Combine two DVD's into one

When you want to combine two DVD's onto one disc, but keep the chapters, then try the following steps. I assume the video_ts folders of both DVD's are already available on your harddrive.

In most cases there is no vob file per chapter, but each vob file is filled to its maximum (1GB) and then a new one is created. Sometimes, however, there is a vob file per chapter. In this case, you only need to follow the steps following DVDStyler:

• Download and install DVDShrink (freeware)
• Start DVDShrink and click "Reauthor"
• In the right pane under "dvd browser", navigate to the video_ts folder of the first DVD
• Drag the desired chapters to the left
• In the right pane under "dvd browser", navigate to the video_ts folder of the second DVD
• Drag the desired chapters to the left
• Under File, click "Backup" and save to folder c:\shrink. This set automagically creates a vob file per chapter!
• Download and install DVDStyler (freeware)
• Start DVDStyler and add all .vob files from c:\shrink to the current project. The DVD main- and chapter menu's are created automatically 
• Optionally: add the names of the chapters to the chapter menus
• Burn the project to an iso file or directly to disc

Ofcourse, you can only do this with homemade DVD's or to DVD's you own legally and when local law permits it.

Subtitle Workshop blank screen with Matroska/MKV containing H.264

Scroll down to solution for the workaround to get video in stead of a black screen. Read on for a little bit more background information.

There are five components to video in Windows: container (like avi, mkv), video format (divx, h.264), splitter, decoder, and video player.

Nice post to get started:
http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/02/mkvs-for-minimalists-on-windows-7.html

But the scripts could be more robust. E.g. change the fixed system root "c:\windows" to %systemroot%

SPLITTERS

Haali Media Splitter: http://haali.su/mkv
Note: since december 2009, this contains also the x64 version.

Gabest: hard to get, but is part in some packs.
x32: http://www.hack7mc.com/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=12
x64: http://www.hack7mc.com/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=11

Advice: Haali splitter.

DECODERS

ffdshow (the original, but outdated): http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow/files
ffdshow tryouts: http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow-tryout/files

Get a 64 bits or 32 bit ("generic") in the folder "official releases" or get a more recent nightly build from the folder "SVN builds by clsid".

Advice: a recent 32 bit nightly build.

SPLITTER/DECODER packs

K-Lite Codec Pack: http://www.digital-digest.com/software/K-Lite_Codec_Pack_64-Bit_history.html

Shark007: Install Win7Codecs first (http://www.majorgeeks.com/Win7codecs_d5959.html), then x64Components (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=5535)

Shark's Win7Codecs comes with a tool to select and configure the various splitters and decoders for the various media types (divx/xvid, mpeg2, h264/mpeg4) and containers (avi, mkv).

Install and use the "settings32.exe" application to configure, since most video players are currently still 32 bit (winamp, zoomplayer)

Advice: Shark007 packs

VIDEO PLAYERS

Zoomplayer 5.02 Standard (latest free version), Windows Media Player (build-in, WMP Classic/Guliverkli2 or WMP Classic Home Cinema) and Winamp all work with the system splitters and decoders. VLC Player comes with its own splitters/decoders and does not use the ones installed on the system.

Subtitle Workshop v2.51 does only work with "real" avi containers. The "rename trick", where the mkv extension is changed to avi, will work with most of the video players, but unfortunately not with Subtitle Workshop.

The more recent betas of v4 do work with mkv/h.264 files, but those are not very stable. The splitter has to be Haali, Gabest's does not work - "cannot render media!". It does not matter if the "rename trick" is used. This also applies to Windows Media Player. Gabest also doesn't work with Subtitle Workshop v2.51.

Winamp doesn't really like mkv files; it almost always halts on startup.

Zoomplayer does not work well with video format "Xvid dev 25-Mar-03". You have to use Haali splitter for avi, because Gabest and Microsoft's cause a stack overflow.

Zoomplayer doesn't work with mkv/H.264 when the ffdshow codec is used.

CHECK TOOLS

Tools to check video containers, e.g. get video format or the the processing workflow (splitting, decoding):

GSpot: http://www.headbands.com/gspot

MediaInfo: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mediainfo/files

GraphStudio: http://blog.monogram.sk/janos/2008/12/13/monogram-graphstudio-0310
GraphEdit: http://www.digital-digest.com/software/download.php?sid=82&ssid=0&did=1

SOLUTION

To get the video preview to work in Subtitle Workshop 2.51 with mkv files, that contain the h.264 video format:

• Install both Shark007 packs mentioned above. Check the box to install ffdshow.
• To get the latest ffdshow version working with Shark007 (this step is not necessary):
• In \program files (x86)\win7codecs\filters: regsvr32 /u "ffdshow.ax". Uninstall this older version
• Download most recent 32 bit nightly build mentioned above and install with default settings
• Copy "ffdshow.ax" from the nightly build install folder to the \win7codecs\filters folder
• Start \program files (x86)\win7codecs\tools\settings32.exe
• Click "reset all" to get the recommended configuration. 
• To be sure, check the following settings:
  H264: use ffdshow's codec/ffdshow with multithreading
  MKV: use haali splitter
• Set H264 codec in directshow players to "use ffdshow's codec"
• Finally, install Vobsub 2.23

Notes:

• The final step is very important. You have to install Vobsub (or "vsfilter") as the final step, even if it is already installed. Just install it again. (VobSub is a directshow filter that overlays subtitles)
• Test mkv and avi video formats in Winamp and Zoomplayer. If they fail to start, then uninstall Vobsub 2.23 again. Use the subtitle option from ffdshow to have subtitles in those players. WMPC and VLC have their own subtitle overlay filters.
• The version has to be 2.23, more recent versions will not work. E.g. 2.39 does not work.
• Do not rename the container from .mkv to .avi. Subtitle Workshop 2.51 will load the .mkv extension without problems.

Most recognizable samples

Breakbeats
Al Green - I’m Glad You’re Mine (0:00)
[Eric B. & Rakim - Mahogany, The Notorious B.I.G. - I Got a Story to Tell, RZA - My Lovin' Is Digi]

Bad Bascomb – Black Grass (1:41)
[Doug E. Fresh - Everybody Got 2 Get Some, Monie Love - Monie In The Middle]

Billy Squier – Big Beat (0:00)
[Ice Cube – Jackin’ For Beats, Big Daddy Kane – Get Down, A Tribe Called Quest – We Can Get Down, EPMD – Get Wit This]

Booker T. & The M.G.'s - Born Under A Bad Sign
Booker T. Jones & William Bell - Born Under A Bad Sign

Bobby Byrd - Hot Pants (0:00)
[Sir Mix-a-Lot - One Time's Got No Case, Das EFX - Straight Out the Sewer, Ini Kamoze - Here Comes the Hotstepper, Run-DMC - What's It All About]

Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers - Ashley’s Roach Clip (3:31)
[Eric B. & Rakim – Paid In Full, PM Dawn – Set Adrift On Memory Bliss, Nice & Smooth - Down the Line]

Dexter Wansel – Theme From The Planets (0:00)
[Eric B. & Rakim - I Ain't No Joke, Last Night by Kid 'N Play, Gutfest '89 by Digital Underground]

Donny Hathaway – Magnificent Sanctuary Band (0:00)
[Beastie Boys - Johnny Ryall]

Edwin Birdsong - Rapper Dapper Snapper (0:00)
[De La Soul - Me Myself and I, Gang Starr - Skills]

Fred Wesley and The J.B.'s - More Peas (7:22)
[Organized Konfusion - Fudge Pudge, Cypress Hill - The Phunky Feel One]

Funkadelic – Good Old Music (0:00)
[Young Black Male by 2Pac]

Kool & The Gang – Jungle Jazz (0:13)

Kool & The Gang - N.T.
[Jump by Kris Kross, Fakin' the Funk by Main Source]

Funk Inc. – Kool Is Back (1:48)
[Jeru the Damaja - Come Clean]

Isley Brothers – Footsteps In The Dark

James Brown - Blues and Pants (0:00)
[Ice-T - New Jack Hustler, Cypress Hill - The Phunky Feel One]

James Brown - Funky Drummer (5:35)

James Brown – Funky President (0:00)
Eric B. Is President by Eric B. & Rakim, Hey Ladies by Beastie Boys]

Jeff Beck – Come Dancing (0:00)
[Chino XL - It's All Bad, Gang Starr - New York Strait Talk]

Jimi Hendrix - Flashing (0:00)

Joe Tex – Papa Was Too (0:00)
[EPMD - Headbanger, Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F*** Wit]

Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Hihache (0:00)

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks (0:00)
[Ice-T - Midnight, Eminem - Kim]

Little Feat - Fool Yourself (0:00)
[A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum, Organized Konfusion - Soundman]

Little Richard – The Rill Thing (0:00)

Lowell Fulsom - Tramp (0:00)
[House Of Pain - Jump Around, Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill A Man]

Lyn Collins - Think (About It) (1:23)

Manzel - Midnight Theme (0:00)
[Wreckx-N-Effect - Rump Shaker, Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill A Man]

Mountain - Long Red (Live) (0:00)

Melvin Bliss - Synthetic Substitution (0:00)
[Naughty By Nature - OPP, Ice-T - Original Gangster, The Pharcyde - Ya Mama]

Orange Crush – Action (0:25)
[Do You Want It... Do You Like It... by Puff Daddy, We Major by Kanye West]

Power of Zeus – Sorcerer of Isis (0:10)
[The Wiseguys - Face the Flames, Eminem - Amityville]

Q65 – Get Out Of My Life Woman
[Jeru the Damaja - Revenge of the Prophet (Part 5), The Wiseguys - We Be the Crew]

Roy Ayers – The Boogie Back (0:00)
[N.W.A - F*** Tha Police]

Silhouettes – Fonky First (0:00)

Skull Snaps – It’s A New Day (0:00)
[The Pharcyde - Passin' Me By, Digable Planets - For Corners]

Sly & the Family Stone - Sing a Simple Song (2:12)

The Headhunters – God Make Me Funky (0:09)
[Eric B. & Rakim - Beats for the Listeners]

The Honey Drippers - Impeach the President (0:00)

The Incredible Bongo Band - Apache (0:00)
[Sugarhill Gang - Apache, LL Cool J - You Can't Dance, Grandmaster Flash - Freelance]

The Meters – Here Comes The Meterman
[Big Daddy Kane - Long Live The Kane, Run-DMC - How'd Ya Do It Dee?]

The Meters - Look-Ka Py Py (0:50)
[Cypress Hill - The Phunky Feel One]

The Winstons - Amen, Brother (1:27)
[N.W.A. - Straight Out Of Compton, 3rd Bass - Portrait Of The Artist As A Hood, Brand Nubian - The Gods, Snow - Informer, Eric B. & Rakim - Casualties of War]

Young Holt Unlimited – Wah Wah Man

Zapp and Roger – More Bounce To The Ounce (0:00)
[EPMD – You Gots To Chill, Ice Cube – Jackin’ For Beats, Public Enemy – One Million Bottlebags, Ice Cube – Look Who’s Burnin’]

The Turtles – I’m Chief Kamanawanalea (0:00)
[Serious by Steady B feat. KRS-One, Say No Go by De La Soul, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted by Ice Cube]

Grady Tate - Be Black Baby (0:00)
[Set It Off by Big Daddy Kane, Fakin' the Funk by Main Source, Stand Together by Beastie Boys]

Sounds
The J.B.'s - The Grunt (0:00)
Herbie Hancock - Wiggle Waggle (0:00)

Converting WAV DTS to MP3

A WAV DTS file contains a multi-channel encoded digital format called DTS and has .wav as extention. Playing such a file in Zoomplayer or WinAmp typically produces a static sound. This is because a filter and/or decoder are not installed.

For Zoomplayer a filter can be installed (Gabest AC3), but a separate DTS decoder is still needed. Ffdshow contains such a decoder, but setting up this mapping in advanced options -> customized media playback -> source filters and splitters didn't help. Zoomplayer keeps displaying the "An ERROR has occured!" messagebox when trying to play the WAV DTS file.

Foobar2000 used to have an additional component, foo_dts.dll, that could be downloaded from the site, but it is no longer available. I was unable to find out why it is no longer supplied. After searching the internet I found a version of the library, but foobar2000 0.9.5 refused to load it, reporting that it was an outdated version.

A player that can play them out-of-the-box is VLC player. This player has a built-in filter and decoder to play WAV DTS files. It can also transcode files, e.g. to MP3 format, but when I use it on a WAV DTS file, the program terminates unexpectedly.

So, in the end, I was unable to find a "one-click" solution. Here is how I finally managed to convert a WAV DTS file into a MP3 file:

For the example, I use a WAV DTS file named c:\wavdts.wav

1. Download BeSplit (http://www.afterdawn.com/software/audio_software/audio_tools/besplit.cfm). I used version 0.9b6.2.
2. Extract the zip file to c:\
3. Start BeSliced.exe
4. Drag and drop wavdts.wav onto the besliced canvas
5. Select "DTS" when asked to select a format
   BeSplit is now ripping the DTS stream from the WAV DTS file.
   To use BeSplit without BeSliced, execute this command at the command prompt:
   BeSplit.exe -core( -input c:\wavdts.wav -fix -logfile C:\BeSliced.txt -type dtswav -output c:\wavdts_Fixed.dts ) -profile( BeSliced v0.3 )
   A file called c:\wavdts_Fixed.dts is created.
6. Download DTSDec (http://www.rarewares.org/others.php). I used version 0.0.2.7.
7. Extract the zip file to c:\
8. Execute this command at the command prompt:
   dtsdec -o wav > regularwav.wav wavdts_Fixed.dts.
   DTSDec is now transcoding multi-channel DTS to a regular two-channel WAV file called regularwav.wav
9. Use your favorite MP3 converting tools, e.g. AudioGrabber with LAME, to convert this WAV file to a MP3 file.