stereo and destroying the 5 channels also. This isn't the case of a weird format of ac3 either, I tried several different formats. Also, ac3 isn't listed on the pulldown list of media choices so I know something is missing....it's not working in movie studio either.

The demo version of Vegas won't decode the AC3. Once you purchase it, it will do so

The demo version of Vegas won't decode the AC3. Once you purchase it, it will do so

Do you mean vegas video or vegas movie studio?

I have the full version of vegas video 6, but just downloaded the demo of vegas movie studio. Also, I patched 6.0d just now and it still doesn't pull in ac3 files, however, it does pull in the audio and video when I use a vob file (unseperated, direct stream copy). So that would work just as well....except as someone else mentioned it is out of sync...and not just by a few frames that I could bump over...the whole thing is skewed. I will try womble next to see if that handles it better.

Neither will open AC3 files. However, both will open AC3 audio embedding on a DVD (as you've discovered).

As Edward mentioned, neither program will open *just* the AC3 file, both will open AC3 embedded in the VOB, but not a separate file. This was intentionally done to help keep Vegas from being a part of the workflow making it easier to pirate DVDs.

I've tried a million things and it seems I'm down to two options:

1-Continue trying to use some kind of converter to get my files into vegas video...
-dragging in VOBS bring the audio in with 2 channels and unsynched
-using virtual dub mod brings in even better picture (but with 5 channel audio that doesn't even work) and a 5 min. file is 7 gigs
-using virtual dub mod with direct show avs avisynth template (the only avisynth template that works) brings in a great picture with 2 channel audio that is out of sync and the 5 min. file is 8 gigs
-IM too dvd ripper 4 (demo version) was just as dissapointing: raw avi compression won't go into vegas and huffy looks very pixelated.
-also, several of those failed attempts have brought in video at 23 frames instead of 29.97....from no option that I checked off

Has anyone here ever been able to drag and drop or convert from the dvd rom and bring into vegas a 29.97 beautiful looking video and 5.1 channel audio as it originally was on the DVD - all nice and synced up?

2-Or I could abandon vegas for a little while and go the woomble way:

-Woomble does edit the vobs with 5.1 sound perfectly. The way it edits native dvd video really is innovative. However, when I export back to DVD (and I've tried every different method) it says that I'm exporting a 29.97 ntsc mpeg with 5.1 ac3 encoded sound. However, when I bring it in to DVD architect it reads the file as a 23 frame per second video with 2 channel audio file....wtf?

-before I spend any more time with those bugs, I have to decide if I'd want to edit with woomble in the first place. The quality is what I'm looking for but the interface is so bad I don't know if I can use it....It makes U-lead look like final cut pro. It's just aweful...I don't even think there is a way to seperate audio and video...let alone make L or J cuts. I couldn't even find a gap tool.

-as far as I know I have the new, full version and it is freeware.


Does anyone know another program like woomble that can treat those 4 gig DVD video files just like it was uncompressed video, yet has an interface thats at least a little less pathetic? I'd pay anything for that, right about now.