Windows dvd ripping and progressive scan

Like many, I want to build a home media server so I can listen to my mp3s (30GB of genuinely legal rips from my CDs, honestly) and watch divx from any pc on the network. To this I would add a 'client' box in my front room, which would be a very quiet, relatively low spec PC (XP1700, 256MB PC2100, 15gig drive) with a decent sound card and video out.

Sound card is a no-brainer - it will be Audigy2 with the kX Audio Project drivers. This should get the best of audio out of my mp3s (FYI I rip with EAC in secure mode and compress with lame 3.90.2 using the --alt-preset standard switch. IMHO this gives the best quality output - see http://www.chrismyden.com/uber/ for more details)

The question is video. I'd like to be able to rip my DVD stash to divx/xvid but I'm not really sure of the best solution. Naturally I'd like to be able to retain the DTS or DD track from the disc, and I'd like to future proof myself for a probable upgrade to progressive scan plasma as and when I have the financial resources. Quality is far more important to me than discspace, since HDD prices are continually falling and capacity rising, but I don't want to waste space by being silly about compression, so ideally I'd like to be able to get the average 2hour move (video and full surround sound) down to about 2GB. Compression speed is no object - I'd rather rip one DVD a day at great quality/bitrate ratio than four a day at a lower ratio. Call me a purist!

So can anyone suggest a decent software solution for ripping to a progressive scan suitable output, with true discreet surround, (and software for playback too!) and also what video cards would you recommend? I've had a hunt around but so far been unable to find a card with progressive component output.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Best regards,
John

 

Best ive found is DVD2SVCD, keep the AC3 track and do 4 pass w/ bicubic de-interlace. Gets almost perfect SVCDs, although they are twice the size of the divx alternative.

The 4 pass stuff is only avaliable with the cinecraft codec though, and both softwares' are quite old but work perfectly still. Ive not found a DVD2AVI that is as simple and works just as good.

 

Just a pointer, check out doom9 for in depth info

 

Thanks guys

J4ck: that link is awesome. Thanks very much!

Done a little googling of my own and found this guide to ripping dvds with an AC3 soundtrack: http://www.divx-digest.com/articles/Dolby_Digital-sound_DivX_ripping_guide.html

Still no ideas about progressive scan though. TBH I don't know that much about plasma - the ideal would be to have a DVI or VGA connection I guess, since that's progressive scan by definition and would work with all gfx cards. Anyone know if plasma screens generally have VGA/DVI inputs, or can recommend some that do?

Thanks again for comments,
John