.VOB Passthrough to .AVI or .MKV

[Bigford352]

Hello all I have just finished puting all my dvd's on my HDD using dvdfab and the .VOB passthrough option (one .VOB file) and am now having trouble on my WDTV Live player with a few of them. I contacted WD and they told me it was probably in the .VOB file itself on a few of them?? so I was going to try re-encode some of them to see what happens. My question is if i do decide to re-encode all my movies can I do it from the 200+ .VOB files I allready have or should I start over and rip the VIDEO_TS to my HDD?
Also I would like to know (I have read alot on here about video quality and know everyone is differant) if there is a differance in quality between the containers (.AVI,.MKV,.MP4) or is it just all the codec used (h.264,XVID).
I did the movie 2012 in a .Avi with XVID and 1500 bitrate and wile the movie looks "OK" on my 50in Samsung plasma there was still noticeable compression artifacts on darker parts of the screen and some fast paced parts of the movie. Will say H.264 take care of that?? Thanks for all your help

[AGJ]

you can use the vob files you already have on the computer but what you can try is an ISO file as the WDTV can play ISO files as well. The vob passthrough is basically the main movie all in one VOB. Well you can convert the VOB files you already have to ISO main movie and play them in the WDTV.

Give it a try with one of the VOB files you already have to test the conversion and playback to see if it is satisfactory for you. As for the rest of your post I will let someone else answer as I not really know what to say for it

[GregiBoy]

As AGJ alluded to, I understand that the WDTV only supports a "Main Movie" ISO without all the menus, etc.

[Bigford352]

The thing I dont understand is if the wdtv will play most of my .VOB files why will some not (2 so far cars and finding nemo) the wdtv will play them but freeze in the same spot every time (i think its where the original .VOB files split) i know the files are good cuz they play in my PS3 with no problem??
Are there diffrent codecs or other in diffrent .VOB files?? its odd to me

[AGJ]

It a WDTV issue and they not really that nice to tell you but if you was to post on the WDTV forum you would be told that also since the PS3 will play them it not a DVDFab issue but actually a WDTV issue so can not really help with it. I do know main movie to ISO will work in the WDTV so give that a try or not it up to you

[Bigford352]

Sorry for the second post My main priority is trying to put all my movies to one single file that bolth WDTV Live and PS3 will play without transcoding them and as little loss in quality ag possible thats why I went the .VOB way. but aperrently WDTV Live don't like some .VOB files. So what would say is the best way .AVI .MP4 I know the PS3 wont do ISO or .MKV and the .AVI setting I used in the first post was "OK" but still had some loss in quality (enough to see and bug me)? thanks so mutch

[AGJ]

Well I not have the PS3 or the WDTV so not really sure what to tell you but I am sure other members on the forum here will know and post once they read the thread

[Bigford352]

Well I not have the PS3 or the WDTV so not really sure what to tell you but I am sure other members on the forum here will know and post once they read the thread

Thank you so much for your help

[GregiBoy]

Try using the generic.avi.h264.audiocopy profile and set the resolution at 720 x XXX (PAL) or 704 x XXX (NTSC) or as close as you can. I am pretty sure that this will work on both devices.

Then, as a test, encode only a chapter or two of your favourite test movie changing the bitrate. Start at 1100 and then try it at say 500 increments up from this.

Then, play the original and each of your tests and see which you regard as acceptable.

As has been said many times before, this appraisal is VERY subjective, so you have to find what YOU are happy with.

[Michael-San]

I think, thats not what he was looking for. As far as i did understand him, he wants a real 1:1 recode, preserving the original Resolution, Aspect Ratio and Audio-Track.

[AGJ]

Michael-San this the DVDFab forum and mentioning other programs is not allowed so if you can suggest something to try using DVDFab then do that if you can not then do not post to try or use other programs