Does anyone know of a way in which I can batch convert VIDEO_TS Rips with Handbrake using one of the supplied presets?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!

Not "batch" convert per se, but you can queue VIDEO_TS rips to convert. You have to queue each rip, but once it's done, you can fire and forget.

Thanks for your reply...

Yeah, I know about the queue, but my goal was to try to find a way to batch convert the 500+ VIDEO_TS folders I have for my iPhone in one shot, without having to manually load each one up in handbrake and choose 'Add To Queue'.

I could have sworn I saw an applescript or bash script somewhere at some point in the past that would provide this capability?? Of course I can't find it now when I actually want it :(

Anyone have any suggestions?

do you know how long it'll take to patch convert 500 DVDs?

do you know how long it'll take to patch convert 500 DVDs?

appr. 1000 hours :)

I've got 4 different dual/quad core computers, and don't really have anywhere to be in the meantime :)

...not to mention that there are probably on about 200 or so of these rips that I would like to convert...

So I ask again...anyone have any idea where I can find such a script (or plugin, batch script, hack, etc...)??

Thanks

So to "partially" answer my own question, I came across THIS LINK (http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20070408191127553), which apparently provides a perl script to automate the batch conversion of VIDEO_TS rips using Handbrake...

YEAH! :D

Now perhaps someone might be willing to help me out part two of this equation, which I have no idea how to accomplish...How do I use this perl script??

Specifically, here are some questions which I have no idea how to address (quoted items below are copied from the hint description at the link above):

then you can use this Perl wrapper to convert as many VIDEO_TS folders as you likeHow exactly do I "use" a perl wrapper? I downloaded the "mediaforker_pl.txt" file, so how does one use this to performs the batch conversion?

It processes every single title on every single VIDEO_TS folder that it findsI had a quick look a the perl script mentioned in the link above and from what I gather it appears that there are a couple lines of the script that can be edited to configure it to run on a folder of your choosing...

Can someone confirm whether or not the following section of the script (below) is what I should to tweak to run it on my chosen folder (which contains multiple VIDEO_TS rips) - if so, have I tweaked it properly? - if so, is that all I have to tweak in the entire script if I do want to use the default output settings?

# Process input args
#
my $narg = scalar( @ARGV );
my $compressargs = "";
my $allargs = "";
my $infolder = "/Users/micahdiamond/Movies/Ripped\ DVDs/TEST";
my $outfolder = "/Users/micahdiamond/Movies/Ripped\ DVDs/TEST-OUTPUT";
my $ext = ".mp4"; What would need to be tweaked in the script if I wanted to instead output files using handbrake's default 'iPhone Profile'?

Also, you only have to set the flags only once...When do I do this?

* Is it done in the perl script itself, by editing it and re-saving it?
* or am I supposed to open handbrake and configure it how I want it, then run the script and it will proceed to batch process using the settings I configure for that first opened file?
* or does it basically open handbrake and target the first VIDEO_TS folder in the list of folders that will be batch processed, at which point it pauses and waits for me to insert my settings and click 'Start' after which it will use those settings for the batch conversion?
* or is it done somewhere else entirely?

Don't forget to chmod u+x mediaforker.pl before you try to run it
I have heard this kind of instruction mentioned so many times for so many different things over the years, and I still have no idea how the heck to chmod something?? Can someone spell this one out for me in plain English (the total dummy version), step-by-step?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!

Here's my suggestion, but I don't think you are going to like it. Based on your questions, I don't think it is a good idea for you to try this script. If you make a small mistake, it either won't work or it could even do damage to some of your files.

If you have such a large project to do, why not just, as you said, queue up everything and then go out and do something else?

Do you know how freakin' long that would take to covert more than 500+ rips (nearly 600 actually)??

I don't mean long in the sense that the processing would take long (as that's going to take just as long if done via a script, or if done manually)...I mean how long it would take me to, item-by-item browse for the source folder, then wait 10-20 seconds for Handbrake to load the contents from the source, then apply my settings adjustments accordingly, then add to the queue, then load up the next source folder - and repeat 500+ times!!

And when the day comes that I want to covert a copy of all of my rips not only for my iPhone, but also for my AppleTV - repeat 500+ times...again!!

No thanks!

I am so close man...and while I might not be a programmer/developer/guru by any means, I certainly am far more computer literate than anyone that I know, and getting this script to work IS something I am going to do...

So, if you wouldn't mind I'd appreciate it if you (or anyone out there) could just respond back and lend a helping hand to guide me through the final stages of configuring this perl script...

Thanks!

Do you have a deadline on this project? I thought this was just something you wanted to do for your own convenience.

When you wrote: "I still have no idea how the heck to chmod something?? Can someone spell this one out for me in plain English (the total dummy version), step-by-step?" it became very clear that you are simply over your head here.

I have a 14-year-old daughter. She is very bright and very well coordinated. I can explain to her quite simply the idea behind driving a car. But, does that mean that it would be a good idea to let her drive? (Please note: I am NOT comparing you to a 14-year-old girl).

If I had all the answers, I would give them to you. I don't.

My suggestion is to do as much research on the web as possible (on perl, handbrake, etc.), and then after that you'll have to go to trial and error.

After all, you'll learn better that way anyway. My guess is you'll get it figured out at least partially, do a "test run" on the script, figure out what mistake(s) you made, and then continue on until you get it right.

As a hint, I'm guessing you're going to have to get up close & personal with Mac OS X's terminal program. Search the web for "chmod OS X" and you'll probably figure out where to start...

It's the tried and true method. Think of it as a puzzle you are solving. Good luck, and be careful...

From the macosxlinks article referenced above (sorry first poster so cannot post links):

"It processes every single title on every single VIDEO_TS folder that it finds, so you may have to go in and clean up unwanted titles."

DVDs generally have around 10-20 titles (movie, clips, intros, special features, menu animations, etc) which this means that if you get it working and let it fly on your collection, you will come back about 6 weeks later to find up to 12000 movie titles to sift through, and you will need to play each one to find the movie tracks that you want to keep.

If it takes you 1 minute to queue a movie into handbrake then you are looking at about 8 hours work. If you let the script run and it takes you 10 seconds to check the resulting movie files you are looking at around 40 hours work!

Manually queuing 500+ titles into handbrake is sounding more and more like the quickest option.

Of course if you can modify the perl script to pick the longest title in a VIDEO_TS folder then your method will be quicker as the longest title is the movie track is 99% of DVDs.

Good luck,

Josh.

When you wrote: "I still have no idea how the heck to chmod something?? Can someone spell this one out for me in plain English (the total dummy version), step-by-step?" it became very clear that you are simply over your head here.


Further has a point. By all means go for it but you have a lot of learning to do. Start by getting a basic understanding of how unix works (specially file system operations) before you dive into hacking perl scripts.

To answer you question regarding chmod all you need to do is type:

chmod u+x mediaforker.pl

in the command line of the directory that the mediaforker.pl file is in.

Josh.