[Frameworks] CAPTURING DVD

[Dave Tetzlaff]

> Most of the DVDs I've come across aren't copy protected, but it's still a two step process. Handbrake, which is freeware will rip the NTSC DVD to a mpeg 4 format, then I use mpeg streamclip to make a mov file. With PAL DVD you can rip it with just mpeg streamclip.

That's a poor workflow. The mpeg4 from Handbrake is too compressed, and will degrade the image. MPEG Streamclip will open an unencrypted DVD directly. You can just de-mux it into elementary streams that won't change the data at all, just make it usable by (certain) other programs. Or you can output a combined mpeg2 A/V file that leaves the video unchanged but converts the audio from AC3 to mpeg. Or if you're going to edit the content in an NLE, you can convert direct from the DVD files to any Quicktime codec installed on your computer. DV's a good general purpose codec for SD. On a Mac that has any 'Pro Apps' installed, you can go with ProRes422 LT if you want higher quality, but in most cases from DVD source you're unlikely to notice a difference in the vast majority of footage.