RE: HOW TO: Convert DVDs and Videos for use with Droid

[jamestort]

Dvdcatalyst... Thanks again for putting together a great piece of software. I have turned a bunch of friends on to it. So I am having a problem on several movies that I have got from friends or downloaded.
The problem is some of the video files I have run through the catalyst to convert to Mp4's have been having video problems. Though the video is not playing on my Droid. All the audio has worked. The weird thing is that it does not happen with every one of them.
Its been 1 out of 3. not sure if you have ran across or not.
thanks for any help

 

[dvdcatalyst]

Dvdcatalyst... Thanks again for putting together a great piece of software. I have turned a bunch of friends on to it. So I am having a problem on several movies that I have got from friends or downloaded.
The problem is some of the video files I have run through the catalyst to convert to Mp4's have been having video problems. Though the video is not playing on my Droid. All the audio has worked. The weird thing is that it does not happen with every one of them.
Its been 1 out of 3. not sure if you have ran across or not.
thanks for any help

Thank you James,

As for your issue, I'm not sure. Some people have reported some playback issues in regards of the Droid HQ profile, even though the HQ2 profile works just fine. The only difference between those 2 profiles is the bitrate (kbps)

Other people have mentioned issues with video playback in general (not tied to dvdcatalyst) when using certain roms or overclocked Droids.

The first thing to do if you have playback issues is to try and play the files on your computer (preferably Quicktime due to it's pickyness) If they play fine there, and not on the Droid, try a battery-pull and see if that helps. If that still does not help, try different settings, or try a small clip using the same movie and same settings.

If you have Quicktime installed, open a file that works, and click on Window > Movie Inspector, and compare the information there with a file that does not work. That might help as well.

 

[jamestort]

Dvdcatalyst... Thanks again for putting together a great piece of software. I have turned a bunch of friends on to it. So I am having a problem on several movies that I have got from friends or downloaded.
The problem is some of the video files I have run through the catalyst to convert to Mp4's have been having video problems. Though the video is not playing on my Droid. All the audio has worked. The weird thing is that it does not happen with every one of them.
Its been 1 out of 3. not sure if you have ran across or not.
thanks for any help

Thank you James,

As for your issue, I'm not sure. Some people have reported some playback issues in regards of the Droid HQ profile, even though the HQ2 profile works just fine. The only difference between those 2 profiles is the bitrate (kbps)

Other people have mentioned issues with video playback in general (not tied to dvdcatalyst) when using certain roms or overclocked Droids.

The first thing to do if you have playback issues is to try and play the files on your computer (preferably Quicktime due to it's pickyness) If they play fine there, and not on the Droid, try a battery-pull and see if that helps. If that still does not help, try different settings, or try a small clip using the same movie and same settings.

If you have Quicktime installed, open a file that works, and click on Window > Movie Inspector, and compare the information there with a file that does not work. That might help as well.

Yea I think it is the HQ profile but I am not 100%... but it looks like it

 

[dvdcatalyst]

Yea I think it is the HQ profile but I am not 100%... but it looks like it

If not, maybe have a look and see what originals are actually causing the problem. While DVD Catalyst can handle just about any video file format (dvd, divx, xvid, mkv, ts, mt2s etc) its possible certain source files are giving you issues. The 1 in 3 is a bit vague, but if you can let me know what files/types is not working properly, I might be able to help.

 

[solar]

I'm trying out DVDcatalyst free for the moment and plan to get the full version shortly, but the issue i'm having with the free version is that it duplicates the movie on conversion. So, that at the end of conversion when it ejects the disc, I get a file size of 1.5Gb that contains 2 copies of the movie, back to back. I'm using Lost In Translation. Before I begin the conversion it shows multiple files for creation, but only one is checked. I'm assuming the others are extras and such that the software is picking up since the run time on thos is not movie lenght?

 

[dvdcatalyst]

I'm trying out DVDcatalyst free for the moment and plan to get the full version shortly, but the issue i'm having with the free version is that it duplicates the movie on conversion. So, that at the end of conversion when it ejects the disc, I get a file size of 1.5Gb that contains 2 copies of the movie, back to back. I'm using Lost In Translation. Before I begin the conversion it shows multiple files for creation, but only one is checked. I'm assuming the others are extras and such that the software is picking up since the run time on thos is not movie lenght?

DVD Catalyst Free converts DVD tracks as they are found on the DVD. Very few DVDs, (one I know of is Can't Buy me Love for example) do not actually stop playing the movie (or do not report the end of the movie to the player/converter) which results in a conversion that continues. DVD Catalyst 3 has a failsafe on that, but because it is a rare issue, DVD Catalyst Free has not received that treatment.

 

[solar]

DVD Catalyst Free converts DVD tracks as they are found on the DVD. Very few DVDs, (one I know of is Can't Buy me Love for example) do not actually stop playing the movie (or do not report the end of the movie to the player/converter) which results in a conversion that continues. DVD Catalyst 3 has a failsafe on that, but because it is a rare issue, DVD Catalyst Free has not received that treatment.

OK, good to know the full version will take care of the issue. THen i'l just upgrade and try again. I just wanted to make sure the issue didn't carry over. Thanks for the reply.

 

[dvdcatalyst]

OK, good to know the full version will take care of the issue. THen i'l just upgrade and try again. I just wanted to make sure the issue didn't carry over. Thanks for the reply.

There is a difference between DVD Catalyst Free and DVD Catalyst 3, Free is not a trial version of DVD Catalyst 3. The free one basically just converts DVDs and video files, no more, no less.
DVD Catalyst 3 has all the bells and whistles you can pretty much think of, and new ones are added whenever requested/suggested or when I think of something cool to add.
They are 2 completely different programs, but because DVD Catalyst 3 pays for my food, it is more actively developed.

 

[cotogee]

I'm a noob where can I find DvdCatalyst to download?

 

[dvdcatalyst]

Click on my username on the left once, then click on visit website.

 

[cotogee]

Click on my username on the left once, then click on visit website.

Awesome..Thanks!!! dancedroid

 

[solar]

OK, good to know the full version will take care of the issue. THen i'l just upgrade and try again. I just wanted to make sure the issue didn't carry over. Thanks for the reply.

There is a difference between DVD Catalyst Free and DVD Catalyst 3, Free is not a trial version of DVD Catalyst 3. The free one basically just converts DVDs and video files, no more, no less.
DVD Catalyst 3 has all the bells and whistles you can pretty much think of, and new ones are added whenever requested/suggested or when I think of something cool to add.
They are 2 completely different programs, but because DVD Catalyst 3 pays for my food, it is more actively developed.

OK,well that makes sense then. I wan't sure how the coding was handled for each and if they were different alltogether. Thanks for the clarification and the quick response.

 

[OldguyMark]

Hey DVDCat -
Total newbie to this DVD burning, ripping stuff - so likely a really dumb question -

1. If I buy the DVD downloads from Amazon, rather ordering the hard copy DVD's, can I use your software to make them Droid compatible, or at least convert them to a hard copy DVD, then use your software?

2. Since I pay for the DVD's I assume that it's legal to make whatever personal use copies I want ... I do like to stay legal with this kind of stuff.

Thanks.

 

[dvdcatalyst]

Hey DVDCat -
Total newbie to this DVD burning, ripping stuff - so likely a really dumb question -

1. If I buy the DVD downloads from Amazon, rather ordering the hard copy DVD's, can I use your software to make them Droid compatible, or at least convert them to a hard copy DVD, then use your software?

2. Since I pay for the DVD's I assume that it's legal to make whatever personal use copies I want ... I do like to stay legal with this kind of stuff.

Thanks.

Hi Mark,

1. Nope. these downloads, just like "Digital Copies" or iTunes purchased movies, are protected with some form of DRM that prevents converting them.

2. Converting DVDs is in a grey area, depending on the country you are in, which is why there is no capability in DVD Catalyst to actually clone DVDs. It converts DVDs from one format to another, which always results in some quality loss (this is with ALL conversion tools, regardless of what they use for a sales-pitch.) It is similar as ripping your music CD's to MP3's. As long as you keep them for personal use.

 

[OldguyMark]

Hi Mark,

1. Nope. these downloads, just like "Digital Copies" or iTunes purchased movies, are protected with some form of DRM that prevents converting them.

First - thanks for the quick response, you really are the MAN here with quick responses ... however, I was afraid you'd say that ... ... dang

2. Converting DVDs is in a grey area, depending on the country you are in, which is why there is no capability in DVD Catalyst to actually clone DVDs. It converts DVDs from one format to another, which always results in some quality loss (this is with ALL conversion tools, regardless of what they use for a sales-pitch.) It is similar as ripping your music CD's to MP3's. As long as you keep them for personal use.

Ok cool, I do believe I understand what you mean -
I do believe in paying any artist their due, I also believe that it's OK to make any kind of back up copies or whatever for works you have paid for ... for personal use ... whatever