“The time has come…to talk of many [technologies].” –Lewis Carroll(‘The Walrus and the Carpenter’)
Archive for April, 2007
Step 2(a): Converting DVD Format(VOB) to AVI(DivX/XviD) Format Using #1 DVD Ripper
6#1 DVD Ripper is an extremely easy to use application that converts the movie DVDs to AVI/XviD format. Just open the folder where the ripped DVD movie files are stored in #1 DVD Ripper, and it loads all the tracks available in the DVD folder, with the main track(the longest one) selected for conversion by default. More tracks can be selected by checking their respective checkboxes; the subtitles can also be selected for each track(if available) from the dropdown box at the bottom of the window. Optionally, change the destination folder where the converted AVI files should be stored and start the conversion process. Default settings will be used in the conversion process(like XviD codec is used) but they can be changed from the Preferences window(DivX codec, audio and video bit rates etc). The application can also shut the system down once it completes all the conversion jobs(more than one DVD movie folder can be added before starting the conversion process). It names the generated files based on the name of the drive where the AVI files are stored, so I have to rename all the files after the conversion process is completed, a minor annoyance which might have a better solution that I don’t know of.
Here is procedure to convert a DVD movie to compressed AVI/XviD format:
- Start #1 DVD Ripper from the Start Menu. The main window looks like this. The toolbar icons allow the source and destination folders to be selected and settings to be changed.
- Click “Open DVD from a Folder” button on the toolbar and “Browse for Folder” dialog box will be shown. Browse to the folder where ripped files from the DVD are stored and select OK.
- All the available tracks in the DVD files will be shown in the main window with the longest track selected by default. Select any more additional tracks and also choose if any subtitles should be added to those tracks from the drop-down box at the bottom of the window(subtitles need to be selected individually for each track, where ever available). More settings can be changed before starting the conversion process from the Settings window. Click the “Settings” button on the toolbar and browse through all the tabs to see if some setting needs to be changed. Changing the audio and video bitrates, video resolution, codec for encoding process, output folder, shutdown option once the conversion process is complete etc are some of the settings that can be changed.
- All set, just click the “Start” button to start the conversion process. Preview of the track being converted will be shown along with a lot of other data . The title bar indicates what percentage of the conversion task has been completed.
A typical 90mins movie on a typical computer hardware might take around 6 hrs for the conversion process to complete. Browse to the destination folder to find the generated AVI files. According to the selected settings, and the size of the original DVD movie, the generated AVI file should be in the range of 800MB to 1.4GB in size.
The biggest plus point of #1 DVD Ripper is that it is very easy to use. It costs money but if you want to convert all the DVDs that you own into a format suitable for storing on hard disk with minimal effort, then it is a decent application. The most popular Free application that does a similar job, with lot more options that can be configured, but which takes a little bit more work is AutoGK. It’s a very versatile software and I will write about it in a later post.
Step 1: Ripping Movie DVDs to the Hard Disk(VOB format)
2I am using DVDDecrypter as an example ripping tool in the following steps. It is a small download(less than 1MB), runs efficiently, is totally free of cost and supports many encryption keys. Any other ripping software should also serve the needs equally well.
- DVDDecrypter should automatically start and show the available tracks/files that can be ripped as soon as the movie DVD is inserted into the DVD drive. If not, open it manually from the Start menu.
- The hard disk partition that has maximum free space available will be automatically selected as the destination for the ripped files. You can change it by clicking the yellow folder icon(“Browse for a folder”) and selecting a destination location.
- By default, all the tracks will be selected to be ripped. Un-select the files that you don’t want to rip. To start the ripping process, click the “Decrypt” button.
The entire DVD structure should be available in the destination folder at the end of the ripping process. The ripping process is generally fast enough on a decent computer(roughly 5-12 mins). There are plenty of other free and commercial DVD ripping software available, so just google for them to try and find out which suits your taste the best.
This is a simple enough procedure. Real options start to emerge while compressing the ripped movie files. The best destination format for compression in my opinion is AVI/XviD as it can be played on a lot of platforms and it is also easy to convert to other formats recognised by today’s popular handheld devices(iPod, N800, PSP etc). Topic for the next post!
Google Does It Again – Another Elaborate April Fool Scheme(TiSP)
4I just woke up from the bed, got connected to the Internet and tried to search something on google, and what I find on the home page is a link announcing free 8MBPS broadband connection to all, absolutely FREE! Google known for many such elaborate pranks, doesn’t leave anything behind this time either and there is a full page dedicated to how this WiFi enabled free broadband connection(called TiSP) works. There is a Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) page too!
Welcome to Google TiSP
You can also choose to request our professional installation service, which dispatches an army of factory-trained, sub-contracted nanobots from the TiSP Access Node. The nanobots travel with exhilarating nano-speed through the sewer system and into your home to perform the installation service, which should be complete within 15 minutes.
More on How TiSP Works
Does my water company support TiSP?
TiSP was developed with the support and assistance of a large number of major metropolitan water companies. A full list of companies that support TiSP is available here. If yours isn’t listed, please contact them to verify their ongoing and unstinting support before you even think about signing up for TiSP service.
More FAQ
“I couldn’t be more excited about, and am only slightly grossed out by, this remarkable new product,” said Marissa Mayer, Google’s Vice President of Search Products and User Experience. “I firmly believe TiSP will be a breakthrough product, particularly for those users who, like Larry himself, do much of their best thinking in the bathroom.”
More about the Press Release
PS: On the earlier occasions, Google had even some of the sharpest minds to think for a moment or two before realising that they are being taken for a ride. This time it is totally clear that Google is playing a prank, but still going through all the work they have put into creating the TiSP concept is enjoyable.
So enjoy!
Update: I just logged in into the GMail service and its home page announces a new service, too – GMail Paper, using which, the users can request for physical copies of their emails! Don’t be worried with so much of paper being used to print the emails, Google has the answer:
But what about the environment?
Not a problem. Gmail Paper is made out of 96% post-consumer organic soybean sputum, and thus, actually helps the environment. For every Gmail Paper we produce, the environment gets incrementally healthier.
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