Looking for a good DVD2AVI(DIVX) converter VOB2AVI

Ok..seems you need a set of full instructions of how to do this.Here is what you need to do exactly:

Preparation:
- First of all we need some software. One for ripping the DVD (SmartRipper), one for encoding the movie (DVDx), a bitrate calculator (http://www.divx-digest.com/software/index2.html#calculators <- get one from there and i'll refer to that in a minute), and the divX codec (www.divx.com, just download the free version).

Get and install all the above software in your computer.

Well, the process is pretty simple so let me do some explaining first. The first step is to rip the dvd into the computer with SmartRipper and this will give us an unlocked version of the movie into the hard drive. The second step is to use the bitrate calculator to calculate the bitrate we need (i'll give more details for that).The third and final step is to use DVDx to encode the movie.

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Step 1 - Ripping the DVD:
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You will need approximately 5GB of free space depending on the length of the movie. Before running SmartRipper, play the movie with a dvd player, just a few seconds of it. The player will unlock the DVD. If you dont, when you will run SmartRipper it will say: "The drive is locked.Try unlocking it with a DVD player". So do that and run SmartRipper.

1) Go to the "Stream Processing" tag and make sure that both audio and video are ticked for ripping.
2) Go back to the input tag. Check the video info box and make a note of the resolution of the movie, we will need that info later.
3) Go to "Target" and choose a folder to store the movie into.
4) Check at the low right corner to make sure you have enough space.
5) Click the big button "Start" at the left to begin ripping. This should take about an hour to complete.

When this completes go the folder you chose earlier and check if the movie is really there. You should see the .vob files and the .ifo file.

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Step 2 - Calculating the bitrate:
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The bitrate defines the quality of the movie. The higher the bitrate the better the quality but also the higher the space its gonna acquire. To my experience if you make the DVD into 2 cd's of divX you get very good quality. One cd is also watchable but i strongly recommend two.

Use a calculator to find the bitrate you are gonna use. All calculators will ask for the lenght of the movie and for how much space you want it to acquire.
Lenth: You can check the exact length of the movie with any player.
Space: Use a little less than the actual space of the CD. Dont bring it to the limits as it might get a few MB more than that and you will not be able to burn it. For example if you wanna burn it in 1 700MB CD use 690 for space, if you wanna burn it in 2 700MB CD's use 690+690=1380

The calculator will then point out the bitrate you need to use. Make note of that as well as we will need that info later.

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Step 3 - Encoding the movie:
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Run DVDx.

1) Go "File -> Open IFO" and choose the .ifo file from the folder where you ripped the movie with SmartRipper. (Note: You can do this without ripping the movie and by opening the IFO file directly from the CD but I prefer doing it from the hard drive as the HDD is faster and more reliable.

2) Go "File -> Select Destination" and choose a name for the .avi file. The will be used as prefix for the final avi. For example if you give "matrix.avi" as the name and you choose to have two cd's you will end up with two files callled matrix_01.avi and matrix_02.avi.

3) Go "Settings -> Input Settings". Choose your subtitles or no subtitles at all if you wish in the "Subtitles" field. Choose your processor in the "Misc - iDCT" field. Leave everything else as it is and click OK.

4) Go "Settings -> Output Settings". In the menu at the top left corner choose "AVI (DivX,YUV,..)". Leave the audio as it is and in the next menu choose "DivX 5.0.X Codec" (The "X" varies depending on the version of DivX you have, latest is DivX 5.0.5). Click "Pass 1 settings" and in the "Encoding bitrate" field use the bitrate you got from the calculator in Step 2. Write it in the box, dont use the slider. At the export settings, write in the resolution you made note of in step one, choose the Zoom mode(I use Full to make it in full screen but you can have it in wide screen if you want) and click on "Whole". Ignore the "Estimated size". Go to the "Volume dont exceed" choose custom size and click "Settings". Put a bit less than the space of your CD. For example if you use CD's of 700MB put 690 or if you use CD's of 650MB put 640.
Click on "Apply"

The last button under the preview screen is the "Encode" button. The one with the red cycle. When you click it encoding will start. This should take 4,5 hours if you have a P4, more with an older processor.

Thats it..click "Encode"..if you chose to have it in 2 cd's you should find the two files in the destination folder you chose earlier and they should both be almost the size of a CD..enjoy!!!