Converting Dvd's For Use On Bold
 

Hey all

Had a few questions about converting dvd's to 3gp format for use on my bold...

- First of all can anyone here recommend a solid freeware dvd to 3gp converter?
Preferrably one that isnt troubled by copyright or regional blocks.
Also one that can convert to screen size 480 x 320 specifically with the Bold in mind to view full screen.

- Second does anyone know what the best bitrate for audio and visual is that i should be using so that the video is displayed at the maximum operating capacity for the Bold screen and sound capabilities?

Thanks in advance

Google: Free dvd Ripper

Rip DVD to AVI

Use ROXIO in BB Desktop 4.6 to import and convert for best playback.

I've tried many other methods and nearly all give either stutter or are out of synch audio/vis

This works for me.

Excellent

What is the quality like when doing this though?

I would like to be able to view them in the same quality as the factory loaded videos if possible.

Also i have found a whole heap of video conversion software that will convert directly to psp or iPhone format. Are the file types the same as the Berry?

The media player on the Bold seems a little touchy with different files and formats i've noticed

Thanks for the swift reply

there are many ways to skin this cat - if you search the forums, you'll get lots of recommendations and I'm sure they're all very good.

Personally I use DVD Decrypter (free) to rip the DVD to a .IFO file. Then I use Videora for iPhone (the iPhone has the same resolution as the Bold) to rip. Videora is free too.

Herre is the relevant Videora page:
Videora iPhone 3G Converter - Free iPhone 3G Video Converter

...and this page explains how to rip a DVD to a single .IFO file using DVD Decrypter:

DVD to iPhone Video Converter Guide

I've used the highest quality 2 pass H.264 setting - and have been very impressed by the quality on my Bold. Have had no sync issues. A Movie will typically be 500MB to 700MB in this format.

I have just got a hold of "Magic Dvd Ripper" and am trying a direct convert to iPhone file

This is the info its given me to what it is coding:

Profile "iPhone".

Video type : MP4
Frame rate : Original
Volume : Original

Resolution : 480X272 (Wide Screen)
: 424X320 (Full Screen)

Video Codec : MPEG4
Video Bitrate : 800 Kbps
Audio Codec : AAC
Audio Bitrate : 80 Kbps


Hopefully this will be an easy alternative otherwise i will try out the above method.

It's coding a .83gig file so that sounds about the right size from what you mentioned

I'll try those too. Always willing to see if something is better :)

DVD Decrypter seems very good - it rips the IFO file in about 3 to 5 min - which impressed me!

Videora takes quite a bit longer - when I set it on the 2 pass setting (which means its doing it twice to get best quality) it can take 30 or 40 minutes to convert.

I have tried handbrake (I rip to my Itouch). It seems pretty good. I have a mac, but I think they have a PC version that outputs to a bunch of different formats.

i have had success with Xvid4PSP from http://www.winnydows.com/
use the mp4 iPhone or Touch preset, with x264 HQ ultra encoding.
i get crisp, clear mp4, correct resolution, BB has no problems playing em.

Does it work straight from DVD or is there a need to rip?

I'm going to try the matrix when my 8GB card turns up - that should give a good test with all the blacks etc.

ive only used it to convert existing avi files, but it does have a dvd option.
worst case you could rip the video_ts folder off the dvd using dvd decryptor, and use that as source files

Found it! As I already use clone dvd I went to slysoft's site to find they now do clone dvd mobile - rips straight to phone! Select 2 pass out of 3 and set screen size to zoom in and fill screen. Am doing matrix now will report back once I've had chance to fully test it out. Seems a good package though as it is based on mencoder which blackberry seems to like and is simple 3 or 4 click to get processing.

No settings for the BOLD boooooo. IPHONE code does not work and BB 8800 resolution looks rubbish. :( very dissapointed. Will e-mail them to sort it out.

Audio did not work for me at all on your advice above, have you missed something out?

Ahhhh sussed it, online instructions say to tick top box but you need to tick top 2 boxes :)

Still can't crop to fill the screen that you can with slysoft but have had an e-mail response, hopefully they'll look at it as no need for the rip to HD stage.

I tried Magic DVD Ripper today with the movie Doomsday, worked like a charm. Ripped straight from the DVD into the proper format. Full use demo is available.

Can you post the audio and video settings that this software used to rip and convert the video for the Bold? I use Handbrake on the Mac, and although I don't have a Bold to test (still waiting on AT&T), I wanted to see about getting some videos ready.

Thanks.

I used the settings that Altadr mentions in his posting above. It is the setting for the iPod Touch.

Excellent. Thanks for that. My Curve chokes on iPhone/iPod Touch video, but I had hopes that the Bold would be able to handle it.

Well I have manged to get DVD's to BB pretty easily now but my next aim is to remove the black bars top and bottom on widescreen movies. ie crop of the sides of the film to zoom in. Slysoft can do this but not on BB settings only iphone settings which don't play properly. Trying a program called AVS at the moment which allows a certain amount of playing around with.