Handbrake Question: Im trying to rip some DVDs so I can use some clips…

Handbrake Question: Im trying to rip some DVDs so I can use some clips for a documentary. Im using a Handbrake preset (1080p 30fps) yet the output file seems to get corrupted every time > video and sound are completely distorted. The DVD itself plays fine, so I dont think thats the problem. Ive used handbrake before without this kind of issue, so any guidance/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Jon Connor: Did you uncheck fast decode?

Brian Gersten: Yea – thats not selected.

Stu Willis: DVDs arent HD. So try using an SD preset.

Brian Gersten: Just tried this and it didnt make a difference.

Michael Phillips: I always change the frame to same as source as well. so that there is no frame rate conversion going on at this stage of the process.

Gretta Wing Miller: If the DVDs have copy protection on, you wont get much…

Michael Phillips: In some cases, I use MKV first to rip then encode the resulting file via Handbrake. What NLE is being used?

Brian Gersten: Premiere

Michael Phillips: I believe Premiere supports VOB files, but not MKV directly, so transcoding first may still be the best best.

Brian Gersten: Thanks Michael, Ill give that a shot.

Michael Phillips: If it is a protected DVD, then the VOB will not work.

Ned Thorne: If all else fails, try Freemake. It’s $20, and sometimes you have to be a bit patient, but it works. You can rip selected sections to multiple formats. I recently did a project where I had to rip scenes from dozens of DVDs, and I didn’t have too much trouble.

Brian Gersten: Thanks for the rec Ned, if Handbrake keeps giving me issues Ill definitely check it out.

Anthony Deng: Is the DVD copy-protected?

Brian Gersten: Im ripping a number of DVDS, some are copy-protected and some arent. I think I figured out the issue though, and everything is playing fine now. Thanks all!

Kyle Koch: Too bad handbrake doesn’t submit forms for DRM clearance of the content. 😉 It can get very expensive later if the doc gets any significant play.

Brian Gersten: Fair use is a beautiful thing.

Kyle Koch: Brian Gersten – Just saying that any broadcast license fee will require Errors and Omissions insurance. The more assets you use that you don’t own, the higher your clearance fees will be. ‘Fair Use’ is not always black and white and is often misinterpr…See more

Ashley Lynch: Yup, fair use still requires you to hire a lawyer experienced in going over the material and advising what actually accounts for fair use and what is wishful thinking. Without proper chain of title, no distributor will touch it with a ten foot pole.

Kyle Koch: Brian Gersten if you check out some of the cases that have happened, some producers have been slapped with significant financial hits for using material that they don’t own and didn’t gain prior approval to clear the DRM.

Kyle Koch: I personally had someone appropriate material I own. They ripped it from YT believing that the material was ‘fair use’ when in fact, it was not. I did try to contact them, but after they didn’t return my calls over 2 weeks, I was left with one option…See more

Wistar Rinearson: Kyle Koch: Indeed. Fair use is decided pretty much on a case-by-case basis.

Kyle Koch: Wistar Rinearson if the asset is clearly represented as Fair Use by the distributor/owner, then you ‘should’ be good. It is still vital to have DRM clearance in writing by a lawyer to protect you from litigation.The risk that so many take is when the…See more

Noah Diamond-Stolzman: Kyle, are you mixing up creative commons and fair use, there? A piece of media cant be listed as fair use as far as I know, since thats entirely dependent on how its being used.

Kyle Koch: Noah Diamond-Stolzman you got me! Yes, I did. LOL

Kyle Koch: Fair use is a doctrine in the law of the United States that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is one of the limitations to copyright intended to balance the intere…See more

Kyle Koch: Creative Commons (CC) is an American non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share.[2] The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons…See more

Kyle Koch: Just to clear up any misrepresentation on my part. 😉

Brian Gersten: No worries, I hear you Kyle – I wont claim to be an expert on fair use, thats why there are fair use lawyers, and yes I agree with you that fair use often gets misinterpreted. For the project Im working on our fair use claims are pretty cut and dry for a variety of reasons not worth going into. But yes – better safe than sorry is a good rule to go by.

Kyle Koch: Just so you know, I’m not beating you up for what assets you’re using, I’m just trying to protect you from a sticky situation later.If we use on-line assets that we have to clear later (ideally getting a master rather than an h264 download), then I make sure we save a link with the name exactly matching the clip. That way, we track where we got the clip from.

Brian Gersten: No worries Kyle – I really appreciate the input!

Kyle Koch: Brian Gersten cool. I’ll share one more story. Mark Achbar who produced ‘Manufacturing Consent’, was given a signed Bart Simpson photo with a great quote (can’t remember what it said). Matt Groening gave permission to Mark to use the illustration and q…See more

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