How do you rip DVD's ? (Window & Mac)
 

I read some of the earlier threads but still need some help.

I am having the Devils' own time making Handbrake work on Windows. I can rip the movie from the DVD to an MP4 file (about 1/4 the size of the sum of the vob files). User's guides and FAQ's on Handbrake site are...uh...challenging.

What I cannot do is get the MP4 file into itunes and thence on to Apple TV and ipod.

I read on here about DVD Fab, am perfectly willing to buy it but it is for Windows only. Did I mention I am awaiting delivery of a Mac?

Approaching it from another way, I ripped the dvd using DVD Decrypter but those vob files will not open with itunes either.

Hope my questions were clear:
1. Is there any reliable solution that will work on both platforms?
2. Anyone had luck with Handbrake on Windows and if so, what am I doing wrong.

Many thanks,

BBK,

First, congrats on the Mac purchase - you'll be quite happy with it :)

Now the fun part, thanks to the DMCA its illegal for me to tell you about solutions like MacTheRipper. Its illegal for me to say that MTR works (from what I hear), and the new 3.0b is even better (again, rumors)... The problem, from what I'm told, is that they charge for access to the site where you download the 3.0b which many people find intrinsically rude and some might even turn to other sites to find it.

But, like I said, thanks to the DMCA its illegal for me as a US citizen to tell you how to circumvent the copy protection on DVDs....which is a bummer because it also means I cannot share with you the program VisualHub ($20) which has a "rip to iTunes" feature ...

Of course, on the windows side, its been illegal for quite a while to discuss DVDShrink, so I guess we can't talk about DVDShrink either.

You mentioned that you had some MP4 files that you were trying to add to iTunes, assuming those are video files of legal content then this link might be helpful:
http://www.podcastingnews.com/articl..._for_iPod.html

Nice CYA spacebass,
the other point to note of course, is not just the transfer of knowledge (which I do not think is illegal) but the actual act of circumavigating the copy protection by whomever.

I use a program called CloneDVD Mobile to convert my DVD home movies and surgery videos to Ipod format. Works great. It's available at http://slysoft.com It won't copy "ANYDVD" by itself, but if you want to copy "ANYDVD" with copy protections, I think they sell a program for that, too. I just can't remember what that program is called that will let you copy "ANYDVD".

You are wrong about transfer of knowledge being allowed - it is not. The DMCA even creates a "thought crime" - it is a felony to "conceive of a method" of circumventing copy protection. :td:

Doubtless much of the DMCA will eventaully be overturned by the high court, but that would not be much comfort if you had been imprisoned in the mean time...

The DOOM9 forum is a non-USA resource on which there is discussion of open source DVD ripping resources...

from a mac standpoint, i use "mac the ripper" (http://www.mactheripper.org/) and all i will say is that it rocks ^^^ and "does what it is supposed to do ;). it runs fine under osx, the instructions are simple and very easy to follow and imho, much easier to use than handbrake

Dude! These guys are then in serious trouble.

http://www.pixelcorps.tv/macbreak97

By the way - doesn't "freedom of speech" cancel the transfer of knowledge?

I don't mean to sound argumentative, but the act of trying to CREATE A SOLUTION for hacking, and the act of TELLING someone about it are two different things? Is there any data anywhere that says anything about telling someone about what programs, might could be used, is a crime?

MANY thanks to all of you who replied with advice. I have the trail version of DVD Fab and will try MTR and Handbrake when the Mac arrives.

I certainly didn't mean to start an argument about what is and isn't legal/moral. I can deal with the immoral part and will take my chances with the illegal part. I actually wish someone would push that issue wherever it leads (I have neither the time nor resources). For me not to be able to copy MY dvd onto MY computer for MY use is insane. Enough said.


Anyone using an Apple TV with success?

I have a general interest in this as well. I would like to transfer DVD's that I have purchased onto my iPod for viewing on travel. I'm a computer neophyte and really haven't looked into this very much, but it seems much more difficult than audio CDs.

People pushed it a few years ago, DVD123, or 123DVD or some other name. Went the way of the dodo, and all monies went to legal fees and shutdown. the SW is still available on the torrents though, but, uh, you didn't hear it from me!

I think it was my fault :) I was trying to be funny and it may have provoked the issue :D

I'm not using the ATV, but I have Mac Minis attached to a few TVs around the house and use them as media centers ... very very cool!

If you have a mac, I cannot recommend VisualHub enough! One click transfer of nearly any video source to an iPod/iPhone with a nice interface ... iSquint is the free little brother that is also worth checking out.

www.slysoft.com
AnyDVD and CloneDVD work like a charm !

Wonder if you are talking about DVD X COPY from 321 Studios. The Federal court system shut them down.

The program DVDXCOPY Platinum Ver. 4.0.3.8 amazingly is being sold by many vendors. Search on Google ;).

Apple TV resolution?
 

Semi-hijacking this thread but related to the Apple TV comment... If anyone is using an Apple TV, how do you get a suitable resolution for DVDs that you've backed up to it? I'm planning on getting an LCD widescreen (probably 720p rather than 1080p) and very tempted by the idea of using an Apple TV to stream the kids' DVDs rather than having to back them all up to blank DVDs. However, I noticed on the Apple TV website that the maximum resolution for MPEG-4 is 720 x 432 pixels and H.264 only goes to 1280 x 720. I'd already found many of the software solutions mentioned in this thread and my perception (admittedly based on not too much research yet) is that it's easier to get things to MPEG-4 than H.264. Is this correct?

The resolution question is not too big an issue for a DVD of The Wiggles or Bob the Builder but if I can do it for those DVDs, I think ours would be next and I don't want to have a nice TV with a poor quality source.

Note to self: DYOR before asking the question (I did admit I was only starting the research!). According to Wikipedia, the typical resolution for an NTSC DVD is 720 x 480 pixels so Apple TV's resolution makes more sense now...

i'm also gonna add.....

as i posted above, for ripping the dvd i use mac the ripper but this is not a burning/copying program.

i use roxio's "popcorn 2.0 to burn and copy to ipod format. it's simple to use and if you don't mind a slight (and i do mean very slight) loss of quality, it has a compression feature where you can fit a double layered dvd (8gb) onto a single layer dvd (4.7gb)

^

I also (hypothetically) use CloneDVD mobile for (if I hypothetically) ripped DVD's to my (hypothetical) iPod full of movies.

There is a lot of good information found here:

http://www.videora.com/en-us/Convert...e/dvd-to-ipod/

Very easy to use freeware!

Welcome to FlyerTalk bkafrick!

Since I'm in Australia can I at least think such thoughts?

I understand people may use AnyDVD to "open the doors" to the contents of a DVD. These people then need a copying program to "rip" the contents to HDD or another DVD.

I've heard IMGBurn is very good for this later process.

IMGBurn is also very useful for copying ISO files for backup purposes (eg your $$$ OEM Navigation disks) - bit perfect copies.

Or so I've heard... :)

Excuse me for bringing this to the front of the line again but I still need help.
Learning to speak Mac whilst learning to ....uh...backup DVD's is a lot to ask of an old codger.

Two questions, on my new Mac have appeard some Video TS folders with some VOB files in them. They must have gotten there by some miracle, almost as though someone had used MTR to put them there. Anyhow, I figured as long as they are there, I might as well put them in itunes.

Heres the two questions:
(1) has anyone else had trouble converting multi-episode video files (in my case "Friends" and "Seinfeld" episodes? I have Popcorn, Crunch, Visual Hub and Handbrake and all I can ever get is the first episode no matter what I turn the settings to.

(2) most feature movies convert fine but I have run across two exceptions (one rather old, one new) where I get the message "Contents of this VIdeo TS folder cannot be compressed", or some variation of that depending on the conversion program.

I'd be perfectly happy to be directed to any mac or video user forums but I figured the experts on here would probably know the answers.

Many thanks.

DVDFab Decrypter, then VOB Blanker (if needed), then DVD Shrink (fits it all on single sided DVD

All freeware

Welcome to the fold, we've been expecting you :)

Honestly, I have never converted multi-episode files. If I was so inclined, which I'm not, I would probably use www.tvtorrents.com and download them directly, but thats just wrong so I wouldn't do it.

If you are getting that 2nd error, try and find a copy of MTR 3.0 BETA ...its out there despite their despotic control over the code (which argues for using handbrake).
The issue is that newer DVDs use a system that introduces just enough errors in the disk that computers tend to hiccup but set top players will ignore them.