Travel Technology - Ripping DVDs for Netbooks

I can't believe how frustrating it is to find answers to this question.

Quite simply: I already have DVD files (uncompressed) on a portable hard drive. I want to convert just the movie (no extra features) into one WMV/MP4/MOV/etc.

What program(s) do you use? Free is best, but willing to spend a little money for convenience.

Handbrake.

Handbrake is superb for Mac and works great on Windows, but on Windows I'm pretty sure it only works with unencrypted movies files.

I'm currently trying Nero Recode to pare it down to a 2GB mp4 file. Overkill? Would 1GB suffice?

I heard Handbrake can't recode down to 1024x600 resolution.

whats the best size for a 9 inch netbook ?

and what format ?

when you look at one of these programs there are too many options !

Rally

I like DVDshrink. It rips the DVD into video and audio TS folders so you have to use a media player that can play them (VLC works good). DVDshrink is mainly for converting dual layer to single layer but it works for this as well.

I'm currently trying Nero Recode to pare it down to a 2GB mp4 file. Overkill? Would 1GB suffice?

I heard Handbrake can't recode down to 1024x600 resolution.

Maybe Handbrake can't do 1024 because DVDs are originally encoded at 720×480 resolution for NTSC movies. I typically save our movies at 640 x ### and 699mb so that they fit on a cd. I feel sorry for people still on Windows... everything is so hard. :(

For Windows, use Xvid4PSP. Total control over resolution, codecs, bitrate, etc. Much better than Handbrake (for Windows).

Totally free.

For conversion, use the Xvid codec, which has the best ratio of compression to CPU usage. (translation: good for low-powered PC's like netbooks)

For reference, when I encode to .avi files for airplane use, I encode to 720x480 (or 400), 1400 kpbs video single pass, 128k CBR audio. If it's a DVD source, the resulting file is good enough for a 10-12" screen. Resulting file size is ~1GB.

Or did recently.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-technology/829122-giveaway-day-xilisoft-dvd-ripper-ultimate.html

Edit: Ignore above...

Maybe Handbrake can't do 1024 because DVDs are originally encoded at 720×480 resolution for NTSC movies. I typically save our movies at 640 x ### and 699mb so that they fit on a cd. I feel sorry for people still on Windows... everything is so hard. :(

Yeah, converting "down" to 1024x600 only makes sense if the original is in HD (ie not a DVD, and generally harder to do still.)

That said, none of the Windows software I've used is all that hard. AutoGK for converting regular DVDs to MP4 is very easy, as is Ripbot264 for doing HD-DVDs, and that's just the free stuff.

CloneDVD -- if Windows is your OS of choice :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CloneDVD

Ok, totally dummy at this, I carry a laptop without DVD player (for size/weight).

So I want to copy a DVD onto my (pretty large) hard drive. Or copy several. For those really long flights.

What do I need to do? Stick the DVD into the attachable DVD drive and....

run a software program to unprotect it?
then another program to copy the DVD into another file format and save it on my hard drive?

Is there a single inexpensive (or free!) program I should be using to do this?

Is there a single inexpensive (or free!) program I should be using to do this?

I use Fair Use Wizard Light (free) for this purpose.
There are other options, but it works for me and the price is right.
http://fairusewizard.com/lang_en/fairuse_wizard_dvd_divx_xvid_backup_tool_light_edi tion.html

run a software program to unprotect it?

Programs that do this one step alone also typically copy the whole unprotected DVD to your hard drive; if you drive is big enough for the 5-9gb per disk, the simples thing to do is stop here.

then another program to copy the DVD into another file format and save it on my hard drive?

You either need a program that does it in one step (fairly common) or to copy unprotected to your hard drive first.

[quote]Is there a single inexpensive (or free!) program I should be using to do this?

To copy to your hard drive, my preferred program is DVDFab HD Decrypter (free, albeit nagware.)

To compress to a smaller (MP4, AVI, whatever) file, both Handbrake ( http://handbrake.fr/ ) and AutoGK ( http://www.autogk.me.uk/ ) are good. I use Nero Recode (which is commercial, and requires the separate step of ripping to the hard drive first, but I've paid for it for other reasons.)

Is there a single inexpensive (or free!) program I should be using to do this?

On a Mac: Handbrake. Sometimes Handbrake in unable to remove the copy protection, then you need to use something else, e.g. MacTheRipper, so it becomes a 2-step process.

On a Mac: Handbrake. Sometimes Handbrake in unable to remove the copy protection, then you need to use something else, e.g. MacTheRipper, so it becomes a 2-step process.

On Vista I use MagicDisc ( freeware) which copies the entire DVD, no compression. It can then mount copy as a drive letter.
I have plenty of space and delete after watching so it works for me.

love this thread

I use Fair Use Wizard Light (free) for this purpose.
There are other options, but it works for me and the price is right.
http://fairusewizard.com/lang_en/fairuse_wizard_dvd_divx_xvid_backup_tool_light_edi tion.html

^ Fair Use Wizard Light works great and is free. Highly recommend this...

Ok, totally dummy at this, I carry a laptop without DVD player (for size/weight).

So I want to copy a DVD onto my (pretty large) hard drive. Or copy several. For those really long flights.

What do I need to do? Stick the DVD into the attachable DVD drive and....

run a software program to unprotect it?
then another program to copy the DVD into another file format and save it on my hard drive?

Is there a single inexpensive (or free!) program I should be using to do this?
DVDShrink (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_Shrink) which is free allows you to copy the dvd, make it region free, remove UOP, foreign soundtracks, trailers, etc. Oh and it will shrink it in size too if you want.

I have a seriously underpowered laptop (256Mb Ram) and as I'm not in the market for a new one yet, (a steady job comes first), and Handbrake will not work on that, so I use DVDShrink instead. The resultant DVD's files (still VOBs) can be fitted onto flash drives for ease of carrying (I've managed 3 on a 8Gb stick), and they play on my netbook using smplayer.

This isn't as good as ripping into something like MP4 etc. space wise but works for me given how lousy the memory is on my laptop.

Beware the DMCA though!

I have been using DVDShrink for some time and I am very happy with it. It works like a champ and I can watch DVDs off my HD, preserving battery allowing for longer ussage.

Dan

DVDShrink (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_Shrink) which is free allows you to copy the dvd, make it region free, remove UOP, foreign soundtracks, trailers, etc. Oh and it will shrink it in size too if you want.

I have a seriously underpowered laptop (256Mb Ram) and as I'm not in the market for a new one yet, (a steady job comes first), and Handbrake will not work on that, so I use DVDShrink instead. The resultant DVD's files (still VOBs) can be fitted onto flash drives for ease of carrying (I've managed 3 on a 8Gb stick), and they play on my netbook using smplayer.

This isn't as good as ripping into something like MP4 etc. space wise but works for me given how lousy the memory is on my laptop.

Beware the DMCA though!

I have gone to the website, however, I don't see where the download is free!

As I go to the download area, it denotes a charge and asks for credit card info from Paypal.

What am I missing here?

There are a lot of fake DVD Shrink websites that try to charge for versions that may or may not work.

The original DVD Shrink software is free, but a little hard to find sometimes, since people are afraid to link to it for fear of the MPAA launching an anti-fair-use lawsuit against them.

What do I need to do? Stick the DVD into the attachable DVD drive and...
I had the same questions and found this handbrake tutorial (http://www.methodshop.com/gadgets/tutorials/handbrake/index.shtml) very helpful. I have only ripped a dozen DVDs to disk, but using the process described on that page, I've encountered:

No copy protection so far.
Longer battery life when compared to watching movies from my DVD drive.
File size in the 700 MB to 900 MB range.


Hope that helps.

Robert

There are a lot of fake DVD Shrink websites that try to charge for versions that may or may not work.

The original DVD Shrink software is free, but a little hard to find sometimes, since people are afraid to link to it for fear of the MPAA launching an anti-fair-use lawsuit against them.

www.doom9.org