How do you watch Rifftrax?

[ClabberHead]

I've used video editing software to add the Rifftrax to the movie.  That way I can burn the movie to DVD and watch it without having to resync if I have to stop. One of the problems I've encountered is having to add to the Rifftrax file to get it to sync up.  To The Fifth Element, I had to add 3/4 sec every 15 minutes, and in Star Trek V I had to add 0.1 sec.  But the biggest problem was the Aspect ratio.  The video editing software I'm using squishes everything to a 4:3.  I had to burn the solo movie to DVD, them recopy it using a USB video capture card.  That way the 16:9 picture is contained in a 4:3 frame.  The black bars are actually part of the file.  Then I put the rifftrax over the movie burn it to DVD, put a "Mike and the Bots" silloutte on the bottom of my screen, and VOILLA!  MST3K!!!!!  (Almost)

ClabberHead

http://ClabberHead.shatner.blip.tv

[Rube_Maroon]

If I do ever combine the audio to video, I'd use something like Avid Express Pro so I have more control over everything.

In the meantime, on a related note: Do you watch the Coming Soon Rifftrax-movie-to-be before watching it Rifftraxed?

I'm thinking of watching Blue Crush tonight.

[Edward J Grug III]

In the meantime, on a related note: Do you watch the Coming Soon Rifftrax-movie-to-be before watching it Rifftraxed?

Nope. In fact two of the three that I've watched so far I had never seen before.

[McThornbody]

Ok guys here is the old school way to do it.
If your video card supports video out you got the first part. Ok connect your video out to a VCR I know, old. Then you get a plug that fits into your audio out from your computer. You will need a adapter that you can buy at radio shack that changes that to a RCA plug in type. Plug that into the audio in on the VCR. This method requires you have the dvd of the movie or a avi/divx/xvid/whatever version, and play it off your pc to the VCR. I then just start the audio and wait for go time and hit record on VHS VCR. I know, sad it so old way to do it but wayyy easy to sync. Since you can set most cards to put out video only,you can mess with the audio and what not with out it showing in the video recordng. Got to love analog.

[McThornbody]

And if you really want to have that dvd. Take that Vhs you made and rip it back to dvd. Take a total of 4 hours but you get to watch it both times!

[gammer]

after you've ripped the DVD, you should never touch the original video file. It will only degrade the quality of the video. I see several people converting it to AVI then back to DVD. This isnt the desired way of doing it.

Rip the video and audio to your HDD, then use a audio editor like GoldWave to mix the two audio tracks together and adjust timing.

I will be posting a link on how I do it from my webpage, as soon as I get home tonight.

[Bob M.]

We just pop in the DVD of the movie and hook up an iPod to the stereo at the back of the room with a nice long extension cable so I can sit on the couch and punch play. The sync up has been pretty near perfect, balancing the two volumes was easy, and it always sounds like Mike is sitting behind us riffing, which is both great and creepy, because having Mike sitting behind me in a theater could be deadly

Although you're welcome to come over any time, Mike, and riff from a chair behind the couch if you like. I presume we would be required to provide the obligatory 'comfy chair' experience, a wide selecting of edibles and beverages, as well as a Malaysian house boy to hold the straws of your coconut-encased drinks, but such a price would be a pittance. Please have your people call my people, and we'll make such a thing happen post haste. Huzzah!

[I'm Huge]

I have my stereo and tv hooked up to the same receiver so I just sit with my iPod and use the small ear buds. They are small enough so I can hear the movie and the Mike with no problem. Using larger headphones may be a problem.

[Bob]

When I am watching the movie by myself, I use the IPOD with the ear buds.   I dont like to watch movies on the PC, so I always watch them on the TV via the DVD player.

When friends are over, I put the IPOD in the speaker station and place the speaker by the couch.

Another advantage of keeping the file on the IPOD, you can play the rifftrax while waiting at the airport.   Still funny that way, but you do get some odd looks from folks while you are snickering by yourself.

[McThornbody]

I tried all kinds of sync programs before I said, hey there is a vcr. But I had forgotten bout Goldwave. TY for reminding me, it records all the sounds the pc makes. So will give me something to work with. Looking forward to reading your link.

[gammer]

I tried all kinds of sync programs before I said, hey there is a vcr. But I had forgotten bout Goldwave. TY for reminding me, it records all the sounds the pc makes. So will give me something to work with. Looking forward to reading your link.

My Instruction Page is now posted. Keep in mind this is a brief overview of how I do it. I will make it more detailed and provide screen shots as time permits me to.

[Hardware]

For "The Fifth Elment", I used my entertainment center DVD player for the movie, and my PSP with earbuds for the riffing.  It worked really well until I had to answer the phone and accidentally hit one of the shoulder buttons on the PSP - which is the 'next/prev track' control.  At that point I had to re-sync with the movie by fast forwarding the mp3 to somewhere around the 50 minute mark, which took a few minutes.   I wasn't able to get it to sync up quite as well after that.  I realized afterwards that I should have used the included crib sheet.  Ah well, hopefully it'll work out better with Star Trek.

I've considered making my own DVD's but as I don't own any of the movies so far (I've been renting them from Netflix) it's not really an option yet. When it is I'll definitely take a look at your guide gammer73.

[subtr4ct]

My Instruction Page is now posted. Keep in mind this is a brief overview of how I do it. I will make it more detailed and provide screen shots as time permits me to.

If anyone other than me is interested in mixing audio and dvd reauthoring in Linux/BSD (or possibly OSX), I would be happy to share info and my scripts.  I would love to have more eyes to help produce a more streamlined/improved process.

[LadyKenobi]

I am but an English major, and do not know of these "video cards" and "GoldWave" of which the kids today are speaking (with their Nerf balls, and their big pants, and their listening to the No Doubts...)  What I do is, I have this highly technical process in which I unplug the 8.9 million wires from my laptop, and carry it into the living room, and set it down, and plug in the speakers, and since the cord is really short I have to lean way way way over to see when the visual cue to restart the track is.  A great deal of sprinting is involved.  Sometimes I invite people over just to have somebody go, "Okay... nnnnnnnnnnnnow!"

Yet another reason why Rifftrax are meant to be shared

[ZachsMind]

I've done it two ways. At first I was just putting the DVD in my DVD player, and since the computer's in the same room I ran the mp3 off the computer while watching the movie on conventional TV.

More recently I've just been putting the DVD into the computer and watching it on my computer screen. I make it smaller and have other windows up at the same time doing stuff, then I have my winamp minimized in the upper left corner so I can hear Mike. Or in the case of ST5 I had to do it that way cuz I 'rented' a timed copy of ST5 from MovieLink.com.