[MPlayer-users] Ripping DVD audio and using menu info

[Mark Tigges]

Hi Bill,

This is in fact the only reason I bought a DVD drive and started using
MPlayer; to get the audio off concert DVDs.  I spent about figuring
out a process that works.

I don't know how to have mencoder encode to multiple audio only avis
but neither do I want to know.  I personally want the audio as
originally on the DVD.  What is VERY important is that you get
mencoder to resample to 44100KHz if you are destined to burn an audio
cd with the data.

But then what to do with this GIGANTIC wav.  Well, the FIRST thing I
do change the amplitude.  Typically up to about -14dB.  CD's are
usually mean around -12, but I've found that there is a much larger
dynamic range on DVD's and they tend to be at -22 (or at least the
ones I have).  So I use a program called normalize for this.  Very
handy and very simple.  It works in place, so it doesn't need to
create a copy file.

The next step is to possibly split into two wavs.  (Since it's usually
too big to fit on a single 700MB CD.)  For this I use wavsplit.  In
order to find out where to split (between tracks) I usually play it in
xmms.

Now there are two big wavs, one per CD that I want to create.  But
they have VERY abrupt ends and begins.  I load the two files each into
sweep and fade them out and fade them in at the split (it's usually
crowds applauding so no big deal).

Now it's time to create the audio CD's.  You don't want a disc with
one 45 minute track containing multiple songs, at least I don't.  So I
use cdrdao and write a toc file.  To find the times where the songs
end and begin I listen in sweep.

All very simple and neat.  You use multiple tools, but that's the way
it should be. When you listen to the CD you hear the uninterupted (by
track number) audio, but the track number does change at the right
times.  So the moral of the story, is don't use cdrecord, get the
audio in the same format it is on the DVD and then use cdrdao to
record them to a DAO cd.  

Of course.  I also use wavsplit on the single gigantic wav for
encoding to ogg for use at work ... but that's another story. 

normalize:  http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~cvaill/normalize/
wavsplit:   http://wavsplit.sourceforge.net
sweep:      http://sweep.sourceforge.net/
cdrdao      http://cdrdao.sourceforge.net/

All the best, 
Mark.


On Sat, Feb 14, 2004 at 11:20:12AM -0800, Bill Moseley wrote:
> I'm able to use mplayer to rip the audio from a DVD.  But the result is 
> not that convenient because I end up with single large files for each 
> title (yes, I know I can use -chapter to limit to a given chapter).  The 
> plan is to burn the audio to CDR for listening to just the audio.
> 
> I'm new to this process so I'm wondering if there's easier/better way to 
> rip audio.  Specifically, is there a way to (automatically) rip the 
> chapters into individual .wav files?  That way cdrecord could at least 
> have some track info.
> 
> Bill Moseley
> moseley at hank.org