write my own conversion software

If I want to write my own program to convert DVD files into .wmv, .mpg,
..avi, and so on, is there a book or website that can help me get started
with the basics? I intend to write it in C++ first and then once I work the
logical kinks out, I'll rewrite the program in assembly language just to see
how far I can optimize it. I'm an assembly language hobbyist, an
optimization freak, and dedicated crusader against BLOATWARE. I'm also an
open source advocate when it comes to utililities like this and I intend to
make both the code and the executables available as freeware. I would also
like to make this a several year continuous project accepting ideas for
added functionality from the public domain.

I've seen several programs out there that do these conversions and it seems
to me most of them are slow and WAY bloated beyond necessity, which
irritates the hell out of me. Seems to me this is a utility that just
SCREAMS for assembly language optimization. I also intend to write my
programs for higher end computer configurations. I have a near top of the
line computer myself, and yet it takes over 2 hours to convert a 1 hour DVD
even when I'm not running anything else, and that's when the DVD files are
being read from the hard drive, not the DVD. I notice my hard drive
spinning CONSTANTLY which means the program must not be using memory to do
its work. SCREW THAT! I'm targeting my program to run on systems that have
at least 2 gig RAM. It should NOT take that long to convert a stinking file
from one format to another when all files are on the hard drive.

I would like to start out writing single conversion programs like DVD2WMV,
DVD2AVI, DVD2MPG, etc. I think its useful to have single conversion
programs for this type of application. I've tried several "all in one"
conversion programs, none of them do what I want it to do, and all of them
have a ton of crap that I'll never use. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay
several hundered dollars to find that out. If I found a commercial package
that I was happy with, I would have paid for it instantly and wouldn't be
here complaining right now. Once I get one single conversion program
working the way I want it, I'll move on to another. Perhaps after a year or
so, MAYBE I'll consider lumping them together in one program.

By the way, I keep seeing websites saying that Windows Movie Maker will
import .VOB files. I have a Canon DVD camcorder, the Roxio software that
came with it doesn't work at all, Roxio support is non-existent, and the
manual doesn't help either. I tried using WMM to read the camcorder DVD but
it won't. Is it really supposed to or did that only work with earlier
versions of WMM?

As open source project code is available for downloading.... maybe studying
the code for apps such as VirtualDub would help.
--
website references are to www.papajohn.org

PapaJohn


"Spaz" <yea@right.com> wrote in message
news:qIWdnQFIRaEMiA3bnZ2dnUVZ_rqhnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> If I want to write my own program to convert DVD files into .wmv, .mpg,
> .avi, and so on, is there a book or website that can help me get started
> with the basics? I intend to write it in C++ first and then once I work
> the logical kinks out, I'll rewrite the program in assembly language just
> to see how far I can optimize it. I'm an assembly language hobbyist, an
> optimization freak, and dedicated crusader against BLOATWARE. I'm also an
> open source advocate when it comes to utililities like this and I intend
> to make both the code and the executables available as freeware. I would
> also
> like to make this a several year continuous project accepting ideas for
> added functionality from the public domain.
>
> I've seen several programs out there that do these conversions and it
> seems to me most of them are slow and WAY bloated beyond necessity, which
> irritates the hell out of me. Seems to me this is a utility that just
> SCREAMS for assembly language optimization. I also intend to write my
> programs for higher end computer configurations. I have a near top of the
> line computer myself, and yet it takes over 2 hours to convert a 1 hour
> DVD even when I'm not running anything else, and that's when the DVD files
> are being read from the hard drive, not the DVD. I notice my hard drive
> spinning CONSTANTLY which means the program must not be using memory to do
> its work. SCREW THAT! I'm targeting my program to run on systems that
> have at least 2 gig RAM. It should NOT take that long to convert a
> stinking file from one format to another when all files are on the hard
> drive.
>
> I would like to start out writing single conversion programs like DVD2WMV,
> DVD2AVI, DVD2MPG, etc. I think its useful to have single conversion
> programs for this type of application. I've tried several "all in one"
> conversion programs, none of them do what I want it to do, and all of them
> have a ton of crap that I'll never use. I'm just glad I didn't have to
> pay several hundered dollars to find that out. If I found a commercial
> package that I was happy with, I would have paid for it instantly and
> wouldn't be here complaining right now. Once I get one single conversion
> program working the way I want it, I'll move on to another. Perhaps after
> a year or so, MAYBE I'll consider lumping them together in one program.
>
> By the way, I keep seeing websites saying that Windows Movie Maker will
> import .VOB files. I have a Canon DVD camcorder, the Roxio software that
> came with it doesn't work at all, Roxio support is non-existent, and the
> manual doesn't help either. I tried using WMM to read the camcorder DVD
> but it won't. Is it really supposed to or did that only work with earlier
> versions of WMM?