Converting DVDs for Palm TX

[mdspiro]

Has anyone used Roxio 9 to copy / convert a DVD movie to a file optimized for playback on a Palm TX? I'm wondering what settings to use in the Roxio copy module. The dropdown list of destination formats lists iPods and PSP's (neither one of which plays on a Palm) and several other file formats. The Palm TX has a 320 x 480 high resolution color screen, and the palm software plays standard mpg movie files. What is the best way to set up Roxio to create a file optimized for that platform?

[gi7omy]

If you're talking about ripping a commercial DVD movie I'm afraid that is illegal and Roxio software will NOT do it

[sknis]

I purchased Roxio's EMC 9 for the purpose of creating my own professional-looking DVD projects from hundreds of hours of raw home-video footage that I'm still in the process of transferring to DVD's from tape (using a Polaroid DVD Recorder that I also bought). Once I'm done with that, I wanted to know if Roxio could convert those DVD's to a file format suitable for my Palm TX. I'm still not sure if it can or can't. My experiments so far have produced fairly large files, even at the smallest output resolutions. I purchased the Pocket-DVD Studio program yesterday, and it is truely an amazing product. It's designed to do one thing, and one thing only ... convert movies to PDA-size files. It does that one thing easily and perfectly! The files it creates from a full-length DVD movie are tiny enough to fit on a small SD card, and the results look stunningly clear on the Palm. Copyright issues aside, I don't think EMC 9 is capable of doing that.

 

If you look back on my original postings in this discussion, you'll see that I never asked about or brought up the idea of copying commercial movies. That was an assumption made by others responding to me.

 

I read through these posts and agree that you did not indicate that you wanted to copy protected videos- I guess it was force of habit in the replies. I'll apologize for those replies

 

Can you let us know what format the files were convert to? Was it a DivX type of format or other? What will the Palm play?

 

I looked at the web site for that device and it seems to indicate that there is a built in converter for your home videos. Why can't you use that?

[ggrussell]

The Palm TX has a 320 x 480 high resolution color screen, and the palm software plays standard mpg movie files. What is the best way to set up Roxio to create a file optimized for that platform?

Does the Palm support anything other than MPEG 2? Videowave supports bitrates as low as 2MB/s using a custom setting, but I think that would still be a large file depending on the video length. If it supports MPEG 1, you might get the file small enough to fit on a large memory card.

[mdspiro]

Does the Palm support anything other than MPEG 2? Videowave supports bitrates as low as 2MB/s using a custom setting, but I think that would still be a large file depending on the video length. If it supports MPEG 1, you might get the file small enough to fit on a large memory card.

 

I believe the Palm does support MPEG 1. Is that the smallest video file format? How do I create files in that format in Roxio (I didn't see MPEG 1 in the dropdown list). About how large would a full-length movie file end up? There are Palm programs that claim to be able to compress a full-length DVD movie into a 256 MB file that will fill the TX's screen and look very smooth and clear (e.g. "Pocket-DVD Studio for Palm"). I wonder how that is possible?

[gi7omy]

I'll repeat what I said earlier - if it's a commercial DVD it is copy protected and Roxio s/w will NOT 'rip' this - it's illegal

[mdspiro]

I sure won't argue the point that we should or should not be able to copy our purchased movies, as a backup. I think we should, but the fair-use that they speak of, in what you just quoted, does not apply to the U.S. or Canada, with respect to copying videos.

 

And, unfortunately, these forums aren't the place to ask how to use that software or EMC 9, to attain the end of getting the commercial movies onto your Palm.

 

And don't shoot the messenger here, either.

 

I purchased Roxio's EMC 9 for the purpose of creating my own professional-looking DVD projects from hundreds of hours of raw home-video footage that I'm still in the process of transferring to DVD's from tape (using a Polaroid DVD Recorder that I also bought). Once I'm done with that, I wanted to know if Roxio could convert those DVD's to a file format suitable for my Palm TX. I'm still not sure if it can or can't. My experiments so far have produced fairly large files, even at the smallest output resolutions. I purchased the Pocket-DVD Studio program yesterday, and it is truely an amazing product. It's designed to do one thing, and one thing only ... convert movies to PDA-size files. It does that one thing easily and perfectly! The files it creates from a full-length DVD movie are tiny enough to fit on a small SD card, and the results look stunningly clear on the Palm. Copyright issues aside, I don't think EMC 9 is capable of doing that.

 

If you look back on my original postings in this discussion, you'll see that I never asked about or brought up the idea of copying commercial movies. That was an assumption made by others responding to me.

[mdspiro]

I'll repeat what I said earlier - if it's a commercial DVD it is copy protected and Roxio s/w will NOT 'rip' this - it's illegal

 

I understand your point. (Apparently, other legitimate programs like "Pocket-DVD Studio for Palm" do not have that issue ... I'm not sure how they get around the legality of it, but they do claim to be able to copy commercial DVD's to files for use on Palm devices).

 

SO ... how about a non-commercial DVD -- say, one I made myself from my own home movies. How can I convert THAT to a file small enough to use on my Palm using Roxio?

[ggrussell]

MPEG 1 is 320X240 and will use bitrates lower than what is available in Videowave for MPEG2 so yes, the file size will be smaller. If the Palm supported DivX or MPEG 4, you can get even better compression with better quality. First time I have heard of the application that you mentioned. Went to their website. Interesting product.

[mdspiro]

It is most definitely not legitimate. "Converts special DVD's that other software will not do.....

 

I'm not a lawyer, but the software in question ("Pocket-DVD Studio for Palm") is not some fly-by-night bootleg program. It's a widely marketed product being openly sold on the official Palm, Inc. website. I've seen it there since last year. I can't imagine Palm would be advertising an illegal product??!!

 

Here's a link: http://search.software.palm.com/?device=T_...5&u1=device

[gi7omy]

MD - it doesn't matter really. There was one program brought out by a highly respected software manufacturer at one time (I'm not going to name names here but it's very well known) and they had to dithdfraw it after being threatened with a 'cease and desist' notice.

 

Unfortunately tyhe studio accountants are in full control and have lobbied like mad to get this procedure made illegal and unfortunately we're stuck with it

 

A case in point - to be able to even WATCH a DVD in Linux is technically illegal (DeCSS is not 'approved' by the guys in grey suits and can't be included in a Linux distro) - you have to go to Europe to download it and install it yourself

[mdspiro]

I read through these posts and agree that you did not indicate that you wanted to copy protected videos- I guess it was force of habit in the replies. I'll apologize for those replies

 

Can you let us know what format the files were convert to? Was it a DivX type of format or other? What will the Palm play?

 

I looked at the web site for that device and it seems to indicate that there is a built in converter for your home videos. Why can't you use that?

 

The format of the files that Pocket-DVD Studio creates depends on the type of PDA you choose to convert for. For Palm, it creates AVI files. (Palm also reads MPEG files, and perhaps some others ... I'm not sure of all the file types it can read). Pocket-DVD Studio will also convert to other formats for playback on several other devices: Windows PDA's, Zunes, iPods, PSP's, etc.

 

The built-in converter you read about that is part of the Palm "hot-sync" program does not work directly from DVD's. It only converts video files from your computer's hard drive. Even then, it's just a simple yes/no offer to "shrink" the file to fit on the SD card. Pocket DVD Studio is much more robust, offering control over screen-ratio with cropping options, different resolutions, frames per second, bit-rates for audio, etc.

[mdspiro]

MD - it doesn't matter really. There was one program brought out by a highly respected software manufacturer at one time (I'm not going to name names here but it's very well known) and they had to dithdfraw it after being threatened with a 'cease and desist' notice.

 

Unfortunately tyhe studio accountants are in full control and have lobbied like mad to get this procedure made illegal and unfortunately we're stuck with it

 

A case in point - to be able to even WATCH a DVD in Linux is technically illegal (DeCSS is not 'approved' by the guys in grey suits and can't be included in a Linux distro) - you have to go to Europe to download it and install it yourself

 

Again, I'm no lawyer, but here's the fine print on the bottom of the product's website:

 

"Legal Notice: Pocket DVD Studio / PSP Movie Creator / PQ DVD to iPod Video Converter Suite / PQ DVD to Zune Video Converter Suite / PQ DVD to iPod Converter / PQ DVD to Zune Converter / PQ DVD to PSP Converter / DVD to 3GP Video Suite software allows you record videos, DVD movies of your own to be viewed on Pocket PC/Palm/Sony PSP/iPod/Zune. When the software records commercial DVD movies, copyright tag and your information may be encrypted within the video file for PDA/PSP/iPod/Zune/Cellphone. Unauthorized distribution of those PDA/PSP/iPod/Mobile phone movie files to the public may lead you to legal trouble. Unlike other video converter software, Pocket DVD Studio / PSP Movie Creator / PQ DVD to iPod Video Converter Suite / PQ DVD to Zune Video Converter Suite/ PQ DVD to iPod Converter / PQ DVD to Zune Converter / PQ DVD to PSP Converter / DVD to 3GP Video Suite do not use DVD DECSS algorithm. Our video converter software gives you the freedom for fair-use combined with some copyright protection in the movie/video/file."

 

This sure SOUNDS legit?! If you are right, and this is not actually legit, I guess I better rush and buy it before it disappears, eh?!

[gi7omy]

It's probably legit until the guys in grey suits find out - then they'll be down on it like a ton of bricks

[sknis]

The format of the files that Pocket-DVD Studio creates depends on the type of PDA you choose to convert for. For Palm, it creates AVI files. (Palm also reads MPEG files, and perhaps some others ... I'm not sure of all the file types it can read). Pocket-DVD Studio will also convert to other formats for playback on several other devices: Windows PDA's, Zunes, iPods, PSP's, etc.

 

The built-in converter you read about that is part of the Palm "hot-sync" program does not work directly from DVD's. It only converts video files from your computer's hard drive. Even then, it's just a simple yes/no offer to "shrink" the file to fit on the SD card. Pocket DVD Studio is much more robust, offering control over screen-ratio with cropping options, different resolutions, frames per second, bit-rates for audio, etc.

 

Your first post indicated that you already had the videos on your computer and wanted to convert them so that they would fit on a Palm TX. Now you are saying that you wanted to do a conversion directly from a DVD.. Am I reading the posts wrong?

If you have the edited video on your computer in an AVI format or mpg2 format from VideoWave, then I would think that you can use that compression program on the Palm.

 

Do you have stock in Pocket DVD Studio ? (just joking sort of).

[grandpabruce]

I understand your point. (Apparently, other legitimate programs like "Pocket-DVD Studio for Palm" do not have that issue ... I'm not sure how they get around the legality of it, but they do claim to be able to copy commercial DVD's to files for use on Palm devices).

 

SO ... how about a non-commercial DVD -- say, one I made myself from my own home movies. How can I convert THAT to a file small enough to use on my Palm using Roxio?

 

Then it is illegal to sell in the USA or Canada.

[mdspiro]

Then it is illegal to sell in the USA or Canada.

 

Don't shoot me ... I'm just the messenger!

[grandpabruce]

Don't shoot me ... I'm just the messenger!

 

I know, and since tone inflection isn't evident in the written word, I wasn't yelling at you.

[grandpabruce]

 

Again, I'm no lawyer, but here's the fine print on the bottom of the product's website:

 

"Legal Notice: Pocket DVD Studio / PSP Movie Creator / PQ DVD to iPod Video Converter Suite / PQ DVD to Zune Video Converter Suite / PQ DVD to iPod Converter / PQ DVD to Zune Converter / PQ DVD to PSP Converter / DVD to 3GP Video Suite software allows you record videos, DVD movies of your own to be viewed on Pocket PC/Palm/Sony PSP/iPod/Zune. When the software records commercial DVD movies, copyright tag and your information may be encrypted within the video file for PDA/PSP/iPod/Zune/Cellphone. Unauthorized distribution of those PDA/PSP/iPod/Mobile phone movie files to the public may lead you to legal trouble. Unlike other video converter software, Pocket DVD Studio / PSP Movie Creator / PQ DVD to iPod Video Converter Suite / PQ DVD to Zune Video Converter Suite/ PQ DVD to iPod Converter / PQ DVD to Zune Converter / PQ DVD to PSP Converter / DVD to 3GP Video Suite do not use DVD DECSS algorithm. Our video converter software gives you the freedom for fair-use combined with some copyright protection in the movie/video/file."

 

This sure SOUNDS legit?! If you are right, and this is not actually legit, I guess I better rush and buy it before it disappears, eh?!

 

I sure won't argue the point that we should or should not be able to copy our purchased movies, as a backup. I think we should, but the fair-use that they speak of, in what you just quoted, does not apply to the U.S. or Canada, with respect to copying videos.

 

And, unfortunately, these forums aren't the place to ask how to use that software or EMC 9, to attain the end of getting the commercial movies onto your Palm.

 

And don't shoot the messenger here, either.

[ggrussell]

Bruce, if you check out the software website, I would question the 'legitimacy' of what they are doing. Looks like they aren't 'technically' breaking the anti-copy protection because 'DVD player software' is required to be already installed.

[grandpabruce]

Bruce, if you check out the software website, I would question the 'legitimacy' of what they are doing. Looks like they aren't 'technically' breaking the anti-copy protection because 'DVD player software' is required to be already installed.

 

It is most definitely not legitimate. "Converts special DVD's that other software will not do.....