Many production facilities now supply their outputs on DVD. If you own footage that has been provided on DVD and need to play it in Video-SL here is a guide on how to convert it using the freeware application HandBrake.

Before we get started please visit our article on Video 101 to give you an overview of the terms used in the following tutorial. HandBrake can convert VOB files/DVD's to various formats with many different settings.

Setting up HandBrake

1. Download the Video-SL preset file for PC here.

2. Unzip the downloaded file. You will see a file called 'VIDEO-SL.hb', move this file somewhere safe on your harddrive (such as C:/Program Files/HandBrake).

3. Drag the VIDEO-SL.hb preset file onto the HandBrake icon to launch HandBrake.
4. Press Add in the Presets menu and name the preset 'Video-SL'.
5. Select the new preset and press 'Set as default' if you wish  to use the Video-SL as your default preset.

The Settings in the preset are for an MP4 file with H.264 codec and an average bitrate of 2000kbps we have found that these settings have produced a good balance between file size and CPU usage. Once you are comfortable with HandBrake you may want to further tweak this to suit your needs.

This is where you choose what you want to convert. You can either choose a whole disc, a folder containing the contents of your DVD or individual VOB files. A VOB file (Video Object) is what DVD-Videos use as their container format. It contains Video, audio, Subtitles, and Menu content. If converting a single track from a DVD, make sure you select the chapter (video) you wish.

Find the preset you wish to use in the Presets window. If you are wanting to use your default it will be automatically loaded when starting HandBrake.

Click Browse next to the destination box to choose where you want to save the file.
next to the destination box.

Click start to begin conversion, this can take quite a long time depending on the length of what you are trying to convert.

Converting multiple files using HandBrake

It's also very easy to convert more than one video file at a time from a promo DVD using HandBrake.

1. Choose a Disc to convert

Click Source and navigate to the DVD you're using then click Open.

2. Select Chapters to convert

 

The HandBrake Chapters drop down menu will show you all the available chapters that you can import directly from the DVD. To select multiple chapters, choose the first chapter number through to the last video on the list that you would like to convert.

For example if you only want to convert the first video on the disc, choose Chapters: 1 through: 1, and if you'd like the first 10 videos choose Chapters: 1 through: 10. Select the Video-SL preset, then click the "Start" button.

3. Converting multiple jobs

If there are videos which you do not want to convert within a range of numbers you've selected, choose a different range, allowing a gap for the excluded videos and then create a new range with the other chapters you want. Each time you select the desired chapters, choose the Video-SL preset then click the "Add to Queue" button, to store your selected "jobs" until you're ready to convert them all.

 

 

You can check and edit the jobs in the queue by clicking "Show Queue". When you're happy with your selection choose the converted file destination on your computer, then click "Start".