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"Uncle" ScubaPete's Last Ditch Suggestions to work through a hard-to-rip DVD"

I have just finished battling "The Scorpion King" . After trying to rip the first disc for some time, I finally took it back for an exchange as defective. I fared no better with the replacement - What to do ? Finally, I borrowed a copy from a mate's in a different province and it ripped right through. The bottom line, it was a bad batch from the Mfgr. So now I've compiled several "tricks" and things you can try before changing discs - Hopefully, one of them will work for you, at different times, they've worked for me. :)

Let's begin by assuming you've tried your favorite recipe to rip and encode without success. Hopefully you're running AnyDVD as a "Behind-the-scenes" ripper, if not, let's give it a "go" -

Here is a 21-day FREE trial: Free AnyDVD trial from Slysoft

No luck there ? Then let's continue on . . . .

First, let's start by Fine-Tuning DVD Decrypter. Let's take a moment to fine-tune your DVD Decrypter's settings. First, it should be version 3.5.4.0. Go to "Tools", "Settings", set everything to "Default". Then in the "General" tab change, "Removal Method" from "Normal" to "Aggressive", in "File Mode", "tick" Remove IFO/BUP PUO's." For ripping in the "ISO, Read Mode", "tick" "Remove IFO/BUP PUO's" there also. in the "CSS" tab, under "CSS Cracking Method", choose "Brute Force ~> I/O Key Exchange" and "On Failure" choose "Yes". . IMPORTANT: In the "I / O" tab, in the bottom right, "tick" the box which says, "Ignore read errors". This helps with some Mfgr defective discs and it is an excellent setting for dealing with lightly scratched discs which may cause reading problems. We're now finished with our settings here so click "OK." There's no reason to change these settings. DVDD is good ripper right out of the box, all we did is to give it some "teeth." (Lol :)

Under "Mode" we have a choice of either File or ISO Read to rip our DVD. For problematic DVD's I suggest ripping in the "File" MODE - IMPORTANT: Remake a folder and name it VIDEO_TS (just like that, case sensitive) to put your ripped files in. If you are ripping a multi-angled DVD OR an episodel disc I suggest ripping in the ISO MODE as that will copy every nuance of a DVD making an absolutely perfect copy. Now, go rip your happy heart out - :)

If you have never used DVDD before, take it out for a "spin" around the block, Check under the hood, Kick the tires and climb inside and smell that "New DVD Decrypter" "smell". Go home, talk it over with the wife and, if you feel in the morning the way you do now, come back and I'll put you behind the wheel of a Brand new DVD Decrypter at a price so low, you'll think it was free. Huuummm, come to think about it, it is FREE - Well, What are you waiting for ?

Remember to stop back and tell me how you feel about it once you've put some "mileage" on it -

OK, if you need the newest (fasfrank note: This is the final version, Development of Decrypter has ended) copy (released March 21st 2005. Here it is - Download DVD Decrypter 3.5.4.0

Upon some occasions I've gotten an error when attempting to rip in the "File" MODE - I have had a bit of luck clicking "Retry" - sometimes on a "Bear" of a disc you may have to hit "Retry" as many as 15 or 20 times to work it through a tough track. Other times, when it doesn't seem to be going anywhere, you can try to hit "Cancel" and change the ripping MODE to ISO "Read". Changing the type of rip has progressed when the "File" MODE has not. Ripping in the ISO Mode shouldn't scare you if you haven't ever done it - When the rip is complete, open a program like DVD Shrink and go to "File", then "Open disc image". You may have to lQQk for the place to acquire your ISO image when using different programs. Here are some extra "Tricks" for your "Hard to rip" DVD's -

  1. This is a bit "wacky" BUT it has worked for some pple. Rebooting your PC (cleaning out all the memory) allows some discs to be seen better - As I said, it can't hurt and it's worth a try -
  2. Begin by playing your DVD with your PC's player. Play the main feature for two or three minutes then open DVD Shrink, DVD X Copy or your weapon of choice. - As soon as you begin your rip turn off your player so it doesn't interfere with your analyzing. The playing beforehand is only so that your ripping program can "Find" your DVD.
  3. Here's a good fix. Compress your DVD to somewhere around 4.3GB instead of the recommended 4360MB. I.e., Go into DVD Shrink, "Edit", "Preferences" then set the "DVD Target Size" to "Custom" and enter 4300MB as the size. Reducing the amount of Data to be burned it keeps your burning away from the disc's edges where the dye on poor quality DVD discs tends to be uneven and may even be brittle and flaking. Nero, DVD2One and most good burning applications will allow you to set the, "DVD Target size".
  4. You may reduce the number of errors and "artifacts" (the "freezing", " skipping", pixelations and other picture abnormalities) when burning poor media by burning at a reduced speed. It has been my experience that burning at 2.4X will succeed where faster burns will not. Don't be surprised if you have to burn at 1X. Some discs you're lucky to have it burn DVD Video at all. It will take longer but what the heck, you're saving money with those "Cheap" discs, who cares about time when you're saving $$$$ (Lol). Since you're compressing more it might be wise to burn just the movie, the less you burn the better the quality soooo, movie only, please.
  5. The "Magic cleaning" technique: Try cleaning your DVD discs. Yea, I know they're new and clean but do it anyway. Do it a few seconds before inserting it into your DVD tray, use a disc cleaner, eyeglass cleaning solution or 99% Isopropyl Alcohol and a soft cotton cloth and rub-a-dub, dub. As soon as you're finished, "Pop" it into your DVD tray and fire up your program. You would be surprised how many times your disc is now "seen" and works like a "Bad Dog". :-)

NOW, if all of these fail I would put it down to a bad disc OR Mfgr error and return the disc for a replacement one. It may even be a regional problem affecting an entire batch. Though rare it has happened and should be considered. If this is so, buying a disc from another area OR, probably easier, wait some little time and exchange it again trying for a different batch.

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