New to DVD, problems downloading

CryptoCrypto W.Sussex UK Member
edited August 2004 in Internet & Media
Hi Chaps,

just got myself a new DVD burner (Pioneer 106 I think) and am a complete novice in the ways of DVD burning, ripping etc.

My problem or observation is this: I'm trying to download an "evaluation" copy of video from Kazaa, just to try the burner out of course....cough cough. :)

To start with, 9 out of 10 videos turn out to be different than their filename :shakehead and the versions that are the right file seem to have faults in them. Faults mainly being stuttering sound, no sound and freezing frames for a couple of seconds.

Is this the normal thing to expect from this form of video aquisition? Am I using the wrong viewer? I use the AVI preview that comes with the latest version of Kazaa lite and WMP8 to view completed AVIs

Thanks for any tips

Crypto :thumbsup:

Comments

  • NecropolisNecropolis Hawarden, Wales Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    What format are the files you are trying to watch?

    Also, welcome to the world of Kazaa where people think they are smart by renaming a file so it is something else. Sugest that when you find multiple copies of a file, click on the + icon next to the file name and see if they are all the same. If there is a different name in there then normally the file has been renamed.
  • CryptoCrypto W.Sussex UK Member
    edited August 2003
    I'm using the preview function within Kazaa (AVI Preview) to check the download before I waste too much time downloading the complete file. Completed files that I have viewed are .avi.

    I currently have a complete version of ***********, a noble film but not what I was after. It has no sound and the frames freeze for a couple of seconds. Viewed in Windows Media Player.

    Cheers

    Crypto :buck:


    *****'s added by Dexter: Gentlemen, our rules prohibit open discussion of violations of copyright. Please stick to hypothetical conversations. :)
  • NecropolisNecropolis Hawarden, Wales Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Try installing the latest divx codec.

    Or get a copy of the Kazza Lite Codec pack.

    Try these.
  • CryptoCrypto W.Sussex UK Member
    edited August 2003
    Thanks for the link, I'll give them a go when I get home from work this evening.

    Cheers

    Crypto :buck:
  • hoojhooj Bournemouth, UK
    edited August 2003
    If you want to avoid getting films that are labeled wrongly then dont use Kazaa, b leet and use IRC :D
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited August 2003
    All of the above advise is sound, but with you being a UK resident I have some information I need to share with you, that will no doubt unfortunately annoy you.

    You say you are downloading movies off Kazaa, with the eventual intention of burning them to DVD so you can watch them on your set top box, correct?

    You will not be able to do this. Why you ask? well. 99% of all the movies available on the Kazaa network originate in the U.S, which as a result mean they originate from the NTSC video format, not PAL, (PAL) which is the format used over here in the UK. Eventhough for the most part, the individual aspects of the NTSC format (like with any other) are moot after it has been converted into PC movie format, like .avi or .mpeg, but one essential component remains from the format ; the movie files frame rate.

    NTSC frame rates are different to that of PAL, and there is no easy way to convert them once they are in a PC movie file format, in fact it's near impossible.

    The resulting problem is this, what ever DVD application you use to help you convert a movie file into the correct MPEG2 format for DVD burning, will allways have to convert the movie file into PAL format so you can watch it on a UK set top box and T.V. The frame rate then of the original NTSC movie file is truncated to match the PAL standard (which has a different frame rate to that of the NTSC format, which results in dropped frames. What's the big deal with that you say? Well...

    At first when watching the created movie on DVD, it will just seem a bit stuttery, nothing too extreme but annoyingly un-smooth, then as time passes, say about 10 minutes into the movie, the audio will slowly start to go out of sink, and after about 30 minutes of the movie, the audio will be so out of sink, it will not be watchable.

    Programs like Virtualdub, have the ability to completely re-build a movie file into a different frame rate, which illiminates the stuttery video, but as I pointed out, that is only half of the problem. It's the audio part to the movie file which causes the main problems, as essentialy it becomes a completley different length and runs at a completely different speed (due to the change of frame rate and essential altered speed of the movie) to that of the converted video of the created movie file. It is unfortunately too complicated to work out the exact speed and duration the audio file needs to be to work nicely again with the video information, which I'm sad to say means that any NTSC born movie you convert and burn onto a DVD in the PAL format, for which it will need to be in for UK viewing, will end up being unwatchable.

    I myself purchased a DVD writer with the intention of burning downloaded movies files to DVD to watch on my set top box, I soon realised it just isn't possible (because of the origins of the movie files on Kazaa).

    And before someone says it, programs like TMPGenc only do what all other DVD creating applications do when converting a video movie file to another frame rate, or at least NTSC formats to PAL, it simply skips frames and truncates the video to match the desired frame rate, it does not properly re-build the frame rates and audio file speed and lengths, so they properly conform.

    The only way you will successfully be able to duplicate and burn a movie file to a DVD, so it is watchable, will be if the movie file originated in the UK, (or other countries in Europe which use the PAL format) or has been encoded using a frame rate of 25fps which comforms to the PAL standard.

    It sucks I know, but trust me it's true.
  • CryptoCrypto W.Sussex UK Member
    edited August 2003
    Spinner, thanks for you long and well reasoned reply.

    I'll just go away and have a little cry.
    :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling:

    Crypto
  • PreacherPreacher Potomac, MD Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    I'm pretty experienced with all the methods of trading "unlicensed" digital media, but is there anywhere I can go to get a clue on using IRC?

    Is it really worth the effort with Kazaa Lite, Shareaza, and WinMX out there?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    I wish the world would standardize.

    That way my tutorials would work for everyone, and I wouldn't have to play conversion games with centropy films. :shifty-eyes: :cough:
  • tophericetopherice Oak Ridge, TN
    edited August 2003
    Use DVD X Copy Express to um... 'back up' copies. [url]http:///www.321studios.com[/url]
  • FormFactorFormFactor At the core of forgotten
    edited August 2003
    Preacher said
    I'm pretty experienced with all the methods of trading "unlicensed" digital media, but is there anywhere I can go to get a clue on using IRC?

    Is it really worth the effort with Kazaa Lite, Shareaza, and WinMX out there?

    Ill tell ya this much. IRC is ok if the preferred transfer protocol is FTP. But if it is DCC (Which seems to be growing ever more popular over the past few years) than dont even bother with IRC. Instead give Direct Connect or Bit Torrent a try. They are much easier to use and you dont have to put up with a bunch of anal chat room junkies to find whatever it is your looking for.
  • PreacherPreacher Potomac, MD Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    BT is a great method to grab stuff. Only achilles heel it has is there really isn't a search function. For those that like BT, I highly recommend www.suprnova.org.

    As for Direct Connect, I've seen that mentioned before. You know of any sites that have a decent FAQ? The DC main site doesn't seem to have a whole lot of info.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Spinner said
    At first when watching the created movie on DVD, it will just seem a bit stuttery, nothing too extreme but annoyingly un-smooth, then as time passes, say about 10 minutes into the movie, the audio will slowly start to go out of sink, and after about 30 minutes of the movie, the audio will be so out of sink, it will not be watchable.

    That explains a few things, though it happened on my DVD player, it didn't do it when using PowerDVD....

    Though my version of ******** was NTSC and burned fine onto SVCD and didn't lose sync on the DVD player...

    NS


    *****'s by Dexter - see above comment.
  • sassyjo10sassyjo10
    edited August 2004
    I am also new to this and I cant figure out what format am I suppose to use to burn a dvd? Do I use svcd ,vcd,dvd or what? I have a movie on my PC that I want to burn onto a dvd to play opn my home stand alone dvd player.can anyone help me? thanks
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    The problem is, conversion from NTSC <-> PAL and *.* -> DVD is outside of the scope of a forum.

    I'm in the middle of writing a guide. I've pieced it out to about 8 pages thus far and I'm only 1/3 done. In word it's 21 pages without pictures.
  • sassyjo10sassyjo10
    edited August 2004
    thanks sounds like it is more confusing then I thought.
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited August 2004
    This is an old thread that has been revived, but I have edited out some names of copyrighted work above. The ownership of this site do not wish to have open discussion of copyright violations on the site. It is okay to discuss methods of DVD burning and media exchange, but please ensure that we are talking about general concepts here, and not specifically naming any copyrighted work.

    Dexter...
  • CryptoCrypto W.Sussex UK Member
    edited August 2004
    Since discovering Bittorrent, I've downloaded several DVDs. At about 4.7 GB a time, it takes 3 to 4 days.

    The crack is, once burned on to DVDR , they all play perfectly on my cheapo Yamada DVD player, NTSC or Pal :cool:

    Cheers

    Crypto :ukflag:
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