BD Ripper (3D Plus) Blu ray to MKV?

[unclebubbies]

There are around 10 different audio/video options to rip from the hdd to Mkv such as...mkv.h264.audiocopy. Is there a tutorial or some kind of list that explains which option is best used for what kind of rip? For instance I tried to rip "Absence of Malice" it has a 2 channel pcm audio track. Most of the options listed failed to rip in a MKV folder. When I found the option that worked it only made the audio into 1 channel mono. Being a novice that doesn't understand these different options is there somewhere to go for insight as to what works with what. I always want HD audio when available. I rip to mkv and then put on an external hdd and watch the movie using Aios media player. Usually mkv.h264.audiocopy works great for me. But not with pcm tracks?

[IPopov50]

unclebubbies
you are right, DVDFab and PCM sound are not good friends at all. For whatever reason DVDFab have a heartburn with PCM. All I can suggest is to re-code PCM into something else and then use DVDFab to compress the content.

[unclebubbies]

Is there no directory listing what the different encodes are best used for?
What good are all the different options if you don't know what will serve your needs the best. It's like trying to bake a cake without a recipe! Why offer something without directions? Pretty lame!

[IPopov50]

unclebubbies
I completely disagree with you!!!
First of all, there are plenty manuals and user guides on DVDFab website - please check it out.
Second of all, remember - google is your friend, and without basic knowledge not a software in a world will ever serve your need because you just don't know what your need is.
We here trying to help users like you to figure basics out, but we can't write and re-write basic tutorials over and over again, for each wondering user - you have to spend some time with "search" and get some basics and then we will be more than happy to answer your specific questions.
It's really difficult to answer question like "what kinds of sounds out there and what's difference" in two sentences...

[unclebubbies]

I think you are misunderstanding me. First let me say I have read or searched for every tutorial DvdFab has to offer. Remember I am not schooled in computer tech or lingo. Just a novice learning from ground zero. What I am requesting help on is information as to what the different profiles offer and the pros and cons for each that DVDFab gives us an option. Like what is the difference between: mkv.remux or mkv.h264.audiocopy. There are numerous profiles to use in MKV that a person such as myself have no clue as to the benefits or non benefits to use. What is the reason for so many profile options? My objective is to shrink my bluray iso folder down to Mkv without losing any hd audio/video.

[robandcat]

I to would like to know which profile is for what or what it does. I simply want to keep DTS audio while ripping it to a .mkv but seems I only get ac3. So again to original posters question where can we find guidence what each profile does and why, a link would be great. I don't think a "go figure it out yourself" is the correct answer. Wiki? FAQ?
Rob

[unclebubbies]

Thanks for the support. I will tell You that for the most part.
My using: mkv.h264.audiocopy does the job for ripping DTSMA to MKV file and then playing it through my Aios media player. Good picture and it keeps the master hd dts audio. The reason for this link is to get a handle on what the other profiles are best used for?

[Garry E]

I think you are misunderstanding me. First let me say I have read or searched for every tutorial DvdFab has to offer. Remember I am not schooled in computer tech or lingo. Just a novice learning from ground zero. What I am requesting help on is information as to what the different profiles offer and the pros and cons for each that DVDFab gives us an option. Like what is the difference between: mkv.remux or mkv.h264.audiocopy. There are numerous profiles to use in MKV that a person such as myself have no clue as to the benefits or non benefits to use. What is the reason for so many profile options? My objective is to shrink my bluray iso folder down to Mkv without losing any hd audio/video.

I hear you buddy. The DVD Fab tutorials are very basic and I think a bit dated. I believe I can help you with your question on the difference between remux and and Mkv.h264 encoding.

If you think of your movie as a bit of string made up of many threads twisted together then demuxing is the process of first unravelling the string into its individual threads i.e. audio threads and video threads.

Remuxing is the process then of twisting the threads you select back into a single piece of string. What you are basically doing in this instance is discarding the parts of the movie that are of no value to you and cutting it down to just the bits you want. The result is a smaller package but completely identical to the original in quality (albeit still a rather large file e.g. 20gig)

The MKV part of all this is the container that all this information is stored in. I have found the MKV container to be playable on most sorts of media playing devices and is it seems widely supported.

With the h264.audio copy you are using the h264 codec to compress the video part of your movie whilst leaving the selected audio track in an original state. The h264 codec achieves this by changing the bit rate of the video. It is widely acclaimed as being a superior form of compressin and in fact is used by television stations > much of the HD TV you see has been compressed by this codec (did you know the word codec is short for compression and decompression)

DVD FAB allows you to alter the bitrate here between a certain range giving you some control over the finished size of the processed movie. So what you end up with is a compressed video and original audio so your file size can drop to around 8 - 12 gig for an excellant quality blu ray rip.

Hope this is of help to you. I have been playing around with this for quite some time now as I rip all my BD's and save on a NAS for playback through a WDTV Live networked media player.

[unclebubbies]

Thanks Garry,
So with "remux" you compress the audio and it won't be the DTSMA or Dolbytruhd. But with "264audiocopy" the video portion is compressed but the audio is left intact. Right? I understand that. Now if you or someone could give a description for the other 8 or so profiles that we can use with the ripper. That's really what I've been inquiring about. It's like buying a new television with all kinds of different options but not knowing what the different options do? Somewhere there should be an explanation on what profiles like "remux" or 264audiocopy or all the others can do and why it's best to use this profile for this type of movie rip or use some other profile for another type of movie rip?

[Garry E]

No mate. Perhaps I was too longwinded in my explanation

Remux gives you an EXACT copy of the original AUDIO & Video. It just discards the audio tracks and video that you don't want.

Try it and you will see. If you have plenty of harddrive space you may decide its the best option.

From what you say about your setup you are probably best to stick to one of these two options. I know there are a lot of other profiles but I think you will find that they refer to shrinking the movie down to watch on Ipods and Iphones etc though why anyone would want to do that is beyond me > I think we are going to end up with a generation wearing Coke Bottle glasse by the time they are 40!

There is also an option there for MP4 conversion I'm pretty sure and this (someone correct me if I'm wrong) is used by people wanting to play back through a PS3. Apparently Ps3 won't handle DTS.

[unclebubbies]

Oh ok I got you now. I'll stay with the 264audiocopy. It has worked great for me in both picture and Hd audio. Every time i try to rip a blu ray that is pcm audio I try to get one of the different profiles to rip and keep the hd audio. But it has been futile and never works. That's one of the main reasons I've been asking for a descriptive menu to understand the different types of profiles. I also agree with you that I do not understand who would want to watch a hd movie in the palm of your hand. Without the awesome sound that comes with the master audio. What a waste. Not to mention the picture that comes from watching on a 50" screen or more! Different strokes for different folks!

[maineman]

...
I'll stay with the 264audiocopy. It has worked great for me in both picture and Hd audio.

Hey unc, good move since it's been working well for you.

I use mkv.h264.audiocopy as well.
I find my sweet spot with BD ---> mkv is approx 15,000 kbps.
Looks fantastic when viewed on a 1080p HDTV.
I don't "see" any degradation in video quality at all.

This also results in a signficant increase in storage capacity.
For eg., True Grit (main movie...uncompressed) runs ~ 27 GB.
My resultant file size is ~12GB with the mkv conversion.

I used to think I had unlimited space with 10 TB of storage between my Mediasonic HF2 and my AIOS, but man, my hdds fill up fast with BD's!

So, how do you like your AIOS?
I'm loving mine...so far it'll play anything I throw at it.
It also offers a lot of options for the user, especially for under a $100 US

[Garry E]

I have just read back through your posts and it seems this PCM thing is bit of an issue for you. Are you saying that MKV audio copy works OK for PCM or no.

To be honest I don't think I have ever tried to rip PCM. Would I be right in assuming that this is the only audio track available on some of the movies you are ripping. Are they Blu Rays or DVD. I would have thought anything out on Blu Ray would have at least had Dolby 5.1 soundtracks. I always look for DTS or DTS MA personally when I'm buying.

You are right about the profiles > I have often thought along the same lines that it would be good to have some sort of a guide as to there intended purpose. Having said that I have generally found plenty of good advice available if you are specific in the questions you throw up to the forums.

It's all a big learning curve and the more you dig the more you learn hey

[unclebubbies]

Yes Garry the issue that brought me to start this thread has been trying to rip a bluray that has pcm audio to a mkv file. Dvdfab does not support this from my experience. There are a number of early blu ray movies that have hd pcm audio tracks. For instance: A Few Good Men, Into the Blue, Absence of Malice, Gone in 60 Seconds (Cage Version). Dvdfab will not rip them to MKV. Absence of Malice has a 2 channel pcm. Fab ripped it and made it mono. So I started this thread to see if any of the other available profiles could rip movies with pcm audio and lower the GB rate like Maineman and so many of us are doing to save space on our hdd. The only way I have been able to get the exact audio option for a movie with pcm hd audio is to burn a copy. Just looking for an alternative using the dvdfab rip program to no avail. Thanks for all your help and guidance. I do wish that DvdFab would have a more detailed description as to what each profile does and works best for each option in DVDFabluray ripper.
Maineman...Yes I do really like my Aios. It works great! Only had an issue with 1 or 2 movies that I ripped to MKV using Dvdfab. DR. Strangelove(blu-ray) was the one that comes to mind. I put my copy on my hd and then used Dvdfab to rip it to MKV. Then tranfered it to my WD portable hd and connected it to the Aios. Aios then told me that it does not support this format. I then took the full disc from my hdd and transfered it and the Aios played the movie with no problem. Weird? This happened one other time but I cannot remember the title. Other than that i have been quite pleased with the Aios! I would recommend it to everyone!

[Garry E]

You have really caught my interest with this > I like a challenge. I am supprised Fab doesn't at least handle PCM stereo as it is present on so many DVD's and BD.

I am going to have to give it a go over the weekend. I just did a quick google for converting 5.1 PCM to DTS and there were quite a few hits but I haven't had a look at them yet as the firewall at work is blocking them. Have to wait till I get home.

I have used software (freeware) other than FAB for ripping Blu Ray but I'd have to say it's more for the enthusiast (geek if you like) and I'm sure there would be a way around your problem.

If I come up with anything I'll let you know. Cheers