Dvdcopy

What it looks like

Usage

usage: dvdcopy [ --option(=<argument>) ] [...]

~/.dvdcopy.conf will be read first if it's found (even if --config
is passed). for syntax, see the help entry for the --config option.
commandline arguments will overrule what's defined in the config.

invalid options are ignored.

options:

  --config=<file>               read any of the below options from a
                                file, note that you must strip the
                                '--' and set any argument-less
                                options specifically to either true
                                or false

                                there is no error if <file> doesn't
                                exist

  --directory=<directory>       set the working directory, default
                                is ./dvdcopy

  --keep_files                  keep all intermediate files; note
                                that they will be removed the next
                                time dvdcopy is run regardless of
                                this option

  --device=<file>               set the reader/burner, default is
                                /dev/sr0

  --title=<number>              set the title, default is longest

  --size=<number>               set the desired output size in KB, 
                                default is 4193404

  --limit=<number>              set the number of times to attempt a
                                read/burn before giving up, default
                                is 15

  --mpeg_only                   stop after transcoding the mpeg
  --dvd_only                    stop after authoring the dvd
  --iso_only                    stop after generating the iso

  --mpeg_dir=<directory>        set a save location for the
                                intermediate mpeg file, default is
                                blank -- don't save it

  --dvd_dir=<directory>         set a save location for the
                                intermediate vob folder, default is
                                blank -- don't save it

  --iso_dir=<directory>         set a save location for the
                                intermediate iso file, default is
                                blank -- don't save it

  --mencoder_options=<options>  pass additional arbitrary arguments
                                to mencoder, multiple options should
                                be quoted and there is no validation
                                on these; you'll need to know what
                                you're doing. the options are placed
                                after '-dvd-device <device>' but
                                before all others

  --quiet                       be quiet
  --verbose                     be verbose

  --force                       disable any options validation,
                                useful if ripping from an image file

  --help                        print this

What’s it do?

Pop in a standard DVD9 (~9GB) and type dvdcopy. The script will calculate the video bitrate required to create an ISO under 4.3GB (standard DVD5). It will then use mencoder to create an authorable image and burn it back to a disc playable on any standard player.

Defaults are sane (IMO), but can be adjusted through the config file or the options passed at runtime (or both). I’ve now added a lot of cool features as described in the help.

How to get it

Install the AUR package here.

Grab the source from my git repo here.