Hello,
I'm converting an entire DVD series into MP4 files. The Entire DVD series consists of 7 Volume box sets, each Vol. Box set consists of 6 DVD Discs. The Whole Collection was purchased BRAND NEW. I have had success while using MakeMKV with all volume box sets Using Manual Mode except for Volume 1. I am aware that MakeMKV is a flawless piece of software and that if it fails to open a disc it must mean that the Disc is either damaged or corrupted. While trying to convert my Volume 1 DVD Discs into MKV Files I have had nothing but failures. MakeMKV in Normal Mode only extracts 1 title (1 episode per disc) while there are multiple episodes per DVD Disc Despite me carefully adjusting the Minimum Title Length in Settings. In Manual mode I have tried to select all relevant titles (which should last 2 hr 54 min) but MakeMKV fails to open Any of them. (I get "Failed to open Disc" error message Every time). To this end I have bought 2 extra BRAND NEW copies of Volume 1 and I still get the same problems and MakeMKV is still unable to open the Disc to Extract the relevant title that lasts 2 hours & 54 minutes. Maybe there is something I am doing wrong, Please Help
MakeMKV Fails to Open Discs on BRAND NEW DVD Discs
Re: MakeMKV Fails to Open Discs on BRAND NEW DVD Discs
I'm not sure what your specific errors are. There are two common categories of failures people experience with DVDs.
The first category of failure is common to any disc and it is a failure of the optical drive to correctly read the disc. It manifests is various ways but the net result is the same. Gently clean the disc and try again. Trying the disc in a different drive also often works.
The second category of failures has to do with MakeMKV getting confused about the structure of the files on the DVD. There are different DVD Opening Modes you can try in MakeMKV. Some forum members have reported success with troublesome DVDs by going back to version 1.16.7 of MakeMKV.
The most recent versions of MakeMKV allow for making a backup of a DVD to .iso format. Making a backup reads the entire contents of the disc but generally doesn't try to interpret the disc structure. Making a backup is a good way to check that the optical drive can correctly read the disc. MakeMKV can then open the backup, attempt to interpret the disc structure, and if successful create .mkv files from the backup at the speed of your computer's storage.
Try making a backup of a troublesome DVD. If it works, then you know that MakeMKV is likely getting confused about the structure of the DVD. If it doesn't work, then you know the optical drive is having trouble reading the disc.
The first category of failure is common to any disc and it is a failure of the optical drive to correctly read the disc. It manifests is various ways but the net result is the same. Gently clean the disc and try again. Trying the disc in a different drive also often works.
The second category of failures has to do with MakeMKV getting confused about the structure of the files on the DVD. There are different DVD Opening Modes you can try in MakeMKV. Some forum members have reported success with troublesome DVDs by going back to version 1.16.7 of MakeMKV.
The most recent versions of MakeMKV allow for making a backup of a DVD to .iso format. Making a backup reads the entire contents of the disc but generally doesn't try to interpret the disc structure. Making a backup is a good way to check that the optical drive can correctly read the disc. MakeMKV can then open the backup, attempt to interpret the disc structure, and if successful create .mkv files from the backup at the speed of your computer's storage.
Try making a backup of a troublesome DVD. If it works, then you know that MakeMKV is likely getting confused about the structure of the DVD. If it doesn't work, then you know the optical drive is having trouble reading the disc.
Re: MakeMKV Fails to Open Discs on BRAND NEW DVD Discs
@Dcoke22
I tried all your recommendations, the DVD Opening Modes (CellWalk, CellTrim, CellFull) didn't make a difference with the DVD Discs from my 2 Brand New copies of Volume 1. I wasn't able to extract all individual titles nor 1 collective title of all Episodes. Your second recommendation of Making a .ISO back up of each DVD Disc did work, I was able to extract each title From the .ISO into individual MP4 files for each Episode using Handbrake. My last question to you is a strange one but bear with me since I'm totally new with this, Does encoding the .ISO file into MP4 Files give the same quality or a loss of quality compared to the first option of encoding the MKV File into MP4 Files ? which produces the best result ?
I tried all your recommendations, the DVD Opening Modes (CellWalk, CellTrim, CellFull) didn't make a difference with the DVD Discs from my 2 Brand New copies of Volume 1. I wasn't able to extract all individual titles nor 1 collective title of all Episodes. Your second recommendation of Making a .ISO back up of each DVD Disc did work, I was able to extract each title From the .ISO into individual MP4 files for each Episode using Handbrake. My last question to you is a strange one but bear with me since I'm totally new with this, Does encoding the .ISO file into MP4 Files give the same quality or a loss of quality compared to the first option of encoding the MKV File into MP4 Files ? which produces the best result ?
Re: MakeMKV Fails to Open Discs on BRAND NEW DVD Discs
MakeMKV's only purpose is to copy the bits from an optical disc into a file on your computer. If you choose to make a backup, which creates a .iso file in the case of a DVD, or make a .mkv file directly from the disc, the outcome is the same; a 1-to-1 copy of what's the on the disc.
It is only afterwards when using Handbrake, or whatever, to transcode the file into a .mp4 that the quality will change.
If the source material is just a DVD, you might consider not transcoding it at all, but just watching the rips MakeMKV creates. 7 volumes of 6 discs each would be 42 DVDs. Maybe each DVD represents 8GB of space meaning all that together might be 336GB of total space? That's not nothing, but it isn't a huge amount of space in an era of relatively affordable 20TB hard drives.
It is only afterwards when using Handbrake, or whatever, to transcode the file into a .mp4 that the quality will change.
If the source material is just a DVD, you might consider not transcoding it at all, but just watching the rips MakeMKV creates. 7 volumes of 6 discs each would be 42 DVDs. Maybe each DVD represents 8GB of space meaning all that together might be 336GB of total space? That's not nothing, but it isn't a huge amount of space in an era of relatively affordable 20TB hard drives.