How to rip MKV from double-sided DVD?

[bertmk]

Hi

I am currently using MKV to rip my DVD collection to NAS. I have a few double-sided discs - can anyone suggest the easiest way to rip these into the same uncompressed MKV format?


Thanks
Bert

[setarip_old]

Hi!

After you've ripped each side and created two .MKVs, use MKVMerge (Use the included "mmg.exe" GUI) to "Append" the second MKV to the first (Load the first and then click on the "Append" radiobutton to properly add the second)- then click on the "Start muxing" radiobutton...

[NomadCF]

Notes about appending:

1. All video should each be re-encode (if one is going to do this) separately before appending, this helps insure audio/video & sub titles syncing.
2. To create a clean MKV from 2 joined files. You should strive to ensure each file is as close to perfect as far as starting/ending times goes for all streams.
3. Appended files in the end will look like 1 large file, meaning it is extremely hard to "unappend" the files, back into there separate files.

Tips on appending files:

1. clean up the the files with something like, eac3to OR MPEG Video Wizard DVD 5.0 before joining files,
2. If you appending more then 1 file, only join/append 1 file at a time and check the sync. If possible I highly recommend running eac3to after each append to have it break up (and cleanup) the MKV. Then use mkvmerge to put streams back together. And again check for audio/stream sync issues.
3. Never trust a straight append, the MKV format "marks","tags","contains" each appended section with it's own info (audio delay,video delay,etc). Because of this an appended file should/will always seem in sync after appending. And will always play fine, unless player/decoder. Fails to realize there is more then 1 section with "timing info". when this happens you'll see sync issues around the appended section and after. This happens mostly only by re-encoders and trans-coders.

For a good example of this append the 1st and second disk of "LOTR EE". After appending the files will play fine. But now run the file though a encoder (handbrake,xvid4psp,etc). You'll notice the output is no longer in-sync. This is due to the audio (in some cases) needing to be delayed in the second section and not (weather because there was a delay in the 2 second section OR because the audio in the 1 section ended before the video stream and the 2nd section needed to have a delay added to it).

4. For a real test, try to convert your *finished* MKV to a TS (or M2TS). And see if everything plays fine. If it does your file is "perfect". If it doesn't it should still just play fine as a MKV, but some "bad" players will have issues with it.


I've used the fallowing to join allot of videos together flawlessly for example:
1. all the LOTR EE DVDs. (each 2 disc into 1 full movie, then each full movie into 1 complete movie)
2. The Lost Room

[setarip_old]

@NomadCF

In light of the fact that the OP has clearly stated that he/she is dealing with a "flipper", I'd respectfully suggest that your in-depth "how-to" is far more than is needed (or, perhaps, is mostly superficially applicable).

For a "flipper", my little two-liner should suffice...

[NomadCF]

Agreed with out argument, but the info wasn't just for bertmk. As the Title was about "double sided DVD" ripping. The Info might be useful for any one looking into appending two MKV's.

But, the same info & tips could (and IMHO should be ) applied to *any* joined or appended discs/mkvs/ts/etc.