Convert DVDs to the Zune for FREE! Complete guide with screenshots!

[primerk5]

Great write up... So Far..... I'm having a problem in the riping process though.

I'm ripping the fast and the furious tokoyo drift DVD.

I get an error on the first major VOB file. at 320kb

Then it comes up with a window with abort, retry, cancel.
Abort moves onto the next file. I get through some then I get the same error on the last major VOB file.
Retry trys again for a while then gives the error again.
Cancel stops the process.

Any ideas?!?!?!

[metal_head_3767]

This happened to me on one DVD a few times.  I just kept hitting ignore and it worked fine.  I think its because of a bad sector.  The sectors are 512 bites so you'll get a little skipping when you run into those sectors.

[primerk5]

Thanks I'll keep trying.

[primerk5]

Update: I am working on a new method that would only require converting once.  Should drastically speed up the encoding time. 

Hows this coming?? Only reason I'm asking is because that error kept recuring for over an hour and it only made it 320 kb out of over 1 gig. I gave up on that DVD.

[metal_head_3767]

Well I got the windows media codec but for some reason it won't play.  DVD decrypter curcumvents the copy protection on DVDs.  Unfortunately, some DVDs have advanced copy protection. But very few of them do.

[D-REW]

ok im stuck.

8.  Then click compression and put the smoothness down to 50 and the data rate down to 1000.  This is still pretty high but we are going to downsize more later.  Start the encoding.

so i did all the smoothness and data rate.. and i clicked OK. that compression box just closes and thats all.. am i done?? how can you tell it encoded??

so i open up windows movie maker and i dont see two files. i just see the avi file. thats all. and windows movie maker wont open it. need help please!!!

[~+-{|Tim|}-+~]

Will other programs play the AVI?

[metal_head_3767]

ok im stuck.

8.  Then click compression and put the smoothness down to 50 and the data rate down to 1000.  This is still pretty high but we are going to downsize more later.  Start the encoding.

so i did all the smoothness and data rate.. and i clicked OK. that compression box just closes and thats all.. am i done?? how can you tell it encoded??

so i open up windows movie maker and i dont see two files. i just see the avi file. thats all. and windows movie maker wont open it. need help please!!!

@ D-REW
Press ok on the Video compression box.  It should take a few minutes to encode.  If you did step 5 it should make a seperate wav file.

@ nenapod2 Yes other programs will play it.  But the audio and video will be seperate

[Billy1687]

worked like a charm... superman returns is now on my zune! thanks a lot

[fgow55]

I had a problem with superman returns I could not get the audio and video to line up right...

[metal_head_3767]

Tweak it until you get it right in windows movie maker.  Or it could be that your movie was "shot on film" at a speed of 24 fps instead of 30 fps. 

In dvd2avi Select Video->Field operation ->Force Film. This will take the movie back to its original state of 24fps.

[EyeBaller]

metal_head_3767, did you try taking your ripped dvd and sticking it into encode360 instead of movie maker? I just feel like it interacts with media encoder better and may give more stable results.

My settings are in my sig.. they seem to work well for me.

Edit: I just noticed you'd need to mux the video and audio first, simple enough with vdub?

[comptonsheri]

this is a really great guide! works perfectly and is very easy to understand even for a computer douche like me. THIS THREAD SHOULD BE MADE A STICKY so everyone who has questions about how to do this can use this without making 40 more posts about the same issue.

thank you metal_head_3767! you're the best!

[fgow55]

When you tweek it don't you have to encode it each time, is there a way to preview it prior to encoding?

[metal_head_3767]

In dvd2avi you can preview it while it is being incoded.  If you want a small sample in windows movie maker just clip it down and save it.  Video for broadband 512kbps uses the highest resolution and framerate the zune can handle so there really is no reason to go any higher.

[fgow55]

I just ran accross and error that has me scratching my head.

Every time I try to save The Green Mile I get an error that says Window Movie Maker cannot save the move to the specified location. Verify that the original source files used in the move are still available (yes), that the save location is still available (yes going to my hard drive) and that there is enough free space available (yes almost 80 gigs free) and try again.

The movie is three hours long could this be an issue?

[metal_head_3767]

If your hard drive is formated FAT 32 that could be an issue.  What is the estimated file size before you start converting?

[fgow55]

735 MB esitimated