File	Date	Author	Commit
BuildExe.bat	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
DieselRipper.spec	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
DieselRipper5.0.9.exe	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
Diesel_Ripper.py	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
ReadMe.txt	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
bg.png	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
dieselripper_config.json	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
dieselripper_error.log	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
dieselripper_logo.ico	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
dieselripper_logo.png	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
ffmpeg.exe	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
ffplay.exe	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
ffprobe.exe	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit
zdr_config.json	2025-05-30	ZachDiesel	[b3f51d] Initial commit

Read Me

# DieselRipper 5.0.9 - User Guide

## What is DieselRipper?

DieselRipper is a powerful, customizable tool that lets you download videos from popular websites and process video files on your computer. Perfect for saving game highlights, coach interviews, and recruiting videos. Now featuring **custom college football team themes**, enhanced local file processing, and a completely redesigned interface!

## 🎉 What's New in Version 5.0+

### ⭐ Custom College Football Team Themes
- Choose from **ALL 130+ FBS college football teams**
- Beautiful team colors and branding throughout the app
- Featured teams: Oklahoma (default), Miami, North Carolina, North Texas
- Easy theme switching from the Themes tab or menu
- Your theme choice is automatically saved

### 🎨 Redesigned User Interface
- **Tabbed interface** for better organization
- **Download Tab** - For downloading videos from websites
- **Local Files Tab** - For processing your own video files
- **Themes Tab** - Browse and select team themes
- Cleaner, more intuitive design
- Better progress tracking with status bar

### 📁 Enhanced Local File Processing
- **Multi-file support** - Process dozens of files at once
- **Custom naming system** - Name each file individually
- **Drag-and-drop support** - Easy file management
- **Batch processing** - Handle large collections efficiently
- **In-app transcoding (BETA)** - Professional video transcoding

### 🔧 Advanced Features
- **Multi-line naming** - Custom names for multiple files/URLs
- **Better audio codec support** - Including Opus and other formats
- **Professional transcoding** - Catapult broadcast specifications
- **Enhanced error handling** - More reliable downloads and processing

## Getting Started

### First Time Setup
1. Download DieselRipper5.0.9.exe from SourceForge
2. Run the program (no installation required)
3. **Choose your team theme** from the Themes tab (optional)
4. Click "Choose Folder" to select where you want videos saved
5. You're ready to start downloading!

### System Requirements
- Windows 10 or newer
- Internet connection (for downloading videos)
- At least 2GB free space on your hard drive
- FFmpeg (included or auto-detected)

## What Can DieselRipper Do?

### Download Videos From:
- YouTube (regular videos and Shorts)
- Twitter/X
- Instagram
- TikTok
- Facebook
- Many other video websites

### Process Your Own Video Files:
- Convert game footage to MP3 audio files (for radio calls)
- Add black borders to vertical phone videos of plays
- **In-app transcoding with broadcast specifications (BETA)**
- Rename and organize your game film collection
- **Process dozens of files at once**
- **Custom naming for each file**

### Customization Features:
- **130+ college football team themes**
- **Personalized branding and colors**
- **Custom logo support** (dieselripper_logo.png)
- **Saved preferences** - Your settings are remembered

## How to Download Videos

### Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. **Go to the Download Tab**
   - Click the "Download" tab at the top

2. **Set Your Save Location**
   - Click "Choose Folder" 
   - Pick where you want videos saved

3. **Add Video Links**
   - Copy video URLs from websites
   - Paste them in the text box (one link per line)
   - **You can add multiple URLs for batch downloading**

4. **Custom Names for Multiple Videos** (NEW!):
   - Use the "Custom Names" text area
   - Enter one name per line to match each URL:
   ```
   Alabama Iron Bowl Highlights 2023
   Georgia Championship Game
   Michigan vs Ohio State Rivalry
   ```

5. **Choose What You Want** (optional):
   - Check "MP3 ONLY" if you only want the audio
   - Check "ADD BLACK BACKGROUND" for vertical videos
   - Check "SEND TO TRANSCODER" if you use video editing software
   - Check "TRANSCODE IN APP (BETA)" for professional specs

6. **Start Downloading**
   - Click "START DOWNLOAD"
   - Watch the progress in the status bar at the bottom
   - Files will be saved with today's date

### Tips for Downloading:
- **Batch downloads** - Add multiple URLs for faster processing
- Videos are automatically organized by date
- **Progress tracking** - Main progress bar shows overall completion
- If a download fails, try again or check your internet

## How to Process Your Own Videos

### Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. **Go to the Local Files Tab**
   - Click the "Local Files" tab at the top

2. **Add Your Video Files**
   - **Drag and drop** video files into the list, OR
   - Click "Add Files" to browse for videos
   - **Select multiple files** for batch processing

3. **Choose Your Output Folder**
   - Click "Choose Folder" to pick where processed files go

4. **Custom Names for Multiple Files** (NEW!):
   - Use the "Custom Names" text area
   - Enter one name per line to match each file:
   ```
   Game 1 Highlights
   Coach Interview
   Team Practice Footage
   ```

5. **Pick What You Want Done**:
   - "MP3 ONLY" - Creates audio file from video
   - "ADD BLACK BACKGROUND" - Adds black bars to vertical videos  
   - "SEND TO TRANSCODER" - Copies file to editing software folder
   - "TRANSCODE IN APP (BETA)" - Professional broadcast transcoding

6. **Start Processing**
   - Click the "START" button
   - Watch progress in the status bar
   - Wait for completion message

### Supported Video Types:
- MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV, WMV, FLV, M4V, WebM, and more

## How to Choose Team Themes

### Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. **Go to the Themes Tab**
   - Click the "Themes" tab at the top

2. **Browse Featured Teams**
   - **Oklahoma Sooners** (default theme)
   - **Miami Hurricanes**
   - **North Carolina Tar Heels** 
   - **North Texas Mean Green**

3. **Search for Your Team**
   - Use the search box to find your team quickly
   - Search by team name or conference

4. **Browse by Conference**
   - **SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, American, Mountain West**
   - **Conference USA, MAC, Sun Belt, Independent**
   - All 130+ FBS teams included!

5. **Apply Your Theme**
   - Click any team button to apply their colors
   - Your choice is automatically saved
   - Some changes take effect immediately, others after restart

### Quick Theme Access:
- **Themes Menu** - Access featured teams and conferences
- **Themes Tab** - Browse all teams with search
- **Color Previews** - See team colors before applying

## Understanding File Names

DieselRipper organizes your files by date and adds prefixes:

**Example:**
```
Your Downloads Folder/
  2024-05-26/
    05-26-24 Alabama Iron Bowl Highlights.mp4
    05-26-24 Alabama Iron Bowl Highlights.mp3
    05-26-24 Vertical Phone Video_bg.mp4
    05-26-24 Professional Broadcast_transcoded.mp4
```

**What the names mean:**
- `05-26-24` = Date processed (Month-Day-Year)
- `_bg` = Video with black background added
- `_transcoded` = Video transcoded with professional specs

## Advanced Features

### In-App Transcoding (BETA)
**Professional broadcast specifications:**
- 720p60 resolution (1280x720 @ 59.94fps)
- H.264 High Profile, Level 3.2
- 6 Mbps video bitrate
- AAC audio at 96 kbps, 48kHz
- Optimized for broadcast and streaming

### Multi-File Processing
- **Process up to 50+ files at once**
- **Individual custom naming** for each file
- **Progress tracking** for batch operations
- **Smart organization** with date folders

### Custom Logo Support
- Place `dieselripper_logo.png` in the app folder
- **120x60 pixels recommended**
- Logo automatically adapts to your team colors
- Falls back to text logo if image not found

## Common Problems and Solutions

### "Theme Not Applying Properly"
- Some changes require restarting the app
- Check the Themes tab to confirm your selection
- Try selecting the theme again

### "Drag and Drop Doesn't Work"
- Use the "Add Files" button instead
- Make sure you're dragging video files (not shortcuts)
- Try restarting DieselRipper

### "Download Failed" or "No Video Found"
- Check your internet connection
- Make sure the video link is correct
- Some videos may be private or restricted
- **Enhanced error handling** provides better error messages

### "Processing Multiple Files Stuck"
- **Large batches** take time - be patient
- Check available disk space
- **Progress bar** shows overall completion
- Close other video/audio programs

### "Custom Names Not Working"
- Make sure you have **one name per line**
- **Number of names** should match number of files/URLs
- Leave blank to use original names
- Check the helpful tips below the name box

### "Transcoding Failed (BETA)"
- Ensure FFmpeg is available
- Try smaller files first
- **In-app transcoding** is a BETA feature
- Use "Send to Transcoder" as backup option

### "Audio Codec Issues"
- **Enhanced Opus support** handles most audio formats
- Try downloading as MP3 only if video has audio issues
- **Better codec detection** in newer versions

## Special Features

### Batch Operations
**Download multiple videos:**
```
Line 1: https://youtube.com/watch?v=abc123
Line 2: https://twitter.com/user/status/456
Line 3: https://instagram.com/p/def789

Custom Names:
Line 1: Alabama Championship Game
Line 2: Coach Interview
Line 3: Recruiting Video
```

**Process multiple files:**
- Add 10, 20, or more files to the list
- Enter custom names for each (optional)
- Process them all with one click

### Professional Transcoding
The **new in-app transcoding (BETA)** feature uses broadcast-quality specifications:
- Perfect for professional video workflows
- **Catapult broadcasting standards**
- Optimized for streaming and broadcast
- **One-click professional conversion**

### Team Pride Customization
- **Show your team colors** throughout the app
- **All major conferences** represented
- **Automatic color coordination** for logos and interface
- **Saved preferences** - set once, use always

## Important Legal Information

**Use DieselRipper Responsibly:**
- Only download videos you have permission to download
- Don't download copyrighted broadcasts (like ESPN, FOX Sports games) illegally
- Respect the websites' rules and terms of service
- Don't redistribute downloaded content without permission

**This tool is for personal use only.** Great for saving coach interviews, recruiting videos, or highlight reels you find online, but always make sure you're allowed to download the content you're saving.

## Updates

DieselRipper automatically checks for new versions:
- A popup will appear when updates are available
- Download updates from the SourceForge website
- Manual check: Help menu > Check for Updates
- **Major version updates** include new features and improvements

## Getting Help

If you're having trouble:

1. **Check the Log Area** - Look for error messages at the bottom
2. **Try the Solutions Above** - Most problems have simple fixes
3. **Restart the Program** - This fixes many temporary issues
4. **Check Your Theme** - Some display issues are theme-related
5. **Visit SourceForge** - Check for updates and user discussions

## Quick Reference

### For Downloading Videos:
1. **Download Tab** → Choose Folder → Add URLs → Custom Names (optional) → START DOWNLOAD

### For Processing Your Videos:
1. **Local Files Tab** → Add Files → Choose Folder → Custom Names (optional) → START

### For Changing Themes:
1. **Themes Tab** → Search or Browse → Click Team Button → Applied!

### If Something Goes Wrong:
1. Check Log Area → Try Again → Restart Program → Check for Updates

## Performance Tips

### For Best Results:
- **Use batch processing** for multiple files
- **Close other video programs** during processing
- **Ensure adequate disk space** (2GB+ recommended)
- **Keep app updated** for latest improvements
- **Use professional transcoding** for broadcast quality

### Customization Tips:
- **Choose your team theme** for a personalized experience
- **Add custom logo** (dieselripper_logo.png) for branding
- **Use custom naming** for better file organization
- **Organize by date folders** for easy finding

---

**Remember:** DieselRipper is free software with powerful new features. Use it responsibly, show your team pride with custom themes, and respect content creators' rights.

**Go Team! 🏈**