Well, first you must decrypt the DVD and get the files on your computer.
Many movies now have not only encryption, but extra structural protection, e.g. RipGuard, ARccOS, etc., which complicates matters. They all work by exploiting the difference between set-top players and rippers. Players will ignore read errors and unreferenced titlesets automatically, while a ripper will try to parse the NAVPacks and IFOs to ensure correct navigation. Intentional read errors and unreferenced titlesets will defeat all DeCSS based rippers.
There are a number of ways around this, probably the easiest is RipIt4Me. It integrates DVDDecrypter, FixVTS, and DVDShrink. First it analyses the disc and produces a protected sectors list (PSL), which DVDDecrypter uses to get the necessary files and eliminate the junk. Then FixVTS corrects the NAVPacks and IFOs of the video titlesets. DVDShrink then opens the rip. It is strict as to seeing correct structure, so it provides verification. If Shrinks opens the ripped files okay, the rip is "clean". At this point, you may choose to compress, reauthor, delete extra audio tracks, whatever. If converting to AVI, you have two choices: Set RipIt4Me to rip main movie only to begin with, or reauthor in DVDShrink and save a new file.
Get RipIt4Me free, here:
http://www.ripit4me.org/
There is a simple, concise guide at the download site above, also links to DVDDecrypter, FixVTS, and DVDShrink.
Okay, so you have the files on your hard drive now. Next step is to convert to AVI, the usual choices are DivX or XviD. One of the most popular programs for this is AutoGK. Once it's set up correctly, it just a matter of choosing input and desired output file size. For those who want more control over the process, the regular GordianKnot is good. VirtualDub also gives you full control and can do any type AVI conversion. But AutoGK is simpler, for sure. Get AutoGK here, it's free:
http://www.autogk.me.uk/
Be sure you read the guide so you can set it up correctly, and get the necessary codecs.
For editing AVIs, the overwhelming choice of hobbyists is VirtualDub and its many variants. It's not very intuitive at first, but it is very powerful, so it's worth reading a guide or two. I like the VirtualDubMPEG2 version, VirtualDubMOD is good too. Free, here:
http://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=29#29
Available guides are listed on the page of each specific version. VirtualDub can join AVIs. If the bitrates (and codecs!) are the same in both, it's just a matter of doing this:
File -> Open Video File -> Video -> Direct Stream Copy -> Audio -> Source Audio -> File -> Append AVI Segment -> File -> Save as AVI.
If the file specs are NOT exactly the same (not unusual), you'll have to go Full Processing Mode and recompress, which inevitably degrades quality.
Hope that answers your question. Good luck.
Linear Mode
