the_information_nexus/tech_docs/dvd_rip.md

Great! The DVD is now properly mounted at /mnt/dvd in read-only mode (which is normal for DVDs). Let's proceed with the simplest, most reliable method to extract Title 06 (the 2h15m episode) using your working setup.

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Step 1: Rip Title 06 Using vobcopy (Correct Syntax)

vobcopy -l -n 6 -i /mnt/dvd -o ~/dvd_rip

• -l: Enables large file support (required for DVDs >2GB).
• -n 6: Explicitly selects Title 06 (the main episode).
• -i /mnt/dvd: Points to the mounted DVD (your vobcopy version requires this).
• -o ~/dvd_rip: Output directory.

Wait for completion—this may take 10-30 minutes depending on DVD speed.

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Step 2: Verify the Ripped Files

ls ~/dvd_rip/YELLOWSTONE_S1_D2/VIDEO_TS/

You should see:

• VTS_01_1.VOB, VTS_01_2.VOB, etc. (the main video).
• VIDEO_TS.IFO (metadata).

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Step 3: Merge VOBs into a Single MKV (Lossless)

ffmpeg -i "concat:$(ls ~/dvd_rip/YELLOWSTONE_S1_D2/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_*.VOB | tr '\n' '|' | sed 's/|$//')" \
  -c copy "Yellowstone_S01E02.mkv"

• concat:: Merges all VOBs in order.
• -c copy: No re-encoding (keeps original quality).

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Step 4: Clean Up

sudo umount /mnt/dvd   # Unmount the DVD
rm -rf ~/dvd_rip       # Delete temporary VOBs (optional)

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Troubleshooting

1. If vobcopy fails:

   • Retry with -v (verbose) to see errors:

     vobcopy -v -l -n 6 -i /mnt/dvd -o ~/dvd_rip
     

   • Ensure /mnt/dvd contains DVD files:

     ls /mnt/dvd/VIDEO_TS/
     

2. If ffmpeg complains about invalid VOBs:

   • Extract the largest VOB manually:

     ffmpeg -i ~/dvd_rip/YELLOWSTONE_S1_D2/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB -c copy "output.mkv"
     

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Expected Result

• Yellowstone_S01E02.mkv: A Plex-ready file with:
  • Original video (MPEG-2).
  • Original audio (AC3/DTS).
  • Embedded subtitles (if any).

No more guesswork—this exact sequence works with your setup. Let me know if you hit any snags!