Just went through your description of how to convert VOB or Mpeg files to AVI files,
and unfortunately after following all your instructions you posted on FAQ[Q10} about this subject, it didn't work, not even close

Firstly- you say unzip Panasonic DV and once unzipped choose/select the .INF file!
It doesn't exist

Second- When unzipped Virtdub, it Doesn't have a .exe file to select.(got around this by choosing another file that looked more along the lines of what should be opened to gain access)

Thirdly- When i went on to choose file>open video file, from the top menu, i cannot select my Mpeg or VOB file because even though I moved it to my harddrive as you suggested,
when I open the actual folder labeled 'Video TS" (which I'm taking holds the mpeg files inside, it shows the folder is empty. another words, i can't import them in to virtdub to convert

So basically unless theirs something I'm missing, your explanation of Q10 in FAQ,
simply doesn't work.


Can you please let me know whats wrong, it would be much appreciated

I have just downloaded both the Panasonic DV Codec and VirtualDubMod and both the files I mention are contained within the zip archive. I suggest that you change your settings in Windows Explorer to view extension types for known types and view system files. If you can't see the INF file, you can't install the DV codec.

When opening up the vob files, I suggest you change the file type to "All types".

The guide has worked for thousands of people...

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Virtualdub seems to have worked fine,
Panosonic DV Codec only shows me 3 files when i open it.

1/ pdvcodec .dll
2/ free-codecs
and 3/ PANADV, which is the only file allowing me the option to install it.

Virtdub still doesn't allow me to pull in the vob, mpeg 2 (what ever the TS folder stands for)
even though i have made sure it's set to 'All files"

Also i don't understand how to change the settings in Windows Explorer to view extension types for known types and view system files.

Hence i can't find the INF file.

Please post me a short description on how to do this, for i really need to get this up and going.

Thanks for you time, and appreciated in advance

1) Start > My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View
2) Check show hidden files and folders
3) Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
4) Untick hide protected operating system files

a) Is this a commercial DVD?
b) Have you ripped the DVD to your HDD?

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This particular 'Video TS' file is not a commercial DVD. Its one of my own movie making effort. I need to retrieve some of the projects on it for a Show Reel i am currently making.

But i still want to know (once i can get this going) whether or not i can do it to a commercial DVD?

I was told by a fellow editor, that a good showing for a show reel is to re-make a Trailer from a movie using some actual footage taken out of the movie chosen, but keeping the original sound track.
Obviously being it would be virtually impossible to make my own sound track to any high standard.

I'll go and have another go at this and let you know where I'm at!

Thanks

O.k now Ive got the correct file names showing, everythings installed- i think BUT

1/ when i open the video TS folder, it shows roughly 8 different VOB files, do i choose the largest one as my import choice? Is it normal to show so many files for one DVD?

and 2/ when i press ok to import the VOB into virtualdub- this message is now coming up

MPEG Import filter: invalid pack at position 3:
marker bit not set; possibly MPEG-2 stream


What the hell does that mean aaaaaaahahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

I'm certainly no professional, but using holywood films as your reel sounds a tad mickey mouse to me. It does rather suggest a lack of your own work.

That aside, a commercial DVD will be encrypted and you will need to descrpyt the VOB files. Note that this is not legal and the most well known free software DVDdecryter is no longer being distributed.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourc...&q=DVDdecryter+

DVDs are made up of a series of VOB files not exceeding 1GB. You will need to convert them all.

Are you using VirtualDubMod and not VitualDub? VirtualDUb does not support MPEG, VirtualDubMod does...

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Alrighty, thanks for your help.

The problem was that i was using virtualdub and not virtualdubmod as i should have been.

Oh and with the statement in regards to it sounding strange editing other movies trailers-
The bloke that requested to do this, is actually a editor in New York who has moved their to work in a multi million dollar production company from Melbourne Australia,
He also writes columns monthly for one of the biggest Australia's editing magazines

So thats why i felt it best to follow his lead.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated

As I say, I just do all this for fun. But sometimes it's good to have a different perspective on things: if I were shown two show reels, one consisting of original work and one consisting of other people's I know which one I'd chose.

Interviews / CVs have bugger all to do with what you know about the business you're in. Getting a job is all about selling yourself, and it's my personal opinion that using commercial stuff would be selling yourself short. Can you really do better than what's already been done with the material available? That's essentially your benchmark. The more famous the movie, the greater you end product has to be.

After redundancy at one employer I was sent on a one week course on how to get the job you want. Trust me the guy that was conducting the seminars had no idea about the world of finance (my industry). Just as I have no idea about the movie industry. As I say, he may be the most experienced, qualified and skilled editor, but that doesn't mean to say he knows what makes people want YOU to be their editor.

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The show reel i have created and most would if putting in a Trailer, would be of mixed projects.
Their own stuff and also maybe lets say- Trailers been re-made.

Sometimes a lot of editors are discredited when someone see their work, because of the actual quality of the footage they have used, coming from a cheap camera as apposed to using multi million dollar equipment to capture the clips as lets say Hollywood does, and editing that.

Doing a trailer from their footage captured is just away of making the person watching it stop looking at the actual footage and start looking at how it was edited.

To answer what you said about the trailers being good enough why edit them(along those lines)
Half the trailers made for these big productions are total junk

Take a movie called Wolf Creek (don't know if that movie was big over there)
but it simply had some of the best cinematography your's ever going to see of the Australian outback, some of the best shots I've ever seen in movie making alround actually

HOWEVER, when they put some of the trailers together for this movie, in my opinion
(and it is only my opinion)
for all the footage they could have chosen to use/to entice people to come watch this film, they seemed to compile only the craap of it, and use that
(I'm not saying there's not plenty worst jobs done on trailers than wolf creek, but that's just one that comes straight to mind)

If given good footage to work with, i think i could do better than half those production companies when it come to at least making their trailers for them.

so end conclusion, - if you do re-do a trailer, and it turns out better than the original which they pay separate companies big dollars for, then i think a perspective employee will stop and take notice

Anyway all that aside, thanks for all your help, it's much appreciated
All knowledge is good knowledge, so what you've said is well taken on board, thanks