Ripping one DVD to make another
 

I have a homemade DVD, and it has no menus, and no chapters. I'd like to make a menu (the kind we've made before) and chapters on it. How would I do that?
I assume I'd have to rip it, and then import it into Workshop? All that it has for a menu is just a square and you hit play and it plays the DVD. Would I somehow delete that if I am able to do what I want to it?

Until Admin comes along and gives a more accurate way of doing this, I will let you know how I do it.
If you have a Windows OS XP, simply follow the guide under edit ( Edit DVD from DVD Recorder).
Since I have Vista 64, I use VOBTOMPG Pro and select the main movie with the GOP fixer checked.
I then have a mpg that I can import into WS.
If I want to make sure I don't have any extra errors, I copy to HD with DVDFAB then run it through VOBTOMPG.
Once in WS, you can select auto add chapters and choose either scene detect or fix interval, this is for a certain number of chapters by minutes.
If you care to, you can make a motion menu out of the chapters you created or there are other options you can choose there in WS.

If it's a homemade DVD, just rip the videos with DVD Decrypter. Use this guide: http://www.digitalFAQ.com/guides/vid...d-recorder.htm
Rename ripped VOB to MPG.

Then use the assets (video+audio MPEG files) to author new DVD.

DVD Decrypter should work in Vista64, but for some reason Steve(MS) has issues. Vista64 is so quirky sometimes.
VOB2MPG Pro is a good next choice for ripping. Only 6 quid at http://svcd2dvd.com right now.
And that method may also be valid for commercial DVD sources (pre-ripped to hard drive), though I've not tried it much.

I couldn't get it to even install, a box comes up and says it is not compatible with Vista 64.
It may have something to do with my other components not sure.
I have i7 with GTX 260.
If I could find a way around the not compatible dialog box, I would be happy to use the decrypter.

Since you have a functional method, I wouldn't worry about it. :)

What you're doing works great. And thanks so much for sharing your method with others!
That's good info to have, when DVD Decrypter fails.

I just ripped it with Decrypter, and in the input window, it says VTS_01 and under it, it says
PGC 1 (5:58:30)
PGC 2 (5:58:30)

I looked at the chapters for both in the window below that, and all of the have the exact same times..so, should I rip both of the PGC's or just 1? Right now, I only ripped PGC 1. I assumed I only have to do 1 of them since everything is the same, but I just wanted to double check.
Thanks!

Yes if the (5:58:30) is the total time, that is close to 6 hours?
The way I understand that is the menu plus total time show up and then
the total time shows up without the menu, at least I think that is right.

Maybe I will try running a virtual pc inside this Vista 64 one of the days.
That way I could add programs such as decrypter, anyone here tried Virtual PC?

Some DVDs can be authored where the entry is logged in duplicate in the IFO. This mostly happens on DVD recorders, because of how those machines operate and create discs. Only rip it once.

The menu should not form a "total time" with other PGCs. Menu and video should remain separate at all times.

I use VirtualPC and VirtualBox for various testing. However, hardware relies on the host OS. If there is a hardware related malfunction in the host OS, it's often passed to the virtualized "parasite" OS session. Still worth an experiment!

Should I import it into Womble first, to delete the "menu" that is already on it, so I can add my own?

Update
Hmm...I imported it in there..but, it's not showing up for some reason..I don't want to add my own menu, and then have the one that's on there show up as well. How can I find it? It's weird that it's not showing up..

If you only chose the actual run-time( in your case 5:58:30) of the video on the DVD then the menu will not be on the copy you made to HD.
If you want the menu created by DVD recorder then you have to put a check by it also.
The run time of the menu is very short so that will give you a clue that it is the menu.
My guess is there would be no reason to copy the menu unless you wanted to make an exact copy of the DVD.

Ok..that's what I was hoping that it wasn't included because I wanted to split the DVD up into chapters, and add my own menu to it.
Thanks