Best Way To Capture Video Clips From A DVD To Use As Promotional Material?
by Philip Arnold
(UK)
I'm assuming you would like to capture video clips from the DVD and incorporate them into a trailer. You'll want to be able to identify the precise moment when the clip should begin and end. After extracting those clips, you'll want to record it onto your computer hard disk. From there, you'll want to compile the clips into a trailer.
Here are the steps I'd propose for doing this:
Method 1: Use DVD Shrink and VirtualDubMod
1) Get a software called DVD Shrink to copy the movie to the hard drive. DVD Shrink is a freeware DVD transcoder program for Microsoft Windows that uses a DVD ripper to back up DVD movies. One of DVD Shrink's functions is to process commercial DVD video into lesser quality and/or discard extra content such as foreign-language soundtracks.
2) Next, download a DVD video clip editor called VirtualDubMod to open the DVD files (i.e. VOB files) created in Step 1. VirtualDubMod is an open source video capture and linear processing tool for Microsoft Windows. It is based on Avery Lee's VirtualDub, and is licensed under the GPL. VirtualDubMod is hosted on SourceForge and can be downloaded for free.
3) Delete all but the wanted footage, and save the wanted as an AVI file. 4) Use "AVI to VCD" to convert the AVI to an MPEG. 5) Delete all the VOB and AVI files. 6) Import the resulting MPEG file into your video editing program for compilation into a trailer.
Method 2: Use DVD Copy Express
Another good way is to use DVD Copy Express. DVD Copy Express supports converting between PAL and NTSC standards and saves DVD to VCD/SVCD, MPEG, DivX and AVI.
1) With DVD Copy Express, you can capture a video clip from the DVD easily. 2) Then use the same program to convert AVI or MPEG or other file formats. 3) Import the resulting MPEG file into your video editing program for compilation into a trailer.
Of the two methods, I prefer to use DVD Copy Express. Although that option is not free, it is simpler to use. I personally don't like mucking around with VirtualDub as I find it quite complicated to use.
Disclaimer: Also, you do need to take note that products like DVD Shrink and DVD Copy Express allow you to rip videos off DVD discs. Do make sure you own original DVD disc before you perform such a ripping process. It is illegal to rip videos off commerical DVD discs which you don't own.
I hope the above helps you out. Do let me know if you need more information.
